By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and may be updated.
Jay Longmire quit the Douglas County Planning Commission this week, protesting what he called years of alleged “bullying, antagonization, abuse, and slander” of Commissioner Lora Thomas by fellow commissioners George Teal and Abe Laydon.
“Effective immediately, upon the conclusion of this planning meeting, I’m submitting my resignation as a commissioner on the Douglas County Planning Commission. I find that I must stand on principle. I’m resigning in protest to the way former Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas has been treated by Commissioners George Teal and Abe Laydon over the past several years,” Longmire said.
He accused Teal and Laydon of stripping Thomas of board positions, terminating her county credit card and ultimately ordering staff to remove her from her office before her term was up. He rejected their justification that it was “normal protocol” to prepare for an incoming commissioner.
“After being stripped of her board positions, her county credit card and other abuses, she finally reached a point of no return when Teal and Laydon ordered staff to remove her from her office prior to the completion of her term. They stated it was ‘normal protocol’ to prepare for an incoming commissioner. That was a flat-out lie,” he said.
Longmire also criticized the commissioners for spending taxpayer dollars on what he described as a baseless lawsuit against Thomas.
“Teal and Laydon have frivolously spent thousands of your tax dollars and mine suing Commissioner Thomas for ethical violations, only for her to be found totally innocent. It was purely hatred, harassment and vindictiveness in nature,” he said.
When Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle neglected to take a stand over the behavior, Longmire’s frustrations reached a tipping point, he said.
“However, my point of no return was in waiting for incoming Commissioner Van Winkle to tell Teal and Laydon that he absolutely would not occupy Commissioner Thomas’ office until her term was up, but Commissioner Van Winkle stayed silent. That was very disappointing to me,” he said.
Longmire framed his resignation as a matter of principle, stating that he could not serve under leadership whose values he did not share.
“Since my values and ethics do not align with theirs, I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me to occupy a position on this commission,” he said.
Anticipating pushback, Longmire rejected any claims that Thomas had influenced his decision.
“I’ll preemptively dispel comments that most certainly will come from Teal and Laydon saying that Lora Thomas put me up to this. Let me be unmistakably clear. No one puts me up to anything. I stand on my own two feet. It was I who called Commissioner Thomas to let her know of my intentions,” he said.
He closed his statement by expressing gratitude for his time serving Douglas County.
“It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Douglas County. And equally, it has been an honor to serve with my esteemed fellow commissioners,” Longmire said.
Rocky Mountain Voice reached out to Commissioners George Teal and Abe Laydon for comment, and the Douglas County communications director has indicated a statement from the board is forthcoming.