What a surprise !

On March thirty-first, twenty twenty-six, Douglas County Commissioners held a special business meeting that sealed the fate of the Zebulon Regional Sports Complex—without a single resident vote. They approved  over $12 million dollars in taxpayer cash for infrastructure like grading, roads, and utilities. All unanimous, all fast-tracked.

I showed up ready to speak against it. The sign-up sheet outside the Hearing Room had two columns: "for" and "opposed." I was first on "opposed"—name, and everything. But when public comment rolled around? I never got called. It felt cherry-picked as commissioner George Teal was in charge of the sign in sheets , silencing voices that questioned the rush.  I filed a CORA request for that sheet—proof I was there first, proof I was ignored. Today they told me: "We don't have it. No such documents exist." Really? A public meeting, no record? That stinks.
Then came the award: SR Construction LLC got the nod. Freshly filed—records show it's a Colorado LLC, tied right to Sterling Ranch's address. The contract on Legistar? Signed by Brock Smethills as President, but on behalf of Sterling Ranch LLC (Delaware) and Sterling Ranch Development Company (Colorado)—his family's main outfit.  Brock, son of Harold and Diane Smethills, running the show. They handed twelve million to a shell company filed just 99 days before this meeting . No Bids from anyone else .  Why? Because Sterling Ranch affiliates are already building $148 million in nearby stuff—convenient savings, right?
The land? Former DuPont explosives site—old dynamite plant. CDPHE gave a 2022 closure letter: "no further action" needed on the 46.5 acres they grabbed. County says it's clean, green light for kids' fields and rinks. But here's the rub: conditional closures aren't "clean." They mean restrictions stay—dirt and groundwater still have junk like arsenic or PFAS, limits on digging or residential use. Critics say old reports showed hot spots way over safe levels; grading could stir it up. Yet commissioners push "it's fine," trading us contaminated dirt for promises of rec centers that never came. Did I mention campaign contributions for Teal and Laydon? Rules changed to allow for non Douglas county residents to be on commissions and boards ?
Bottom line: no vote, no voice, no transparency. Twelve million to insiders, on shaky ground. If this isn't backroom dealing, what is? Read the contract yourself—Legistar file 4556. We deserve better than silence and spin. Share this if you're in Douglas County!

https://douglascounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx        https://www.coloradosos.gov



More to follow 

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