WAGIC 1997 Strategic Activities

The Council conducted its Third Annual Strategic Planning Workshop February 6 and 7 in Ellensburg, Washington. The participants in the workshop created a variety of recommendations which were subsequently presented to and voted on by the larger council.

What follows are the activities that the Council has agreed to focus on over the next twelve to eighteen months.

Major Project Focus:

1) Fund the development of a Strategic Business Plan for Washington’s Geospatial Information

Fund the development of a statewide strategic plan for the effective collection, maintenance, and dissemination of Geospatial Information. The plan will address:

• Identify opportunities to reduce the cost of geospatial data collection, maintenance, and dissemination for state and local governments;
• Identify opportunities to work together;
• Identify appropriate role for council, and
• Lead to improved decision making and better services to the citizenry.
• Five year planning horizon

2) Continue to Support Framework Activities

This focus would involve exploring ways to implement FGDC’s Framework Data Initiate including new projects and support for existing activities through the Washington Framework Management Group.

• Adopt data models for statewide data coverage’s for Cadastre, Transportation, and Hydrology. Leverage the data model work that the various FGDC Framework data groups are doing to create standard data models for Washington State.
• Seek special funding (grants) opportunities - assist projects exploring these opportunities.
• Encourage organizations to participate in Washington Framework Management Group.

Continuing Project Activity: In addition to the major projects the council agreed to continue to support several on-going activities.

1) Continue to Implement and Promote Metadata Clearinghouse concept

• Identify & implement Phase II activities that leverages ‘96 grant activity
• Disseminate Metadata tool and train in its use, maintain & upgrade as appropriate
• Create Clearinghouse
• Take an active role in populating Clearinghouse with members metadata

2) Enhance and maintain WAGIC Web Site

• provide resources to create/convert appropriate content and to keep site up to date(content examples: Resource List, 25 Questions, new guidelines/standards....)
• add additional links to the many GIS ‘how-to’ resources on the Web
• put examples of some of the existing (member’s) data sharing agreements on Web
• periodically report at council meetings on existing and new GIS resources on Web

3) Promote use of WAGIC List Server

• brainstorm ways to use this existing tool to further WAGIC communications
• Potential uses include: share information about issues, concerns, legislative activities, send out WAGIC meeting notices, project promotion and coordination

4) Resolve Council Funding

• put in place a near-term transitional strategy for funding
• make recommendations and present to council for adoption
• identify long-term options

5) Increase Vendor participation in WAGIC

• as regular meeting attendees and presenters
• as potential funding source