It is difficult to overstate the importance of the Commissioner’s role. County commissioners in Colorado serve as both legislative and executive authorities.This dual role gives them the responsibility of shaping county policies while also ensuring those policies are effectively carried out.

One of their primary duties is managing the county’s finances. Commissioners adopt the annual budget, set property tax rates (mill levies), and oversee public funds. Of utmost importance, they’re responsible for approving expenditures and maintaining fiscal transparency and accountability across departments.

Commissioners also guide the county’s growth through decisions on land use, zoning, and infrastructure. They help shape how communities develop and are importantly responsible for the maintenance and oversight of roads, bridges, and public buildings. In La Plata, this also includes direct relationships with the Federal Government who oversees public lands that occupy roughly 40% of the county.

Additionally, public health and safety fall squarely within their purview. They help oversee services such as the sheriff’s department, emergency management, environmental health departments, and the county coroner. In times of disaster, such as wildfires, commissioners play a key role in response and recovery efforts.

Another significant responsibility is policy development. Though La Plata is a statutory county, and thus adheres to Colorado’s constitution, Commissioners adopt resolutions that govern the county and work with state and federal agencies to ensure local compliance and advocacy. In that capacity, they serve as the county’s representatives, lobbying for resources and participating in broader intergovernmental networks.

Being a commissioner also means maintaining a strong connection to the community. Through public meetings and constituent engagement, they serve as a bridge between residents and government. They also oversee certain departments and may be involved in hiring key personnel, such as the county manager. Of lesser known importance, is the role the Commissioner’s play in outside boards and committees; which allow for the county's best interests to be represented across a multitude of non-governmental groups.

Finally, county commissioners are stewards of long-term planning and economic development. They work to promote job growth, attract new opportunities, and align county resources with strategic goals that reflect the needs and values of their community. This stewardship is of utmost importance to myself personally. I believe that the role of county commissioners should be to steer the ship for decades beyond their years in office. We can’t do the day-to-day jobs of the county without making sure we are seeing the grander vision. Is La Plata growing in a way we believe will suit our children’s children? Can they afford to live, and thrive, here after their education?

All in all, the Commissioner’s position is one of vision AND action. I am a woman with an eclectic resume proving I can execute large visions right here in our backyard.

The following is not an exhaustive list, but these positions are the most relevant to the County Commissioner's seat:

LPC Planning Commission, 2018 - 2019 (stepped down because I became a new mom)

LPC Lodger’s Tax Committee, 2025 - current

LPC Food System’s Coalition, 2024 - current

SW Colorado Education Collaborative, 2025 - current

iAm Music, Board Member, 2025 - current

OEDIT Advanced Industries Full Committee, 2021 - current

Chamber of Commerce, member, 2023 - current

Business Improvement District, member, 2023 - current

Good Business Colorado, member, 2022 - current

Startup Colorado, member, 2022 - current

West Slope Startup Week, Track Captain, 2024 - Current

Urban Land Institute, member, 2017 - current

SW CO Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs (SCAPE), 2019 - Current

Durango Farmer’s Market, member, 2023 - current

I have twice been appointed by the BOCC in the time I have lived in La Plata County.

First, as a member of the Planning Commission (2018) where I assisted in the development of our county’s comprehensive and district plans. It was a heavily contested discussion at the time, and I believe there is still a lot to be refined within our land use code. I stepped down before my term was complete to become a new mother.

Second, I was recently appointed (2025) to the Lodger’s Tax Committee, where we are looking into the past, and future use of the county’s collected lodger’s taxes.

Finally, my business, EsoTerra, went through a nearly 2 year planning process to relocate our agricultural production facility from Montezuma to La Plata County. This extensive, and expensive, process was not smooth and eventually included the Commissioner’s as well as the County Manager. I have had a positive working relationship with all members of the BOCC and appreciate the professionalism with which they navigated this difficult project.

All components of the Commissioner’s role are equally important. However, at this exact moment, I am particularly concerned about the health, and stability, of our economic climate. As I briefly mentioned, I already spend a significant time working with a variety of groups whose goals it is to develop a pipeline between education and our workforce. Job creation, business formations, and a robust entrepreneurial climate need to be fostered so that our economy stays resilient in a time of uncertainty.

At this time, our community engages in a significant amount of conversation around affordable housing, and childcare. Don’t get me wrong, both are incredibly important… but these concerns don’t see the forest for the trees. All components of our community need to be in balance. Quality schools, and well defined roadmap for business creation in our county create a stable, sustainable, and robust economy. La Plata County calls itself home to a number of industries ranging from Agriculture to Advanced Manufacturing, but we can do more. We can look to the future of clean energy, aerospace, manufacturing IT to draw in more well-paying jobs. We can leverage a number of State level programs intended to draw new industry to rural areas, and assist local businesses with leveraging economic incentives to ‘grow at home’.

