(1) If you attended the Annual Meeting, please complete conference survey: www.wvagp.org/survey

(2) View results of the May 2013 WVAGP Membership Survey.

Click here to view WVAGP newsletter for April 2013.

Below are links to the WV Sheriffs Associations statewide imagery that is mostly leaf-off, 12" & 4" spatial resolution, and acquired 2010-2012.  A number of organizations are accessing this new statewide imagery.

(1) View by browser
http://services.wvgis.wvu.edu/ArcGIS/rest/services/Image/wv_sheriff_association_1ft/MapServer?f=jsapi

(2) Summary Metadata
http://www.wvgis.wvu.edu/data/dataset.php?ID=437

(3) Instructions on adding the Web map service in ArcGIS Desktop
http://www.mapwv.gov/help-webservices.php

(4) Tech Center Web Map Services
ArcMap:        services.wvgis.wvu.edu/ArcGIS/services
Web:              http://services.wvgis.wvu.edu/ArcGIS/rest/services

Don't forget to vote for 6 directors for the 2013 WVAGP Board Election.

2013 WVAGP Election Packet

Register now for WVAGP's annual business meeting that will be held at Stonewall Resort State Park on May 13-14, 2013.  The 2-day meeting will highlight current efforts to integrate geographic information system (GIS) technology in the Mountain State.  It will also provide learning opportunities for both members and non-members interested in best practices in mapping technologies, natural resource management, Lidar, economic development, etc.

More information and registration   |     Flyer

Below are WVAGP-sponsored GIS workshops that are being taught at Brooks Hall on the WVU Downtown Campus in Morgantown, WV.  Registration is first come first served. 

ArcGIS Online (April 19)                                    Register | Flyer

REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CLOSED. Email WVAGPmail@gmail.com if you want to be added to the waiting list.

WVAGP is sponsoring a 2-day, ArcGIS for Server: Sharing GIS Content on the Web course that will be taught by an Esri instructor at Brooks Hall, WVU, on March 26-27.  The cost is 500 dollars for members.

The November 2012 power point slide presentations can be downloaded.

(1) GIS for Search & Rescue Strategies & Concepts (17.7 MB)
(2) K-12 GIS Education (8.3 MB)
(3) WV Framework Data Report (9.8 MB)

View on Slideshare.net

WHAT:  AutoCAD Map 2013 for GIS Workshop

WHEN & WHERE: February 6-7, 2013;  Marshall College of Graduate Studies, Charleston, WV

COST:  Attend one day or all days.  330 dollars for WVAGP members, 550 dollars for non-members

INSTRUCTOR:  Martin Morrison, Project Manager for EDSI

WORKSHOP MATERIALS: Materials will be provided at the training site

REGISTER:  Online Registration    MORE INFORMATION:  Flyer

The 2012 GIS Agency Roll Call Report has been completed.  Thank you to all the agencies which submitted reports of their GIS activities.

Morgantown High School Advanced Placement Human Geography students had the chance to fly through London and New York on Wednesday — without leaving a little room on WVU’s Morgantown campus.
 
The high school students visited the WVU Department of Geology and Geography and WV GIS Technical Center as part of National GIS Day. The highlight of the day for most participants was spending time in WVU’s CAVE — Computer Assisted Virtual Environment.

Read More

REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CLOSED. Email WVAGPmail@gmail.com if you want to be added to the waiting list.

WHAT:  ArcGIS Python Scripting Workshop

WHEN & WHERE: January 8-10, 2013; WV GIS Technical Center, WVU Brooks Hall (4th Floor), 98 Beechurst Ave., Morgantown, WV  26506.

Day 1 (January 8): Introduction to Python
Day 2 (January 9): Geoprocessing in Python
Day 3 (January 10): Map Automation in Python

COST:  Attend one day or all days.  25 dollars per day for WVAGP members, 150 dollars per day for non-members

INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Jamison Conley, WVU Assistant Professor of Geography

WORKSHOP MATERIALS: Materials will be provided at the training site

REGISTER:  Online Registration    MORE INFORMATION:  Flyer

Don't forget about GIS Day on November 14.  Register your event at www.gisday.com and wvagpmail@gmail.com.

An ArcGIS Tips and Tricks/What's New in ArcGIS 10.1 one-day workshop is being held at the WVU GIS Technical Center in Morgantown on Thursday, November 1, 2012.  The instructor is Kevin Kuhn, and the cost is 25 dollars for WVAGP members and 150 dollars for non-members.  See flyer for more information.

Register Online

Below are links to the presentations of the 2012 EPAN GIS Users Group Meeting held August 21, 2012, in Martinsburg, WV.

Click here to view agenda  and proceedings.

(1) Link to individual presentation on Slideshare
(2) Link to compressed zip file of all presentations 

The Esri Mid-Atlantic User Group Annual Conference is scheduled for December 11-12, 2012, at the Inner Harbor Hyatt Regency Baltimore, Baltimore, MD.  The conference will feature Esri taught workshops, keynote speakers, vendor exhibits, poster displays, user presentations, and Esri technical sessions.  Click here for more information.

