Creating a Regional GIS User Group in Northeast Indiana

1
Creating a Regional GIS User Group in Northeast
Indiana

• Bill Holder, GISP
• Kosciusko County GIS Director

2
History of GIS User Groups in Northern Indiana

• Northwest Indiana GIS Forum
• Successful model
• In existence for 10 years
• In Northeast Indiana many attempts at Regional
  Groups
• MACOG GIS Coordinators Meeting
• ESRI Northern Indiana GIS Users Group
• Indiana/Michigan Border GIS Group
• Schneider Northeast Indiana GIS Users Meeting

3
Impetus for creation

• Local GIS Coordinators Meeting Nov. 2007
• Split up by regions, Northwest, Northeast etc,
• Many attendees from the Northeast/ North Central
  area of the State
• There was a real interest in meeting regionally

4
Defining the region

• No scientific method for defining the region
• Northwest Indiana GIS Forum Region
• If the state was divided into five regions,
  Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southeast and
  Southwest
• Doesnt follow any state designated region, IDHS,
  INDOT etc
• Area is comprised of 21
• Counties in Northeast Indiana

5
The First Meeting

• Perfect time of year in Northern Indiana
• Northeast Indiana GIS Users Group met for the
  first time on January 31st 2008 in Warsaw
• 25 to 30 Attendees

6
First Meeting Topics

• Introductions and description of local projects
• Discussion of the User Group
• What are everyones expectations
• Membership Open or closed
• A Charter A Committee was formed
• (On Dictionary.com a Charter is defined as a
  document defining the formal organization of a
  corporate body constitution)
• Statewide Issues IGIC/GIO
• Data Sharing - IndianaMap
• Statewide Ortho program

7
Naming the User Group

• The Northeast Indiana Geospatial Information
  Community (NIGIC) was selected as the name for
  our group.

8
The Charter - Objectives

• Create a forum whereby GIS professionals and
  others interested in geospatial information may
  network with their peers to exchange ideas,
  techniques and experiences to obtain advice
  about how geospatial information may be used to
  address the challenges they face and/or to
  discuss opportunities for joint, inter-agency
  projects.
• Establish a framework in which the various
  governmental units, academic institutions and
  private organizations of Northeastern Indiana may
  cooperate in the investigation, study, discussion
  and recommendation of improvements in geospatial
  information management.
• Aid members in the development of a GIS and of
  GIS personnel within their agencies.
• Provide a means whereby the memberships opinions
  on geospatial issues affecting the Northeastern
  Indiana region can be presented as a unified
  professional voice to State government, to the
  Indiana Geographic Information Officer (GIO) and
  to the Indiana Geographic Information Council
  (IGIC).
• Support the Indiana Geographic Information
  Council and legislation beneficial to the
  acquisition, improvement, maintenance, use and
  distribution of geospatial information in
  Northeastern Indiana.
• Advance geospatial knowledge and practice through
  continuing education of GIS users, elected
  officials and the general public

9
The Charter - Notables

• Membership is open to all interested individuals.
• Members are expressly disallowed from the
  promotion of their for-profit products and/or
  services at a meeting unless they are doing so at
  the request of the Group or in response to a
  direct question asked during a meeting.
• The Officers shall consist of a President, a
  Vice-President, and a Secretary.
• The group will hold quarterly meetings
• Charter was approved at July 2008 Meeting

10
Election of Officers

• Elected officers at the October 2008 meeting
• President Dave Estes Allen County
• Vice President Mike Snelling
• Secretary Chasity Sandy

11
Sample of Attendees

• Allen County
• City of Fort Wayne
• Dekalb County
• City of Butler
• Northeastern REMC
• City of Elkhart
• Elkhart County
• City of Goshen
• City of Mishawaka
• City of Warsaw
• Elkhart County
• City of Kendallville
• Noble County

• Wells County
• Huntington County
• City of Auburn
• Kosciusko County
• Adams County
• The Schneider Corporation
• ESRI
• Indiana GIO
• Wabash County
• Whitley County
• Steuben County
• Lagrange County

12
Attendee Goals

• Group was began by a group of City/County users
• Utilities REMCs, NIPSCO etc.
• Colleges and Universities IUSB, IPFW, Taylor,
  Trine etc.
• Other City/County users in region
• State Government GIS Users in Northeast Indiana
• Federal Government GIS Users in Northeast
  Indiana
• Private Sector GIS Service Providers,
  Engineering Firms etc
• GIS enthusiasts

13
Attendee Goals

• Group was began by a group of City/County users
• Utilities REMCs, NIPSCO etc.
• Colleges and Universities IUSB, IPFW, Taylor,
  Trine etc.
• Other City/County users in region
• State Government GIS Users in Northeast Indiana
• Federal Government GIS Users in Northeast
  Indiana
• Private Sector GIS Service Providers,
  Engineering Firms etc
• GIS enthusiasts

14
Meeting Composition
15
NIGIC Speakers

• Kevin Holle City of Fort Wayne Imprevious
  Surface Project
• Tom Brenneman ESRI ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS
  Desktop Topics
• Jim Sparks Indiana GIO Data Sharing
  Discussion
• Rick Kiersey City of Kendallville Detailed
  Cemetery Mapping Project

16
Invitation to Next Meeting

• April 30th 2009
• Kosciusko County Justice Building
• 121 N Lake St
• Warsaw, Indiana

17
Thank You

• Questions