Missouri Department of Conservation – Runge Nature Center, Forestry Conference Room
10:00 – 12:00

Agenda

1. Introductions
2. Approval of June 30, 1997 meeting minutes
3. MSDIS Brochure – final feedback
4. MSDIS Progress Report
5. MGIS Conference Planning discussion

Present: Ryan Burson, Lew Davison, Elizabeth Cook, Tony Spicci, Darryl Williams, Tim Haithcoat
Absent: Mike Benzen, Ron Beck, Scott Totten
Visitors: Mark Duewell (Mo Dept of Health)

Ryan Burson called the meeting to order. Introductions were then made. The committee welcomed guest Mark Duewell from the Department of Health.

The minutes of the June 30, 1997 meeting of the Missouri GIS Advisory Committee were read and approved with the inclusion of materials added via Email review from the Department of Natural Resources.

Tim Haithcoat provided a set of color-xerox MSDIS brochures for the committees comment prior to the meeting. Liz Cook brought up the point that by putting names and Email addresses on the brochure that it ‘dated’ the brochure. After discussion the need for a contact point and ‘real’ person outweighed a more utilitarian brochure. Ryan Burson suggested that the text be bolded to allow for better readability. The final version will incorporate this change. The MSDIS mailing list will be used to send out these brochures. Additionally Ryan Burson will provide a mailing list for local governments and others to supplement the MSDIS list. An initial printing of 5000 copies will be done. Pricing for this printing will be mailed to the committee for their information.

Tim Haithcoat suggested that the committee adopt some letterhead for official correspondence use. After discussion and input from Darryl Williams, Liz Cook, and others it was agreed that letterhead could be useful but that very little time and resources be devoted to its creation.

Tim Haithcoat then began a progress report on MSDIS activities. Liz Cook noted that her Email address on the MSDIS server was old and needed updated. Tim Haithcoat stated that he would remedy that. Tim reported the following activities:

• A page was added to the web site for favorite links to GIS and GPS sources
• A page was added to the web site for trading and exchange of AML and Avenue scripts
• The User Group web page was changed to Users Groups/Conferences
• Most coverages on MSDIS are now NAD83 and have metadata
• We posted 50m DEM (Digital Elevation Model) files for each county
• The Metadata is available through the Datasets Listing page for viewing
• Soils coverages are available in the /pub/soils directory

Tim also stated that any GIS job announcements that MSDIS receives are forwarded to the Mid-Missouri GIS Users Group (MMGUG) and Kansas City ArcInfo Users Group (KCAIUG) memberships. Greg Breuer again solicited feedback (8/13/97) on the web site and how MSDIS is doing. Ryan Burson would like to see a compilation of the feedback to assess how we are doing and from what quarters the comments are coming from. For the September meeting Tim Haithcoat will compile these Emails and provide them to the committee.

Ryan also proposed that the committee form a task force to evaluate and provide comment on the MSDIS web site. Lew Davison and Liz Cook will do the assessment examining style and format as well as content and organization. The report from this task force will be given at the October meeting.

Ryan Burson proposed that the MGISAC as a group put forward our vote in the National States Geographic Information Council’s (NSGIC) election. In this election only one vote per state will be accepted. The committee, after discussion and review of the vita voted for Karen Siderelis (North Carolina) for President-Elect. Three positions were open on the Board of Directors. We voted for Rick Miller (Kansas), Kathy Clement (USGS), and Sheryl Oliver (Illinois).

Tony Spicci and Tim Haithcoat will be attending the NSGIC meeting in Portland, OR and requested the MGISAC permission to vote for the State in this meeting. Consensus was that Tony and Tim would caucus on the issues presented and form one opinion and vote for the MGISAC. This was motioned and seconded and carried.

Discussion then turned to the NSGIC Survey coming out soon. The survey will be examining framework data base development. Tim Haithcoat will provide a copy of the survey to all committee members. Ryan Burson suggested that the MGISAC draft a response for the MSDIS holdings to the Federal Geographic Data Committee on this survey. Darryl Williams and Tim Haithcoat will prepare a brief for the committee on this survey tool. Darryl mentioned that there was a Spatial Data Transfer Standard Developers meeting in Rolla in September. Tim Haithcoat pointed out that the information concerning this conference was available from MSDIS. MSDIS will be sending Jim Harlan to this meeting.

Ryan Burson then led a discussion about proactive educational opportunities for MSDIS and MGISAC. Tim Haithcoat will pursue getting on the “Thursdays @ 10:00” schedule. Lew Davison will pursue getting on the schedule with the Information Technology Planning Board.

Liz Cook suggested that MSDIS post an area with information on educational opportunities in GIS. This would include both formal classroom instruction and training. She suggested looking at the Lincoln University site for how they have set this up and creating a link to their site from MSDIS. Tim Haithcoat said he would look into this and try to implement it with a regional approach. Ryan Burson said he would like to see a periodic series of GIS education seminars conducted in Jefferson City and possibly around the state focusing on an introduction to GIS and MSDIS data availability. Initially six of these sessions would be scheduled and last no more than 2 hours. The committee felt that this was a good suggestion and that the seminars should be scheduled as soon as possible. Tim Haithcoat will be looking into this issue and provide a report back to the committee at its September meeting.

Discussion then turned to the Missouri GIS Conference which will take place March 16-17, 1998 in the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City. Tony Spicci volunteered to help Tim Haithcoat with the program. The committee would like to see a keynote speaker, vendor area, and possibly more concurrent sessions at this year’s meeting. The committee stressed the importance on getting the word out early concerning the conference and to mail an announcement postcard and put an announcement on the web site as soon as possible. Liz Cook suggested the following topics: Roles of Arcview -vs- Arc/Info; and Unix -vs- NT. The committee was asked to think further about topics and to bring them to the September meeting. Tony Spicci and Tim Haithcoat will report on Conference progress at the next meeting.

The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for the week of September 22nd. Ryan agreed to contact Scott Totten to see if the Department of Natural Resources would be willing to host.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:10.