Click here to view the results of the WVAGP GIS Training Survey in which over 100 people responded.  If you are a qualified instructor interested in teaching any of the workshops of high interest, then please submit a proposal to Robert Shaffer by August 27. 

Click here for a summary of communication services available to the WV GIS Community for exchanging information. These services consist of electronic mail lists, website, and social media like Facebook.

If you are a subscriber to any of the WVAGP ListServers, please adhere to the WVAGP Listserv Rules and Etiquette Policy.  Remember to only send a message to the entire list when it contains information that everyone can benefit; and avoid sending messages with limited substance, such as, "I agree!".  Avoid using "reply to all"; or better just not use the list address so that "reply to all" doesn't hit the ListServ.

ListServ members who are soliciting information on a particular topic should request that all responses be sent to them directly.  In turn, the solicitor of the information can compile, organize, and forward the responses to those who may be interested.

At the 2012 WV GIS Conference, GISCI Executive Director Sheila Wilson was the keynote speaker.  Sheila (bottom right) and WV GIS Coordinator Tony Simental (top left) with WV GISPs.  View map of WV GISPs.

REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CLOSED. Email WVAGPmail@gmail.com if you want to be added to the waiting list.

WVAGP is sponsoring three levels of ArcGIS 10 Desktop courses during October 1-9.  Kevin Kuhn, a certified ESRI instructor, will be teaching the ArcGIS Desktop training courses in Brooks Hall at WVU. WVAGP members are given a 75% discount on the course fees. Member prices for the 2-day and 3-day courses are 260 and 365 dollars, respectively. Registration deadline is September 14.  Click here for flyer.

View the 2012 annual reports of officers and committees presented at the Annual Meeting in Morgantown on May 10.

View Report                View Presentation

Please congratulate the new 2012-13 WVAGP board and officers.

WVAGP desires to enhance the educational and training opportunities for its membership and statewide geospatial community. Please take FOUR MINUTES to complete the online training survey, ranking your top 5 choices. Results of this survey will be used to schedule instructor-led workshops for this next year. The survey closes July 20.

Miss some or part of the conference!  See the conference home page for the following information:  pictures, videos, presentations, and conference survey results.

Click here for the WVAGP May 2012 Newsletter.

The first draft of the 2012 GIS Roll Call has been published.  Over 60 not-for-profit agencies completed GIS surveys for the report.

It is still not too late to include your agency's report.  Make sure your agency is represented!

Frederick County, VA, desires to hire a GIS Technician.  More info.

Forest geospatial staff recently completed the annual update of the 2012 Motor Vehicle Use Maps. These district maps show designated routes that are open to motorized use for all vehicles licensed and street legal under state law. These maps are available online from the Monongahela National Forest website.

>> Monongahela Forest Geospatial Notes (April 2012) <<

Don't forget to vote for 6 directors for the 2012 WVAGP Board Election.

2012 WVAGP Election Packet

Register now for the 2012 WV GIS Conference to be held May 8-11 on the downtown WVU campus in Morgantown.  Conference registration includes the annual WVAGP membership dues (April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013) for new or current members.

Also view the conference website for schedules, lodging, call for papers, workshops, sponsorship/exhibitor opportunities, and roll call survey form.  Governor Tomblin, State Senator Sypolt, Marion County Assessor Jim Priester, and the Executive Director of the GIS Certificate Institute, Dr. Sheila Wilson, are scheduled to speak.

The January 2012 Census BAS training power point slides can be downloaded.

(1) Census Geography Entities & Concepts (3.7 MB)
(2) Intro to BAS (1.6 MB)
(3) Digital BAS training (2.6 MB)

View on Slideshare.net

Oak Hill town manager Bill Hannabass says the GIS is a way to store and access information in a more logical way than is currently possible.  Click here to read news article.

In the past decade many county assessors' offices have migrated from paper to digital.  A brief report reveals the most populous counties and cities in West Virginia are utilizing GIS for maintaining and publishing surface tax maps.  The report includes a 2010 Census population data comparison, county status graphic, and "GIS Matters in Assessment" flyer created by the WV State GIS Coordinator, Tony Simental, to promote the benefits of utilizing GIS for assessment purposes.

Below are links to the presentations of the WVAGP meeting held November 3, 2011, at the Columbia Gas Transmission building in Charleston, WV.  Many of the presentations include voice narrations. 

Click here to view agenda and minutes.    

(1)  State GIS Coordinator's Report of GIS Activities (video)

(2)  Link to presentations with voice narrations

(3)  Link to presentations on Slideshare

In preparation for the upcoming 2012 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS), the U.S. Census Bureau will offer a one-day, hands-on workshop on January 11 in Morgantown and January 12 in Charleston.  See flyer for more information and registration.

The BAS is an annual survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to collect legal boundary changes from local, county, and state governments that are used to update Census maps and data products.

