The KGIS Policy Board approved a 3-year enterprise-wide license agreement (ELA) with ESRI for the unlimited use of ESRI's full suite of GIS software by all departments of the City, County, KUB and including MPC, TPO, E911, EMA, PBA, KCDC, IDB and KAT. The agreement's effective start date will be Aug. 4, 2009, and will last until Aug. 4, 2012. The various products and features of the ELA can be found in this Overview document. Additional information can be found on the KGIS.net/Projects/ESRI Software page.

The Knox County Environmental Health Department is responsible for several services, including tracking the locations of private water wells, approving septic installation and mapping of soil surveys. KGIS has hosted the dept.'s Mosquito Spray Areas for the public for several years now and is planning to add private well locations and soil survey results.  Darlene Gwaltney, Knox County's Soil Scientist has made efforts to begin mapping soil survey results in ESRI.  She has used LandViewer in the past and saved the maps out to separate redline files.  This worked for her needs, but by mapping in ESRI the data will be accessible to other departments.  The soil survey analysis results in approval or denial of septic systems, and this can be used to help utilities plan areas that are in need of sanitary sewer extensions.  As part of the development process, the Health Dept. must approve a final plat if septic systems are to be used. 

Vickie Carter, the Mapping Supervisor at the Knox County Property Assessor's Office, has received her GIS Professional (GISP) certification from the GIS Certification Institute (GISCI), recognizing her level of expertise in the profession. Of all the departments and personnel who use KGIS, Vickie becomes the first to have received her GISP. Vickie, who has more than 18 years of experience with the County (and prior to that with City Engineering), was presented with her certification at the most recent KGIS Users Group Meeting in January. Congratulations Vickie!

KUB's utilization of GIS / mapping information in its outage and workforce management operations has been highlighted in an article on GeoPlace.com, which is a portal dedicated to news about all things "spatial". Check out the article by clicking here. 

Directions Magazine, one of the premier sources of information for geospatial industry professionals, has recently posted a feature article about KGIS, and its most recent efforts at modernizing its GIS operations. Check it out by clicking here!