Morrissey defeats Lieb for county treasurer

By Chuck Slothower Staff reporter

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2014 5:47 PM Updated Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014 9:52 AM

Democrat’s aggressive campaign pays off

Allison Morrissey at the Democratic election party held Tuesday night at BREW in Durango.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald

Allison Morrissey at the Democratic election party held Tuesday night at BREW in Durango. Lieb

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald

Lieb

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Republicans had patriotic decorations on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Republican Brad Blake, talks with Jo Fusco, left, and Donna Cook on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Terri Oliger kept election results updated on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Bob Lieb, left, looks on with his son Bobby Lieb, candidate for La Plata County Treasurer, and Bobby’s wife Meredith, and their daughter, Laura, 18, as they watch election results come in on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Republicans filled the basement of the Durango Elks Lodge on Tuesday night.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - DURANGO - 11/04/14 - County commissioner Julie Westendorff and others celebrate as they learn both Sean Smith and Allison Morrissey were ahead on Tuesday evening at Brew Pub & Kitchen.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - DURANGO - 11/04/14 - Sean Smith accepts congratulations from friends and supporters after arriving with son, Christopher Smith, 10, mom Holly Smith, and son Brandon Smith, 16, on Tuesday evening at Brew Pub & Kitchen.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Election results from other the U.S. were updated throughout the evening on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - DURANGO - 11/04/14 - Margaret Martin reacts to news that Allison Morrissey was pulling ahead of Bobby Lieb in the race for county treasurer on Tuesday evening at Brew Pub & Kitchen.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Election results are updated thoughout the evening on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - DURANGO - 11/04/14 - Mayor Sweetie Marbury reacts to news that Sean Smith was leading in the race for La Plata County Sheriff on Tuesday evening at Brew Pub & Kitchen.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Republican supporters dressed up in patriotic clothes on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald La Plata County coroner, Jann Smith, and deputy coroner Larry Phelps wait for election results on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - DURANGO - 11/04/14 - From left: Laura Godfrey with the La Plata County Democratic Party Executive Committee, Bruce Whitehead, Gary Fairchild, and Isabel Whitehead, 15, react to the news that Cory Gardener was pulling ahead of Mark Udall in the contest for U.S. Senate on Tuesday evening at Brew Pub & Kitchen.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Terri Oliger kept election results updated on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Plenty of electronic devises were on hand to keep up on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

STEVE LEWIS/Durango Herald - DURANGO - 11/04/14 - Allison Morrissey arrives after hearing news of her lead over Bobby Lieb in the race for county treasurer on Tuesday evening at Brew Pub & Kitchen.

JERRY McBRIDE/Durango Herald Repuclicans had patriotic decorations on Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge.

Allison Morrissey sent Bobby Lieb to defeat Tuesday night in the race for La Plata County treasurer.

Morrissey had 53 percent of the vote, while Lieb had 47 percent. Morrissey had an edge of more than 1,000 votes.

“I’m so glad that retail politics works – door knocking,” she said.

Morrissey added, “I’m really pleased that La Plata County elected the one who was most professionally qualified for this professional position of treasurer.”

Morrissey mounted a spirited campaign, emphasizing her corporate experience. She more than doubled Lieb’s spending, $41,093 to Lieb’s $18,826, according to a report filed Friday with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.

Lieb conceded when reached about the results.

“I lost,” he said.

Morrissey said she knocked on more than 7,000 doors during the campaign.

“The reason I worked so hard is because I felt like the public needed to be educated about the role of county treasurer,” she said.

Lieb said he’s not sure what swung voters.

“I’m still trying to figure that out,” he said. “Maybe the voters will tell me after it’s all said and done.”

He acknowledged Morrissey’s formidable campaign.

“Allison ran a very aggressive campaign, and she spent a lot of money,” he said. “Maybe I just got out-campaigned.”

The election brought the first open race for county treasurer in 28 years. Longtime Treasurer Ed Murray, a Republican, decided not to run for re-election, retiring after seven terms.

Morrissey moved to La Plata County full-time in 2007 after a career in various roles with Microsoft, Pacific Gas and Electric and other companies. She and her husband had lived in the area part-time since 2004, when they completed building a house in Hesperus.

Lieb, a sitting county commissioner, opted to run for treasurer instead of a second term as commissioner. County commissioners are limited to two, four-year terms, but the county treasurer has no term limits. Lieb at one point described his choice as a “career move.”

Lieb was by far the better-known candidate as the campaign began. He successfully ran for county commissioner in 2010 and was widely known in local business circles.

Morrissey is a Democrat, and Lieb a Republican, but the county treasurer’s job is largely nonpartisan and functionary. The treasurer collects county property tax revenues and disburses them to various taxing districts. The treasurer also invests on the county’s behalf.

The treasurer earns a $72,500 annual salary, plus an additional $12,000 for serving as public trustee.

cslothower@durangoherald.com