Attendees
| John Anderson | City of St. Paul Traffic |
| Mike Barnes | MN Department of Transportation |
| Chuck Bryant | MN Department of Transportation |
| Christopher Cialek (chair) | MN Planning - LMIC |
| Mark Kotz | Metropolitan Council |
| Robert Maki | MN DNR |
| John Moriarty | City of St. Paul Traffic |
| Nancy Rader | MN Planning - LMIC |
| Ron Wencl | US Geological Survey |
| Blane White | MN Department of Agriculture |
Call 651-296-1208 or email: gc@mnplan.state.mn.us)
Strategic Planning
Cialek reviewed the graphic representation of the committee’s goals from the previous meeting, and the committee continued to discuss methods to encourage user community involvement in standards efforts. White expanded on the example of the Internet Engineering Task Force, a group that determines standards for Internet hardware and software, since its structure may serve as a model for the Standards Committee. The Task Force is structured in several layers and relies primarily on small working groups that address specific issues. Intermediate level groups review the work of the small groups, and the entire task force meets once or twice a year to make final decisions. Communication is facilitated by listserve discussions, and vendors are heavily involved. White noted that people will contribute if they can get something (such as usable data) in return. Maki then noted that task-driven issues, such as parcels, attract participation.
The committee then briefly discussed Goal 6: User Priorities. Wencl mentioned several means of assessing user priorities, including conducting another survey and enlisting the help of the Communications Committee. The committee did not take up the issue of a survey at this time. White noted that user priorities can be used to help justify budget requests for items such as email lists and web pages.
Cialek turned the discussion to committee priorities for next year.
2. Clearinghouse: metadata efforts are leading toward developing a metadata and data clearinghouse. Before pursuing formal recognition of this effort through the Governor’s Council, the committee should monitor the final report of the Data Access Committee to assess their efforts related to the clearinghouse idea.
3. Standard data parameters: the committee should explore the idea of encouraging more standardization for statewide base data (e.g., datum, projection, coordinate system). While these parameters may not ever become IPO standards, the effort would be intended to increase data compatibility, provide justification for converting existing data, and guide development of new data. It would also be compatible with the goals of MetroGIS.
4. Electronic communication: already discussed in detail at previous meetings.
GIS/LIS Conference Planning
The conference is October 1-3; abstracts for presentations are due June 20th. The committee discussed a workshop and several possible presentation topics:
2. Proposed model of how metadata fits with a clearinghouse concept, including the role of DataLogr, ISITE indexing software, and exchange formats.
3. Positional accuracy report: status of the proposed federal standard and examples of applying the standard to real world situations.
4. Description of ways in which standards would help in emergency situations such as the recent flooding in the Red River Valley.
5. Possibility of standard parameters for state datasets.
2. Starting Points; 3. description of DataLogr; 4. flyer that describes the committee and how to become involved. The committee should coordinate with another potential presentation, probably by either Dave Gorg or Dixon Hoyle, about the current rewrite of the Surveying and Mapping Report.
Metadata
Cialek reminded the committee that the National States Geographic Information Council metadata satellite videoconference will be broadcast on October 15th. Minnesota’s portion of the presentation has increased from ten to twelve minutes. Videotaping of the Minnesota portion will be July 15-17 (with a star-studded cast!). Cialek also noted that the metadata working group may receive assistance from the FGDC with the details of the ISITE indexing software, and Kotz said that recent messages on the NSDI discussion list indicate that Minnesota’s adaptation of the FGDC metadata standard is acceptable for involvement in the FGDC Clearinghouse.
Information Policy Council (IPC)
Cialek informed the committee that Robert Horton, Head of State Archives at the Minnesota History Center, had presented an introduction to the use and value of metadata at a recent IPC meeting. A group that includes Horton and Cialek will pursue the possibility of a workshop to explore metadata standards used by indexing systems such as the following: MARC (for library records), Government Information Locator Service (GILS), and the Minnesota Geographic Metadata Guidelines.
Starting Points
The committee will need to decide what further step(s) to take with the current Starting Points report. Barnes has received ten letters of input from people who had reviewed the report. Wencl, Kotz, and Cialek volunteered to assist Barnes in evaluating these letters to see whether they would help with the committee’s Goals #9 and #10: Standards Approval and Ranking Process.
Final Announcement
Cialek announced that the revised county codes list is now an official Information Policy Office standard (Handout: Numeric Code Standard for the Identification of Counties in Minnesota, 5/23/97).
Action Items
- Cialek will submit abstracts for the GIS/LIS Conference.
- Cialek, Kotz, Maki, and Rader will prepare for metadata videoconference taping session.
- Barnes, Wencl, Kotz, and Cialek will evaluate Starting Points response letters.
9:30 - 11:30, Room 301, Centennial Office Building, St. Paul.