I. Establishment:
A. Created by Governor Arne H. Carlson in August 1991 to help coordinate geographic information system activities among all levels of government in Minnesota.
B. Executive Order, September 16, 1991.
II. Mission:
To promote efficient and effective use of resources by providing leadership and direction in the development, management and use of geographic information in Minnesota. The council makes recommendations in areas including, but not limited to: policies, institutional arrangements, standards, education and stewardship.
III. Objectives:
A. Promote efficient investments in geographic information.
B. Promote the sharing of geographic data, expertise and technology.
C. Promote geographic data as a public resource widely available to interested parties at reasonable cost.
D. Support the establishment, promotion and use of geographic data standards and guidelines.
E. Encourage the development of the GIS knowledge base within state and local governments and the academic and private sectors.
F. Influence a broad spectrum of decision-makers.
G. Provide an effective forum for the discussion and resolution of issues important to Minnesota's GIS community.
H. Create statewide data repositories.
I. Maintenance and accessibility of geographic information.
IV. Structure of GIS Coordination:
A. Land Management Information Center at Minnesota Planning - administrative and technical support
B. Minnesota GIS/LIS Consortium - forerunners whose extensive efforts to analyze and improve geographic information conditions in Minnesota led to the creation of the GIC.
C. Information Policy Office (IPO) - located within the Department of Administration
V. Subcommittees:
A. GIS Standards Committee - To coordinate the development of statewide geographic data standards and guidelines.
B. Soils Data Committee
C. Parcel Data Committee
D. Investments and Funding Committee - To develop a coordinated approach to statewide funding of GIS.
E. Data Clearinghouse/Access Committee - To provide policy recommendations for a statewide spatial information clearinghouse and improved data access.
VI. Membership:
A. The council's 18 members are appointed annually by the director of Minnesota Planning and are drawn from state agencies, federal and local governments, higher education and the private sector.
B. The chair is elected by the membership
C. Staff support is provided by the Information Policy Office (IPO), technical staff support by LMIC, and advice provided by the Consortium.
VII. Meetings:
The council meets monthly to pursue sub-committee initiatives. All council meetings are open to the public, and all committees welcome interested guests and new members.
VIII. Products:
Annual report - recommendations for legislation to establish a permanent organization to supersede the Council and recommendations for addressing needs described in the Executive Order.
