Minnesota Governor

1
Minnesota Governors Council on Geographic
Information
The 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.
2
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.

3
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.

4
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

5
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.
• Members terms are for one year.

6
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

7
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.

8
Council Operations...

• All meeting schedules and minutes can be found
  on the Internet or mailed regularly.
  www.gis.state.mn.us

9
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

10
Council Committees...
Land Records Modernization
Data
Hydrography
Executive
Outreach
Standards
Executive Committee consists of the Chair and
Vice-Chair of the Council and the chairs of the
committees
11
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 Group
• 612-676-3950 larry_at_larencegroup.com
• Co-Chair Banette Kritzky, GIS/LIS Consortium
• 651-296-0220 banette.kritzky_at_dot.state.mn.us

12
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 atheroux_at_prowestgis.com
  
• Co-Chair Fred Logman Ramsey County
• 651-266-3843 fred.logman_at_co.ramsey.mn.us

13
Hydrography Committee

• Purpose Develop methods to standardize state
  hydrography databases and streamline
  updating
• Co-Chair Mark Olsen, Minnesota Pollution Control
  Agency
• 651.296.3412 mark.olsen_at_pca.state.mn.us
• Co-Chair Susanne Maeder, Land Management
  Information Center
• 651.297.4986 susanne.maeder_at_mnplan.state.mn.u
  s

14
Standards Committee

• Purpose Coordinate development of statewide
  geographic data standards and guidelines
• Co-Chair Glenn Radde, Minnesota Dept. of Natural
  Resources
• 651-297-4950 glenn.radde_at_dnr.state.mn.us
• Co-Chair Joella Givens, Minnesota Dept. of
  Transportation
• 651-582-1730 joella.givens_at_dot.state.mn.us

15
Land Records Modernization Committee

• Purpose Research statewide issues surrounding
  the automation and mapping of land record
  transactions
• Co-Chair Jay Wittstock, URS
• 612-373-6817 Jay_Wittstock_at_urscorp.com
• Co-Chair Luci Botzek, Minnesota Association of
  County Officers
• 651-293-0953 lbotzek_at_aol.com

16
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

17
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.

18
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.

19
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.

20
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

21
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

22
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

23
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

24
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

25
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.

26
Land Records Modernization Committee

• Membership of 31 and growing
• New membership representing new activity
• Next meeting
• November 29, 2001 from 100 - 300.
• Working on creating a state plan
• Working on forming an I-Team
• Working on research of other states.