Presented By: A.J. Wortley, Outreach Specialist Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office Board Member of the Wisconsin Land Information Association Tim Lehmann, GIS Coordinator/LIO Buffalo County Jason Grueneberg, Planner/Land Information Officer Wood County Planning & Zoning Office Wood County Planning & Zoning Office President Elect of the Wisconsin Land Information Association Past President of the Wisconsin Land Information Officers Network Member of the Wisconsin GIS Strategic Planning Committee What the Wisconsin Land Information Program Means to You WCA Annual Conference September 19, 2006

Wisconsin Land Information Program2 Presentation Outline ► The Wisconsin Land Information Program Today – What does being in the WLIP mean to your county. Requirements and funding. ► – How counties have used the funding. ► Success Stories – How counties have used the funding. ► The Future. Future challenges and opportunities of the WLIP and how it may affect your county.

Wisconsin Land Information Program3 What is Land Information? ► Land information refers to any physical, legal, economic or environmental information or characteristics concerning land, water, groundwater, subsurface resources, or air in the state. ► Land information has been used in a variety of systems over the years, from register of deeds tract indexes to surveyors’ tie sheets or soil surveys. Today many organizations are moving land information into Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Wisconsin Land Information Program4 What is GIS / LIS? ► A Geographic Information System (GIS) is the hardware, software, communications system, database, and people devoted to the acquisition, management, analysis, and visualization of spatial data. ► A Land Information System (LIS) is similar to GIS but is more focused on land records and detailed views of these records. GIS and LIS systems provide tools that support many types of record keeping, analysis and decision- making.

Wisconsin Land Information Program5 The Wisconsin Land Information Program ► Mid 1980’s - The need to do something with land records identified.  Lack of accessibility to records – proprietary records limit public access  Not available comprehensively  Cannot be duplicated  Cannot be aggregated  Redundancy and inefficiency in maintenance  Institutional reluctance to share ► Program started in 1989 by Act 31 of the Wisconsin State Legislature. ► Program administered by the Department of Administration. Until last year, the Wisconsin Land Information Board provided oversight for the program. ► Over the years the program has changed many times…usually as a result of state politics and budgeting.

Wisconsin Land Information Program6 Current Status of Program ► Financially limited. ► WLIP funds in recent years have been used to fund non land records items of the state budget. ► Opportunities in upcoming years to reinvigorate the program and bring funding home to the counties.

Wisconsin Land Information Program7 Who is participating in the WLIP? ► All 72 counties participate in the Wisconsin Land Information Program.

Wisconsin Land Information Program8 WLIP Requirements State Statute and Admin. Rule 47 ► Have a designated Land Information Officer ► Complete an annual survey ► Update the county land information plan ► Complete any grant and reporting requirements ► Accountable for proper expenditure of WLIP funds

Wisconsin Land Information Program9 County Land Information Officers ► Every county has 1 person designated as the Land Information Officer (LIO). ► LIO’s have a variety of professional backgrounds. ► LIO’s serve to coordinate how program funds are spent to modernize county land records. ► LIO’s are part of the Land Information Officers Network (LION).

Wisconsin Land Information Program10 Funding ► The WLIP is funded by county register of deeds offices. ► Statewide recording fees are $11 for the first page of every document recorded.

Wisconsin Land Information Program11 Document Recording Fees $4 County Register of Deeds $4 County Land Records Modernization $1 County Land Records Modernization - Improving Access to Housing Records $2 State of Wisconsin - Department of Administration ____ $11 Document Recording Fee

Wisconsin Land Information Program12 County Program Funding Example ► Wood County – Population 75,555 (2000 Census)  Documents recorded per year ► Average year - 17,136 ► Highest year ,956 ► Lowest year ,537  Calendar Year 2005 – 16,770 Documents Recorded $11 Register of Deeds Recording Fee ► $11 x 16,770 = $184,470 Collected by County Register of Deeds  16,770 x $4 = $67,080 Register of Deeds  16,770 x $4 = $67,080 County Land Records Office  16,770 x $1 = $16,770 County Land Records Office  16,770 x $2 = $33,540 State of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Land Information Program13 Grants ► Currently Available  Base Budget Grants – Grants to get counties to a minimum of $50,000 annually. Previous amount was $35,000.  Annual Training Grant – Amount locked by State Statute to $300 per county ► Potentially Available  Contribution-Based Grants – Non-competative grants based on the number of documents your county records  Strategic Initiative Grants – Funding targeted towards specific modernization projects

Wisconsin Land Information Program14 State Funding Example ► Wisconsin Population - 5,363,675 (2000 Census)  Fiscal Year 2005 – 1,606,453 Documents Recorded - $11 Register of Deeds Recording Fee ► $11 x 1,606,453 = $17,670,983 Collected by County Register of Deeds Offices in State  1,606,453 x $4 = $6,425,812 County Register of Deeds  1,606,453 x $4 = $6,425,812 County Land Records Offices  1,606,453 x $1 = $1,606,453 County Land Records Offices  1,606,453 x $2 = $3,212,906 State of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Land Information Program15 How Funds Were Spent in 2005 ► $3,212,906 State of Wisconsin  $21,600 training and education grants for counties  $741,912 base budget awards for counties  $35,000 strategic initiative grants  $2,000,000 comprehensive planning grants  $213,104 program administration by Wisconsin Department of Administration  $222,890 Not Allocated – in FY 2006 lapsed to state budget

