Another Media Map in (and on) The News

Governing.com's 13th Floor blog features a simple geospatial mash-up from the Wichita Eagle this week.

The Eagle's Wichita Crime Maps is similar to other media mash-ups that we've seen. It presents basic crime data from the local police on a "standard" Google Maps map. There's nothing too earth-shattering here.

But the 13th Floor bloggers do use this to make a point about data-sharing from their point of view as folks who cover local government issues:

Lots of police departments are mapping crime data and lots are putting the maps online. Usually, though, they end up buried deep within government Web sites. I'd guess that most are rarely visited. So, if governments really want the public to see their data (and, in some cases, that might be a pretty big "if"), working with the media on projects like this one makes a lot of sense.

Governor Appoints State’s First Geographic Information Officer

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Chief Information Officer Gerry Weaver today announced Governor Mitch Daniels’ appointment of Jim Sparks as the state’s first Geographic Information Officer. Sparks, whose first day with the state is today, will oversee the coordination of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) efforts across all state agencies and work with the Indiana Geographic Information Council, Inc. (IGIC) to adopt and implement the state’s GIS data policies, standards and statewide data integration plan.

GIS technology works by linking information stored in databases to a place or location on a map. Users query the data, which is presented in maps, tables and other graphic representations. Since 80% of all government information has a geographic component, the power of GIS can be widely used to support decision-making and problem-solving across all sectors – public, private and not-for-profit.

Sparks, an experienced geography and mapping professional, has extensive knowledge of geographic information systems (GIS) technology and experience in administration, policy development and planning.

“Having a dedicated GIS expert in Indiana government pushes our capabilities to the next level,” said Weaver. “Working with the state’s current GIS talent, Sparks will create a consistent framework of statewide public maps and data for all levels of government that will help save lives and money and improve government efficiency.”

To continue the coordination of enterprise information technology solutions that save the state, and ultimately taxpayers’, time and money, Sparks will report directly to Weaver, who oversees state IT.

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About the Indiana Office of Technology (IOT) – The Indiana Office of Technology is an internal service agency that was created by Governor Mitch Daniels on January 10, 2005. Its mission is to provide cost-effective, secure, consistent, reliable enterprise technology services to its partner agencies so they can better serve Hoosier taxpayers. For more information about IOT, please visit http://iot.IN.gov .

Press Release For Immediate Release October 29, 2007 Press Contact: Mehgan O'Connor moconnor@iot.IN.gov 317.234.4589 317.979.0877

Job Posting: Maine GIS Coordinator

The State of Maine is advertising for a Systems Group Manager for the Maine Office of GIS (MEGIS). This is a position that appears to be GIS Coordinator for the state.

The previous head of the Office, Dan Walters, has taken a job with the USGS. The job posting (WORD), on the Direct Hire page of the Department of Administrative and Financial Services web site, outlines the role of a GIS Coordinator:

As the System Group Manager, you will be responsible for directing the MEGIS program and facility, including designing and managing the GIS development plan, a general GIS database, managing the activities of MEGIS staff personnel, coordinating with other departments on GIS matters, facilitating statewide GIS policy with the interagency Stakeholders committee, and representing Maine State Government GIS outside of Maine State Government.

The job is in Augusta, Maine. The closing date on the job posting is November 2.

Wrapping Up the 2007 NSGIC Conference

I've been meaning to write a wrap-up of the 2007 NSGIC Annual Conference for some time. The problem with NSGIC gatherings is that there is just so much going on, and so much information, that one leaves after a week staggering under a load of information, ideas, and dreams and with a humbling realization of just how much great GIS coordination is being done around the nation. As a result, writing my experiences is a daunting thought.

Luckily, Wisconsin's Ted Koch is a braver man than I (or more dedicated and disciplined, but let us not quibble). Ted was Conference Chair and host for 2007 and he has posted a great round-up of the event on the Wisconsin Mapping Bulletin. He looks at the NSGIC Advocacy Agenda and several of the group's strategic initiatives, and he recounts some of the highlights of the Conference. It's well worth a read.

