Boone County Commission
 

District II Commissioner

Janet M. Thompson

Commissioner Janet M. Thompson

Elected

Janet M. Thompson (Democrat) was elected as Boone County District II (Northern) Commissioner in November, 2012, and was sworn into office January 1, 2013. Janet was re-elected in November 2016 and November 2020.

Experience

Janet was born in Michigan and moved to Boone County with her family in 1959. She received her Bachelor's degree in 1978, her Master's degree in Spanish in 1980, her law degree in 1984, and her Master's in Alternative Dispute Resolution in 2002, all from the University of Missouri. She served as an Assistant Public Defender for the Missouri State Public Defender System for almost 25 years and is an arbitrator for FINRA, resolving securities disputes around the country. She has also served as a Disciplinary Hearing Officer for the Missouri Bar. She has published articles in Fordham University's Law Review and the Journal of the Missouri Bar, and has given professional presentations for the Missouri Bar, NLADA, MACDL, University of Missouri's School of Law, Stephens College and William Woods University.

Commission Assignments

Janet is currently liaison to the Boone County Purchasing Department and Facilities Management Department, which also includes the Condo Board. She is also liaison to the Boone County Community Services Department, which includes the Boone County Children's Services Board, Community Health and the Community Services Advisory. She also serves on the following boards:

  • Board of Health
  • Boone County Family Resources (BCFR)
  • County Commissioners Association of Missouri (CCAM)
  • Criminal Justice Administration Coordination Committee
  • Disproportionate Minority Contact Steering Committee (DMC)
  • Missouri Association of Counties (MAC) Board
  • MAC Legislative Liaison
  • MAC Policing/Justice/Mental Health Steering Committee - Chair
  • National Association of Counties (NACo) County Juvenile Justice Innovation Network Boone County Core Team Member
  • NACo Healthy Counties Advisory Board - Vice Chair
  • NACo Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee - Vice Chair
  • Stepping Up Initiative

In addition to her individual responsibilities, Janet also shares the role of liaison with the Presiding Commissioner and District I Commissioner for the following organizations of Boone County:

  • Appointments of Boards & Commissions
  • Board of Equalization (BOE)
  • Budget Approval
  • Commission Budget Coordination
  • Legislative Priorities
  • Quarterly City of Columbia/Boone County/Columbia Public Schools/MU/Columbia Chamber of Commerce
  • West Central Commissioner's Association

To contact Commissioner Thompson directly, please email jthompson@boonecountymo.org.