Castle Rock: Douglas County commissioners have voted 2-1 to end local enforcement of a statewide mask mandate that’s been in place for more than a year as a measure to slow the spread of coronavirus. Abe Laydon and George Teal voted voted to dump the mandate, while

Lora Thomas voted to keep enforcing it. “The pandemic is over. It’s time for us to end this conversation,” Laydon said Tuesday ahead of the vote. The board took fire from two locals who opposed the move. Robert Marshall of Highlands Ranch said the resolution was “political theater.”

“If you are very sure of your position that this mask mandate is unconstitutional, you’d put your money where your mouth is and sue the state and ask for an injunction,” Marshall told the comissioners. “Otherwise, you’re just stirring the pot and getting people upset about something they shouldn’t be upset about.” Since the early days of the pandemic, Douglas County has bristled against mandates intended to slow the spread of the virus issued by the state and the Tri-county Health Department, which oversees the county. Earlier in the day, Gov. Jared Polis, who recently extended the statewide mask mandate through June 1, commented on the potential vote.

“We have a lot more individual responsibility, and we respect freedom as a value a lot more than the CDC guidelines,” Polis said.