CALL TO ORDER, WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS
Liza Fox, Chair, welcomed members and others in attendance and called the meeting to order.

ATTENDANCE

MOTION TO RATIFY IGC BYLAWS
Perry moved and McDowell seconded a motion to ratify the IGC Bylaws, and the motion passed unanimously.

IGC WEBSITE
Nathan Bentley, State GIS Coordinator, provided a demonstration of the IGC Website, located at http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/council/igc/about.htm, and advised how to navigate to the site from www.accessidaho.org, the state's official Web portal. Member contact information and meeting agendas can be found at http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/council/committees.htm#igc.

GEOSPATIAL DATA CLEARINGHOUSE DISCUSSION

(Refer to slide presentation: http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/council/IGC/subcommittees.htm#clearinghouse

Liza invited Clearinghouse Subcommittee Co-Chairs Frank Roberts (Coeur d'Alene Tribe) and Carol Silvers (Idaho State Library) to address the group.

The Subcommittee's initial charge was to identify the role and functions of - and promote - a statewide geographic information systems (GIS) clearinghouse.

Clearinghouse Subcommittee recommendations*:

• Formalize location of clearinghouse at the University of Idaho Library;
• Endorse the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), at least in principle, as revised by Subcommittee;
• Investigate options for legal authorization for clearinghouse; and
• Address need for GIS technical services and support

It was also suggested by Carol that, if approved, the clearinghouse should be established as a separate formal state program, with its own dedicated staff and funding.

Discussion points:

• Funding issues surrounding a clearinghouse.

• Feedback. After the above recommendations were posted to the geotech list server, no feedback was received from Idaho's GIS community on the issue of a clearinghouse. (With the exception of a letter from Idaho State University received the morning of today's meeting - further discussion below.)

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)*

Discussion points:

• Public Records Law (Idaho Code Sections 9-337 through 9-350) as it would pertain to the MOU, if executed, and copyrighted data. It was noted that some cities charge a fee for [copyrighted] data provided.

• Citizen representation on the proposed Statewide Geospatial Steering Committee. Liza suggested this position be identified as a member at large - as does Executive Order 2001-07, which created the IGC.

• The addition of language to the effect that Steering Committee members would represent various geographic regions within the state (recommended by Mike McDowell, Kootenai County).

• Digital data file format to be provided by participating agencies. It was decided such limitations would be removed from the MOU pending further discussion. Liza asked that Bruce Godfrey, University of Idaho Library, work with the Clearinghouse Subcommittee on the clarification of MOU section IV, 3, 3rd bullet.

• MOU expiration date. It was decided the date would be changed to December 31, 2007.

• Section VII, 3. The sentence would be changed as follows: '…counterparts, each of which shall be an…'

Liza thanked Carol and Frank for co-chairing the Subcommittee. She also thanked those who served on the Subcommittee.

Address Letter from Idaho State University
A letter addressed to Liza and Nathan was received in Nathan's office (2/7/02, 8:53 a.m.) from ISU's Chief Research Officer and GIS Director regarding the Clearinghouse Subcommittee recommendation to formalize the location of a clearinghouse at the University of Idaho. Liza asked Piotr Jankowski, University of Idaho, to address the concerns presented in the letter. Piotr believed those representing ISU in the letter to be misinformed as to the meaning/function of the clearinghouse proposal.

Liza stressed the need for Committee members to be clear in communicating with their stakeholder groups regarding recommendations to come before the IGC. She then suggested a letter of response be drafted to ISU.

Next Steps
IGC members were advised to discuss the draft MOU with their respective stakeholder groups. Nathan would be responsible for editing the MOU, as discussed previously.

MOTION TO FINALIZE SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 1 & 2 AT THE NEXT IGC MEETING
Perry moved and McDowell seconded a motion to address/finalize Clearinghouse Subcommittee recommendations 1 (formalize location of clearinghouse at the University of Idaho Library) and 2 (endorse draft MOU, at least in principle, as revised by Subcommittee) at the next IGC meeting, and the motion passed unanimously.

