The Board of County Commissioners is the legislative branch of Johnson County Government and is responsible, among other things, for:

• Enacting local legislation to protect, promote and preserve the general public health, safety and welfare.
• Representing the community's interests at local, state, regional and national levels.
• Adopting a strategic plan establishing a future vision of the community. Adopting an annual operating budget and capital improvements plan.
• Establishing and enforcing land use regulations and codes.
• Establishing policies to govern County Government operations and service delivery.

All County Commissioners, including the Chairman, are elected on non-partisan ballots. The Chairman of the Board is elected at-large from a district comprising the total population and geographic territory of the county; the other six Commissioners are elected from specific districts that, in accordance with state law, are as equal in size and population as possible. All County Commissioners serve staggered, four-year terms of office.

Pursuant to the Kansas Open Meetings Act, all of the meetings of the Board of County Commissioners are open to the public, unless specifically closed under provisions authorized under state law.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, physical distancing will be observed in the Hearing Room, with limited seating. A live broadcast will still be available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org and on Facebook Live.

Public comments are being accepted for the Board of County Commissioners’ meeting for those who preregister. Live public comments will be accepted either in-person or via Zoom, audio only. Individuals wishing to speak in-person or via Zoom may register by completing the registration form.

Starting for the June 3rd meeting, individuals wishing to speak in-person, may also sign up in-person by 9:20 a.m. prior to the meeting. Online registration opens Tuesday afternoon/evening (coincides with publishing the agenda) and closes at noon (12:00 p.m.) on the Wednesday before the Thursday meeting. If you complete the registration, you will receive an email notice later in the day on Wednesday regarding the status of your registration.

Instructions on joining and speaking at the meeting via Zoom will be included in the email notice for individuals who register to speak via Zoom. Individuals registering to speak in person at the meeting will receive email confirmation of their registration. The BOCC has established a limit of 50 speakers for general public comments or for a specific agenda item. If more than 50 individuals register, the 50 speakers will be determined by a random process. Speakers will be limited to 2 minutes each.

If the number of speakers exceeds 50, all that are preregistered or have signed up in-person, will be randomly selected to speak. If you are not chosen in the selection process, those that are virtual will be notified by email, and those that are in-person will be notified by the list of randomly selected speakers that will be posted.

Speakers who have registered to speak via Zoom will be called upon to speak first. Registered speakers using Zoom will be called upon to speak in the order in which they signed up. Speakers who have registered/signed up for in person public comment will be called on in the order specified by the Deputy Clerk. The Chairman may modify these procedures as needed to conduct an orderly and efficient meeting.

If you would like to make a WRITTEN public comment for the meeting, please use this form, WRITTEN public comments. Written comments received by noon Wednesday will be shared with the entire Board prior to the meeting. Written comments will not be read into the record during the meeting. If you are unable to use this internet link, you may call the following number, and we will record your information. 913-715-0424.

If you plan to attend a Board of County Commissioners meeting and need an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter or other Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation, please use this form to let us know what reasonable accommodation you need or via the Kansas Relay Operator at 800-766-3777, or by phone at 913-715-0430 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.

If you experience viewing quality issues using the live link, please view the meeting utilizing the Facebook Live link. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Please see our legislative management platform for meeting dates, times, and agendas.

The Board of County Commissioners meets in regular session every Thursday beginning at 9:30 a.m. Meetings are conducted in the Board's hearing room which is located on the third floor of the County Administration Building on the County Square at 111 South Cherry Street in downtown Olathe.

To facilitate the transaction of business, the Board of County Commissioners follows a set session schedule which is divided into separate morning and afternoon sessions. The morning session includes the formal business meeting, at which time the Board considers and acts upon various matters.

The afternoon session is reserved for meetings of the Committee of the Whole, which is the “working committee” of the Board for the review and consideration of policy proposals and presentation of staff reports on operational matters. An agenda is published and made available on Tuesdays outlining those issues to be presented during the meeting. Copies of the agenda are posted to the Internet. You can register your email address to receive weekly copies of the business agenda quickly and conveniently.

