1999 Governor's Commendations

This year's Minnesota Governor's Commendation awards for GIS were presented at the MN GIS/LIS Consortium annual conference October 1999 to:

• Dakota County for its pioneering Internet-enabled parcel mapping information program. This project is recognized for its public-private partnership component and cooperative efforts with several cities to put all of the county’s parcel information online for public access. Through this project, Dakota County has created an environment in which data and expertise are shared and readily available at little or no cost.
• Alexandria Technical College for going well beyond its obligations to provide training and education to government decision-makers, department heads and other users on the value of GIS for their organizations. It has committed resources to expand the knowledge base and understanding of GIS technology into all levels of government.
• The Association of Minnesota Counties, George Orning and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for their dedication and stewardship in developing the statewide land use and land cover data layer. The product of this multiyear cooperative venture is a data set that is available at no cost over the Internet and is already being used by scores of organizations. Hundreds of maps resulting from the project have already been sold at a modest price through the Science Museum of Minnesota.
• The City of Minneapolis for its pioneering development of the GIS Print Room, where geographic data is easily accessible in a usable and understandable format at no cost. Numerous letters of support were received with this nomination, proving its wide use and extraordinary value as a community resource.