Athens County
                      Cooperative Land Administration
                       and Information Mapping system
 
March 31, 2000
 
Athens County Commissioners
15 South Court Street, 2nd Floor
Athens, Ohio 45701
                                    RE: Monthly GIS Progress Report
 
Commissioners:
 
Our E-911 dispatch mapping and automated house numbering systems were
deployed early this month.  The E-911 personnel are very satisfied with
the new mapping system.  The dispatchers had the new procedure in full
operation after one day of use.  I observed the new operation and I am
very impressed with the final product.  The appropriate map, zoomed to the
caller's location, is displayed immediately as the emergency call is
received.  I plan to schedule our next GIS Steering committee meeting
around a tour of the E-911 facility.  Doug Bentley has agreed to host the
meeting and conduct the tour.  WOUB TV interviewed with Doug Bentley and I,
and toured the facility.  This project was developed over the last 20
months and was completed without any major problems.  Thanks to ILGARD, the
Auditor's Office, the City of Athens, and the E-911 office, all local data
needs were provided.  The entire $125,000 project was funded by the E-911
Office and approved by the County Commissioners.
 
Kris Irwin, GIS Coordinator from Jackson County came to Athens.  We
compared GIS notes on parcel mapping and took a tour of the E-911 facility.
He was very impressed.
 
Greg Roush, GIS Coordinator for Ross County has requested to see our
recently implemented E-911 mapping application.  Doug Bentley will host
this visit next month.
 
J.D. Overton from ESRI St. Louis came to Athens for a consultation with
J.B. Hoy and I.  We developed a Map Objects Internet Map Server application
with our Ames Township data and some additional data layers.  Later, when
ArcIMS software is released we will have ESRI back and switch our data to
the new more efficient format.  We hope to receive a lot of input into this
new pilot application and improve it accordingly.  The address for the map
site is:
 
http://132.235.241.168/isa2
 
Try it out soon!
 
Our report to the public about our Athens County GIS was published and
distributed by the Athens Messenger.  A copy is included with this report.
I ordered and have received extra copies to pass out at meetings, etc.
If anyone needs copies, please let me know.
 
Our GIS Steering Committee met:
 
Bob Eichenberg presented us with a status report on his utility mapping
project with the OU Cartography Department.  A map of the Three Mile Limit
is attached.  GTE and AEP were unable to cooperate with us in this project.
They stated that their data is proprietary.  So a change in the scope of
work was made.  The rural water and sewer districts countywide were quite
willing to participate and so the work of adding their systems to the
project was made.  Later, the villages will be added to the work list in
another contract.
 
Rachael Hoy, gave a presentation on ILGARD watershed projects for Monday
Creek and Raccoon Creek.  A copy of the ILGARD Environmental Management
Program-Mission Statement and Goals, as well as three maps of their
watershed work are attached.
 
Doug Bentley gave an update of the new E-911 mapping project and answered
several questions about the E-911 system.  Doug will host our next Steering
Committee Meeting and provide a tour of the E-911 facility.
 
Ron Lucus reported that the City of Athens is beginning the process of
fitting scans of their existing utilities drawings to orthophotos.  J.B.
Hoy agreed to lend his expertise in this area to their effort.  The City
will also be doing staff GIS training seminars for all their Departments.
 
Howard Fokes reported that Facilities Management has purchased a new
computer and has two Cartography Center student interns working on flood
plain modeling.
 
J.B. Hoy discussed our plan to implement an Internet server to demo a
sample of our parcel data, store a copy of all available GIS data layers,
and offer Internet mapping of Athens County to the public.  MapObjects
software will be used until we can migrate to ArcIMS software later this
summer.
 
John Branner outlined a County Engineer's program to locate, document,
and GPS the many section cornerstone markers throughout the County.
 
We discussed having a high profile GIS show and decided to schedule it for
September 20st at the O.U. Inn Ballroom.  Sherwood Wilson, J.B. Hoy, Bob
Eichenberg, Howard Fokes, Ron Lucus, and Dave Lovett agreed to plan the
event.  Sherwood will schedule the Ballroom and we will hold planning
sessions immediately following the next two GIS Steering Committee
meetings.  The plan is to invite the commissioners, city council members,
chamber of commerce officials, utility company representatives, elected
officials, O.U. administrators, and members of the news media.
 
Our next GIS Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for May 18, 2000 at
10:00 a.m. in the Emergency Communications Office located at 13 West
Washington Street.  A tour of the E-911 facility and new mapping system is
scheduled.
 
I presented a sample of our GIS to the Ohio University Emeriti Association
meeting this month.  About 75 people attended and seemed to receive the
information very well.  Several good questions and comments followed the
session.  Also, an interview on WAIS Radio with Chuck Hammer and I went
very well.
 
John Branner and I will meet with several southeastern Ohio counties GIS
representatives next month to discuss opportunities available as
GIS/transportation applications.
 
Thank you for allowing me to coordinate this important aspect of Athens
County's future, and for your usual cooperation.
 
Archie Stanley
GIS Coordinator
555 East State Street
Athens, Ohio 45701
Phone (740) 593-5514
Fax (740) 592-4616
e-mail: astanley@frognet.net