More and more often, higher elected officials (HEO) and community BAS contacts are requesting GIS professionals to assist with digital boundary updates.

AERIAL IMAGERY, TOPO, BLDG. FOOTPRINTS
(1) Writing A Successful GIS RFP (Woolpert; 2010)

(2) Aerial Imagery Guidelines (Kansas; 2007)

(3) Imagery/Topo/Bldg. Footprints RFP (Monongalia County; 2010)

(4) Sample RFQ (2010)

DIGITAL PARCEL CONVERSION

(5) GIS Tax Parcel RFP (Greenbrier County; 2009)

ESRI ArcGIS I: Getting Started with GIS is being offered November 21-22 at the WV GIS Technical Center on the Downtown WVU Campus.  This course is designed for individuals who do not have any prior GIS education or workplace experience with GIS, or managers and GIS support staff who infrequently use ArcGIS and need to understand how GIS fits into their organization.  Click here for more information.  See course flyer.  Mail-in Registration.

Important legislation to help fund Geography education is moving forward through Congress, but help from Geography educators and the GIS Community in West Virginia is needed to make a final push.  It is easy to send a letter to Congress to support this initiative. Learn more.

A GIS Day event has been scheduled at Marshall University, where you can discover ways their faculty and students are using GIS/RS technology.  Click here for flyer.

Register your event at www.gisday.com and wvagpmail@gmail.com.

View the WVAGP Newsletter for October 2011.

Shepherd University's Historic Preservation Program will present a symposium on the West Virginia GeoExplorer Project (www.wvgeohistory.org) on Saturday, Oct 29^th, 9:00 am-4:30 pm in Shepherdstown, WV.  Contact Keith Alexander for more details.

There will be a membership meeting on November 3rd in Charleston.  Please see the agenda for more information.  The meeting is open to the public.

WVAGP is sponsoring a two day, instructor-led GIS for Assessors Workshop on November 15-16 in Flatwoods, WV.  This workshop is a newly revised course offered by the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO).  See the flyer for more information.

Target Audience:  Assessors, mappers, appraisers, land record specialists, planners, GIS coordinators, GIS professionals, etc.

Registration closes October 21.
(1)  Online Registration
(2)  Mail-in Registration

WORKSHOPS ARE FULL.  REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CLOSED.  Email WVAGPmail@gmail.com if you want to be added to the waiting list.

Due to the high demand, WVAGP is sponsoring again the ArcGIS 10 Desktop II & III training courses during the week of December 5-9.  Kevin Kuhn, an authorized ESRI instructor, will be teaching two ArcGIS Desktop training courses in Brooks Hall at WVU.  WVAGP is paying the instructor fee, so members only have to pay the price for the ESRI course books: 315 dollars for ArcGIS Desktop II and 210 dollars for ArcGIS Desktop III.  Click here for flyer.

The natural color compressed county mosaics will be all completed by the end of the year, and the 4-band GeoTIFF quarter quads will be available in the spring of 2012.

The MrSID county mosaics are available for download from the USDA Geospatial Gateway (http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/).  Available counties include Berkeley, Brooke, Doddridge, Hancock, Jefferson, Lincoln, Marshall, Mason, Morgan, Ohio, Putnam, Tyler, and Wetzel.  

NAIP website & NAIP Fact Sheet

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/apfoapp?area=home&subject=prog&topic=nai

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/naip_2009_info_final.pdf

According to Jason Sealy, Pictometry District Manager, all the Pictometry imagery for WV has been completed and delivered on external hard drives to the counties.  If county mapping professionals are having trouble locating the imagery from their local sheriff's office, then they should contact Jason.  Counties should also contact Jason now if interested in training using the Pictometry imagery.

Here is Jason's contact information:
 
Jason Sealy
District Manager
Pictometry International
90 Waverley Drive, V103
Frederick, MD 21702
Phone: (585) 233-7804
Fax: (585) 486-0098
Email: jason.sealy@pictometry.com

Please note the follow seminar that will be hosted by Esri at the Charleston Marriott Town Center on October 5, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.  Please consider attending and feel free to bring along associates who may not be GIS Professionals but have the need to use mapping data in their work.  This same seminar is also offered in Pittsburgh on 9/29/2011.

The 3-hour ESRI Land Records seminar is scheduled for October 19 in Morgantown and October 20 in Charleston.  This seminar is free.  Click here for more information about the seminar.

If you are attending, please register for Morgantown (directions) or Charleston seminars.

WVAGP board member Melissa Scott presented "The Power of GIS in Government: Past, Present, Future" at the Commissioners' Educational Training Series on August 7th in Morgantown.  Click here to view presentation.

Jefferson County officials are hoping to raise public awareness of the county's Geographic Information System/Addressing Office's Address Compliance Program as a way to improve public safety and make emergency responders' jobs easier. 

The program is intended to encourage county residents who live outside of Jefferson County's five municipalities to properly display street addresses on addressable structures such as residences or businesses, according to Todd Fagan, the county's addressing coordinator and WVAGP board member.

