Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas resigned nearly six weeks before her term was set to end, citing ongoing harassment from her fellow commissioners.
Her departure comes after years of conflict with Abe Laydon and George Teal over county spending and board appointments.
Resignation and Background
Lora Thomas resigned nearly six weeks before her term was set to end, citing harassment from fellow commissioners.
Her departure follows years of infighting with Abe Laydon and George Teal over budget decisions and board appointments.
Thomas had little power and faced repeated censures and accusations of spreading false information.
In 2022, she was suspended as commission chair after clashing with her colleagues.
The conflicts included disputes over county spending and the appointment of board members.
Conflict and Accusations
Thomas claims Teal and Laydon tried to evict her from her office to make way for her successor.
She accuses them of making decisions behind closed doors and wasting county funds on projects like an incubator for Lockheed Martin.
The final straw came when Thomas was told to move out of her office, which she refused to do.
Thomas saw this move as a way to humiliate her, driven by Teal and Laydon’s desire to assert control.
Despite their denials, these actions reflected a broader strategy to exclude her from meaningful participation in county affairs.
Aftermath and Public Reaction
The county attorney cited a state statute allowing the county to direct office use as deemed best for Douglas County.
The Board of Commissioners stated Thomas violated policies and had been censured multiple times.
Her successor, Kevin Van Winkle, was surprised by her resignation and does not yet hold any county authority.
The board justified their actions by pointing to Thomas’s repeated policy violations.
Van Winkle expressed concern over the disruption her departure might cause, despite not yet having any official county power.
