IMAGIN - Improving Michigan's Access to Geographic Information Networks
IMAGIN E-News - November, 2006
Current News
Survey Benchmarks Made Efficient - The City of Troy makes finding survey benchmark information more efficient by integrating an ArcIMS web site with survey benchmark information that is pulled from an enterprise asset management system using Crystal Reports. See the article at: http://www.tdwi.org/Publications/WhatWorks/display.aspx?id=8184
3D Imagery of Detroit - Microsoft's local.live.com mapping site includes imagery for all of Michigan and now features 3D imagery for metro Detroit. Please note that the 3D viewer requires downloading and installing Microsoft's free Virtual Earth software. Oblique aerial photographs from Pictometry, Inc. are also available for all of Wayne County including several miles of overlapping coverage into surrounding counties. See the web site at: http://local.live.com/
Grants - Interested in what grant opportunities are available? See the New Grant Information page on the Michigan Center for Geographic Information's web site at: http://www.michigan.gov/cgi/0,1607,7-158-12763---,00.html
Monthly Theme
This month's theme is "GIS and Michigan's Economy".
Driving Michigan's Economic Engine Conference - National Geographic Traveler magazine's editor to speak at this conference in Lansing on December 6-7, 2006. The conference theme is "Using Culture and Tourism to Fuel Community Prosperity". See conference details at: http://www.creativemichiganconference.com/
Economic Maps Help Bring Business to Michigan - The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has interactive and static maps that help businesses that are thinking of locating in Michigan get a 'business' view of Michigan. These maps include 'labor force', 'population', 'commercial ports', 'monthly unemployment rates' and other maps that provide the foundation for good business decisions. See the maps at: http://www.michigan.org/medc/miinfo/mimaps/
Business Objects Expands Geographic Analysis Capabilities for BusinessObjects XI Release 2 - (Note: This story is related to the 'Survey Benchmarks Made Efficient' article above.) New Integration between ESRI ArcGIS(R) and Business Objects BI Platform Enables Users to "Mash Up" Business Information with Geographic Information System Maps. Read the article at: http://www.crm2day.com/news/crm/120431.php
Automatic Vehicle Location Used to Avoid 'Shrinkage' - GIS Monitor has an article about how businesses are using geospatial technologies to improve their bottom line. One use of geospatial technology in business is the use of Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL). The single biggest reason, as stated in the article, to use AVL is inventory 'shrinkage' - a euphemism for product loss due to employee theft, shoplifting, administrative and paperwork errors and vendor fraud as goods are moved around. Two such organizations in Michigan that are mentioned are Pulte Homes and Michigan State University. Read the article at: http://www.gismonitor.com/news/newsletter/archive/122205.php#GIS_for_Business
New E-News Theme! - In addition to our permanent 'GIS in Michigan' coverage, we will begin having an additional theme for each monthly issue. This theme will not limit the E-News articles to only this theme, but rather it will provide an additional focus for some of the articles.
The theme for the December 2006 issue of E-News is "GIS in Township and Village Government".
Send any ideas you have relating to the general 'GIS in Michigan' theme of the E-News or the special theme for next month to enews@imagin.org.
Upcoming Events
  • November 30, 2006: IMAGIN Conference Committee Meeting, Howell, MI
  • December 7, 2006: Michigan Geographic Information Users Forum, Lansing, MI
  • December 15, 2006: IMAGIN Board of Directors Meeting, Lansing, MI
  • January 25, 2007: IMAGIN 2007 Student Paper Competition, Schoolcraft College, Livonia, MI
  • March 12, 2007: IMAGIN 2007 Annual Conference Speaker Registration Deadline
  • May 6, 2007: IMAGIN 2007 Annual Conference Golf Outing, Kalamazoo, MI
  • May 6, 2007: IMAGIN 2007 Annual Conference Speaker Appreciation Reception, Kalamazoo, MI
  • May 7-9, 2007: IMAGIN 2007 Annual Conference, Radisson Plaza Hotel, Kalamazoo, MI
  • June 11-13, 2007: GPS World Conference & Expo
  • For more events, see the IMAGIN Calendar of Events
  • Training
    Date(s) D Organization City Description
    November 27-29, 2006   ESRI East Lansing Introduction to ArcGIS for the DIHSLE Communities
    December 4-5, 2006   ESRI Livonia Introduction to ArcIMS
    December 6-8, 2006   ESRI Livonia ArcIMS Administration
    December 18-19, 2006   ESRI East Lansing Introduction to ArcGIS I
    December 20-22, 2006   ESRI East Lansing Introduction to ArcGIS II
    For links to Michigan GIS training facilities visit the IMAGIN training page.
