I'm working on a number of projects. The two big data creation projects are: Create the lift station layer and treatment plan layer with all available attributes for the Sewerage District #1. The other project is to continue work on the mains and laterals of the parish drainage system. The addition of the NHD flowline layer is assisting in identifying channels that don't show up well on Lidar or aerial photography.
This is the time of year I attend the Hurricane Data Mining workshop and go over all my disaster response layers, check to see if there is updated information to download, and create portable layer packages.
Though the budget for the public/private geoportal was cut, the GIS Committee will meet next week to discuss specifications and layers to include for a future project. This is the only outstanding project that remains to be done from the original 2010 implementation plan.
I plan to attend the Esri International User Conference at the end of this month. I've already marked many sessions to attend, as well as hands-on training and demo sessions. It's always a very intense learning experience, and I'm looking forward to bringing new ideas and products back.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
What's new since the last post
It's been a long time since the last post - lots of news since then. Where to start?
ArcGIS 10.1 Update
Well, in 2012 the desktop and server software was updated to version 10.1. This update to the server software gave the department the ability to make map services available outside the Iberia Parish Government network for the first time.
In addition to making map services available on the desktop, the map services are now available on ArcGIS Online, which means that they can be accessed by devices such as smartphones and iPads. The subscription to ArcGIS Online for Organizations began in December 2012.
So far, we don't have a dedicated public website for GIS. That is planned for the future. In the meantime, we can create maps in ArcGIS Online and paste the code into placeholders on the main Iberia Parish Government website.
Presentations at Esri International User Conference
Amy Brassieur made a presentation at the 2012 Esri UC titled "GIS from Scratch in Iberia Parish Government" that described our progress in GIS implementation. This presentation was part of a session titled "Small Jurisdictions Deliver Big GIS Benefits".
We have just received notice that Amy's presentation for the 2013 Esri UC has been accepted. The 2013 presentation is titled, "Maps on the Desktop, Maps on the Move". It will describe how the people use the products of the Iberia Parish GIS Department.
Please contact Amy at 337-369-4469 if you have any questions or any GIS jobs for the department.
ArcGIS 10.1 Update
Well, in 2012 the desktop and server software was updated to version 10.1. This update to the server software gave the department the ability to make map services available outside the Iberia Parish Government network for the first time.
In addition to making map services available on the desktop, the map services are now available on ArcGIS Online, which means that they can be accessed by devices such as smartphones and iPads. The subscription to ArcGIS Online for Organizations began in December 2012.
So far, we don't have a dedicated public website for GIS. That is planned for the future. In the meantime, we can create maps in ArcGIS Online and paste the code into placeholders on the main Iberia Parish Government website.
Presentations at Esri International User Conference
Amy Brassieur made a presentation at the 2012 Esri UC titled "GIS from Scratch in Iberia Parish Government" that described our progress in GIS implementation. This presentation was part of a session titled "Small Jurisdictions Deliver Big GIS Benefits".
We have just received notice that Amy's presentation for the 2013 Esri UC has been accepted. The 2013 presentation is titled, "Maps on the Desktop, Maps on the Move". It will describe how the people use the products of the Iberia Parish GIS Department.
Please contact Amy at 337-369-4469 if you have any questions or any GIS jobs for the department.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
ESRI's Community Analyst Subscription Service
I attended a live training webinar titled "Introduction to Esri Community Analyst" today, and would like to see who, if anyone, in the Iberia Parish GIS Intergovernmental Agreement would be interested in this product. The live webinar that I viewed was recorded, and will be available in a few days on the Esri training website.
Esri is offering a free 14-day trial of the product. I think we should try it, but I'd like the participation by some of you in the trial for specific examples of reports that would be helpful in your work. Since it works in an Internet browser, anyone can sign up for the trial, which includes up to 7 reports and/or maps. The link to sign up for the trial subscription is here.
Community Analyst is similar in many ways to the SCOUT for Local Government product by Buxton. Community Analyst is a web based subscription product that produces pre-formatted reports based on the variables chosen by the user. It is aimed at professionals in government, economic development, and related fields, but it does not require a GIS background to effectively use it.
Community Analyst subscriptions also include an add-in product for ArcGIS Desktop. Local data in shapefile format can also be uploaded to the cloud Community Analyst product for sharing among users on the same subscription. Community Analyst can be purchased in three levels of functionality. The subscription options and preformatted reports included with each level are listed in a PDF document here. These are the list prices. I don't know if this product is included in the state's contract with Esri yet. Esri products on the state contract are usually priced about 10% below list.
Some uses that I can think of for this product would be:
Esri is offering a free 14-day trial of the product. I think we should try it, but I'd like the participation by some of you in the trial for specific examples of reports that would be helpful in your work. Since it works in an Internet browser, anyone can sign up for the trial, which includes up to 7 reports and/or maps. The link to sign up for the trial subscription is here.
Community Analyst is similar in many ways to the SCOUT for Local Government product by Buxton. Community Analyst is a web based subscription product that produces pre-formatted reports based on the variables chosen by the user. It is aimed at professionals in government, economic development, and related fields, but it does not require a GIS background to effectively use it.