Click here for more info.

Below are links to the presentations of the 2011 WVAGP/EPAN Annual meeting meeting held June 14-15, 2011 at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV. 

Click here to view agenda, course descriptions, and proceedings.

(1) Link to individual presentation on Slideshare 

(2) Link to compressed zip file of all presentations       

Also see meeting pictures on Facebook

(1) 2011-12 WVAGP Board and Officers:  Click here

(2) Committee Chairs:  Communications Committee (Kurt Donaldson), Elections Committee (Jennings Starcher), Outreach Committee (Craig Neidig, Robert Shaffer), Technical Committee (Larry Evans, Sang Yoo), Conference Committee (Kurt Donaldson, Tony Simental)

Parkersburg News and Sentinel:  [WVAGP President Robert] Shaffer to lead state mappers

View the 2011 annual reports of officers and committees presented at the Annual Meeting in Shepherdstown on June 15.

View Report                View Presentation

At the Annual Meeting on 15 June 2011 the WVAGP membership approved a resolution that recognizes the GIS Certificate Institute (GISCI) as the organization capable of providing a complete certification program to the broad spectrum of GIS professionals in the West Virginia GIS community.

Mark your calendar to attend the biennial WV GIS Conference in Morgantown on May 8-11, 2012.  See conference flyer.

View the WVAGP Newsletter for June 2011.

Don't forget to vote for 5 directors for the 2011 WVAGP Board Election.

2011 WVAGP Election Packet

Abel Abraham, an 8th grader from St. Francis Catholic School in Morgantown, is the first place winner in the 2011 West Virginia Geographic Bee. WVAGP was a sponsor of this year's Geographic Bee which was held Friday, April 1 at Concord University.  On behalf of WVAGP, Board of Director Craig Neidig attended the competition and presented an award for 500 dollars.

News Links:   The State Journal  |  Concord University

On March 10, 2011, WVAGP awarded Michael Dougherty, a GIS Programmer for WV DNR, with a Distinguished Service Award.  Michael is taking a new GIS assignment in Illinois with the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Each year NSGIC publishes an Advocacy Agenda to advocate for states in national geospatial policy initiatives and to guide states in their role in building and coordinating GIS data and services nationwide.

The 2011 Advocacy Agenda: 1) Addresses, 2) other data For The Nation, 3) New Technology, and 4) Inclusive Governance. Each of these items is supplemented by a 1-page Issue Brief as needed to press for particular actions by Congress or federal agencies.

(1) GIS Programmer Analyst II, WV DOT
Job Description.  Closing date May 11, 2011

(2) GIS Coordinator, Marion County. 
A GIS position is open in Marion County.  Please contact Jim Priester, Marion County Assessor, at (304) 367-5404 if you are interested.  Knowledge of AutoCAD software is a plus.

(3) GIS Manager, Charleston, WV
For more information, refer to job description for GIS Manager position for Charleston, WV.

TRAINING CLASSES ARE FULL.  REGISTRATION HAS BEEN CLOSED.  Contact Kevin Kuhn (Kevin.Kuhn@mail.wvu.edu) if you want to be added to the waiting list.

WVAGP is sponsoring ArcGIS 10 Desktop II & III training during the week of July 25-29.  Kevin Kuhn, an authorized ESRI instructor, will be teaching two ArcGIS Desktop training courses in Brooks Hall at WVU.  WVAGP is paying the instructor fee, so members only have to pay the price for the ESRI course books: 315 dollars for ArcGIS Desktop II and 210 dollars for ArcGIS Desktop III.  Click here for flyer.

 ARCGIS 10 DESKTOP COURSES:
(1) ArcGIS Desktop II: Tools and Functionality (3 days; July 25-27) 
(2) ArcGIS Desktop III: GIS Workflows and Analysis (2 days; July 28-29)

The National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) has published a simple two-page best practices paper that will allow city and county governments to quickly assess their geospatial programs.  CIOs and GIS managers can use this to explain that they are doing a good job and should keep their funding or that they have improvements to make and need more resources. For local governments that have not yet figured out why they need a geospatial program, there is also a flyer that lists many of the ways that local governments use geospatial technology to save money and provide better service

Register now for the WVAGP/EPan Annual Meeting on June 14-15 at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.  Except for the workshops, there is no charge for this event.

** SCHEDULE **
(1) Overall Agenda (June 14-15)
(2) Course Descriptions & Prerequisites (June 14)
(3) Annual Meeting Agenda (June 15)

** REGISTRATION **
Pre-registration is mandatory and registration closes June 1, 2011.
(1) Register online
(2) Register by mail
(3) If no fees are being paid, you can email Downloadable PDF to WVAGPmail@gmail.com or register online at Acrobat.com. 

Register now for the URISA Cartography & Map Design Workshop on April 7 in Charleston, WV.  Click here to view workshop flyer.

Please register before April 1st.
(1) Register online
(2) Register by mail

Thank you to all who completed the training survey.  The results are being utilized to plan future training events.

