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1. Call to Order
Jim Sydow called the meeting to order at 8:40 am. The meeting was held at the Metropolitan Council.
Members Present: Lt. Gary Gary, Ramsey County Sheriff Department; Ben Ferguson, Coon Rapids; Rick Gelbmann,
Metropolitan Council; Mark Steward, Resource Strategies; Jim Sydow, TIES; Jan Vanderwall, Roseville Area Schools (ISD
623).
Members Absent: David Arbeit, LMIC and Chair of the MetroGIS Coordinating Committee; Tom Bisch, Heritage
Development; Gina Buss, BRW Inc.; Pat Cook, North Suburban Cable Commission; Lisa Freese, Eagan; Allen Hoffman, Anoka
County; Carol Kaszynski, Richfield; Susanne Maeder, LMIC; Tim Morehead, USWest Communications, Inc.; Ben Verbick,
LOGIS.
Support Staff: Tanya Mayer, Metropolitan Council.
2. Acceptance of the Agenda
No additions or modifications were made to the agenda.
3. December Meeting Summary
Lt. Gary Gary motioned and Rick Gelbmann seconded acceptance of the December 5, 1996 meeting summary. The
motion was unanimously approved.
4. MetroGIS Updates
4a. Coordinating Committee Meeting Summary
The Coordinating Committee last met on December 18, 1996, when they reviewed several recommendations from
Teams, including the Access Team. A summary of discussion on the Access Team recommendations was mailed out with the
December Meeting summary and a full summary is included in the Coordinating Committee Meeting Summary
4b. Action Taken by the Coordinating Committee
Rick Gelbmann summarized the discussions of and the actions taken on the Access Team recommendations. The
Coordinating Committee:
- Directs the Data Access Advisory Team to continue to develop and test its proposed Web Index Model, as
outlined in the staff report dated December 12, 1996
- Directs the Data Access Advisory Team, for purposes of testing the model to continue to explore and test
to following two (2) common units of geography for those data producers who need to aggregate their data so no discrete
entity is identifiable, yet provide a practical and useful means to facilitate sharing of sensitive data. Data
producers are not limited to this format. This is a guideline for those who require aggregation of data:
- Census Bureau Census Blocks (with cross-reference tables between decades)
- Census Bureau Census Tracts (with cross-reference tables between decades)
- Authorizes the Data Access Advisory Team to act as an Advisory Board to the Metropolitan Council's Web/
interactive mapping pilot project.
4b. MetroGIS Policy Board Meeting
Jim Sydow summarized the first meeting of the MetroGIS Policy Board, on January 15, 1997. The Board met for
about 3 hours, 2 of which were presentations. Sydow noted the great turnout by board members, including representatives
from all 7 counties, Association of Metropolitan Municipalities, Watershed Districts, School Districts, and the
Metropolitan Council. The Board Members are very interested in GIS. There was also a great show of GIS Projects from
variety of organizations participating in MetroGIS. Rick Gelbmann commented that many board members were asking for
more information. Sydow stated that the Board was still figuring out its role.
Jan Vanderwall suggested that the school board model may work for this type of a board. Lt. Gary Gary stated
that Ramsey County needs an entity in order to sign documents, the legalities. There is a Joint Powers Agreement in the
Ramsey County User's Group. Jan Vanderwall stated the same thing is true with his board. Lt. Gary Gary recommended that
the staff look at the Joint Powers Agreement of the Ramsey Co. Users Group.
Rick Gelbmann stated that they are figuring out who will make up the membership, and may expand beyond 11
members. They will be looking at some policy issues, like how do people get appointed to the Coordinating Committee and
what is its' composition?
4d. MetroGIS Business Object Modeling
Rick Gelbmann described the status of the Business Object Modeling project of the Data Content Team. The last
big meeting was December 4, 1996. Since then, members of the Data Content Team, LMIC staff and Council staff are
matching the model to business questions from the 1st session. A survey is also being developed and will be completed
on February 12 and 13, 1997. The model and top business questions will be put together to identify the primary data
sets of the region. Gelbmann expects the project to be complete in May.
5. Governor's Council on Geographic Information
Tanya Mayer briefly summarized the status of the Governor's Council on Geographic Information, Data
Clearinghouse and Access Committee. The Committee is finishing a final report for publication that recommends that the
Clearinghouse and Access Committee disband with other subgroups taking various pieces of work further. This will be
spelled out in the document, but it probably will mean a Governor's Council Access Policy Committee, and at least one
other group which does or tracks more hands-on experimentation with web data delivery.
The internal work group at LMIC has been putting some of our metadata developed under the state metadata
guideline into the FGDC's metadata "parser" to 1) produce the type of metadata output seen on all federal sites, and 2)
to get LMIC registered with FGDC as a national clearinghouse node.
6. Web Index Update
A draft Scope of Services document for the Testing and Design of a Web Index was handed out. Rick Gelbmann
stated that the Scope of Services will be used to frame an RFP for the design and testing of a Web Index (the links).
The RFP will not focus on the development and testing of end applications. Jan Vanderwall asked that the Roseville Area
School District be added to the list of possible participants. Rick Gelbmann clarified that the RFP needs to be fleshed
out and then we need to talk to people about how they want to be involved.
Jim Sydow clarified that the body of an RFP will be for the development of the index capability using our
model. Rick Gelbmann asked members to review the document and comment on if they think the approach fits, is there
missing information, and is there information we need to take out.
Concerns were raised about links and access to tables of data and summarizing information to census tract
and/or block. Rick Gelbmann stated that the Views portion of the model could handle interactive tables, maps, or
images. He also suggested that converting data from address to census units may be possible using software similar to
the address matching software used by the Council. He also stated that we need to focus on the overall design and not
the specific applications right now.
Who will control access?, Are there legal issues that must be addressed?, were both seen as important issues
to address in the design of the web index. A question was also raised concerning how fees might be charged for special
services provided through the web index. Jim Sydow asked that Links be more clearly highlighted in the document. The
index has to be a data integrator. Rick Gelbmann stated that we need to reflect the Model better in the written scope
of services by using the graphic used in previous reports.
Jan Vanderwall suggested that management issues need more attention as well as the security issues.
Specifically, how to set up security and how to summarize the data. A multiple levels of security and separation of
computer systems linked to the web were both suggested as strategies to maintain security. Rick Gelbmann stated that
our responsibilities are two-fold: 1) point people in the right direction in maintaining secure sites, guidance 2)
design to allow for as much security as possible.
The RFP is a high priority. The Team should meet when we have the RFP done and ready for review. A tentative
meeting was scheduled for March 13, 1997, but will be canceled and rescheduled for April 3, 1997 if the RFP is not
ready to be reviewed. Jan Vanderwall motioned and Rick Gelbmann seconded that staff put together an RFP for the design
and testing of a Web Index.
7. Next Meeting
- March 13, 1997 (Tentative)
- April 3, 1997
8. The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 AM.
Prepared by Tanya Mayer, GIS Specialist
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