As GIS technology proliferates, opportunities to establish a GIS in smaller municipal agencies will increase. To take advantage of these opportunities, these agencies need to identify existing data sources within the larger organization. This data can then be bartered using data sharing agreements that allow access to GIS data without the exchange of money. Further, rather than hiring additional staff, work loads can be shifted among existing staff, thereby using in-house personnel to staff a GIS. Training for this staff can also be bartered without the exchange of money. Finally, financing GIS hardware and software can be done through upgrade of existing systems or by including it as part of a larger project that requires GIS services. This paper will illustrate these techniques by describing the experiences of the City of Vancouver, Washington, in 1992 when it established a workstation GIS with a total cash outlay of $54,000.
The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) is currently involved in a project to site a Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) disposal facility in Illinois The ISGS role will involve an initial statewide screening (1:500,000) using criteria developed by a task group appointed by the Governor. To date, a large part of our efforts have been focused on preparing GIS databases for the screening process, writing technical procedures for several GIS related tasks, and compiling metadata for many data sets. Database preparation involves extensive review of existing coverages, including a detailed QA/QC component. Coverages are plotted and compared to the original map mylars (when available) and corrected to line width accuracy. Coverage tracking sheets were created to document steps completed in the QA/QC review process. Pertinent information was recorded including RMS errors (if any new digitizing performed), topology processing information, and other information about who performed the QA/QC checking when it was completed. Several new coverages were created for the screening process using the same QA/QC guidelines . Metadata files are being created using ArcInfo's DOCUMENT feature for both existing and new coverages that may be used in the screening process. Several technical procedures have been written which cover such topics as data entry, map digitizing, raster to vector conversion and editing, coverage documentation and using GPS for field verification of well locations. These procedures were developed to ensure that appropriate and consistent steps were being followed and to ensure consistency and maintain high standards for processing GIS data.