La Plata County residents should be proud and happy. They have as their county commissioners three smart, dedicated and hardworking people to lead the county through challenging times. They should acknowledge that by re-electing Gwen Lachelt and Julie Westendorff.

Doing so would also preserve the momentum and positive energy now evident in county government. That will be crucial in coping with the downturn in county revenue resulting from the long-anticipated decrease in gas production.

Lachelt has long been involved in public policy and possesses a wealth of knowledge on any number of issues facing county government. Moreover, her experience – particularly in navigating issues in the gas patch – has clearly acquainted her with the necessity of balancing different and often competing interests and concerns. As she has shown, we can have environmental safeguards as well as protections for surface owners, county roads and neighbors, without stifling development.

Westendorff too has long and valuable experience in public affairs, albeit in different areas. She has been an attorney, a municipal judge, a prosecutor for the Southern Utes and a small business owner. She has also kept her enthusiasm for the job and places particular value on attentive listening. Those are welcome attributes.

Lachelt and Westendorff would both look to what are likely the two biggest issues facing the county – diminishing revenue and anticipated growth. Gas production is off and with it county revenue. That has to be addressed through careful budgeting.

At the same time, the county needs to focus on another major goal – the completion and adoption of its Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Code. That was rejected in 2011 at the cost of $750,000 in taxpayer funds and countless hours of work. Lachelt and Westendorff both would recoup some of that effort and put the county on track to handle the future.

Their opponents, Lyle McKnight and Kayla Patterson, deserve praise for their being civic minded and for offering to serve. They should be encouraged to stay involved. At this point, however, neither can match Lachelt and Westendorff in experience or knowledge of the issues.

Re-elect Gwen Lachelt and Julie Westendorff.