11 Secret Meetings. One Big Problem.

This week, the Colorado Court of Appeals delivered a decision that should concern every resident of Douglas County, regardless of party, ideology, or where you stand on local issues.

The court found that the Douglas County Board of Commissioners likely violated Colorado’s open meetings law by holding a series of closed, unannounced meetings to discuss public business.

Let that sink in.

According to the court’s ruling, county commissioners held at least 11 private meetings between December 2024 and April 2025 where public policy matters were discussed—without proper notice and outside public view.

These discussions reportedly included major issues like:

• The proposed Home Rule charter

• Immigration policy resolutions

• Appointments to boards and commissions

• Changes to public comment rules

The court was clear: these were not casual conversations or administrative check-ins. They are “clearly concerned public business or policymaking.”

And under Colorado law, that kind of work belongs in the open.

Why This Matters

Open meetings laws, often called “sunshine laws”, exist for a simple reason. The public has a right to see how decisions are made.

Not just the final vote. Not just the press release. But the conversations, the deliberations, and the process.

When elected officials move those conversations behind closed doors, it erodes trust, and it shuts the public out of their own government. This isn’t about politics. It’s about accountability.

A Pattern We Can’t Ignore

This case didn’t come out of nowhere. It was brought forward by a bipartisan group of residents, including a Republican former commissioner, a Democratic state representative, and an unaffiliated voter, who believed something wasn’t right.

That alone should tell us something.

And now, the Court of Appeals has validated those concerns enough to send the case back for further proceedings, including a hearing on whether violations are ongoing.

This is not a technicality. This is a warning.

We Deserve Better

We deserve leadership that understands that transparency is not optional. That public process is not an inconvenience. And that accountability is not a talking point, but a responsibility. As your candidate for Douglas County Commissioner, I believe good governance starts with one fundamental principle:

If you’re doing the public’s business, the public should be able to see it.

That means no backroom decision-making. No limiting public input to check a box. No censoring comments from those who don’t agree with you. And no treating transparency as a burden.

It means building trust by showing your work every step of the way.

The court’s decision sends this case back for further review. The county may continue to fight it. More proceedings are likely. But regardless of what happens next legally, the message is already clear. We can—and must—do better.

This moment is an opportunity to reset expectations for how our county operates. To recommit to openness. To rebuild trust. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about any one meeting, or even any one decision.

It’s about whether the people of Douglas County have a government that works with them. Or one that operates behind closed doors.

I know which one I’m fighting for. JOIN ME.