Contact the County Manager's Office for meeting details and related information by calling 913-715-0430 or by email. Information about each board and commission is located at boards.jocogov.org.

Vacancies on the various appointed boards and commissions occur on a regular basis, so you are encouraged to check the status of these terms frequently in order to stay informed.

To apply for membership on an appointed board or commission, please mail a completed application form to the following address:

Office of the Board of County Commissioners
Attn: Appointments Clerk
111 South Cherry Street, Suite 3300
Olathe, Kansas 66061-3486

If you are unable to download the application form, you may contact the Board’s Office at 913-715-0430, or simply submit a letter of interest along with a current copy of your resume or curriculum vitae to the address listed above. Information about each board and commission is located at boards.jocogov.org.

The appointed boards and commissions perform a wide variety of functions, depending on the type of body that is created. For example, a few are policy-setting governing bodies and are responsible for overseeing the operations of key county agencies, others are regulatory bodies, and still others provide advice on various issues.

There are five agency governing bodies that exercise general control over the operation of specific county agencies. These agencies include the Airport Commission, the Park & Recreation District Commission, the Library Board of Directors, the Mental Health Center Board of Directors, and the Developmental Supports Agency Board of Directors. These agency bodies select and evaluate the agency’s executive director, establish administrative policies, recommend appropriations for the consideration of the Board of County Commissioners, and act as community liaisons.

Numerous advisory panels, committees and task forces are also appointed to provide advice and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on a variety of subjects which pertain to County Government or are of interest to the Johnson County community. A full listing of all appointed boards and commissions is available.

More than 300 volunteers give of their time and talents to serve as members of the various appointed boards and commissions. Their efforts help to save taxpayer dollars, and the county government benefits from their active participation by taking advantage of the rich and varied backgrounds, abilities, and experiences they bring to the table. You can share in the future of Johnson County be becoming a member of an appointed board or commission.

The Board of County Commissioners appoints a number of subordinate boards and commissions to help support and guide the delivery of County Government’s services and programs. These appointed boards and commissions provide a mechanism for citizens to have a direct voice in the operation of their local county government.

More than 300 volunteers give of their time and talents to serve as members of the various appointed boards and commissions. Their efforts help to save taxpayer dollars, and the county government benefits from their active participation by taking advantage of the rich and varied backgrounds, abilities, and experiences they bring to the table. You can share in the future of Johnson County be becoming a member of an appointed board or commission.

Visit the Legislative Information Management System website for more information and details on submitting your application.

You may contact the chairman or your county commissioner by calling their office or by writing a brief letter describing your issue. When writing, please remember to provide your first and last name, a return mailing address, and a daytime telephone number where you may be reached. Correspondence may be submitted to the chairman or any district commissioner at:

Board of County Commissioners
County Administration Building, Suite 3300
111 South Cherry Street
Olathe, Kansas 66061-3486

To schedule a meeting with the chairman or your county commissioner, contact the board's office at 913-715-0430.

Elected at-large by the voters of the community, the Chairman of the Board is the chief elected official of Johnson County Government and serves ex-officio as presiding officer of the Board of County Commissioners. Some of the Chairman's official duties include:

• Acting as a Member of the Board of County Commissioners, with equal obligations and rights to vote on all issues presented and with all other privileges provided to County Commissioners.
• Initiating and organizing community action on important issues, assisting citizens in addressing problems and concerns, and responding to requests for information.
• Delivering an annual public address on the economic, physical and social conditions of the community, as well as reporting on its accomplishments and future direction.
• Serving as the ambassador and ceremonial head of Johnson County Government to promote the community and acting as the principle spokesperson for the organization
• Issuing proclamations, certificates, special awards, recognitions and commendations.

That depends on where you live. Johnson County is divided into six commission districts that are as compact and equal in size and population as possible, based upon census numbers. To determine your commission district and your county commissioner, check this district map. You may also contact the board office at 913-715-0430 or the election commissioner's office at 913-782-3441.

County commissioners must be qualified electors of the county and must reside in the district from which they are elected throughout their term in office.

