SMAC position paper February 7, 2000
The Missouri GIS Advisory Committee (MGISAC) is interested in re-activating the Missouri State Mapping Advisory Committee as well as providing the lead in its direction and function within Missouri. The State Mapping Advisory Committee (SMAC) functions as a central group which can collect, and via forum, discuss and prioritize state requirements for mapping as well as track ongoing mapping efforts. They are formed as consortiums of agencies, private organizations and institutions with statewide interests. It has been found that wider representation on these committees equates to better consensus of statewide mapping requirements. The MGISAC sees the following as important objectives of such a group:
a. To consolidate statewide mapping requirements into a single annual report.
b. To inform map users within Missouri concerning the status of various mapping programs.
c. To inform map users within Missouri concerning the availability of various map materials.
d. To provide a forum for discussion and communication of mapping knowledge and programs within Missouri.
e. To provide coordination and support for pursuing cooperative funding of mapping programs.
f. To provide a vehicle by which the National Mapping Division can share information concerning their programs with the users within the Missouri.
The MGISAC is ready to act in this capacity as it has representation from several agencies and sectors within the mapping community and is willing to host and moderate the meetings necessary to accomplish the objectives as outlined above. These meetings will be announced to the broader mapping community through all possible channels, to include the Missouri Spatial Data Information Service mailing list (approx. 4,500) as well as other mechanisms. The desire is to broaden the contact with various user groups to include all sectors interested in mapping (GIS, Surveyors, Planners, State Agencies, Regional Planning Organizations, etc.). It is our goal to schedule a Missouri SMAC meeting in Rolla by the 30th of April to start this process. It is our hope that from this meeting a shared single Missouri mapping agenda can be created for presentation at the State Mapping Workshop in September.
