On Thursday, Eno, a wine bar on East Second Avenue, flirted with the limits of its fire capacity as Democrat Gwen Lachelt announced her candidacy to challenge Republican Kellie Hotter for the District 2 La Plata County commission seat.

Surrounded by about 80 supporters, Lachelt said she wanted to “work for all the people of La Plata County. I am the best candidate running for this office.”

“People have told me that they are very excited because they know I have the skills and experience necessary for public office. I understand the issues. I have staff and budgeting experience, and I have been a consensus-builder between urban and rural interests for 25 years,” said Lachelt.

Lachelt is a 30-year resident of Durango and the founding executive director of San Juan Citizens Alliance and is the current director of the Earthworks’ Oil and Gas accountability project.

“I’m a fighter, and I have been fighting for the people of La Plata County since 1987,” she said. “I’ve worked with Luann Ellis and Harl Kendrick’s family to get the traffic lights installed at Elmore’s Corner. When Amaco, now BP, announced plans to drill 1,000 gas wells in our community, we began our David versus Goliath battle to protect landowner rights and implement local, state and national standards to protect our water and air.”

Lachelt’s advocacy for landowners’ surface property rights and on hydraulic fracking gained national attention and was covered by numerous media outlets including The Denver Post, The Wall Street Journal and NPR.

In 2005, the Ford Foundation selected Lachelt as a national finalist for the Leader for a Changing World award. Earthworks’ OGAP received her $5,000 prize.

Introducing Lachelt, Alison Dance, owner of Eno and the Cyprus Cafe, said, “Gwen has experience, vision and integrity and a great sense of humor and passion. She’s an excellent leader and an awesome team player. Kellie Hotter will not go away quietly, but away she must go.”

Josh Joswick, a former La Plata County commissioner, said, “It was 1988 that a Democrat was last elected in the 2nd District. It isn’t going to be easy, but we can win ... ”

Wally White, a current county commissioner, said at this week’s county commissioner meeting, Hotter “literally gave the finger to all of you and this community. She has done so much disservice to what we all believe in and care about in this community. We need to remove her from office, and Gwen is the one who can do it.”

“It is going to be a very difficult an expensive campaign. The incumbent raised over $40,000 in her last campaign,” he said.

The biggest round of applause came at the end of Lachelt’s speech.

“I know I can win,” she said.

County commissioners serve four-year terms and earn $72,500 per year.

cmcallister@durangoherald.com