A robust and stable economy will help create well paying jobs, which then assist locals in affording proper housing, and a lifestyle that feeds back into the culture of our beautiful place! My business is in agriculture, but also manufacturing and distribution. I know firsthand how difficult it is to keep living wages going for employees, and I have personally leveraged many of the programs and opportunities offered by our state, and federal government to ensure livable wages for my employees. However, I believe we can utilize the power of the BOCC to do more, and to help our county offices pave the way for good people, to do good things, in our backyard.

Second homes are great for our property tax base, but what we need are jobs that help our residents afford their primary home... Right here, where they work.

LPC is facing a deficit, and one that may have a sizable effect on the services provided by the County if we don’t turn it around. This is a problem created by a combination of factors derived from State level and local forces. But, how we got here is less important than how we go forward.

For years LPC has relied on two major streams within the usual County income of property & sales taxes: The oil & gas industry and tourism. Both of these are volatile, with the oil extracted by local wells decreasing, we will likely see a precipitous drop off of income in the future. While this is good news for our environment, it is a terrible prospect for the maintenance of our infrastructure. Coupled with the local culture of ‘no new taxes’ we must have a more comprehensive plan.

In the short term, we need to find ways to make it easier for businesses to open in the unincorporated areas of La Plata. Currently, there are several roadblocks to business development, including a convoluted planning process, a handful of state statutes prohibiting rural development, and murky expectations between the county officials and prospective business owners. It is simple, more rural businesses increase the sales-tax base… but as I have said, it is the ‘unspoken truth’ among entrepreneurs across Colorado that La Plata is not a county to start a business in. We need to change that ASAP.

An additional short term project is one I am already working on: Lodger’s Tax funds. Currently, the Counties discretionary Lodger’s tax funds are utilized by a regional marketing outlet to market the County as a whole. The city, in turn, uses some of their funds to delegate grants for events held within the city. Thus, the county is paying for marketing while the city is issuing grants that increase events with substantial sales tax revenue. I believe we should focus on using these funds to support arts & culture grants for events held IN the county, thus increasing event based sales tax revenue. A focus on events that would be held repeatedly should be a primary focus.

Then, we need to think long term. Infrastructure such as the Mesa Park Fairgrounds are expensive, to be sure. But, long term revenue from that project could be immense for our county. Past BOCC meetings have focused on the price tag of individual components of the project, and have done very little to discuss the ROI of such a project. I think we need to focus on how it is that several major projects across the county have become missed opportunities for long term revenue.

All of this is nothing if the residents of LPC don’t know, or trust, what is going on. There are numerous ways to create two-way communication and transparency in the BOCC’s actions.

For example, there is a lot of discussion about the difficulty of the Land Use Code. Solution: a simple form on the planning department website where people can anonymously (or, not) submit an excerpt of the code alongside a description on that language’s unintended consequences, could help shape a revision of the LUC without individuals feeling like they may be retaliated against.

For example, many people feel daunted by the planning process because the planning department can’t provide a comprehensive roadmap to plan approval. Solution: integrate one of the numerous AI planning programs utilized across the nation to assist in streamlining projects. This allows a computer to seek out similar projects and summarize the requirements within minutes. Naturally, a disclaimer that ‘additional documentation maybe required as the project progresses’ would be necessary. But it gives a business an idea of what will be required prior to the lengthy approval process.

For example, I often hear that the BOCC is advised not to talk directly with projects, or businesses in our region. This is a major problem for a lot of people. They feel disconnected from their representatives. Solution: Create a set of transparency rules for conversations between individual projects and the BOCC, and start talking to people. If what I am hearing on the ground is true, we are losing a lot of potential within our county because people feel like they can’t talk to the BOCC like… well, people.

There are innumerable ways to increase communication, (better website information, a weekly ‘ask the BOCC’ in the Herald, BOCC specific social media accounts, etc…) but it would lead to a full dissertation on this google forum. I also want to hear from others what they think is the BEST form of communication for our unique community.

Currently, I play a role in several workforce development committees and organizations. I foresee my talents best utilized in areas like the La Plata Economic Development Alliance, the CO Rural Workforce Consortium, and Region 9. I also have my fingers in the agriculture community and I already have working relationships with our regional agriculture extensions. However, my eclectic resume can be utilized in a variety of ways:

I have over 20 years of experience in policy development, diplomacy across governmental agencies, and collaboration between disparate ideologies. My vision for our future, and my willingness to dedicate decades of my time to execute that vision, show resilience, perseverance and pragmatism. I find the most important quality an elected official can hone, is their curiosity and willingness to adapt when confronted with new information. I would be honored to keep my ears and mind open in any capacity.

To learn more about me, please see my ever-evolving website: elizabethforlaplata.com

and, my personal LinkedIn page: linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-philbrick