Results of the 2010 GIS Training Survey.  Excel Spreadsheet.

The WVSPS Convention 2011 presents practical ideas and techniques for immediate application to working situations, promotes discussion of mutual surveying and geographic information systems problems and provides an opportunity for updating knowledge in these areas.

Click on flyer for a draft agenda and registration information.

“The Keystone of Transportation Information” is the theme of this year’s 24th Annual GIS-T Symposium being held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This Symposium is aimed at understanding the many uses of geospatial technologies as a key decision support and analysis tool in the transportation industry.  The GIS-T Symposium provides a forum for transportation professionals from State, Federal, MPO, Municipal, Province, and private sector agencies to develop relationships with other GIS-T managers and practitioners. 

Click here for more information.

Presentations posted from the WVAGP meeting:

(1) Writing a Successful GIS RFP  (Robert Rickard, Woolpert)
(2) WV Water & Sewer GIS Project (Dan Ferrell, Thrasher Engineering)
(3) Multispectral Sensing using UAV (Jeff Imel, AirRobotics)
(4) Coal Fields LiDAR Update (Larry Evans, WV DEP)
(5) Marion County's GIS Program (Assessor Jim Priester)

Presentations can also be viewed on WVAGP's SlideShare.

In January the West Virginia Geo Explorer Project will go on line, incorporating geographic information system, or GIS technology to take visitors back through time.  Learn more.

View the WVAGP newsletter for December 2010.

On November 17, 2010, GIS professionals converged on the Capitol to increase the awareness of geospatial technologies in the State.  Governor Tomblin signed a GIS Proclamation prepared by Tony Simental, WV State GIS Coordinator.



More photos on Facebook

WVAGP desires to enhance educational and training opportunities for its membership and statewide geospatial community.  Please take the online workshops survey, ranking your top 5 choices. Results of this survey will be used to schedule instructor-led workshops for this next year.  The survey closes January 7th.  

Click here to take Survey

Free metadata training is available at Marshall University on December 7-8 and WVU on January 19-20. 

Contact Sang Yoo at syoo@njrati.org to register.

Click here for the agenda and driving directions to the WVAGP meeting on December 7 at Thrasher Engineering, Clarksburg.

Conference Awards                GIS Professional (GISP) Certificate

In 2009, upon recommendations of the GIS-Surveying Committee, both WVAGP and WVSPS approved resolutions that the "Inclusions and Exclusions of Surveying Practice" as prescribed in Section 210.25 of the NCEES Model Rules, dated August 2008, be incorporated into West Virginia legislation.  Importantly, these new rules help to delineate the scope of practice for GIS and Surveying professionals.  In June 2010, legislation (HB 4450) related to land surveyors (Chapter 30, Article 13A) was approved by Governor Manchin.  Specifically, paragraph 10, Scope of Practice, includes the "Inclusions and Exclusions of Surveying Practice."

On September 2, 2010, WVAGP awarded Tim Prescott, NRCS GIS Specialist, with a Distinguished Service Award.  Tim is leaving Morgantown and taking a new assignment with NRCS in Illinois.

Click here to view the 2010 Annual Report of Officers and Committees.

The new 2010-11 WVAGP board members were elected at the annual meeting.  New officers are President Robert Shaffer, Vice-President Todd Fagan, Secretary Kurt Donaldson, and Treasurer Katherine Paybins.

A new GIS Executive Order was signed by Gov. Manchin in August 2010.

Below are links to the presentations and proceedings of the 4thd Annual Eastern Panhandle GIS Users Group meeting held 10 Aug 2010 at Berkeley Springs, WV.  The meeting was sponsored by Region 9 and the Morgan County Economic Development Authority.

Click here to view agenda and proceedings.

(1) Link to presentations on Slideshare

(2) Link to compressed zip file of all presentations

In case you missed the 2010 WV GIS Conference, go to these links for the video of Governor Manchin's speech or slide presentations.

Governor's Speech (4 parts)                Other Speaker Presentations

» Press Release from the WV Department of Commerce «

» Conference Website «

You can still deposit your ballot directly with the Treasurer or his or her designee before the Annual Meeting begins on June 8, 2010.

» WVAGP Ballot Packet «

Job position closes June 10.  » Announcement «

Downstream Strategies is seeking a staff environment analyst with GIS skills.  The position will collaborate on a wide variety of science and policy projects related to natural resources, with a primary focus on water and geographic information systems.  More info.

Click here to view WVAGP newsletter for February 2010.

Register now for the 2010 WV GIS Conference to be held at Marshall University, Huntington, WV, on June 7-10.

Schedule | Registration | Call for Presentations | Sponsors/Exhibitors | Awards

Statewide 2009 imagery (1-meter resolution, leaf on) is available for download.

On 22 January 2010 the WVAGP Board adopted a resolution in support of a HB 4003 and companion bill SB 359 which recognize the association as a GIS User Group in West Virginia.

In 2009 the WVAGP membership adopted a similar resolution in support of this bill. 

