La Plata County Treasurer Allison Aichele’s resignation was accepted by the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, but not before commissioners scrutinized the scheduled sequence of events leading up to her November departure.
Aichele tendered her resignation Tuesday morning in a succinct letter to commissioners informing the board that she would depart the role on Nov. 4.
When asked Tuesday by The Durango Herald why her resignation would not take effect for over three months, Aichele responded, “That’s so that I can help my staff through the annual tax lien sale project.”
However, County Manager Chuck Stevens informed the county commissioners that Aichele had blocked off six weeks of vacation time from Sept. 25 through Nov. 3.
Aichele defended the schedule when asked about it Wednesday, and said she was unsure whether she would actually take the time off.
“I would like to take that time off. I have requested it just in case I decided to do that,” she said. “And I have never taken a vacation since I have been in office. So I was thinking I really need some time off. I’ve been in this office 8½ years and have not taken a vacation since I’ve been in office.”
Unlike standard exempt employees, elected officials do not have a specified amount of vacation time. Rather, they draw an annual salary to do the job for which they were elected, regardless of the actual hours they work.
“We could take a vacation for a very long time, and it’s up to the people to unseat us,” Commissioner Matt Salka said as a hypothetical example during Wednesday’s special business meeting.
The treasurer draws an annual salary of $121,874, meaning she would be compensated $15,234 for the six-week vacation preceding her final day. In defending the move, Aichele pointed to other elected officials who have taken time off and said the break was deserved.
The concern among commissioners was not so much the vacation itself, but the timing of it and the difficulty it could introduce into transitioning someone into the new role.
“My concern is that, during this time that she takes, and very well probably deserves – I’m not knocking that whatsoever – she’s not here, the elected is not here,” Salka said. “So why drag this along? Let’s move it forward. We need to sit someone to fill that seat. Let’s just rip the Band-Aid.”
However, Aichele is independently elected by the voters of La Plata County, meaning commissioners are unable to move her departure date any sooner, which would effectively mean dismissing her from office.
The BOCC voted to accept Aichele’s resignation, and directed Commissioner Clyde Church, the liaison to the Treasurer’s Office, to ask Aichele if she would be willing to leave as soon as Sept. 24. The change in date would allow commissioners to appoint a new treasurer who could formally take over duties as soon as Aichele leaves for vacation.
Aichele, who was not present at the BOCC meeting online or in person, said she would not consider revising the date of her resignation.
“No, I would not consider that because I have not made definitive plans for taking any time off,” she said.
She later said she planned to take a phone and computer with her, calling the period a “working time away.”
The BOCC directed county staff members to post a job listing for the position, which is likely to run through the second or third week of August. Commissioners will then publicly interview candidates, and vote to appoint someone to the role. The appointee will serve through the general election in November 2024, when voters will weigh in. The seat will again appear on the ballot as regularly scheduled in November 2026.
The county will hire consultants to assist in the transition as a new person steps into the role.
Anne Markward, chairwoman of the La Plata County Democratic Party, said she does not have a candidate in mind to replace Aichele, also a Democrat.
“It should be held by the most competent professional La Plata (County) can find, regardless of affiliation,” she said. “We need a public servant who is qualified, we do not need a political appointee.”
Shelli Shaw, chairwoman of the La Plata County Republican Party, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Interviews for the position will be conducted publicly.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
