Present: Donald Ijams, Ron Platt, Steve Whitney, Mike Honomichl, Anna Sanchez, Christine O'Connor, Daniel Casey, Sandy Elder, Dan Falkner, Ves Zinn, Andy Steuart, Karen Masbruch, Fran Lasala, Teri Schultz and Robert MacArthur

Environmental Management ArcView-MS Access System

Karen Masbruch and Fran Lasala discussed the evolution of their technology and demonstrated their current application, which allows them to share information on tracking, monitoring, permitting and reporting requirements. Users can display information on a map using ArcView or work with the information in a linked Access database depending on preference and/or need. This tool was developed by PBSJ, a consultant who has also done this kind of work for Disney and Motorola. The consultant used the local land base and existing permitting information. While Environmental Management monitors compliance, individual departments must actually fulfill the requirements for needed permits so this program assists in coordination and timeliness.

While the effort started with Environmental Management's internal needs, the intent is to work with other departments - Solid Waste will be next. They are also planning a small pilot with the Water Department. The hope it to include all multi-agency inspection requirements. The next phase will be to take this application to the Web so it can be more widely used within the City. Eventually some of this information will also be available with appropriate explanations and links on the City's Internet site as well.

Orthophoto Rectification Project in Phase II

Steve Whitney reported on progress on this effort to bring GIS layers into conformance with aerial photography. Steve's people are about two months away from completing the set up for all rubber sheeting for parcel sections. This would mean this phase of the project would finish in March. As they are doing this work, the technicians are also fixing other items so the quality is improving. Steve reminded everyone that ArcView should not be used to project the data. Steve's team is available to project users' data - please contact him if you need assistance.

The PAREGION data sets have been updated. They were waiting for that update before doing the next version of PCLIS, which should be available next week.

City Scan Project Update

Don shared copies of a screen prototype through which a community member could access information using an address, intersection or neighborhood. He also passed out copies of proposed hardware and software acquisitions for the project, which totaled approximately $75,688 for hardware and $15,775 for software. The Advisory Committee has met with Dave Hochede, the IT Project Manager, several times. IT has almost completed a project definition document which the committee expects to be reviewing soon. IT has been concentrating on obtaining, learning and exercising the tools necessary to both develop web-based applications and spatially displayed data.

Ves Zinn reported that the IT project team has a map server running and is now familiarizing themselves with Map Objects and is connecting to the MARS server. The goal is to have a prototype of the application running in spring 2001.

City DOT Map Guide Update
Inclusion of Orthophotos in ArcView Project

Ron Platt demonstrated the work the City Transportation Department has been doing at its site (http://tdotmaps.transview.org) in populating feature levels such as stop signs, secondary arterial streets, Operation Splash barricade locations and street lights. Eventually they will display "theme" colors, for instance, those street lights due for maintenance displayed in a different color from the rest of the lights. Ron offered to demonstrate for anyone interested with their MapGuide tools how easy it is to get a map on the internet.

In addition, Ron demonstrated the usefulness of a GIS plug-in (www.ermapper.com/product/ermapper6/prodinfo/freegis.htm) for working with orthophoto images. Of particular interest was the free ERMapper plugin for ArcView 3.1, that allows addition of ortho photos to ArcView projects.

Transportation's PW_image server is currently housing numerous images, including all shp.files important to DOT. Ron will be putting others in. Read only access for City employees can be gained by contacting Mike Hicks in DOT.

Ron distributed information on a January 29th On-Site Technology Day to be held at 201 N. Stone in the basement conference room. This all day session will be in two parts, the first part is an overview of Pima County and City of Tucson with Map Guide. The afternoon session will provide a more in-depth understanding of how to implement an Internet mapping solution using MapGuide and how to use ESRI data with AutoCAD Map. The sessions are free and lunch will be provided. If interested, contact gis@rtd.com or fax 903.0987 or call 991.0727. They will need to know your name, your agency, if you want to attend the morning and/or the afternoon session, and whether you want tri-tip, chicken, vegetarian for your lunch selection. The sessions including lunch are free.

GIS Training

Progress has been made with Procurement in the effort to obtain an instructor for the GIS Cooperative sponsored Introduction to ArcView class. They have three bidders and they are checking on available dates now (Note: class date now set for January 25-26, 2001). They will let attendees know as soon as possible about the dates. Work on the GIS concepts class is proceeding. Steve Whitney said they may do a pilot class in early February and then refine the materials after that.

GIS Budget - Reworking this Year/Pare Down Next Year

Don will be convening a meeting for two purposes. First, to take a hard look at this year's funding and emerging needs and issues such as the shortage of ArcView licenses. The second purpose is to comply with instructions from the Department Directors' Operating Budget Review team to cut next year's submission. The Budget Review team is supportive of GIS efforts, but a lack of revenues to meet all compelling needs requires a very basic approach to next year's general GIS budget.

COMPSTAT Comes to Tucson

COMPSTAT is a program that originated in New York City in 1993. Tucson Police Department will be developing a local version called Tactical Operational Planning (TOP). The concept involves a weekly high level command staff meeting to review a visual presentation of crime and other data, including patterns, hot spots, etc. Responsible commanders will then describe what is being done to address identified issues and what else needs to be done. This program puts the quality, quantity, and timeliness of information in an agency under the microscope and leads to improvements in information as well as service.

It is anticipated that TPD's version will not feature some of the more confrontational aspects of the command meetings in NYPD, but will use other methods to promote success in the field. The purpose is to energize approaches to problems. They hope to do a first "mock" meeting in April and be using the process routinely by July.

Next Meeting: Friday, February 9, 2001, 10 a.m. to Noon, the Information Technology Pueblo Room.