The WVAGP Board encourages its members to support this legislation. 

West Virginia has adopted ESRI's GIS software statewide as part of its national effort to expand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.  Read more.

Contact Craig Neidig of the Outreach Committee if you are interested in being a GIS Mentor or supporting this program.

Below are links to the presentations and proceedings of the 3rd Annual Eastern Panhandle GIS Users Group meeting held 18 Sep 2009 at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV.  The meeting was sponsored by Region 9, Jefferson County GIS/Addressing Office, and the NCTC.

Click here to view agenda and proceedings.

(1) Link to individual presentations on SlideShare 

(2) Link to compressed zip file of all presentations 

On 13 November 2009, WVAGP approved the resolution that the “Inclusions and Exclusions of Surveying Practice” as prescribed in Section 210.25 of the NCEES Model Rules, dated August 2008, be incorporated into West Virginia  legislation.  The WV Society of Professional Surveyors has passed a similar resolution.

(1) What are NCEES inclusion/exclusion rules for suveying practice?  See URISA January/February 2007 Newsletter for more information. 

(2) Other Resource Documents compiled by GIS-Surveying Committee

A California county’s three-year battle to prevent a nonprofit group from obtaining public mapping data has ended disastrously for the county after it was ordered by a court to pay the group '500,000 in legal costs.  See news article for more information.

A WV CORS Network website is available now.  The website seeks to keep users informed of the progress in meeting the objectives of the WVCORS network.

Two Day Course - November 19 & 20, 2009 in Ambridge, PA.  Click on flyer for more information.

Dear WV Geospatial Community:

If you have not already done so, please complete the GIS survey below.  Answers from the survey will be used to update the the WV GIS Strategic Plan.  The survey will close October 17, 2009.

Online Survey Links...

Click here to view an article about predictions of the GIS jobs market.

A Circuit Court ruling has reversed the decison that allowed the public to FOIA tax maps and shapefiles for twenty dollars.  The new ruling states that all tax maps and digital parcel shapefiles are to be sold for eight dollars per map sheet.

Final Court Order

On 10 June 2009, WVAGP approved a WV Map Disclaimer Policy.  This map disclaimer policy encourages geospatial professionals to appropriately cite data sources on hardcopy maps.  

WVAGP Map Disclaimer Policy

Sponsored by Region 9, NCTC & Jefferson County GIS Office

Also, this year will feature new activities not part of previous meetings.  What’s “new” exactly? 

1. New meeting location!  This year’s meeting will be at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown.  The NCTC was gracious enough to let us use their facilities and provide refreshments at no charge!  For directions and campus maps, go to: http://training.fws.gov/meet/gettinghere.htm.  Our meeting will be in the Instructional West Building, Room 151.

2. Map competition!  We will hold a map gallery competition and award prizes based on attendee voting!  If you have a map or project you would like to display, this is a great opportunity!  Please submit your name, entry title and a .pdf file of your map to Todd Fagan at tfagan@jeffersoncountywv.org and bring your map to meeting.  

3. Information exchange session!  We are dedicating time to openly discuss what’s on the minds of the local GIS constituency!  Topics will be based on the most common suggestions and could cover technical questions, administrative, funding, staffing, training, etc.  Please submit potential questions/topics to Todd Fagan at tfagan@jeffersoncountywv.org. 

4. FREE Lunch!  Lunch will be provided to all attendees onsite at the NCTC’s cafeteria courtesy of Region 9!  However, seating is limited to 80 and registration closes on Friday September 4^th so register today! 
   
   RSVP via email at bkidwell@region9wv.com or call 304-263-1743 by September 4, 2009.

“Mountains of Opportunity” is the theme of this year’s 23nd Annual GIS-T Symposium being held in Charleston, West Virginia on April 12-14, 2010. While emphasizing the evolution of GIS, it is aimed at understanding the many uses of geospatial technologies. We invite papers exploring all aspects of geo-spatial technologies, applications and tools relating to the transportation industry.

Click here for more information about the symposium, including registration, hotel information, and abstract submissions.

Important Dates
October 16, 2009 - Abstracts due
December 4, 2009 - Notification of acceptance of abstracts
March 12, 2010 - Early registration deadline
April 12 – 14, 2010 - Symposium

Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh PA, currently has an opening in our Pittsburgh PA office for GIS Manager.   This is an excellent opportunity to take your career to the next step and work with the top engineering firm in the Pittsburgh area.   More info. 

Click here to join the free WVAGP email mailing list.

The Census Bureau is advertising for jobs in the Morgantown and Beckley local offices for Census 2010. Positions close June 1. Click here for details.

WVAGP is sponsoring a FREE one-half day Tax Mapping Workshop for GIS professionals on June 10, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., at the Mollohan Center, Glenville State College, Glenville, WV.  The workshop will include presentations on the new statewide tax mapping guidelines, tax map monitoring procedures, existing county digital parcel mapping systems, and best practices for maintaining and publishing digital tax maps.  The cadastral community is the target audience of this workshop.  If you intend on attending the workshop, please register online.

