MISSOURI

Coordinating Body: Missouri now has the Office of Information Technology and has appointed a Chief Information Officer. Under this office there are the Information Technology Policy and Planning Boards. Under the direction of these groups is found the Missouri GIS Advisory Committee (MGISAC). This committee provides direction and oversight to the Missouri Spatial Data Information Service (MSDIS).

Program Description: A strategic management plan was drafted in the summer of 1993 which presented a statewide perspective on the management and coordination of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and digital databases in Missouri. Strategic planning, in this context, is meant to indicate a comprehensive view of technology and database management that will provide focus and direction for the more detailed implementation planning that must occur on a routine basis within each state agency or organization.

The plan emphasized the need to coordinate the ongoing development of GIS technology within the various state agencies as well as the coordination and sharing of digital databases created therein. The facility created for the productive sharing of such databases, and cataloging the GIS database activity, is the Missouri Spatial Data Information Service (MSDIS)(web site: msdisweb.missouri.edu). This ability to share spatial (geographic) and its associated tabular information easily and quickly between and organizations is one of the most important benefits of this approach to this GIS technology. The intent of the management plan is to maximize this benefit for the state of Missouri.

Program Objectives: The plan was designed to guide the state in the attainment of the following strategic goals:

  • Support the orderly implementation of GIS technology in agencies of state government.
  • Improve the quality and efficiency of state governmental services and decision-making through wider application of improved geographic information.
  • Enhance the capability of state government to use geographic data in pursuit of government mandates and objectives.
  • Establish procedures for long-term GIS technology management.

The establishment of these goals permitted the expansion of the use and availability of GIS and related data sets across a broad spectrum of Missouri citizens.

Database Development Activities: GRC (UMC) - transportation (with MoDOT), census data update (with MOA and MSCDC), voting precincts, school districts, vertebrate distributions and biodiversity modeling (with GAP), historic vegetation (with MoRAP), hypsography and DEM; MoRAP - stream network, stewardship and land cover (with the GAP), historic vegetation, ecological classification system; CARES (UMC) - soils, public drinking water program (with DNR); SEMA - DRG development; and, USGS/NRCS - digital orthophoto program (MDC and MoDOT state partners).

Data Distribution Policies: Public access to these data is free and much use is being made of these data by the private sector as well as state, local, and federal interests.

Statewide Initiatives: see above

Recent Developments: The MGISAC has adopted by-laws and has identified and created a prioritized workplan focused on both state and user needs. The workplan addresses the following four activity areas and goals:

  • MAINTAIN AND EXPAND THE SPATIAL DATA ARCHIVE: Goal: To establish and make available to the GIS community in state government and beyond a core database of geographic information to be held and maintained in common as a continuing asset within an archive.
  • SET DATABASE AND COMPUTER STANDARDS FOR THE GIS USER COMMUNITY: Goal: To advise and assist the Office of Information Technology in setting GIS standards in Missouri State Government.
  • EXPAND THE USE OF GIS TECHNOLOGY IN MISSOURI STATE GOVERNMENT: Goal: To encourage use of GIS technology and geographic data resources in state government by providing practical support to users.
  • PLAN MSDIS ACTIVITIES AND REPORT REGULARLY ON PROGRESS: Goal: To allocate MSDIS resources where they will most benefit the GIS community.

Geographic Information Clearinghouse Activities: The MSDIS site has been open and distributing core data since January 1996. This facility currently distributes over 2,000 spatial data files plus over 4,000 tabular data sets with established links to these geographic files from its web site. The geospatial data is in ArcInfo export format. The tabular data is in Info or DBF file format. Activity on the site has topped 9,000 successful requests per month (June 1997 figures). An average of 305 successful requests per day. Metadata has been completed for 80% of these files using the Document tool within ArcInfo and is available on-line for browsing. We have applied for a CCAP grant to become a Federal Clearinghouse node for Missouri.

Partnerships with Other Organizations: Partnerships have been established with the Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership (MoRAP) a collation of state and federal natural resource agencies created to leverage funding for the coordinated and collaborative creation of natural resource databases for Missouri. We are also affiliated with the Missouri State Census Data Center program for census data distribution. Individual agencies are being identified to develop demonstration packages for use in their adoption and use of these data sets and technologies.

State GIS Publications Available: The bylaws, workplan, meeting minutes, etc. are available through the MSDIS web site. A newsletter is also available.

Other Information: Available through the MSDIS web site: user groups in the state and region, conferences, and links to other sites of interest.

MSDIS CONTACT PERSON: Tim Haithcoat
TITLE: Program Director
DEPARTMENT: University of Missouri
AFFILIATION: Missouri Spatial Data Information Service
ADDRESS: 18 Stewart Hall
CITY, STATE, ZIP: Columbia, MO 65211
PHONE: 573-882-2324
FAX: 573-884-4239
E-MAIL: grctlh@showme.missouri.edu
WEB SITE: msdisweb.missouri.edu

MGISAC CONTACT PERSON: Ryan Burson
TITLE: Chair - MGISAC; State Demographer
DEPARTMENT: Missouri GIS Advisory Committee
AFFILIATION: Missouri Office of Administration
ADDRESS: PO Box 809, 124 Capitol
CITY, STATE, ZIP: Jefferson City, MO 65102
PHONE: 573-751-2345
FAX: 573-526-4811
E-MAIL: rburson@mail.state.mo.us
WEB SITE: msdisweb.missouri.edu