La Plata County Commissioner Bobby Lieb said Monday he will forego running for a second term as commissioner and instead run for county treasurer in 2014.
Lieb filed paperwork Monday with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office to run for treasurer.
“I thought it was a good opportunity for me, both personally and professionally,” Lieb said.
Longtime county Treasurer Ed Murray said he will not run for re-election when his seventh term concludes at the end of 2014. Murray took office as county treasurer on Jan. 1, 1987.
The treasurer bills for and collects property taxes on homes and gas and oil operations. The office also disburses tax revenue to cities, towns and taxing districts in the county. The office has four employees besides the treasurer.
Lieb said his term as commissioner is good preparation for becoming treasurer.
“My experience as a commissioner has given me the ability to grasp county operations,” he said.
Lieb’s decision opens a seat on the Board of County Commissioners for the 2014 election. A new commissioner will join Democrats Gwen Lachelt and Julie Westendorff in 2015. Westendorff and Lachelt’s seats will be contested in 2016.
County commissioners are limited to two four-year terms. The treasurer is not subject to term limits.
County commissioners and the treasurer all earn annual salaries of $72,500. The treasurer earns an additional $12,495 as public trustee. The salaries are set by state law.
Lieb, 48, has served as executive director of two local business organizations, the Durango Chamber of Commerce and the La Plata Economic Development Alliance. He worked for 20 years as vice president of Durango Threadworks, a family company.
His father, Bob Lieb, also served as a La Plata County commissioner.
Bobby Lieb, a Republican, said the treasurer’s job is appealing because it lacks the policy questions that county commissioners regularly wrestle with.
“I’m better suited in the operations side of things, probably, than the policy side,” he said.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