Workshop Agenda           Online Registration

Dear Colleagues:

Thank you for your support of the West Virginia Geospatial Community.   Our next membership meeting is scheduled for June 10, 2009, at Glenville State College.  At this meeting the annual report will be presented and the results of the board election will be announced.  A tax mapping workshop will also be held in conjunction with the annual meeting.  Please click here for other geospatial news that may be of interest to you.

Jennings Starcher, President

WVAGP

In 2009, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will acquire NAIP imagery for all of West Virginia.  The imagery will be natural color, one-meter resolution, and collected statewide between July 1 and September 30.  After the aerial photography is collected and processed, it will be accessible to the public. 

NAIP Information Sheet                               NAIP 2009-2011 Acquisition Map

WVAGP is sponsoring a one day, instructor-led GIS Program Management workshop for GIS professionals.  This course is one of the most popular URISA-certified workshops.  The URISA workshop is scheduled for April 16 at the Days Inn Conference Center, Flatwoods, WV.  The cost is 20 dollars for members and 120 dollars for non-members.  Click on the announcement for more information about the workshop.  You can register online at the WVAGP website.

Recently the Property Valuation Procedures and Training Commission approved new statewide procedures for the maintenance and publishing of surface tax maps by county assessors.    This new procedural rule became effective 27 February 2009 and incorporates guidelines for creating manual or digital tax maps.  Importantly, the new procedural rule provides guidance to those assessors creating tax maps with geographic information systems.   

House Bill 2807 (Geographical Information Systems) was introduced in February for the purpose of recognizing GIS User Groups such as the West Virginia Association of Geospatial Professionals to assist in the development of the State GIS Plan.  The WVAGP board adopted a resolution on 3 February 2009 in support of this legislation.

WVAGP Board Resolution (Adobe PDF)

Introduced Version of House Bill 2807 (Adobe PDF)

Nominations for the WVAGP board of directors will close April 23, 2009.   Being a board member is an excellent way to earn points for the Contributions to the Profession Component of GISCI Certification.  Four points per year can be earned for board membership.

Click here for more information

ArcGIS Training is available in March by WVGISTC and in May by RTI.

March 16-17       Intro to ArcGIS I, Morgantown, WV
March 18-19       Intro to ArcGIS I, Charleston, WV
May 5-7,              ArcGIS Training Level 1, Charleston, WV
May 19-21           ArcGIS Training Level 2, Charleston, WV

RTI Training Flyer              WVGISTC Training Flyer

The final 2008 Agency Roll Call report of GIS activities in the State has been published.  This effort was sponsored by WVAGP, WV GIS Technical Center, and the WV Office of GIS Coordinator. The biennial roll call report is beneficial in informing the West Virginia geospatial community of other agencies’ mapping activities in the State.  It is important to know what other agencies are doing to minimize costly duplication efforts and to make government more efficient.  As you can see from the July 2008 published report, multiple agencies at all levels of government utilize geospatial technologies for their agencies’ mission.

Click here to view the 2008 Roll Call Report (PDF)

A geospatial workshops survey of 30 instructor-led workshops listed in the WVAGP Training Catalog has been completed.  The top four workshops chosen from the survey are listed below.  Using both preferential and plurality voting methods, the same top four workshops were selected by the 38 respondents who participated in the online survey.  Two of the workshops are taught by URISA-certified instructors. The WVAGP Board will use the survey results to schedule future workshops.     

This is to announce that J. Antonio "Tony" Simental has been selected as the State GIS Coordinator. Tony previously worked for the Property Tax Division where he managed and administered the Mined Minerals GIS unit for several years.  Mr. Simental is a graduate of Marshall University where he obtained an MS in Geography in 1999. He is a resident of Huntington WV and is married to Maria E. Simental and has four children. 

Tony will bring to this position a combination of academic training, GIS skills, research interests, and work experience in private, governmental, and educational organizations.  Previously, Tony also served as Interim Public Works Director and as engineering technician for the City of Huntington.  Mr. Simental is looking forward to collaborating with both the public and private sectors in his new role as State GIS Coordinator, and applying the latest GIS technologies, ideas, and theories for the benefit of the State of West Virginia.   

Jon Amores
Deputy Secretary and General Counsel
West Virginia Department of Commerce
State Capitol Building 6, Room 553

[Tony can be reached at Tony.A.Simental@wv.gov]

The GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) certified over 3,000 GIS Professionals (GISPs) in December 2008 and saw the largest monthly cohort ever.  For more information see January 2009 news briefing:

http://www.gisci.org/News/1_2009_3000GISPs_PR_JABquote.pdf

The GIS-Surveying Committee is working on a map disclaimer and other GIS policies associated with the GIS and surveying professions.  A resources web page is located at this link:

http://www.wvagp.org/upload/GIS_Survey/survey_gis_resources.pdf

If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Jeff Stephens.