The agenda for the regular weekly session can be accessed through the legislative information system. The electronic agenda is provided in Adobe Acrobat® portable document formatting, and is posted each Tuesday morning one week prior to the date of the business meeting. After adjournment, the annotated agenda is reposted to the website providing a summary of all actions taken or decisions made along with the attendance and recorded vote for each item. An archive of prior agendas/annotated agendas is also available on the legislative information system.

The clerk maintains the minutes, which are the legal and definitive record of acts, orders and judgments made by the Board of County Commissioners. The minutes provide a parliamentary chronology for every item, from introduction through final disposition. In addition, videos of each meeting are provided and posted following the meeting.

Please note, the electronic versions of records posted to the website are provided as a public service and do not constitute official records of the Board of County Commissioners. No warranty or guarantee of any kind is provided as to the accuracy of these electronic copies. To obtain a certified copy of any official record of the Board of County Commissioners, please contact the clerk of the board at 913-715-0430.

For your convenience, the board’s office provides a number of handy options that provide timely details about actions taken and decisions made at each meeting.

Here’s a summary of your options:

• The internet is a convenient resource, and the board’s office makes every effort to ensure information is posted there in a timely manner. An annotated agenda reflecting attendance and votes on all items is posted to the website after the adjournment of each meeting. Within 24 business hours of the conclusion of each meeting, the annotated agenda is updated with fully executed, signed copies of all official records and documents in addition to the attendance and votes.
• A synopsis of each meeting is also posted to the board’s website each week. The synopsis is prepared by the Public Information and Communications Division of the County Manager’s Office and provides a “snapshot” of actions taken and decisions made and is prepared in traditional journalistic style.
• You can register your email address and receive regular updates. Simply register your email account and select from several subjects that interest you — including agenda updates, calendars and public notices, annotated agendas, and press releases — all of which will provide you with timely and convenient updates and information about the Board of County Commissioners.
• Finally, you can always contact the Board Office directly at 913-715-0430 for information about what transpired during a particular meeting or to receive the results on a specific item.

Members of the public wishing to submit documents or other materials as part of the official record of a meeting should provide a minimum of ten copies of any item to the clerk at the meeting, or in advance of the meeting if possible. If you have questions about how to submit documents, or about the types of documents you would like to submit, please contact the clerk of the board at 913-715-0430.

A copy of the printed agenda is posted to the bulletin board on the first floor of the County Administration Building, which serves as public notice of regular and special meetings. Copies of the agenda are also posted to the Internet on the Legislative Information Management System website, and are available through the board’s office.

The clerk offers a free registration service so that members of the public can register an email address to receive timely and convenient notice of agendas and updates each week. In addition to the agenda, members of the public can opt to receive electronic notification of the Board’s official calendar, meeting synopses, press releases and more.

Under state law, the county government may collect reasonable fees for producing copies of records. In accordance with these laws, the Office of the Board of County Commissioners charges a flat fee of 50¢ per black and white page for copies of records.

For certified copies of official records, the flat 50¢ fee per page still applies, and an additional $2 charge is added. The certification is important when using records as legal proof or evidence of a specific action; for example, certified copies are typically required for use in court proceedings.

The Johnson County Archives maintains a Research Room where the historic documents in the collection are available to the public. The division is housed under the Financial Management Department. 

The county manager has been designated as Johnson County's freedom of information officer. You may consult the county's freedom of information officer at 913-715-0725.

To review or to receive a copy of a public record, you must first make a request to the appropriate office, agency or department that has the records you want. A request may be made verbally or in writing, although a written request can significantly help expedite the process of researching and retrieving the records you request.

Remember, the more specific and detailed your request, the easier it is to process; therefore, you should aim to be as specific and detailed in defining or describing the records that you want in your request as possible.

