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GIS Cooperative Meeting

City of Tucson - Information Technology

Friday February 9, 2001

10:00 AM - Noon

Present: Donald Ijams, Mike Honomichl, Anna Sanchez, Christine O'Connor, Dan Falkner, Ves Zinn, John Keefer, Ryan Tornberg, Paige Hamner, Joe Jakoby, Russell Riblett, Mary Szczepanski, Dave Hochede, Genny Martin, Jack Avis, Bryn Enright, and Bob Czaja

Commercial and Industrial Land Information System

Russ Riblett demonstrated his Commercial and Industrial Land Information system (still in development). This browser based application, utilizing ESRI's ArcIMS product, is being created in conjunction with GIS Planning, Inc. The system displays the location of both existing and available commercial and industrial properties within the City of Tucson, as well as location specific information about the property and its environs. Related information includes business license and demographic data. GIS Cooperative members thought the user interface was very well done, with some new controls most in the audience had not yet seen.

Following the demo several questions regarding technical issues were raised. Russ seemed to like the idea of scheduling a stress test of the system using GIS Coop members, IT and Water personnel. The test will be scheduled sometime while the consultant who developed the application is in town in the next few weeks.

Russ requested help in naming his new system. Some suggestions were: CILI Commercial Industrial Land Information, TCPIP Tucson Commercial Property and Industrial Property, and FTP Find Tucson Property. I (Dave Hochede, your note keeper) thought CILI to be the best suggestion of a sorry lot.

Master Address File Update

Jack Avis of Pima County Development Services made a presentation on certain address errors in the master file and what Development Services is doing to try to reduce that number. There are over 310,000 addresses in the master file (ADCOUNTY). When these addresses were matched against the Pima County street network (stnetall), 14,597 problem addresses (approx. 4.7%) were uncovered. Specific issues relating to the problem addresses include; missing street segments in the STNETALL file, incorrect attributes, and frontage road name inadequacies and direction questions.

Jack pointed out that if you suspect an address is missing or in error in the master file, please let them know in Pima County Development Services (740-6480). For suspected problems, it would be helpful if you do some research first. Find out if the street name is simply misspelled, or if the address exists in the phone book or other reference sources. An accurate master address file is essential for data quality control and accurate geocoding. While it is Pima County's job to maintain the address master, it benefits all of us and your help in making it better will be most appreciated.

IT suggested the possibility of loaning an intern to PC Development Services, to assist them in the remediation of the address master.

City Scan Project Update

Dave Hochede gave a short presentation regarding the status of the CityScan project. He introduced the programming team to those in attendance: John Keefer, Ryan Tornberg, and Ves Zinn. Dave explained the level of technical investigation required for IT to produce CityScan is high because everything the system requires is new to IT.

New technoligies include using MicroSoft IIS as a map server, VB thin Client (client browser) application design, MapObjects (MO), MapObjects IMS (MOIMS), ArcIMS and ArcSDE. As a result of the technical investigation into VB, IT has established design criteria for Visual Basic thin client applications that don't seem to work for VB using MO and MOIMS, so additional time will be required to solve that issue.

The CityScan project team has decided to bring in a consultant (Veridian) to assist them with a system review, with the installation and configuration of ArcSDE and ArcIMS, as well as provide some graphic design help for the look and feel of the webpage(s).

The programming team will begin work on a prototype system using shape files and MOIMS rather than ArcSDE and ArcIMS. The initial concept for the prototype was developed by the GIS Cooperative CityScan project team, consisting of Don Ijams, Mike Honomichl, Anna Sanchez, Dave Taylor and Steve Whitney.

GIS Cooperative Budget and Training Issues

Don Ijams led a discussion of the current year budget for the GIS Cooperative and the next year's budget request. There is roughly $120,000 left in this year's budget to be spent by June 30, 2001. Of the $120,000 approximately $30,000 is to be spent on training, including a series of 2 classes (Intro and Thin Client) on Visual Basic 6.0 and a class on VB and MapObjects. All three classes (yet to be scheduled) will be limited to 12 seats. Attendance will be determined in the usual fashion (application process to be announced).

Approximately $15,000 is set aside for consulting assistance on the CityScan project. $74,000 is earmarked for software, including money for new copies of ArcView, upgrades to 8.1 of existing ArcView licenses, as well as some $35,000 for an Oracle 8i Spatial license.

A lively discussion regarding next year's budget proposal followed. The City of Tucson Directors' Budget Review committee heard a presentation by the GIS Cooperative, regarding the FY 01-02 budget request. Given tight budget projections, other pressing budget needs and in spite of significant support from the committee, it was necessary to eliminate the Spatial Data Coordinator position request in the original proposal and to cut the remainder of the money in half.

Don presented a spreadsheet showing the updated budget proposal of roughly $90,000. It is anticipated that the GIS Cooperative will have an opportunity to address the City Manager on Cooperative issues and plans prior to finalizing next year's budget.

Other Business

A short discussion regarding additional training opportunities completed the meeting.

Jack Avis pointed out the County is bringing ESRI in for 3 weeks of ArcInfo training in the March/April timeframe. 3 seats are available @ either $1040 or $1140 (depending on class size). Contact Jack for details.

With the budget revisions mentioned above, Don announced the availability of a limited number copies of ArcView 3.2. The GIS Cooperative will pay for the software in those cases where the need is clear, the department or office has no other funding available and the benefit to the City is clear. He also announced that the two day "Introduction to ArcView" class will be sponsored again by the Cooperative, if enough interest is expressed. Contact Don for more infomation.

Work is also continuing on developing a GIS Basic Concepts class aimed at the interested novice.