(1) Click here to view WVAGP Newsletter (October 2008).
(2) Click here to view agenda for membership meeting November 13th.
(3) Click here to view 2008-09 WVAGP goals and committee charges.

CORRESPONDENCE from WV GIS COORDINATOR:
(1) Click here to view letter regarding formal recognition of WVAGP
(2) Click here to view slide presentation on WV GIS Coordination and GIS Strategic Planning

We need your feedback!  If you have not done so, please complete the 2008 WV GIS Conference Survey and WVAGP Membership Survey. 

Suveys Link: http://www.wvagp.org/survey.asp

The annual report is submitted in accordance with the bylaws and summarizes important work done by the membership, board, and committees from 15 March 2007 to 9 June 2008.

View Report                View Presentation

The 2008 West Virginia GIS Conference was a resounding success!  A photo gallery of the event can be seen here:
http://wvagp.org/conference/2008/gallery.asp

Speaker presentations for the paper sessions (June 11-12, 2008) of the 2008 WV GIS Conference can be veiwed at http://wvagp.org/conference/papers.asp.

During the June 12 WVAGP board meeting, the following new officers were elected.  The term of office is from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.

Jennings Starcher, President
Larry Evans, Vice- President
Kurt Donaldson, Secretary
Katherine Paybins, Treasurer

The WV GIS Coordinator's Office administered an informational opinion survey at the 2008 GIS Conference as a preliminary step in the state's process of developing a new State Strategic Plan for GIS. Anyone in the WV GIS community was welcome to participate, and for those who didn't make it to the conference or would like to provide more detailed answers, the survey can be accessed online here (Word or Adobe pdf).

Word Document: Download
PDF: Download

Completed surveys can be mailed to:

Katherine Kapo

WV Office of GIS Coordinator

1124 Smith Street, Ste. LM-10

Charleston, WV 25301

Alternatively, surveys can be emailed to kkapo@gis.state.wv.us, and survey results will remain anonymous beyond the WV Coordinator.

Please return your surveys by Friday, June 27^th. Thanks to all who participated, and updates will follow.

Dear geospatial technology folks,

Also, in order to avoid mass mailings we have created a new Google Group for MoSpatial. By joining the Google Group you can receive email notifications about upcoming MoSpatial events and discuss geospatial technologies with other members. You can join at http://groups.google.com/group/mospatial

I hope to see you at the next meeting.

Sincerely,

Jesse Rouse
jesse.rouse@mail.wvu.edu

Time/Place: Tuesday, June 10, 3:30-5:00 pm, Holiday Inn Charleston House, Charleston, WV

The WV GIS Coordinator would like to invite any interested GIS professionals and other GIS stakeholders to participate in a workshop to discuss the modernization of the State Strategic Plan for GIS.  No conference registration or membership of any type is required to participate. The WV GIS Policy Council will be overseeing the development of a new GIS strategic plan, in alignment with the Fifty States Initiative from the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC).  To ensure the success of the state plan, input from all GIS stakeholders and user groups is critical from the very beginning of the process.  The purpose of the workshop will be to provide an opportunity for the GIS community to communicate their needs and ideas for how coordination, development, and implementation of GIS technology can be improved and modernized in WV, before the strategic planning process formally begins. 

Katherine Kapo
WV GIS Coordinator
WV Office of State GIS Coordinator
1124 Smith St., Rm LM-10, The Greenbrooke Building
Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 558-4218 
Fax: (304) 558-4963
Email: kkapo@gis.state.wv.us

Annual Meeting:  Our next membership meeting is the annual meeting on Monday, June 9, 2008, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Charleston House, Charleston, WV.  At this meeting the WVAGP board and standing committees will present the annual report to the membership.  There is no registration fee to attend the annual meeting.  Non-members are welcome to attend the meeting but only members can vote on matters presented to the membership.

Cy Smith will be a keynote speaker for the 2008 WV GIS Conference.  He is currently the Oregon Statewide GIS Coordinator and President of the National States Geographic Information Council.  He is also a past member of the GISCI Board of Directors.

All WVAGP members and exhibitors are asked to complete the 2008 roll call for your oganization.  Please submit your roll call report by May 1.  The report will be published in June and will be made available in electronic format to all WVAGP members and conference attendees.  The report will be published in June and will be made available in electronic format to all WVAGP members and conference attendees.  Click here for more information. 

WVAGP desires to enhance educational and training opportunities for its membership and statewide geospatial community.

Please take the online workshops survey, ranking your top five choices. Results of this survey will be used to schedule instructor-led workshops for this spring.

Click Here to take survey

For information about course descriptions and instructors, refer to the WVAGP and URISA workshop catalogs.

The WV Geospatial Community encourages GIS stakeholders and especially data producers to complete the user profile and all survey questions located on the Ramona GIS Inventory website.  This web-based inventory tool is part of a nationwide GIS inventory system supported by the National States Geographic Information Council.  If necessary, you will need to create a user account to complete this survey.  If you are the designated GIS contact for your organization, then please make sure that you coordinate the responses of all GIS personnel within your organization.