County Commissioners Remove Public Comment From Their Meeting Agendas

Decades of precedent tossed out to prevent citizen input

As Commissioner George Teal takes the reins of the Board of County Commissioners as its new chair, more change is on the way. The agendas for the Business Meetings and Land Use Meetings held by the Commissioners now show no time for public comment. Public comment last appeared on the agenda for the January 13th, 2026 meeting.

For decades the Board of County Commissioners has allotted time in meetings for the public to give comment to their elected officials. That public comment was credited with putting pressure on the Commissioners to not allow camping at Sandstone Ranch, to lobby against a proposed asphalt plant in Louviers, and to hear resident concerns about developing the Backcountry Wilderness Area in Highlands Ranch.

In recent months, the Commissioners have reliably ensured their agenda extends beyond allotted time and used that as a pretense to cancel public comment. Jefferson, Arapahoe, Elbert, El Paso, and Teller Counties all have time set aside for public comment during their Commissioner meetings. City councils, metro districts, and the Douglas County School Board also allow time for public comment.

New velvet rope separating Commissioners from the public.

The Commissioners have also installed a new velvet rope separating their dais from the public. Although they officially ban signage with political statements, the Commissioners allowed signage in support of their agenda at their October 14th meeting. A Castle Rock woman was escorted out of a later Commissioner meeting for wearing a political sweatshirt during public comment. Other displays of civic engagement have been forbidden as the Commissioners increasingly face pushback.