Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium Planning Session
August 15, 2003
LOGIS, Golden Valley MN
Board members present: Becky Blue, Chris Cialek, Will Craig, Joella Givens, Blaine Hackett, Matt Koukal, Kimberly Kowal, Banette Kritzky, Alan Laumeyer, Lonnie Meinke, Charlie Parson, Mark Thomas, Sally Wakefield, Don Yaeger. Staff present: Eric Ewald.
*action items are underlined
Working group reports
Website
· Need to re -focus Web Committee efforts and develop charge.
· Should distribute responsibilities for keeping information on site current; assignment of responsibility / contact points for particular pages will be made today. Each Board member will have a role according to their expertise.
· Kowal as Chair is point person for all review/edits, and will coordinate needed changes with Gerry Sjerven.
· Board Minutes will now be stored on secure section of site; password and notice of their availability will be sent to the Board each month by Kimberly.
Enews / Newsletter
· Ewald will develop an attractive html notice informing members of the availability of the newsletter.
· Newsletter is moving towards an all electronic newsletter
Ø Gerry has been given the go ahead to start designing a mock-up for the E-Newsletter.
· Committee will bring recommendations to the Board during the next Board meeting about how to make the switch to all e-distribution.
· A committee will be meeting to develop recommendations for future newsletters including the format and distribution method. The committee will be meeting in September to discuss and develop a recommendation for the next Board meeting.
Ø Move to a quarterly Newsletter – March, June, September, December.
Ø Mail a summary 1-page document only to those requesting paper copies
· Create an E-News and E-Newsletter policy
Ø Define what should be included under each
· Make announcement at Fall Conference regarding going to all electronic
· Make E-News announcement – assign Board member to field comments
· December Ballot – must still be mailed to all members
Workshops
· Workshop group reviewed data from previous 5 spring workshops.
· Will not examine canceling the workshops but will consider offering a limited # of workshops, offer different formats such as the possibility of a webcast and other distance learning opportunities. Other possibilities include:
Ø Build a repository of presentations / training sessions
Ø Team with ESRI for Videos
Ø Narrated powerpoint presentations
· Committee brainstormed ideas for workshops. Topics included, but were not limited to:
Ø Geodatabase; e.g., Parcel Model
Ø ArcGIS topics – software
Ø ArcView 3.3
Ø Advanced Extensions – Spatial / 3D / Image / Analysts, etc.
Ø ArcObjects and ArcIMS
Ø ArcPad
Ø Offer Executive Level workshops (e.g.,Washington Cty Comptroller, Hennepin Cty Commissioner, etc.)
· Create a survey after the Fall Conference to help determine numbers who can attend Spring Workshops, and what they’d like to have presented
· How to get MnSCU to help out – there are over 54 campuses around the state
· Need more promotion - Collect mailing lists from GITA / URISA / ASPRS / NAACO
Ø Get blurps into quarterly smaller newsletters such as for health professions, public safety, etc. – explaining who we are and what we do
· Regarding problem with finding Instructors – some instructors would prefer to just teach or demo the software, so offer a tag team approach to provide a good workshop experience.
Financial
Group review opportunities to cut costs and increase revenues
Following are items that could yield cost savings:
· Newsletter – Have already drastically reduced hardcopy distribution.
· Conference/workshop costs – Food and beverage costs are key. Bring as much A/V equipments in as possible.
· Scholarships
· Grants from Education Foundations
· Board costs
Following are items that could yield new revenues
· Raise conference fees
· Raise workshop fees
· Write for grants
· Create sponsorship program
· Accept advertising in newsletter and conference programs
· Banner ads on web site
· Golf Tournament
Craig raised the possibility of establishing dues for membership in the organization and reviewing the management contract as possibilities for revenue generation and cost savings respectfully.
Fall Conference
The conference registration piece will be in the mail on Monday.
Second deposit is due to Science Museum ASAP.
Scholarship
Committee reviewed current knowledge of constituencies for the scholarship program and identified areas where more information is needed. Action items include:
· Do research into scholarship programs offered by other states and organizations.