The Board Office has a standard request form you may use to request access to public records. This form can be mailed or faxed to the Office or delivered in person to:

Office of the Board of County Commissioners
County Administration Building, Suite 3300
111 South Cherry Street
Olathe, Kansas 60661-3486

Public records guard the rights of citizens, helping to ensure government accountability in its decision-making processes. The principles of the Kansas Open Records Act protects those rights by guaranteeing public access to records that are classified by law as being open to the public. Some records are not open to the public and are exempted from the Act; a complete listing of those exemptions is provided under KSA 45-221.

Pursuant to the Kansas Open Meetings Act, all of the meetings of the Board of County Commissioners are open to the public, unless specifically closed under provisions authorized under state law.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, physical distancing will be observed in the Hearing Room, with limited seating. A live broadcast will still be available at boccmeetings.jocogov.org and on Facebook Live.

Public comments are being accepted for the Board of County Commissioners’ meeting for those who preregister. Live public comments will be accepted either in-person or via Zoom, audio only. Individuals wishing to speak in-person or via Zoom may register by completing the registration form. Starting for the June 3rd meeting, individuals wishing to speak in-person, may also sign up in-person by 9:20 a.m. prior to the meeting.

Online registration opens Tuesday afternoon/evening (coincides with publishing the agenda) and closes at noon (12:00 p.m.) on the Wednesday before the Thursday meeting. If you complete the registration, you will receive an email notice later in the day on Wednesday regarding the status of your registration. Instructions on joining and speaking at the meeting via Zoom will be included in the email notice for individuals who register to speak via Zoom.

Individuals registering to speak in person at the meeting will receive email confirmation of their registration. The BOCC has established a limit of 50 speakers for general public comments or for a specific agenda item. If more than 50 individuals register, the 50 speakers will be determined by a random process. Speakers will be limited to 2 minutes each.

If the number of speakers exceeds 50, all that are preregistered or have signed up in-person, will be randomly selected to speak. If you are not chosen in the selection process, those that are virtual will be notified by email, and those that are in-person will be notified by the list of randomly selected speakers that will be posted.

Speakers who have registered to speak via Zoom will be called upon to speak first. Registered speakers using Zoom will be called upon to speak in the order in which they signed up. Speakers who have registered/signed up for in person public comment will be called on in the order specified by the Deputy Clerk. The Chairman may modify these procedures as needed to conduct an orderly and efficient meeting.

If you would like to make a WRITTEN public comment for the meeting, please use this form, WRITTEN public comments. Written comments received by noon Wednesday will be shared with the entire Board prior to the meeting. Written comments will not be read into the record during the meeting. If you are unable to use this internet link, you may call the following number, and we will record your information. 913-715-0424.

If you plan to attend a Board of County Commissioners meeting and need an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter or other Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation, please use this form to let us know what reasonable accommodation you need or via the Kansas Relay Operator at 800-766-3777, or by phone at 913-715-0430 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.

If you experience viewing quality issues using the live link, please view the meeting utilizing the Facebook Live link. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Please see our legislative management platform for meeting dates, times, and agendas.

Birth certificates for the State of Kansas are obtained from the Department of Vital Statistics. You can go online to order a copy of contact them by phone.

For concerns in the State of KS, contact the office of vital statistics in Topeka, KS: The phone number is 785-296-3253; the web address is at www.kdhe.ks.gov. If the need involves a name change for a juvenile, the first stop is to the department that deals with altering birth certificates. If the child was born in the state of KS, a form VS211 must be completed and certain questions must be answered before accurate direction can be supplied by the Kansas Department of Vital Statistics. Be prepared to provided answers when you make contact.

Missouri residents should contact the office of MO vital statistics at 573-751-6378 for copies and 573-751-6387 to request corrections.

Go online for the Kansas Voter Registration Form. Complete the form providing your new address. Submit the new registration (must be postmarked at least 21 days before an election). Be sure to respond to all questions. If the form is incomplete, it may be rejected. The instructions are included on the page with the registration application. Be sure to read them carefully as you complete the form. Should you have additional questions, contact the office of the Secretary of State at 1-800-262-VOTE.

Terms for the current commissioners are located on each commissioners' web page. Check the individual commissioner pages for term information. If you are looking for information regarding upcoming elections, it can be found on the Election Office website.