Minnesota Governor’s Council on Geographic
InformationThe mission of the council is to promote efficient and effective use of resources by providing leadership and direction in the development, management and use of geographic information in Minnesota. The council makes recommendations in areas including, but not limited to: policies, institutional arrangements, standards, education and stewardship.
Guiding Principals
• Promote efficient investments in geographic information.
• Promote geographic information as a public resource that should be widely shared with and available to interested parties.
• Support the establishment and use of geographic data standards and guidelines to better exchange and share information resources.
Guiding Principals
• Promote education and training in GIS. • Promote the beneficial uses of geographic
information in the development of policy and the management of public resources.
• Provide a major forum where ideas and issues of the GIS community in Minnesota can be brought forward, discussed and acted upon, as appropriate.
Background...
• Created in 1991 by Executive Order• Operates under the Executive Branch of State
Government• Formed to encourage and coordinate the wise
use and development of geographic information statewide
• Council operates on a the state fiscal year, July - June
Membership...
• 18 members• Applications are accepted by the Secretary of State• Appointed by the Director of Minnesota Planning• Represent federal, state, regional, county and city
governments, higher education, and the private sector
• Non-voting, ex-officio members are appointed to promote coordination among all major partners.
• Member’s terms are for one year.
Council Operations...
• Council meets every two months and meetings are open to the public and produce a public record
• Support for the council is provided by Minnesota Planning and the Land Management Information Center
• The council is not a legal entity– Does not have own budget– May not receive grants or directly expend funds– Works through Minnesota Planning
Council Operations...• Council sometimes acts as a “cooperator” on
grants and other projects• The council has provided evaluations of grant
and funding request to the legislature• The council has been one of the primary
interfaces between federal mapping agencies and the Minnesota GIS community.
• The Council and the Consortium coordinate their activities and efforts.
Council Operations...All meeting schedules and minutes can be found on the Internet or mailed regularly. www.gis.state.mn.us
Council Committees...
• Where work is done• Formed to work on issues affecting the GIS
Community• Include many non-council members in addition
to at least one council member
Council Committees...
ExecutiveData Hydrography
Land Records Modernization
Outreach StandardsExecutive Committee consists of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Council and the chairs of the committees
Outreach Committee
Purpose: Works to connect the Governor's Council on Geographic Information with its various constituencies in state
government and across the state
Co-Chair: Larry Charboneau, The Lawrence Group612-676-3950 [email protected]
Co-Chair: Banette Kritzky, GIS/LIS Consortium651-296-0220 [email protected]
Data Committee
Purpose: Examine the state of GIS data and to review important current data issues.
Co-Chair: Annette Theroux, Pro-West & Associates
218-547-3374 ext. 108 [email protected]
Co-Chair: Fred Logman: Ramsey County
651-266-3843 [email protected]
Hydrography Committee
Purpose: Develop methods to standardize state hydrography databases and
streamline updating
Co-Chair: Mark Olsen, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 651.296.3412 [email protected]
Co-Chair: Susanne Maeder, Land Management Information Center651.297.4986 [email protected]
Standards Committee
Purpose: Coordinate development of statewide geographic data standards and guidelines
Co-Chair: Glenn Radde, Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources651-297-4950 [email protected]
Co-Chair: Joella Givens, Minnesota Dept. of Transportation651-582-1730 [email protected]
Land Records Modernization CommitteePurpose: Research statewide issues surrounding
the automation and mapping of land record transactions
Co-Chair: Jay Wittstock, URS612-373-6817 [email protected]
•
Co-Chair: Luci Botzek, Minnesota Association of County Officers
651-293-0953 [email protected]
Land Records Modernization
• Land records modernization is defined as the improvement and updating of the processes and procedures for collecting, sharing, utilizing, presenting, maintaining and storing land records through the efficient, effective and appropriate use of technology.
Or simply
• Getting the land records in shape for the electronic age of E-Government
Land Records Modernization
• Land records include, but are not limited to:– Geographic references. Geodetic control systems, public land survey
records, land ownership boundaries.
– Administrative records. Jurisdictional and administrative boundaries; land use; land use controls and restrictions; land value; physical address; property tax records, including taxpayer and property owner; title interests, including grantor, grantee, easements and encumbrances; and any other related property information.
– Built environment. Transportation and utility infrastructure, planimetric information, historic and prehistoric sites and contaminated sites.
– Natural environment. Geology, hydrology, land cover, minerals, soils, unique natural areas, wetlands, topography and wildlife.
Land Records Modernization
• Where are Minnesota's Land Records?– Most Minnesota land records are managed and
maintained by county government departments, where many of the records also are created. Recorders, Assessors, Treasurers, Auditors, Surveyors, Engineers, and Planners are among the county officials responsible for a county's land records.
Land Records Modernization
• What is the Condition of the land records?• Minnesota's counties maintain most records as
paper.• Many of these records are one of a kind documents
and some of them are almost 150 years old.
Land Records Modernization
• Who uses land records?– Throughout Minnesota, property owners, mortgage companies, insurers,
and local, regional, state, and federal governments depend upon information and data about land, its use, and its ownership to answer basic questions.
• Who owns a parcel of land? What are the boundaries of a parcel of land? What are the improvements on a parcel? How can owners of properties surrounding a parcel be quickly and
efficiently identified and notified? What public infrastructure serves a parcel or where is infrastructure
needed to serve a parcel? How do regulations, such as zoning or permit requirements, affect a
particular piece of land? See Appendix Table 1 of the Report
Land Records Modernization• Why should we modernize and improve land records
management?• We need to keep up with technology.• Security of documents
– Fire, Water, or worse• Emergency Response• There are benefits and increases in efficiency to government
business processes.– Will Craig, CURA - Dakota County
• Improved Access to public records– Open for business 24/7
• The citizens of Minnesota can realize a savings.– $6 million a year savings in title insurance costs have been
documented for Dane County alone as a result of improved records
Process… the hard part
• Include and build support of Stakeholders• Develop and Communicate a “Plan”• Develop a “Point of Focus” for liaison with
federal agencies and I-Teams• Identify a Champion in the Executive and
Legislative Branches of government
Land Records Modernization Committee
• Very Active in September and October presenting:
September 17, 2001 – MACO in Bemidji September 19, 2001 – MACO in Mankato September 20, 2001 – AMC General Government
Committee in Bloomington September 24, 2001 – MACO in St. Cloud October 11, 2001 – GIS/LIS Consortium
Conference in Duluth
Land Records Modernization Committee
• LRM activity has increased substantially in the last year– National Cadastre– National States Geographic Information Council
(NSGIC)– State Agencies– Local Government
Land Records Modernization Committee• Federal Agencies are looking for formal state plans
for GIS data development through an I-Team– Office of Management and Budget is to monitor cooperation
with states as part of agency performance evaluation. – National Cadastre
• Effort underway to get federal support for local parcel efforts• Involves Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as lead federal
agency, state organizations are state plan administrators, the FGDC Cadastre Committee, NSGIC, and local government.