SALT LAKE CITY — Former Utah County Commission Chairman Larry Ellertson withdrew Friday from consideration for the Utah Transportation Commission after a contentious confirmation hearing last month.
Ellertson said retirement plans with his wife will make it difficult for him to fulfill the six-year commission term, according to a Utah Department of Transportation news release.
A former Utah Transit Authority board chairman, Ellertson survived a Senate committee confirmation hearing on a 3-2 vote after a half-dozen residents objected to his nomination.
One resident, Jennifer Baptista, submitted a 13-page document titled "Larry Ellertson Opposition Research," criticizing him for lack of transparency in his public service, increasing county commission salaries, and heading the UTA board when a legislative audit found exorbitant management salaries and bonuses, and a sweetheart deal for a developer.
Gov. Gary Herbert nominated Ellertson to the transportation commission in May.
In the news release Friday, Herbert said residents interested in representing UDOT Region 3 (Utah, Juab, Wasatch, Duchesne, Uintah and Daggett counties) on the commission can find application materials at boards.utah.gov.