On Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, without informing our Board or County staff leadership, our now former colleague Lora Thomas chose to resign her position as Douglas County Commissioner representing District III, effective immediately.
She chose to resign, before the completion of her second term, knowing she had access to the same opportunities to continue governing, in her role, until Jan. 14, 2025, at which time the new District III County Commissioner would be sworn into office.
Unlike what has been reported, her governing environment included a same-sized office, with the same view, adjacent to the office from which she had served for nearly eight years. C.R.S. §30-11-101(1)(c) grants the County the authority to direct the use of real and personal property owned by the County when deemed by the Board of County Commissioners to be in the best interests of the county and its inhabitants. This would include assigning an office to refurbish the office for a new commissioner.
With this moment in the rear-view mirror, it is important that our Board move on, focus our attention on the people’s business, and lean into the opportunity to govern in the public interest, with our newest commissioner elected to this seat in November.