    To include your Michigan GIS training in this list, send the details to: enews@imagin.org
    D = IMAGIN Members get a 10% discount on this training.
    Spotlight on Supporting Organizations
    Leica GeoSystems Leica Geosystems - With close to 200 years of pioneering solutions to measure the world, Leica Geosystems products and services are trusted by professionals worldwide to help them capture, analyze, and present spatial information. Leica Geosystems is best known for its broad array of products that capture accurately, model quickly, analyze easily, and visualize and present spatial information.
    Those who use Leica products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the superior customer support. Based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Leica Geosystems is a global company with tens of thousands of customers supported by more than 2,400 employees in 21 countries and hundreds of partners located in more than 120 countries around the world.
    Visit our web site at: http://www.leica-geosystems.com/
    LIAA
    Land Information Access Association (LIAA) - LIAA is a Section 501(c)3 nonprofit, community service organization that focuses on improving civic engagement for the preservation of cultural and natural resources. We have worked with hundreds of local governments and nonprofit organizations throughout Michigan over the past 14 years providing land use planning assistance and technical services to help form more sustainable communities. Much of LIAA’s work is supported by grants from private foundations and state and federal agencies, as well as fee-for-service agreements with partnering organizations. For example, LIAA is working in partnership with the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Townships Association on a program to increase inter-jurisdictional cooperation in land use planning and resource management. The Partnerships for Change Program has already provided guidance, professional planning support, and technical services to over 60 local units of government involved in 13 different cooperative community planning projects. Other programs operated by LIAA include the development and installation of a unique web application, called Community Center™, used by over 40 local governments and nonprofits to deliver information and services while encouraging citizen interaction and feedback. For more information about LIAA, its community support services and special programs please visit www.liaa.org or call 231-929-3696.
    Each month, this section will highlight one or two of our supporting organizations. If your organization would like to be in the spotlight, please contact IMAGIN headquarters about becoming a supporting organization.
    Web Mapping Site of the Month
    Antrim County GIS – Antrim County GIS has a wealth of interactive maps on the internet.  The types of interactive maps include parcel maps, soils maps, sensitivity maps, environmental maps, census maps and maps by jurisdiction.  Each of these groups contains several interactive maps.  The parcel map group, for example, includes maps such as "Most recent sale amount", "properties with a homestead reduction", "current taxable value". The interactive maps were created with the "Community Center" web software available from the Land Information Access Association (LIAA) (http://www.liaa.org).  You can view Antrim County’s online maps by clicking the "Map Index" link at the top of the following page: http://antrimcounty.org/gis.asp.
    Employment
    Job Openings
    Organization Title
    Commonwealth Associates, Inc. Cartographer
    Charter Township of Grand Blanc GIS Technician
    New Hires/Promotions/GISP's
    Organization Title Name
    To include your job openings, new hires, promotions or GISP certifications in this section, please send the information to enews@imagin.org. Please include the URL for your organization also. Check the IMAGIN jobs page for other openings.
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    IMAGIN E-News Information

    Editor - Tara Maguire, GIS Coordinator, City of Birmingham
    Editor - Matt Malone, GIS Coordinator, City of Farmington Hills
    Editor - Brian Buckley, Senior GIS Specialist, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc.
    Publication Date: November 27, 2006
    E-News Web Page:http://www.imagin.org/resources/enews.html
    Email Address: enews@imagin.org
    Any corrections to the E-News will be posted on the web site above.
    Please email us your comments and suggestions. Thanks!

    © 2006 IMAGIN. All rights reserved.