GIS Goals - To support city agencies and citizens through better access to geographic data.

GIS mapping and data services meet many of the city council goals. GIS supports front line groups that effect Safe Living Environment, Communication to Citizens, Internal Infrastructure, Transportation, Quality Economic Development, Physical Infrastructure, and Quality Park and Recreation Programs. This would include, but not be limited to all items currently viewed in GIS, and hard copy map information that displays spatial data. This spatial information is very valuable for Police Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and routing information, as well as creating a mailing list for the planning department, sales tax, snow route planning and more.

It's All About Data!

The GIS Industry estimates data acquisition and maintenance is 80 percent of GIS cost and time. Gathering and verifying data information is essential. Once the data is set, it allows GIS personnel to produce "mapping" products.

GIS Projects Samples

• Parcel Maintenance. Includes data updates such as Schedule numbers, Parcel Identification Numbers, Addresses, and Lot Line Adjustments.
• Aerial Imagery is important “Raster” data that can be used as a visual tool to see what is on the ground. Our most recent Aerial Photography was taken in April 2002.
• Water and Sewer Districts. Cooperative projects have been done with local water and sewer districts to define service boundaries for each district.
• Elevation Information. One project we are looking at doing is a line of sight projection of all the radio sites that will be used by the new Police wireless CAD system. We will use elevation to determine areas that might prevent radio transmission, and to locate where new repeater sights should go.
• Crime Analysis. GIS converts data from our dispatch center to use within our GIS system. Once the information from dispatch is converted it allows us to analyze and interact with the data to identify any type of criminal activity pattern.
• Daily Customer Service. The majority of are projects are relatively short-term projects. The greater part of our customers are other departments within the city and the project request can range from analyzing the most recent crime data to creating a mailing notification list for planning or any number of other possibilities.