Community Analyst subscriptions also include an add-in product for ArcGIS Desktop. Local data in shapefile format can also be uploaded to the cloud Community Analyst product for sharing among users on the same subscription. Community Analyst can be purchased in three levels of functionality. The subscription options and preformatted reports included with each level are listed in a PDF document here. These are the list prices. I don't know if this product is included in the state's contract with Esri yet. Esri products on the state contract are usually priced about 10% below list.
Some uses that I can think of for this product would be:
- Disaster damage planning
- Community Analyst can show income levels by census block, allowing planners to focus aid
- Disaster damage assessment
- The user can draw a polygon around a damaged area, then produce a report showing numbers of households, real estate values, as well as other information
- Disaster damage recovery
- Using the damaged area polygon, resources for recovery can be mapped, and drive times computed.
- Economic development
- Buying patterns, income levels, existing businesses can be analyzed and reports generated similar to the SCOUT product.
- Grant applications
- Quickly create reports with demographic data to justify grant applications.
Monday, August 15, 2011
GIS Committee Proceedings
The GIS Committee met on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 in council chambers. Herff Jones was elected Chair and Pres Marshall was elected Vice-Chair.
The committee decided to hold regular quarterly meetings. The next meeting will be in early November.
A short report was given on the progress of the GIS function according to the Implementation Plan. The Chair asked for a presentation detailing the progress according to the plan phases for the next meeting.
After the meeting, Vince Palumbo forwarded a slide presentation on state laws pertaining to public records by Ryan Seidemann, Assistant Attorney General. This presentation was originally delivered in 2008, but the material covered still holds true for GIS data.
The committee decided to hold regular quarterly meetings. The next meeting will be in early November.
A short report was given on the progress of the GIS function according to the Implementation Plan. The Chair asked for a presentation detailing the progress according to the plan phases for the next meeting.
After the meeting, Vince Palumbo forwarded a slide presentation on state laws pertaining to public records by Ryan Seidemann, Assistant Attorney General. This presentation was originally delivered in 2008, but the material covered still holds true for GIS data.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Intergovernmental Agreement GIS Committee Meeting
The next meeting of the Iberia Parish GIS Committee will be Wednesday, August 10, in the council chambers, 4th floor Iberia Parish Courthouse, 10:00 am.
In this meeting, the delegates nominated by each participating entity in the intergovernmental agreement will be recognized and installed as voting members of the committee.
There will be a presentation of the current status of the GIS Department, and discussion about future goals and deliverables.
In this meeting, the delegates nominated by each participating entity in the intergovernmental agreement will be recognized and installed as voting members of the committee.
There will be a presentation of the current status of the GIS Department, and discussion about future goals and deliverables.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Esri User Conference 2011
Amy Brassieur, Iberia Parish GIS Manager, attended the Esri International User Conference in San Diego July 10-15. It was awesome. Production values very high. It was like a theme park for geographic information systems. There were about 30 tracks, including technical workshops and paper sessions, plus short demos on the exhibit floor.
Oh, and did I mention the technical support staff that would sit down with you one-on-one and solve your problems?
There was also an area where you could sit down and do a 20-minute hands-on training session.
I made some new contacts and learned the bits I was missing during the technical workshops.
The conference center is built a little like a cruise ship - decks on every side, and glass walls and ceilings.
 |
| Waiting for the opening session doors to open |
 |
| Exhibit floor demo session |
Oh, and did I mention the technical support staff that would sit down with you one-on-one and solve your problems?
 |
| Tech support on exhibit floor |
There was also an area where you could sit down and do a 20-minute hands-on training session.
 |
| Hands-on training room |
I made some new contacts and learned the bits I was missing during the technical workshops.
The conference center is built a little like a cruise ship - decks on every side, and glass walls and ceilings.
 |
| Harbor side view of San Diego Convention Center |
Friday, June 10, 2011
GIS Status Update
The GeoComm road centerline and addressable structure point layer project is on schedule, with the fieldwork complete at this time. The final data products are scheduled for delivery in September. The GeoComm project includes training on a maintenance workflow for these data products.
The GIS server hardware and software is installed, and development is continuing on data and web map projects. Iberia Parish Government has a network administrator, Mike Prejean, on staff since May 31. Mike Prejean will help the GIS department make web maps and the server database available to all participants in the IGA.
Development of web maps on the GIS server is currently under way. The SQL geodatabase is installed, and relevant data is being added to it.
We have recently received a layer, done for Iberia Parish by LAGIC through a grant from the USGS, which gives points and building footprints for locations important in a disaster recovery. These points are classified by type of structure, such as law enforcement, retail, community centers, churches, and so on.
Development of other foundation layers, such as the parish drainage, rights of way, and easements, is a continuing effort.
A group meeting of all GIS intergovernmental agreement participants will be scheduled soon.
The GIS server hardware and software is installed, and development is continuing on data and web map projects. Iberia Parish Government has a network administrator, Mike Prejean, on staff since May 31. Mike Prejean will help the GIS department make web maps and the server database available to all participants in the IGA.
Development of web maps on the GIS server is currently under way. The SQL geodatabase is installed, and relevant data is being added to it.
We have recently received a layer, done for Iberia Parish by LAGIC through a grant from the USGS, which gives points and building footprints for locations important in a disaster recovery. These points are classified by type of structure, such as law enforcement, retail, community centers, churches, and so on.
Development of other foundation layers, such as the parish drainage, rights of way, and easements, is a continuing effort.
A group meeting of all GIS intergovernmental agreement participants will be scheduled soon.
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