Wisconsin Land Information Program16 How do counties fund their Land Records Modernization Activities? ► Separate budget for land records modernization activities. ► Some use only WLIP funds. In some cases they carry over funds year to year. ► Some use tax levy in addition to program money to fund their efforts. ► Charging for data and services. Many records are freely available as open records, but value-added products and services can be sold.

Wisconsin Land Information Program17 County Use of WLIP Funds As a general rule eligible purchases 1. Are directly related to the modernization of land records. 2. Are to some degree included in the county land information plan. Examples of how $ is spent by counties. ► Office space. ► Computer equipment. Document scanners, GPS, large format printing equipment. ► Professional Services – Aerial photography, data creation, collection and maintenance. ► Staff – GIS Specialist, limited term employees, and interns. ► Software - GIS or document imaging software.

Wisconsin Land Information Program18 Local Benefits of the Program ► Provides a designated funding source for land records modernization for every county involved ► Counties are able to:  Improve quality of services to customers  Reduce redundancy in county records  Increase efficiency ► Improved timely decision making ► Savings annually in title insurance and flood insurance costs ► Development of standards

Wisconsin Land Information Program19 Statewide Benefits of the Program ► Modernization is occurring statewide through a grassroots effort (~ $100M over 15 years) ► Statewide imagery, soils mapping, housing information online through strategic initiatives ► Wisconsin is positioned to receive and leverage federal funding

Wisconsin Land Information Program20 County Government Use of GIS and LIS ► Emergency Management  E-911, dispatch, routing ► Health Department  Water quality ► Planning and Zoning ► Social Services delivery ► Land Conservation ► Forestry, Parks and Recreation

Wisconsin Land Information Program21 ► Highway and Transportation ► Economic Development ► Treasurer’s Office ► County Clerk’s ► Census and Redistricting ► Sheriff’s Department/Dispatch ► University Extension County Government Use of GIS and LIS

Wisconsin Land Information Program22 What is my County doing with GIS and Land Records Modernization? ► Contact your county LIO to see what has been accomplished and what projects are in progress or planned. ► Review your county land information plan.

Wisconsin Land Information Program23 What are others doing with GIS and my Land Records Modernization? ► Regional and state initiatives  Regional transportation planning  Economic development studies  Watershed/ water basin modelling ► Super regional - Great Lakes initiatives  Coastal management  Great Lakes Observing System

Wisconsin Land Information Program24 What are others doing with GIS and my Land Records Modernization? ► Epidemiological and health care-related analyses ► Wildlife/environmental management and problem- solving (e.g. CWD) ► Incremental update of federal databases  Census geography modernization and maintenance  FEMA floodplain mapping modernization  EPA data Exchange Network

Wisconsin Land Information Program25 Future Opportunities ► GIS/LIS has the potential of improving the efficiency and quality of county services. ► GIS promotes educated decisions based on reality rather than perception. ► Statewide GIS strategic plan is near completion. ► Statewide Geographic Advisory Council is in the early stages of being created. ► State Geographic Information Officer has been hired.

Wisconsin Land Information Program26 Future Trends ► 3D Visualization ► CADD/GIS Integration City/County Cooperation City/County Cooperation ► Consortium approach ► Historical records modernization … … for Past -> Present -> Future modeling … for Past -> Present -> Future modeling ► Reliance on current land records and GIS for critical work ► Increased demand for timely most accurate information from the best possible source – YOU !

Wisconsin Land Information Program27 Future Challenges ► Data sharing and distribution. Many problems and issues go beyond county borders and we need to be able to share data. ► Funding. In recent state budgets WLIP money has been budgeted for funding Comprehensive Planning grants and other state budgetary needs. Program funding is political and dynamic. ► Privacy and data use issues. – Many of the land records we work with are subject to open records.

Wisconsin Land Information Program28 Future Challenges ► Uptake of new technologies Enabling technologies ensure wider application but require continuing investment and maintenance Enabling technologies ensure wider application but require continuing investment and maintenance ► Workforce demand and education Expanding role of land and mapping information will require new recruits and continuing education/training Expanding role of land and mapping information will require new recruits and continuing education/training ► Thinking outside of my boundaries – Neither land, air, nor water stop at jurisdictional boundaries… nor should our ability to cooperatively manage, serve, and problem-solve. Neither land, air, nor water stop at jurisdictional boundaries… nor should our ability to cooperatively manage, serve, and problem-solve.

Wisconsin Land Information Program29 Thank You!!! Questions ?