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April 3, 2014 Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 27, Issue 20 A publication of
highlandsranchherald.net
Spurlock gets nod in sheriff ’s race Other hopefuls unhappy with system at General Assembly By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@coloradocommunitymedia.com Douglas County Undersheriff Tony Spurlock doubled the number of votes garnered by both of his opponents at the Republican General Assembly and will now run uncontested for the office of sheriff on the party’s primary ballot come June. After that, Spurlock will face off against
Libertarian Brock McCoy in November for the right to take over for term-limited Sheriff David Weaver. No Democrat has announced a candidacy for sheriff at this time. Receiving 233 votes from delegates, the undersheriff picked up 50.4 percent of the vote at the March 22 assembly, while Coroner Lora Thomas earned 24.8 percent and Castle Rock Police Cmdr. John Anderson wound up with 24.6 percent. For candidates to make it on to the Republican primary ballot they must receive 30 percent of the vote at the general
assembly. If they do not reach that amount, but finish with more than 10 percent, they had nine days to gather signatures equating to 20 percent of the total number of votes in the Republican primary during Spurlock the last sheriff’s election — which in this case meant 5,040 valid signatures by registered Republican voters in Douglas County. Neither Thomas nor Anderson chose to
go through with the petition process. “I think the message from the delegates is that the citizens of Douglas County are appreciative of the efforts of the sheriff’s office, they are happy with my vision and mission for the future, and they are happy with what I have been doing as the undersheriff,” Spurlock said. “I am very happy, humbled and proud to be representing the Republican Party. It is a daunting and humbling task to run for office. I really appreciate everything Spurlock continues on Page 14
Board vote bonds foes
Trevor Strizich, a freshman from ThunderRidge High School, defies gravity as he bikes around the bowl.
Concerns about changes to public comment cross lines By Jane Reuter
jreuter @coloradocommunitymedia.com
RIDING at REDSTONE With spring break ongoing and temperatures rising, kids, teens and 20-somethings headed to Redstone Park to enjoy the afternoon sun and make good use of the skate park on March 27. The park crawled with skaters, scooter-goers and cyclists all day and all week.
PHOTOS BY HANNAH GARCIA
Trevor Jones, a junior at ThunderRidge High School, ollies in the bowl during his spring break.
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The Douglas County School Board’s recent decision to restrict public comment has had an unexpected impact, at least momentarily uniting many who traditionally have stood on opposite sides of the board’s decisions. Many Douglas County residents who disagree on the board-initiated voucher program, teacher evaluations, budgetary and other issues have come together to agree that the March 25 policy change goes too far. A member of DCSD’s District Accountability Committee and a district captain with the Douglas County Republicans resigned his DAC post after the 6-1 vote to limit general public comment to five minutes per meeting. Former DAC member David DiCarlo did not return calls to Colorado Community Media requesting comment, but said during a March 18 discussion about the proposed policy, “I don’t always like what my neighbors have to say … but I would die for their right to say it.” Board member Meghann Silverthorn was the lone director to vote against the public comment policy change. Though the board-approved motion allows board president Kevin Larsen discretion to expand the time for public comment, another Douglas County Republicans’ district captain decried the change as “an unreasonable restriction on public participation.” “That the board president has not been able to preside efficiently over public meetings is insufficient justification to establish arbitrary and Comment continues on Page 14
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