Ted also points, as I should, to the recently posted collection of conference materials from the 2007 Conference in the NSGIC Archive. This includes an attendance roster, agendas, the program, and almost all of the presentations from the conference.

We owe a debt of "thanks" to Kenny Miller, of Maryland, for gathering all of this material as part of his unheralded but vital work on the Conference Committee.

Idaho to Get a New GIO

Idaho Chief Technology Officer Kevin W. Iwersen has announced the hiring of a new Geospatial Information Officer. Gail Ewart will join the Idaho Office of the CIO as GIO in early December.

Ms. Ewart answered the job posting we noted here back in July. Her new role will be to "provide statewide leadership in promoting the use of GIS technology," as CTO Iwerson wrote in his announcement of the hiring.

Gail Ewart is moving to the Idaho job from the Oregon Geospatial Enterprise Office (GEO) where she was Oregon’s Framework Coordinator.

NSGIC Elects New Board

NSGIC Elects New Board

The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) proudly introduces its newly-elected President and Board of Directors for 2007-2008.
Cy Smith, Statewide GIS Coordinator for Oregon, will be leading NSGIC as President. Smith’s term as President comes on the heels of a successful Annual Conference in Madison, Wisconsin where attendance records were broken with nearly 350 participants.
Supporting Smith is a strong cabinet of officers including Immediate Past President, Stu Davis (OH); President-Elect, Learon Dalby (AR); Treasurer, Ivan Weichert (KS); and Secretary, George White (CA). Will Craig (MN); Mike Mahaffie (DE); Michael Ouimet (TX); and Jill Saligoe- Simmel (IN) were elected to the Board as Directors, joining David Brotzman (VT) and Jim Knudson (PA) who will continue their terms on the Board.
During his acceptance speech, Smith highlighted his theme of a Unified Vision for NSGIC and its geospatial partners and the importance of developing that unified vision to accomplish their shared goal of a fully implemented NSDI.
NSGIC will hold its Midyear Conference in Annapolis, Maryland, March 9-12,
2008.

NSGIC Posts 2007-2008 Advocacy Agenda

The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) has posted its 2007-2008 Advocacy Agenda (PDF). The Advocacy Agenda is part of an effort to meet the NSGIC Strategic Plan (PDF) goal of being an effective advocate for states in national geospatial policy initiatives.

The 2007-2008 Advocacy Agenda focuses on several key and specific initiatives approved by member states at the NSGIC Annual Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, in September of 2007. They are:

1. Imagery for the Nation -- The Council will seek authorization and funding from Congress to implement a sustained federal program for the collection, maintenance, distribution and archive of aerial imagery that meets on-going local, state, and federal program requirements.
2. Cadastral (Parcel) Mapping -- The National Academy’s report entitled “National Land Parcel Data: A Vision for the Future” provides an opportunity to quickly enhance and improve significant portions of the cadastral layers of the NSDI. The report’s nine recommendations are important in that they encourage cost sharing and integration among federal, state and local cadastral activities.
   
3. Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP) Grants -- The Council will seek, support, and advocate for increased funding (new funds) for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP) Grants within the U.S. Department of Interior. In FY 2007 a total of $1.2 million was made available to fund an estimated 26 innovative projects that spread across five categories. Each project focuses on ways to build and improve the existing geospatial data infrastructure necessary to effectively discover, access, share, manage and use digital geographic data.
   

The Advocacy agenda will help NSGIC in its effort to guide the states in fulfilling their role in building the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), and to promote statewide geospatial coordination activities in all states.

NPR Looks at GIS

National Public Radio's Morning Edition has featured two stories so far this week on the geospatial industry.

On Monday, October 8, Dan Charles looked into the issue of some government agencies withholding "critical infrastructure" data from the growing world of open, on-line map data (Security Officials Seek to Block Some Online Maps).

This morning, October 9, Charles looks at the pending sales of two of the largest mapping firms, TeleAtlas and Navteq (Map Making Firms Rumored to Sell for Billions).

The first story focuses on the role of local governments in releasing, or not releasing, geospatial data. The second focuses on the role played by the two major players in the on-line/consumer mapping market and seems to down-play the role of local government data.