Nebraska GIS Steering Committee

Meeting Minutes -- July 11, 2002

Present were (authorized to vote *):

Complete Meeting Agenda

MAJOR MEETING TOPICS

NOTICE OF MEETING: A public notice of the meeting, pursuant to Section 84-1411 R.R. S. 1943, was published in the Lincoln Journal-Star on Thursday, July 4, 2002.

ROLL CALL: Former Chairperson Lash Chaffin called the meeting to order at 1:05. Thirteen duly authorized representatives were present therefore a quorum was present to conduct business. .

MINUTES: John Miyoshi moved to approve the minutes from the May meeting. Dick Genrich seconded the motion. The motion passed. (see vote #1 on Voting Record sheet

LAND RECORDS MODERNIZATION STUDY: The RFP was issued. Six responses were received and three finalists selected. The selection committee, including John Erickson, Jim Koch, Jim Brown, Duane Stott, and Larry Zink conducted interviews with the finalists and chose a firm from Wisconsin called GeoAnalytics. The firm was selected based on their special strength in handling the broad, political aspect of this project.

Mark Kuzlia moved to accept the decision of the selection committee. Scott McIntyre seconded. Larry Worrell amended the motion to empower Steve Henderson of IM Services to proceed with the negotiations. The motion passed. (see vote #2 on Voting Record sheet)

ELECTIONS: Larry Worrell nominated Jim Brown for a second term. He then amended his motion to maintain the same slate of officers as the previous year (including Duane Stott as Vice Chair). Lash Chaffin seconded. The motion passed. (see vote #3 on Voting Record sheet)

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FACILITING GEOSPATIAL DATA SHARING: Steve Schafer reported that the committee broke down their goals into long- and short-term objectives. Short-term objectives include:

·         Identifying and combining existing catalogs and clearinghouses

·         Identify other currently existing spatial data holdings

·         Document other exiting geospatial data holdings

·         Catalog newly documented spatial data in combined clearinghouse

·         Identify the mix of resources necessary and available to achieve short-term objectives

·         Clarify relationship between combined clearinghouse with GIS Steering Committee

Long-term objectives are focused around the creation of a Nebraska spatial data access and support center which will provide a broader array of services to the Nebraska GIS user community.

Larry will be drafting a paper further detailing the results.

The committee plans to publish an online survey to gather information about existing data to determine what metadata needs to be documented.

Larry added there are three interrelated mapping initiatives that have come up in the past two months and are current ongoing concerns. Those include

·         USGS National Map initiative to provide a digital update mechanism for replacing the 7.5 minute USGS topo maps

·         USGS Mapping Project Offices, and efforts to decentralize mapping operations

·         America View, a USGS/NASA effort to develop state nodes designed to receive remotely sensed data and distribute it quickly

Detailed committee information is available at http://www.calmit.unl.edu/gis/Data_Sharing_Adv_Cmte_Index.htm .

STREET ADDRESS DATABASE: Larry Zink and John Erickson were charged with putting together an informal group to discuss interest in developing a street address database. That has not yet happened. Larry drafted a paper to serve as a beginning for further discussion. He is also seeking to attend a MidAmerica GIS Regional Street Address Initiative conference. This initiative is designed to put together the street lines across state lines and is an integrated, national effort.

HOMELAND SECURITY AND GIS: Al Berndt from Nebraska Emergency Management Agency explained that the federal government has charged his agency with developing information about critical infrastructure in Nebraska. There are many issues involved in developing this information including propriety of ownership, what information constitutes critical infrastructure, how to coordinate information gathering efforts, and, of course, getting the information in. Added to those concerns is the end of federal funding in an atmosphere lacking policy direction.

There has been little federal guidance as to what constitutes critical infrastructure and no national strategy yet developed. In addition, much of the computer related infrastructure is privately held which raises legal issues. The protection of anything designated critical infrastructure becomes the state's responsibility and that raises insurance liability concerns.

Steve Schafer commented that he was impressed with how quickly the database was put into place after 9-11 and asked if there were any plans to maintain or enhance it. Al said that they would like to, but there the issue of funding is a critical one at this point. He believes he has found a way to retain his contractors until the first quarter of the federal budget but additional funding will likely not be coming until the first of the year.

Steve pointed out that much of what NEMA is working on overlaps GIS Steering Committee efforts and that the Committee will be setting up a clearinghouse with that information publicly available. Al cautioned that they would need to be able to provide assurances that any information a company might provide would remain confidential.

Lash Chaffin commented that the government seems to have broader authority than previously thought to not disclose information in spite of the open records legislation. Al reiterated that more federal direction is needed in this area as well.

Lash asked how much money had been spent on database development to date. Al said less than $75,000. They wrote specific guidelines for the type of employee they needed and used SOS to fill those positions and create a contract. FEMA funds were used to purchase hardware and software for the project. FEMA is taking that terrorism money to fund an office directly aimed at terrorism prevention.

Larry Zink asked how the GIS Steering Committee might fit in with homeland security.