MOTION TO INVESTIGATE OPTIONS FOR LEGAL AUTHORIZATION FOR A CLEARINGHOUSE
Silvers moved and Roberts seconded a motion to identify a subcommittee to look at options for legal authorization(s) for a state GIS clearinghouse, and the motion passed unanimously.

Liza designated Nathan to perform research/needs analysis on the Subcommittee's third recommendation, to address the need for GIS technical services and support for a clearinghouse - a state GIS center. It was suggested (by Tony Morse, Department of Water Resources) that this research could be outsourced to the private sector. Nathan would address the issue with the ITRMC at its February 20th meeting.

*The Clearinghouse Subcommittee Report and Recommendations and draft MOU can be viewed at http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/council/igc/subcommittees.htm#clearinghouse.

IGC MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Mike Beaty, USDI Bureau of Reclamation, will replace Bill Yeager on the IGC, as Bill has accepted a position in Washington, DC. Liza recommended letters be drafted to Bill and Mike, and that Bill's letter of resignation be forwarded to all Committee members.

I-PLAN (Implementation Plan)

(Refer to slide presentation: http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/council/minutes/i-plan_rpt.pdf )

Nathan spoke to the group on the I-Team Initiative*. He advised a subcommittee should be formed to accomplish the writing of a vision statement for the I-Team initiative in Idaho. He suggested that this vision statement be the defining document directing the framework data Technical Working Groups' plan with the goal of vertically integrating these datasets in the future.

Discussion points:

• Proposed subcommittee. Initial volunteers for the proposed subcommittee were Craig Rindlisbacher (Madison County and City of Rexburg), Hal Anderson (Department of Water Resources), and Nathan. Committee members were encouraged to share information on the I-Team Initiative with their respective stakeholder groups in order to obtain good cross-representation on the proposed I-Team subcommittee.

• IGC TWG concerns. IGC TWGs serve as Idaho's I-Teams and are responsible for developing individual implementation plans (I-Plans) for the seven federal framework layers/themes (elevation, hydrography, geodetic control, cadastral, transportation, government units, and digital ortho-imagery).

• Funding. There exists a federal Financial Solutions Team, whose goal is to aid states in the identification of potential funding sources, such as grants, for the I-Team Initiative. Nathan suggested Idaho establish its own team of individuals to work directly with the proposed I-Plan subcommittee to facilitate in the acquisition of funding.

• Timeline. The I-Plan 'vision team' would complete its work by the end of March/beginning of April 2002. The group would then forward the vision statement to IGC TWG members, who would draft respective I-Plans by using the vision as a foundation. The proposed financial solutions team was expected to begin investigating funding sources by the end of June 2002.

• Completion. It was hoped that Idaho's I-Plan would be complete by October 1, 2002.

• Significance of developing an Idaho I-Plan.

• Recognition of IGC TWG chairs. (For more info, go to http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/council/IGC/TWGs.htm.)

• Private sector/commercial GIS users' needs.

• E-government/e-business/economic growth. No TWG had been established to consider these driving factors/issues.

• ITRMC approval. Once accepted by the IGC, the Idaho I-Plan would be presented to ITRMC for approval.

*National I-Team Web site: http://www.fgdc.gov/I-Team

TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS

Hydrography Report
TWG Co-Chair Linda Davis (Department of Water Resources) addressed the Committee. She provided an overview of watershed research conditions before the Hydrography/Watershed TWG was formed. Idaho worked with other states (including Wyoming, Washington, and Oregon) to complete some border hydrologic units.

Discussion points:

• Current research. The Hydrography/Watershed TWG would join Washington and Oregon in proceeding with watersheds done by the Regional Ecosystem Office (REO). (REO facilitates interagency cooperation in support of the Forest Plan for the Pacific Northwest to better integrate federal, state, and local agency Ecosystem Management of our resource lands.) REO contracted to have Titan AverStar perform watershed delineation after concept lines had been done, and this data was recently posted on REO's FTP site for download and review. (It was requested that the review process take no more than 30 days.)

