Incumbent Democrat Steve O’Dorisio is running to keep his seat as Adams County Commissioner for District 4. Challenging him is Republican Joyce Thomas, a longtime public servant and former mayor of Federal Heights.
District 4 borders Denver County to the south, encompassing Westminster and Sherwood. The district also includes the junctures of Interstates 270, 76 and 25, making it a major thoroughfare in the Denver metro.
O’Dorisio is a former lawyer and prosecutor in the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s office. He ran for office in 2014 after a Adams County was rocked by a scandal involving contracts for a paving company.
“I decided that we needed to change how Adams County did business and how it was perceived,” he said. “I care so much about improving transparency and integrity.”
O’Dorisio said he is running on improving the quality of life and economic development. He points to new sidewalks and developments like the Colorado Air and Space port as successes.
He’s also focused on “standing up for the county” in talks with regional transportation authorities and other local governments to fix transportation issues.
That “doesn’t mean doing it the old way, where you just beat your chest and raise your voice,” O’Dorisio said. “You have to do things in a professional way.”
Plus, O’Dorisio said he is focused on long-term issues like growth, waste and water rights to protect Adams County in the future, when water will be scarce and the metro Denver region will continue to expand.
“Growth can’t come on the backs of existing residents,” O’Dorisio said. “And there will be some burdens, but we want to maximize the benefits. That’s our job. You can’t stop the growth — we won’t be able to.”
STEVE O’DORISIO
Steve O’Dorisio was born in Arvada and studied journalism at Colorado State University. After graduation, he worked as a consultant and said he studied nights at the University of Denver law school. He worked as a business attorney and became a prosecutor in the 17th Judicial District Attorney office. In 2014, O’Dorisio was elected county commissioner for District 4.
JOYCE THOMAS
Joyce Thomas has lived in Federal Heights since the 1980s. She is a Certified Public Accountant. She then served as a zoning official and city council member before becoming the first female Mayor of Federal Heights from 2011 to 2015.
Joyce Thomas is the former mayor of Federal Heights and zoning official with roots in public service going back twenty years. She’s lived in Federal Heights for much of her life.
Thomas said she has extensive experience in government and specifically budgetary issues, which are a major role of a county commissioner.
“County commission is closely related to local cities,” Thomas said. “You really need to be serving the people, to be close with them, talk to them often, and make sure that they know they can talk to you and be open.”
As a county commissioner, Thomas expects to take issues on a case-by-case basis and operate with complete transparency.
“I would want to know that is wisely spent money” before approving a new development or submitting a budget to the state, Thomas said.
Thomas said O’Dorisio is probably more willing to approve new developments in Adams County, which will likely continue to grow with the Denver metro.
“There’s a lot of pushback,” Thomas said. “I think the current board is probably a little bit more open to developing anywhere and everywhere, and I think that there should be some slowdown of some of that.”
Thomas said she is familiar with oil and gas drilling leasing procedures, which are overseen by the county commissioners on unincorporated land.
The county commissioner’s job isn’t strictly partisan, Thomas said, but she would likely vote differently than O’Dorisio.
“I think that county commissioners shouldn’t be partisan,” Thomas said, “but I think that someone’s thought process as a Democrat is different that mine.”
Candidate Questions for Steve O’Dorisio
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU
- What food do you hate most?
Anything in small portions.
2. Do you indulge in recreational marijuana?
Nope.
3. Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Either Kevin James or Steve Carell or Sylvester Stallone.
4. What Olympic sport do you wish you could win gold in?
Wrestling
5. What was your favorite childhood candy?
Oreo cookies
6. If you could be an eyewitness to one event in history, what would it be?
First Christmas
7. If the Secret Service gave you a code name, what would it be?
Meatball
8. If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you sing? Car karaoke counts.
“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
9. What epitaph would you like written on your tombstone?
He built bridges for us to cross.
10. Is a hot dog a sandwich?
No, it is a processed meat burrito with bread tortilla.
11. What is the last concert you attended?
Granger Smith at Adams County Fair
12. What movie do you never tire of watching?
Empire Strikes Back
13. Dogs or cats?
We own a cat, but want to get a dog.
14. What’s the most overrated thing about living in Colorado?
Casa Bonita
Candidate Questions for Joyce Thomas
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU
- What food do you hate most?
Sushi
2. Do you indulge in recreational marijuana?
NO
3. Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Roma Downey
4. What Olympic sport do you wish you could win gold in?
Knitting
5. What was your favorite childhood candy?
Bubble Gum
6. If you could be an eyewitness to one event in history, what would it be?
Constitutional Convention 1787
7. If the Secret Service gave you a code name, what would it be?
Peanuts
8. If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you sing? Car karaoke counts.
“I Can Only Imagine”
9. What epitaph would you like written on your tombstone?
Great Hugs.
10. Is a hot dog a sandwich?
Yes.
11. What is the last concert you attended?
FACE – Vocal Band
12. What movie do you never tire of watching?
It’s A Wonderful Life
13. Dogs or cats?
Both
14. What’s the most overrated thing about living in Colorado?
Nothing in Colorado is overrated.