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1. Call to Order
Chairperson Arbeit called the meeting order at 8:30 am. The meeting was held at the Earle Brown Conference
Center at the University of Minnesota. Members Present: Federal: Ron Wencl (USGS); State: David Arbeit (LMIC); County:
Dave Drealan (Carver County), Margo LaBau (Anoka County), Jim Hentges (Scott County), Jay Wittenstock for Gary
Stevenson, (Dakota County Surveying & Land Info); Metropolitan: Rick Gelbmann (Metropolitan Council GIS); Cities:
Brad Henry (City of Minneapolis); Watersheds: Clifton Aichinger (Ramsey-Washington-Metro Watershed District); and
Schools: Clark Evans (Minnetonka Schools), Jim Sydow (TIES).
Members Absent: David Claypool (Ramsey County), Pat O'Connor (Hennepin County), Virginia Ehrdahl (Washington
County); Metropolitan: Richard Johnson (Metropolitan Council); Cities: Dennis Welsch (City of Roseville); Economic
Development Partnerships: Scott Beckman (Dakota County); Academics: Will Craig (CURA); GIS Consultants: John Carpenter
(Lawrence Group); Business Geographics: Tim Nuteson, (Dayton Hudson Corporation); Utilities: Alan Srock, (NSP).
Visitor: David Hartley, Metropolitan Council Member
Support Staff: Randall Johnson, Tanya Mayer, Heidi Welsch
2-3. Acceptance of Agenda and Meeting Summaries
The meeting agenda was accepted by consensus. The summaries from the April 26, 1996, and May 16, 1996,
meetings were accepted by consensus. Staff noted that slides of the overheads that were presented at the May 16 "Kick
Off" meeting are available upon request.
4. Action Items
A. Data Access Advisory Team Name and Purpose Statement Changes
The committee discussed the Data Content Team's recommendation to change "Data Access Advisory Team" to "Data
Access and Security Advisory Team". Jim Sydow, Chairperson of the Data Access Team, explained that the team believes
"security" is important aspect of its work and should to clearly stated as part of the team's goals and purpose. David
Arbeit expressed that the name change may send a confusing signal in that by including "security" within the team name
we would imply that "security" would equal importance to "access", which he does not believe to be the case. Brad Henry
agreed, noting that "security" is only one of many important aspects associated with "access" to data and as such is
not needed within the team title. Clark Evans noted that he believes "security" is implied by "access"; and that for
computer issues, security and data privacy are commonly understood as integral to the topic.
Jim Sydow moved and Clark Evans seconded to modify the purpose statement to include "security" as advised by
the Data Access Team. The motion passed unanimously.
Jim Sydow moved and Cliff Aichinger seconded to modify the name of the Team to include "security" as advised
by the Data Access Team. The measure failed for lack of consensus.
Following the failure of this the second motion for lack of consensus, the Committee briefly discussed its
current practice of requiring consensus to pass on matters. The need for a consensus on all matters was questioned.
Margo LaBau suggested that this might be a subject for the Policy Team discuss. The matter was referred to the Policy
Team for study and a recommendation at the Committee's October meeting.
B. Data Content Team Process and Direction
Chairperson Arbeit and Randall Johnson summarized a proposed conceptual business modeling procedure for the
Committee's acceptance. It was explained that that the focus group procedure that the Data Content Advisory Team has
been working on since May to identify regionally significant data would be the foundation for the proposed broader data
modeling effort. It was also explained that a data/object modeling consultant is proposed to be hired by the
Metropolitan Council to facilitate the focus groups and modeling session and to prepare a final report. David Arbeit
also explained that the proposed procedure is intended to be replicated for state interests if a grant that was applied
for on June 26th is approved. He also explained the grant application is for a demonstration project to study how
local, metropolitan, and state data needs in Minnesota are similar to and differ from the seven framework datasets
affiliated with the federal National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) program.
By consensus, the Committee accepted the following conceptual modeling procedure as recommended by the Data
Content Advisory Team:
1. Define focus groups. This piece has already been completed by the Data Content Team. Focus group categories
are: Community and Economic Development/ Planning/ Growth Management/ Demographics/ Housing/ Employment/ Research;
Property Records; Public Works/ Utilities/ Transportation/ Communications; Parks/ Environmental Protection/ Natural
Resources; Public Safety/ Judicial; Human, Social, and Educational Services/ Public Health (Code Enforcement,
Licensing, Nursing)/ Libraries. 2. Create a strategy for populating the focus groups. This will be done in July by the
Data Content Team. 3. Populate the groups. 4. Hold a focus group forum. This forum session would have two components.
First, a 30-60 minute overview of the entire process would be given to all participants by the modeling consultant.