Al said that NEMA needs standards to be supported on a statewide level. One problem they have encountered in working with data is a lack of cross relationships. NEMA also needs help in developing accurate maps and in maintaining the State Emergency Operations Plan as well as assisting communities in developing their own. Currently the Emergency Plan focuses around hazardous materials but after 9-11, identifying critical infrastructure became their primary function.

They are currently in the process of writing a state strategy in support of a federal strategy. If the State can come up with 25% matching funds, then there is a possibility for attaining $42 million for implementing a state strategy. The current plan is to propose developing a consequence and crisis management system that would address fire, hazardous material emergencies, terrorism, flooding etc. In this plan, core responsibilities and needs would be identified and prioritized, such as training, hardware, software, etc. Once that is complete, of prime importance for the GIS Steering Committee will be to draft a prioritized list of what they do to support the state strategy.

Larry asked if it would be appropriate to do something with the paper he has written regarding homeland security and the GIS role in it at this point or if it should wait. Al said the best thing Steering Committee members could do at this point is to work with NEMA to identify what qualifies as critical infrastructure. The Governor will ultimately make the decision as to what agency should be responsible for this type of thing.

John Erickson observed that the appropriate players might already be member of a GIS Steering Committee advisory committee and all that would be needed would be to formalize the discussions. Larry suggested creating the Advisory Committee on Homeland Security to help identify critical infrastructure and needs. Steve Schafer indicated that the first identification that needs to be made is what data, support and analysis NEMA will be able to do. Al said that this is a good time to reach out across agencies to standardize data storage and collection.

Larry Zink asked if the GIS Steering Committee would be the appropriate entity to facilitate that effort. Mike Thompson suggested expanding the Geospatial Data Sharing Advisory Committee to include homeland security. They are already addressing the issue of a state clearinghouse and their membership includes many of the same people who would be involved in homeland security.

Steve Schafer asked if there was a timeline involved that would make the information more relevant. Al said if the president signs the FY02 bill, then they will have through October 1 to authorize and commit. Steve clarified that would mean any conclusions would need to be completed by September 1. Larry asked if September 5 would be timely as well and Al agreed it would be.

The group decided to refer this matter to the current Advisory Committee on Facilitating Geospatial Data Sharing since it was currently functioning, the issues are related, and many of the same agencies are involved.

NDOR CLASSIFICATION: Dick Genrich reported little has been done on this project to date.

REVISED MEETING SCHEDULE : Larry Zink said that there have been a few meeting date and location changes in next year's schedule.

·         September 5 meeting will be held at the Lower Platte South NRD. The Lower Platte South NRD is located one block north of 15th and Adams across from the fire station, one block south from Cornhusker Highway.

·         The next I-Team meeting will be held on September 4.

·         The May meeting will be held May 15 to coincide with the symposium.

GIS/LIS ASSOCIATION: Gail Knapp reported that the Association's Annual meeting was held the day after the last Steering Committee meeting.

Planning is underway for the 2003 Symposium. It will be taking place May 12-15 at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln.

The Midwest Arc Users Convention will be held in September or October 2003 possibly at the Doubletree in Omaha.

There has been some discussion about day workshops in Western Nebraska.

At its Annual Meeting, the Association passed two resolutions. One was in support of the Steering Committee's efforts to develop a hydrographic and street address databases. The second was in support of the development of a geospatial data center.

AGENCY REPORTS: Dick Genrich reported that he had committed to having vectors for all the local roads in the state completed by June but will miss that deadline by two counties.

John Miyoshi reported that his agency hired a new person to perform wellhead protection duties.

Steve Frederick reported that he is looking forward to the bioterrorism meeting next week to see how fund are allocated.

Alan Bierman reported that they are establishing a GIS distribution center. The committee is to go before the board with recommendations on software. The transmission area will be observing implementation for possible widerspread implementation.

Mike Thompson reported that the NHD project is stalled. Josh Lear added that the Salt Creek watershed has been in Rollo since April waiting for conflation to be completed. That should be done soon. Elk Horn is complete and they are working on Lower Platte.

Mike said that GIS software has been installed and in the field for a year now. GPS units were given to field employees and it has increased accuracy significantly.

Larry Zink said that Sarpy County is working to develop GIS.

Scott McIntyre reported that 9-10 agencies helped pay for the acquisition of digital aerial photography and they would like to keep that group together to repeat the process in 2005.

Mark Kuzila reported that work is continuing at the University on the Lower Platte NHD tracking land use changes from 1949-1997.

They have just signed a contract with the National Park Service to do remote sensing on noxious weeds.

The first soil survey is now digitally available.

Larry Zink commented that a state owned lands parcel database could be useful and was wanted recently by the Nebraska National Guard.

Jim Brown reported that his agency has moved their parcel data development effort out of Dodge County. His agency is moving ahead with outreach programs, working with county assessors to scan county records for free and get them digital. From here on out, they plan to devote most of their resources to local outreach.

OTHER BUSINESS: There was no other business. 

The meeting was adjourned.

"P"=present, "A"=absent, "+"=voting for, "-"=voting against, "NV"=not voting