Following the recent turn of events in Douglas County, Kevin Van Winkle, a state senator, joined his soon-to-be colleagues on Thursday night to host the annual state of the county report.

It was Van Winkle’s first public appearance with commissioners Abe Laydon and George Teal since former Commissioner Lora Thomas unexpectedly resigned from her seat. 

“I’m looking forward to a new era of peace and prosperity for Douglas County,” Van Winkle told a dinner crowd of business leaders and Douglas County residents. Van Winkle is expected to resign his legislative seat on Dec. 16. 

On Monday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is expected to approve his appointment to fill Douglas County’s vacant District 3 commissioner seat. Van Winkle was  originally slated to transition into his commission seat in Jan.

The event, hosted at the Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows, highlighted the county’s work in the past year.

“Since then,” Van Winkle said of Thomas’ resignation, “it’s just been a whirlwind week of trying to figure out things with my Senate job, things with the county and what the heck has happened.”

Laydon, who was named the board’s new chair on Thursday, said he looks forward to the work ahead.

“We already have so many wonderful ideas in the pipeline,” he said of the new board. 

When asked how the new board will operate differently from before, Laydon said Van Winkle “knows how to disagree without being disagreeable and that makes a lot of difference.”

“He has different opinions and different ideas,” Laydon said.

Teal, the former board chair, described what has transpired this past week as “win after win after win.”

“A lot of changes went down, but in my opinion, every change was positive,” Teal told The Denver Gazette.

Van Winkle said the county needs to focus on affordability, public safety and other pressing issues.

“I have two kids in the K-12 system in public school here in Douglas County, so school safety will certainly be top of mind,” he said. 

“Douglas County will be a shining county, prosperous and free from over taxation and over regulation,” Van Winkle also told attendees.

Commissioners during the county’s annual report lauded its approach to issues affecting metro Denver, saying the area has turned into the “healthiest” and “best” county to live in Colorado.

County officials said that between 2020 and 2023, Douglas County witnessed more than a 400% higher than average Colorado growth rate.

“We’re going to continue to hopefully lead the state in terms of working hard to keep people safe, keeping property taxes low and focusing on the economy,” Laydon said. “It’s really tough to live and pay your bills unless you have a robust economy and leaders that help you get there.”

The commissioners and others also talked about homelessness, property values, quality of living, wildfire relief, emergency issues, traffic, transportation, new businesses and education.

They also talked about the new 23rd Judicial District, which Douglas County will join in January.

The new judicial district will “bring new opportunities and challenges,” Van Winkle said.

Teal, who was elected into his second term in November, said transportation, construction and public safety will continue to be major subjects in the county.

“So many people in this community are concerned about the less safe parts of this state, much less the country. The people of Douglas County want us to remain a public safety oriented community where they can be safe,” he said. 

Increased safety has led to more businesses and residents moving into Douglas County, according to Douglas County Economic Development Corporation CEO Ellie Reynolds.

“The 2024 State of Douglas County was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the incredible achievements of the past year,” Reynolds said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who set to transition to the 3rd Congressional District in January, also joined the event.

“There’s so much work that you’re doing,” she told the three commissioners.

Lora Thomas resigned on Dec. 6, claiming harassment and abuse from Teal and Laydon. Thomas, who was term-limited but had another five weeks to go before her term expired on Jan. 14, said the final straw was moving her out of her office and turning it over to Van Winkle. 

In a statement, Laydon and Teal said moving boxes and transitioning after a November election is normal. The county confirmed moving Thomas out of her office but added that 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.”