Second, the participants would break into the focus groups and brainstorm about the business decisions and data needs
affiliated with their individual topic areas. The break out sessions would be facilitated by persons familiar with
small group facilitation methods but not necessarily by the professional data modelers. 5. The data modeling consultant
would create a preliminary data model and summary of the information provided by the focus groups. 6. A Data Modeling
Team would be created. It would be made up of 2-3 members of each focus group, 1-2 members of the Standards Advisory
Team, and others as appropriate. This group would meet in a 1 to 2 day session to refine, clarify, and reconcile
inconsistencies with the preliminary data model. 7. The data modeling consultant would prepare a final report. A draft
final report would be provided for comment.
By consensus, the committee also:
1. Accepted the Data Content Advisory Team's proposed methodology to create and populate the six focus groups
listed above and including Margo LaBau's suggestion to contact informal associations as appropriate to populate the
focus groups.
2. Agreed to revisit the Data Content Advisory Team's purpose statement and limited work program proposal at
its August or October meeting once the data modeling effort is far enough along to evaluate the "next Steps" for Team.
The committee agreed to send direction to the Data Content Team to continue with the process, utilizing a forum
methodology for the focus groups.
C. Policy Team Items
Stakeholder Definition: Margo LaBau of the Policy Advisory Team explained the Team's reasoning for
recommending that the term "stakeholder" be divided into three components: "essential participant", "system enhancer"
and "secondary beneficiary". Chairperson Arbeit noted that the proposed definitions greatly clarify the term
"stakeholder".
Clark Evans moved and Margo LaBau seconded to accept the definitions as recommended by the Policy Advisory
Team and as presented in the staff report, dated June 18, 1996. The motion passed unanimously.
Endorsement Strategies: Staff explained the MetroGIS endorsement strategies that are proposed by the Policy
Advisory Team for "essential" and selected "enhancer" stakeholders. Margo LaBau explained the importance of allowing
stakeholders to choose their own representation for the MetroGIS Policy Board. She also explained that the Policy Team
intents to prepare a list of suggested qualifications to help stakeholder choose their representative.
Clark Evans motioned and Chairperson Arbeit seconded to accept the MetroGIS endorsement strategies as
recommended by the Policy Advisory Team and as presented in the staff report dated June 18, 1996. The motion passed
unanimously.
5. Advisory Team Updates
Jim Sydow, Chairperson of the Data Access Team, reported the formation of four subcommittees. Margo LaBau
reported that the Policy Team is working on the MetroGIS endorsement process. All counties have now begun the
endorsement process. Data Content Team representatives were not present to report. Clark Evans reported that the Data
Standards Team has been defining the process of creating standards; they have also reviewed the efforts of the
Governor's Council Standards Team.
6. Information Sharing
Staff explained that this section of the agenda is meant to briefly communicate other events related to the
MetroGIS. The committee agreed that it was not necessary to include full meeting minutes from other teams and
committees with each agenda packet. However, it was agreed that a summary diagram of the Data Content Team's data
modeling process would be helpful for explanation to the other teams.
Staff informed the group that the Metropolitan Council has completed the entire MetroGIS endorsement process.
It was also restated that when the Council approved the MetroGIS Decision Support Structure, it stated a preference to
change the name of the "Data Access Team" to "Data Access and Security". Staff noted that since the name change
recommendation was not passed by the Coordinating Committee, that this matter will be communicated to the Metropolitan
Council.
Efforts to publish MetroGIS newsletter were explained. Example mock-up formats were handed out for comment. It
was agreed that the first issue should not be released until all county representatives have had an opportunity to
discuss the MetroGIS endorsement process with their County Boards. Staff noted that the earliest date of publication
will be October, 1996. Staff also noted that a MetroGIS webpage is also in progress. It was agreed that documents which
are in-progress will not be posted on the website. Staff was encouraged to operationalize the website as quickly as
possible for communication with the MetroGIS team members. The group agreed that staff reports that convey a Team
recommendation should include a list of the team members that attended the meeting at which the recommendation was
made.
7. Next Meetings
The Committee agreed, generally, to meet the fourth Thursday of alternating months with exceptions for August
and December 1996:
Friday, August 23 -- 8:30 -10:30 a.m.
Thursday, October 24, 1996 -- 8:30 -10:30 a.m
Thursday, December
19, 1996 -- 8:30 -10:30 a.m
Staff was encouraged to find a location that does not charge for parking.
8. Adjournment
Jim Sydow moved and Clark Evans seconded to adjourn the meeting at 10:45 a.m. Motion carried unanimously.
Prepared by Heidi Welsch, GIS Administrative Intern
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