1. Connecting with Geo-Spatial Technology Professionals Bill Holder, Kosciusko County GIS Director Indiana Geographic Information Council

2. A little about me... and Geography Always loved maps and Geography Navigator on family trips College, majored in Geography University of South Alabama (BS,1990) Appalachian State University (MA,1992) First exposed to GIS as a graduate student at Appalachian State, where I worked as a graduate assistant to create a GIS base map for Avery County, North Carolina. As a graduate student I also had the opportunity to teach 3 sessions of “Intro to Physical Geography” I started my Professional career in 1992 as a GIS Specialist for the Knoxville/ Knox County (Tennessee) Metro Plan Commission While in Knoxville, I had the opportunity to teach “Intro to Human Geography” part time at Roane State Community College I am currently the Kosciusko County GIS Director, a position I have held since 1998

3. Today’s Presentation What is GIS? GIS in Kosciusko County GIS Mapping Websites GIS as a career Discussion

4. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Connecting People with the World Around Them

5. A Geographic Information System A GIS is layering mapped information in a computer to help us view our world as a system

6. What if?!? More than just maps… in a GIS, the maps have tables of data behind the map features. This means when you combine different maps you combine data to get the information you need. From Maps to Information

7. 1 2 3 + Soil Layer Parcel Layer + Perform Analysis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 = Get Answers!! 1 1 35 3637 Exactly. For example… Soil types help guide tax assessment for agricultural lands A county can use GIS to find what portion of the land owned by Bob Scott is on suitable soil So, I can use GIS to answer questions?

8. And there’s lots more From resource management, economic development, emergency response, and the business of government… GIS is an increasingly important tool for getting the information you need – how you need it!

9. GIS in Kosciusko County GIS Department created in 1997 Started by flying Aerial Photography and Converting Old Plat Books into digital parcel layer Purchased GIS software to create and maintain our GIS data Created or acquired many geographic layers for Kosciusko County road centerlines, soils, wetlands, zoning, lakes, creeks and rivers, city/town limit lines, railroads, cemeteries, addresses, 2 foot contours Department of 2 people

10. What do we do? It is never boring Acquisition of new Aerial photography Provide training and help desk services on County Mapping website to County employees and the public. (Trained 300 people from January-March 2008 on use of new county mapping website) Make maps for County Departments and the public Support the GIS mapping system for the Central Dispatch Center (911) Create new Geographic layers or maintain existing layers Perform geographic analysis for other departments or the public using GIS data and software Examples: Buffer lists, lake shoreline change studies, AgOverlay functions, septic lake studies, automated watershed delineation Manage the GIS database Cemetery Mapping Project Use Global Positioning System (GPS) units to collect data in field

11. GIS Mapping Websites City/County Parcel Locator Mapping Websites Statewide GIS Portals IndianaMap The National Map Google Earth

12. City/County Parcel Locators Many Indiana cities/counties have these websites Main purpose is for locating real property Can search for property by name, address, parcel number Provides property info about each property. Ownership, tax billing info, assessment info Zooms user to location of property on map. Enables user to select layer to view as background to property lines. Aerial Photos, zoning, soil info

13. IndianaMap Website www.indianamap.org Pulls together data from Cities, Counties and State Government and displays seamless Statewide map

14. The IndianaMap It’s One Map for Indiana… It’s Statewide, It’s Regional, It’s Local… It’s Yours!

15. IndianaMap Vision ONE MAP FOR INDIANA Enable improved government service to citizens, and an enhanced ability for citizens to stay informed and to engage in the democratic process Integration now of the best available data, focusing on local sources, with state and federal Distribution that provides access to data and metadata Web portal with tiered access for decision-makers and the public with non-technical interface to viewing geospatial information, Planning through the IGIC Framework Committee for 100% coverage of all framework layers, with variable resolution (minimum 1:24:000), within 3-5 years, and Education and outreach on the relevancy, importance and capabilities offered by the IndianaMap.

16. IndianaMap Framework Data Framework data make up the common “base map” - those data needed by the most people, most often, to support the most applications (defined by Indiana Code 4-23-7.3-3 )

17. The National Map The National Map is a consistent framework for geographic knowledge needed by the Nation. It provides public access to high-quality, geospatial data and information from multiple partners to help support decision making by resource managers and the public. The National Map is the product of a consortium of Federal, State, and local partners who provide geospatial data to enhance America's ability to access, integrate, and apply geospatial data at global, national, and local scales. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is committed to meeting the Nation's needs for current base geographic data and maps. Our vision is that, by working with partners, we will ensure that the Nation has access to current, accurate, and nationally consistent digital data and topographic maps derived from those data.

18. Google Earth

19. GIS as a Career Careers in GIS at all levels of Government City – Utilities, planning, law enforcement County – Parcel maintenance, drainage Regional – MACOG. Regional Planning State – In 2007, Indiana hired first GIO Federal – USGS, USDA-NRCS Utilities – Nipsco, Duke Energy, Kosciusko REMC, Veolia Water GIS Software Companies – ESRI, WTH Technology, Autodesk, MapInfo, The Schneider Corp GIS Service Providers – Photogrammetry, Data Conversion, Universities – Research, Education Businesses – Site locators, large corporations managing

20. GIS as a Career Warsaw Co-op Program – High School student worked with me for the school year. He accomplished: Building layer Lake depth layer Cleaned up county drainage layer Mapped historic structure survey Used GPS to map the Winona Lake Bike Trails Helped create a GIS layer of gravestones for two cemeteries in Kosciusko County

21. Contacting a GIS person in your area Northeast Indiana GIS Users Group Northwest Indiana GIS Forum Indiana Geographic Information Council (IGIC) RAMONA INVENTORY

22. Discussion How can we (Geo Spatial Professionals) help you?

23. Thank You Contact Info: Bill Holder 100 W Center St, Suite 305 Warsaw, Indiana 46580 Phone: 574.372.2485 E-Mail: bholder@kcgov.com