• Upcoming research. The TWG had scheduled to look at several other hydrologic units within Idaho at its next meeting, but may need to review the watersheds shared with Washington and Oregon (16), which had been delineated within Idaho to the 5th field (between 40 and 250,000 acres) - but not necessarily the entire hydrologic unit. It was hoped Idaho would be working with the two states on a delineation process.

• Standards. The group would be working within national watershed delineation standards still in draft form.

Other issues:

• Per Roger Hirschman (GIS Coordinator, Natural Resources Conservation Service-NRCS), NRCS received funding to help Titan AverStar delineate the watershed that is between Milner, Idaho and King Hill, Idaho.

• ERDAS (Earth Resource Data Analysis System) in Oregon had two hydrologic unit codes (HUC's) that were in the quality assurance/quality control (QAQC) process. These included portions of the Payette River and Salmon River Basin. On a related matter, there is a possibility that Idaho would be converting some of its hydrologic units to the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD), a comprehensive set of digital spatial data that contains information about surface water features such as lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, springs and wells.

Linda also mentioned there had not been a great deal of interest in watershed delineation in northern Idaho.

Cadastral Plan and Report

(Refer to slide presentation: http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/IGC/twgs/cadastral_rpt.pdf)

As per a motion passed at the first IGC meeting, Cadastral and Geodetic Control TWG Co-Chair Dave Williamson (Kootenai County) presented a recommendation with regard to the Idaho State Tax Commission's five-year IT plan. (For more information, go to http://www2.state.id.us/itrmc/council/igc/minutes/m011019.htm#stcplan.)

Presentation Outline:

• Cadastral Data, defined.

• Bureau of Land Management's Geographic Coordinate Database (GCDB).

• Cadastral and Geodetic Control TWG background, activity, and direction.

• Idaho Cadastral Plan.

• Review of STC "GIS Integration" Program proposal for consistency with the Cadastral Framework Data Implementation Plan.

Cadastral TWG Recommendation:
"The Cadastral TWG recommends that the IGC forward to ITRMC a positive recommendation for support of the proposed Tax Commission GIS Integration Plan, for those components of the plan that pertain to the Idaho Cadastral Plan.

Our review of the proposed STC Plan indicated that the Plan is consistent, supportive and contributive to the Idaho Cadastral Plan, as verified by vote of the Cadastral TWG on February 5, 2002."

Discussion:
The Committee was advised there was a vote of confidence by the Assessor's Association to support the STC GIS Integration Plan in concept (February 4th).

MOTION TO ACCEPT CADASTRAL AND GEODETIC CONTROL TWG RECOMMENDATION
Bentley moved a motion to accept the Cadastral TWG recommendation that the 'IGC forward to ITRMC a positive recommendation for support of the proposed Tax Commission GIS Integration Plan, for those components…that pertain to the Idaho Cadastral Plan.'

SUBSTITUTE MOTION
McDowell moved and Holloran seconded a substitute motion to accept and endorse in concept the direction of the STC GIS Integration Plan, request a formal written plan be presented to both the Assessor's Association and IGC for consideration, and, if endorsed, forward to ITRMC a positive recommendation for support of the Plan, and the motion passed unanimously.

There was general consensus that the Committee endorsed the STC Plan in concept.

EMERGING ISSUES

NSDI State Advisor Program
In the interest of time, the NSDI State Advisor Program would be discussed at another time, perhaps at the next IGC meeting.

ADJOURNMENT
As time did not allow for any further discussion, Liza thanked those in attendance and adjourned the meeting at 4:40 p.m. The next Idaho Geospatial Committee meeting is scheduled for April 4, 2002.

Respectfully submitted,

Emily Gales
ITRMC Assistant