· Research potential donors.
Ø Meet with Exhibitors and ask how they’d support internships
· Talk with Students –find out impact receiving the scholarship monies have had on past recipients: testimonials to promote program
· Look at resoliciting $$ from membership
· Announce scholarship program in November Enews and include article about what students are doing in the regular newsletter.
· Create separate place on web page for internship opportunities.
· Investigate ways to build bridges between the students and the donors.
Givens recommended that the Consortium co-sponsor the ASPRS. There was consensus that the Consortium should proceed with discussion with ASPRS about a co-sponsorship for next year, including how profits would be split between the two groups' scholarship programs.
Current Status and Future Directions
The current mission of the organization is: “To develop and support the GIS professionals in the state of Minnesota for the good of the state and its people.” Broad discussion ensued regarding the current mission and corresponding activities of the Consortium. There was consensus that the mission needn’t be changed at this time.
MN GIS/LIS Board of Directors
Regular Board Meeting
August 15, 2003
*action items are underlined.
Board Meeting Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 3:15. Board members Present Becky Blue, Chris Cialek, Will Craig, Joella Givens, Blaine Hackett, Matt Koukal, Kimberly Kowal, Banette Kritzky, Alan Laumeyer, Lonnie Meinke, Charlie Parson, Mark Thomas, Sally Wakefield, Don Yaeger.
Staff present: Eric Ewald.
Secretary's / Treasurer's Report
There was a motion and second (Koukal/Laumeyer) to approve the minutes as presented. The motion prevailed. The treasurer's report was tabled.
LMIC Update
Cialek reported that LMIC had new statewide orthophotos on the way – imagery available later this year or next year. There was a motion and second (Craig/Hackett) for Cialek to take the archive boxes from Ewald’s offices and store them over at LMIC. The motion prevailed.
Conference Update
Givens moved that the Board authorize the conference committee to develop a professional/tasteful sponsorship program for this year’s fall conference. Second (Wakefield). The motion prevailed.
Givens moved that Polaris award winners (all three of them) and the heads of their respective departments be given free conference registrations. The LCMR chair will also be invited. Craig will make the invitations.
Ewald Management Update
Busy with Conference planning. Goal is to look at marking and promotion down the road. Ewald updated the Board on the status of the GIS intern who has now returned to her regular job elsewhere, but is still available for occasional projects. Intern would like to do some GIS analysis. Database is around 1,400 active members – down from approx. 3,500 members (active and inactive). All records in the database have been updated.
Communication/Outreach
Wakefield reported that they are continuing their efforts to partner with more K-12 schools. Recently met with Carol Gersmehl (Macalester) and Sara Daemon (Stillwater High School), and next Tuesday will be discussing the use of the Environmental Atlas with them At the next Board meeting, Wakefield will be bringing language for incorporation into state geography standards for Board endorsement.
Newsletter
There was a motion and second (Givens/Wakefield) to pay Tami Glassel $400 for her desktop publishing services. The motion prevailed. Yaeger’s new email address is . There was a motion and second (Laumeyer/Givens) for the consortium to adopt “in concept” a commitment to develop advertising opportunities related to consortium events. The motion prevailed. Questions about the extent of this, i.e., whether it should be limited to conference-related materials or go beyond that, were not resolved.
Scholarship
There was a question as to how schools administer the scholarship funds to the students (e.g. Bemidji State transfers the funds to the Financial Aid office). It was recommended the committee should check with other schools to see how they administer the funds.
Governor’s Council Update
September 25th will be the next meeting. Blue will attend the meeting on behalf of the Consortium (the Chair of GIS/LIS Consortium is an ex-officio member of Governor's Council).
Other business
Laumeyer moved Craig seconded that the Consortium not renew its D&O insurance policy. The motion prevailed.
Request for Outreach Funds: Craig will talk to Metro GIS about getting some funding for the Hennepin County users group.
There being no further business there was a motion and second (Meinke/Wakefield) to adjourn the meeting at 4:30 p.m. The motion prevailed.