La Plata County BOCC

Elizabeth Philbrick Appointed to Fill District 1 County Commissioner Seat

The La Plata County Democratic Central Committee has appointed Elizabeth Philbrick to fill the District 1 seat on the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners, following the early retirement of Commissioner Clyde Church. Church announced his resignation effective July 1, 2025, after years of dedicated public service.

"We were grateful to see such strong participation from our Central Committee members and the community-at-large during tonight’s meeting,” said Teal Lehto, Chair of the La Plata County Democratic Party. “I am especially proud of our work conducting the vacancy appointment in full accordance with Colorado law. The energy and thoughtfulness everyone brought to the process speaks to how much our community values fair process and local leadership.”

The Vacancy Committee convened via Google Meet on the evening of July 1, pursuant with Colorado Revised Statutes 1-12-206. The committee was made up of La Plata County Democratic Central Committee members, who voted by majority to appoint Elizabeth Philbrick. Elizabeth will serve the remainder of Commissioner Church’s term, which concludes at the end of 2026.

The La Plata County Democrats thank Commissioner Clyde Church for his dedication and service to the people of La Plata County. His thoughtful leadership and commitment to our community will be remembered with gratitude.

For more information about the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners, visit the La Plata County Government website: lpcgov.org/departments/board_of_county_commissioners.

Official Call: La Plata County Democratic Vacancy Committee

Meeting details:

Date: Tuesday July 1, 2025

Gavel: 6:00 PM Mountain Time

Adjourned: 8:07 PM Mountain Time

Location: Online via Google Meet

As voted during our 2025 Re-Organization, all elected Democrats and Precinct Organizers on the Central Committee are also members of the Vacancy Committee and are eligible to vote.

The following individuals expressed interest in filling the District 1 seat:

Susan Hakanson
Erica Henner Max
Robert Logan
Elizabeth Philbrick

Under Colorado Revised Statutes 1-12-206, the Vacancy Committee must appoint a replacement that 1.) is a resident of the county and resides within the district in which the vacancy exists and 2.) is a member of the same political party. The appointment must be made by a majority vote of those present. A quorum requires at least half of the voting members. Proxies are not allowed.

Each candidate were given two minutes to address the Vacancy Commmitte, followed by an seconded nomination speech. deEach candidate was given two minutes to address the committee, followed by a two-minute nomination speech delivered by a secondary nominator. The candidates then participated in a moderated Q&A, each recieving one minute to respond to questions from the committee.

responses