June 9, 2005
Tele – conference Call

The meeting convened at 9:30 a.m. central time.  Agenda items were identified by e-mail from Bill Clark prior to the meeting.  Bill Card recorded the notes.

 Participants:

AR:       Susan Stoyek, Bill Winters

KFO:    Bill Card

MCR:    Bill Joseph

WR:      Bill Clark, Veronika Eskova, Mary Greene, Bill Kannawin, Greg Morlock,

Dianne Osborne, Bob Welsh, Alan Wilhelm

 Topic:               FTP Replacement – TIPS SharePoint External Site Status

Discussion:       The SharePoint site is being tested.  Approval is anticipated next week.

Action Item:       Testers are to notify Cathy McNish of test results.

Topic:               TIPS CPIC Process Status Report

Discussion:       Steve Trujillo, Lou Hamm, and Dan Rivers have been working on the TIPS Exhibit 300.  Our self score is 34/50.  The document will soon be submitted to DOI.

Topic:               ESRI User Conference – Schedule for OSM Meetings

Discussion:       Bill Clark has registered for the Executive Seminar.  Bill Joseph will make an attempt to register later.  It is not clear whether a pass to the Executive Seminar includes a pass to the regular ESRI User Conference.

Schedule for OSM meetings at the conference:

                                    Tuesday, July 26            3:30-5:00 p.m.   Room 19, Mezzanine

                                    Thursday, July 28           3:30-5:00 p.m.   Room 18, Mezzanine

Action Item:       Alan Wilhelm will send an e-mail containing the meeting schedule and locations to OSM and state program conference attendees.

 

Topic:               USGS Demonstration Projects

Discussion:       Dianne Osborne anticipates being able to map coal seam fires in June.

 

Topic:               AutoCAD Software Licenses for Training

Discussion:       Kevin Garnett has been investigating whether TIPS training classes should use AutoCAD software licenses from the TIPS national license server or use a 30-day temporary license.

Action Item:       Kevin Garnett will make a recommendation soon.

 

Topic:               Training program.

Discussion:       Two TIPS training classes in Pittsburgh need additional students.  These include the SDPS class to be held July 19, 2005 and the AquaChem class on August 2-4, 2005.  Karen Pierson sent an e-mail to Training Coordinators requesting additional students for the unfilled slots in the AquaChem class.  Bob Welsh is finishing work on the FY 2006 Training Survey.  Approximately 570 requests have been received, approximately 50 less than those received last year.  There has been an increase in the number of requests for ESRI virtual campus courses compared to last year.  This year, 334 requests were received for on-line classes.  PA requests for training will be coordinated with the Pittsburgh training center.  Kevin Garnett is working with Lois Uranowski to hold an AutoCAD class in Pittsburgh.  Four persons have been nominated for the Instructor Training Course.

Action Item:       Bob Welsh will forward Karen’s e-mail to Service Managers to request them to contact their states and request student nominations for the AquaChem class.

 

Topic:               Software Updates and Distribution Schedule

Discussion:       Marian Owens has prepared CDs ready for distribution to Service Managers.  Mary Greene is finishing the distribution letter to send to the Service Managers next week for their review.  We will probably not send a TIPS newsletter with the software CDs this time.

Action Item:       Bob Welsh, Mary Greene, and Veronika Eskova will make a decision about sending out a hardcopy newsletter or publishing a digital copy on the TIPS website.

 

Topic:               Strategic Planning

Discussion:       The TIPS Strategic Planning Team met in Denver on June 1-2 and completed work on the TIPS Strategic Plan.  The team included Bill Card, Lou Hamm, Bill Joseph, and Lisa Kosareo.  The Strategic Plan is an important reference document for the TIPS Exhibit 300.  Implementation and follow-up of the Strategic Plan will be addressed in the future.

 

Topic:               TIPS Technical Transfer Support

Discussion:       The PA-Wilkes University Project has received the remainder of the funding from PA.

 

Topic:               OSM Geospatial Team

Discussion:       Bill Clark and Bill Card worked on draft documents for formation of a Geospatial Team on June 2 in Denver.  The group may form as a committee of selected representatives from the state programs and OSM with a standing technical team to provide resources for the committee.

Action Item:       Bill Card will revise draft documents and forward to Bill Clark via e-mail for further discussion and planning.

 

Topic:               TIPS Web Team

Discussion:       The team is working on updating the TIPS website.  The team needs information on any current or future state technical assistance projects as well as future conferences or forums. 

Action Item:       Bill Winters will send an e-mail to the TIPS team requesting identification of state projects, conferences, and forums.  TIPS team members are to provide a short summary, including pictures, of any project or conference along with dates and locations of the conferences.

 

Topic:               Hardware Needs

Discussion:       TIPS may receive limited funds at the end of this FY.  TIPS is preparing to spend the money where needed most.  Greg Morlock sent an e-mail on June 8 to the Service Managers requesting information from each customer on specialized hardware needs for remainder of FY 2005.  Information obtained from the Service Managers will be used to develop a prioritized list for immediate action upon receipt of funds.  If Service managers also receive requests for software not currently supported by TIPS, they are to cc: Mary Greene on the e-mail so she can verify the request against the DOI Technical Reference Model.

Action Item:       Service Managers are to respond to Greg’s e-mail with a list of their customer’s hardware needs and cc: Mary Greene for software.

 

Topic:               Team Member Reports

Discussion:       Bill Winters received an e-mail from Keith Brady, PA for an on-site Groundwater Vistas class for the California, PA office.  PA is willing to pay travel expenses for students.  The Pittsburgh computer training facility is available in September.  Bill Winters will follow up on this request.

                         Alan Wilhelm has received software distribution media for ArcGIS 9.1.  Software distribution to TIPS customers is anticipated in July or August.  Alan attended an Underground Mine Mapping workshop in Pittsburgh on June 1-2.  Topics discussed included liability issues, sharing information, development of common practices, and establishment of a national database (funding required).  Alan is Course Manager for development of an Underground Mine Mapping course.  A “dry run” class is anticipated in September. 

                        CO is interested in GIS development.  After receipt of a formal request from CO describing what they want to do and their point of contact, Alan Wilhelm will develop a project plan similar to the WY project.

                         TIPS will provide a briefing to the OSM Core Leadership Team on Friday, June 17 on the TIPS budget.  The briefing will focus on how additional funds anticipated in FY 06 and FY 07 will be spent. 

                        Karen Pierson will be retiring August 3.  TIPS will begin a search for her replacement next week.  Four TIPS-related jobs will be advertised in the near future.

                         The OSM migration to Microsoft Exchange will impact the TIPS SharePoint website.  The IT team working on the migration to Exchange will take care of impacts to the SharePoint site.

                         Mary Greene requested Bill Joseph provide her with information for the TIPS newsletter regarding the impacts personnel changes in Alton will have on TIPS services. 

Action Item:       Bill Winters will respond to Keith’s e-mail and will coordinate with Mary Greene and Bob Welsh to arrange a class date.  Bill Joseph will provide Mary Greene with information for the TIPS newsletter.

 The next TIPS teleconference will be held on Thursday, June 23, 2005 at 9:30 a.m. central time.