Court of Appeals: Douglas County Commissioners Violated Open Meetings Law
- kevinfordougco
- Apr 3
- 1 min read
This is a big deal.
The Colorado Court of Appeals has ruled that Douglas County commissioners violated Colorado’s Open Meetings Law, reversing a lower court and sending the case back for further proceedings.
This case centers on closed-door meetings where public business was discussed outside public view — and the court made it clear:
👉 Public business must be conducted in public.
But here’s what makes this even more concerning…
At the same time:
• Commissioners removed general public comment from meetings
• Residents report feeling shut out and silenced
• Work sessions are no longer livestreamed
• The County has disabled comments on Facebook, X, and Instagram
• Public comment is now restricted to specific agenda items, often with tight time limits (sometimes under an hour total)
• Reports that commenters appear hand-selected, with no clear or neutral process
• Concerns about unequal balance between speakers for and against certain ordinances
And now, the court confirms what many residents already felt:
👉 Decisions were being discussed behind closed doors
That’s not transparency.
That’s not accountability.
You can’t:
• Limit public input
• Control who gets to speak
• Turn off access
• Silence online engagement
• And hold meetings out of public view
…while expecting public trust.
Government works for the people — not the other way around.
This ruling is a wake-up call for Douglas County.
Transparency isn’t optional.
It’s the law.
📖 Read more:
Douglas County News-Press: https://www.douglascountynewspress.com/news/article_66e28b42-9f56-4237-89d8-3445164ca0e4.html
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