La Plata County Treasurer Allison Aichele submitted a letter of resignation to the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, announcing that her last day on the job would be Nov. 4.
She did not provide any reason for her resignation in her letter. Her four-year term was set to expire in January 2027.
“(It is) time for a new chapter in my life,” Aichele said by way of an explanation in a brief interview with The Durango Herald.
County commissioners will meet at noon Wednesday to vote on whether to accept Aichele’s resignation and to provide direction to staff on how to proceed. Under Colorado law, the BOCC will appoint a qualified individual to the position who will serve in the role until the next general election, in November 2024.
Aichele, the two-term incumbent, squeezed out an electoral victory last November, besting independent candidate Erin Hutchins by 344 votes. When asked what had changed in the eight months since her victory, Aichele said, “If you go back and look at how I ran my campaign, you'll see nothing has changed.”
In contrast to her opponent, Aichele did little campaigning and spent no money.
In the past, Aichele has touted improvements to customer service as one of her major accomplishments in office. She made it possible for county residents to pay taxes online and has said she improved the transparency and accessibility of her office.
If accepted, Aichele’s resignation will be effective Nov. 4, a date she chose so that she could work with her staff through the end of the tax lien sale. However, her resignation will take effect before the next year’s tax work begins.
When informed of Aichele’s resignation Tuesday, Hutchins did not wish to comment on whether she is interested in pursuing the position. Aichele has previously said she would train the deputy treasurer to run in her stead in 2024.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
