May 25, 2006
Tele-conference Call
9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (CDT)

Participants

AR: Bill Winters, Lisa Kosareo
MCR: Len Meier, all the rest are out in the field
KFO: Bill Card
WR: Cathy McNish, Dawn Trudeau, Alan Wilhelm, Bob Welsh, Jessica Villanueva (note taker), Karyn Evans, Janine Ferarese, Steve Trujillo, Veronika Eskova, Greg Morlock calling in from Geneseo.

Jessica Villanueva was introduced as the new Administrative Assistant reporting directly to Billie Clark and now the official note taker for these meetings.

Priority Item
TOPIC: Steering committee – Bill Winters, Karyn Evans
DISCUSSION: Karyn implemented her speed dating idea – (Business Networking):

1. Training
2. Technical Assistance/Technology Transfer
3. Software/Hardware

With the five topics of discussion were:

1. What challenges need to be overcome
2. What criteria should be used to determine priorities
3. How can we quantify TIPS value in order to keep TIPS operating
4. What can you do to help TIPS expand in these areas

A moderator was assigned to ask five questions at each table or group (area’s of discussion). Each table was allotted 20 minutes;  the moderator took down the brainstorming items based on discussion at each station.  Each group assigned a team leader; groups were re-convened and the brainstormed items were distilled into 1 or 2 priorities.   

Training

1. Provide career path course system spanning the range from introductory to advanced classes tied to pre-requisites
2. Develop field based training for field personnel – inspectors, field hydros, etc. 

Technical Assistance/Technology Transfer

1. Develop a complete communication network – from top to bottom
1. TIPS road show – what can TIPS do for you
2. Increase SM role
3. Better communicate success stories
4. Increase communication/awareness of TIPS functions within the SMCRA community

Problems – Resources – human and financial

Software/Hardware

1. TIPS needs to stay on the cutting edge of technology and software. 
1. Have a pool of money for providing evaluation software/hardware to SMCRA states. 
2. Have an emergency fund for hardware purchases
2. Increase SM role.  Standardize job descriptions for the SM role.

Bob stated that we have three courses right now that could be used for teaching classes pertinent to the inspectors that use these items to increase their technological use. 
How might we go about getting the word out to the inspectors?  Putting together a group and deciding what classes need to be provided to the inspectors.  The message may not be getting out to the inspectors that there is training for them. Tom Hines NTTP and TIPS representatives will be directly addressing this issue with the pre-requisites (Garmon GPS Course for blasting/ GeoExplorer 3/ ArcPad).  Some sites do not find out about the availability of these courses – seems to be a communication problem.  Strengthen the roll of the service managers and get out deeper into the field.  Make more trips to burrow deeper in to get the message out.  Field offices are not necessarily plugged in to what needs to be taken for requirements.

TOPIC: TIPS Team Meeting
DISCUSSION: The meeting is July 17th through July 20th at The Village at Breckenridge.  Participants need to make reservations by June 16. A draft agenda is out but not finalized.  Comments, thoughts, ideas could be sent to Karyn and Bill.  The team updates portion of the meeting has focused on what we did in the past year or so.  This year’s meeting will focus on future developments and directions of each respective Team (team overall concept is communication).

Karyn - Call to make reservations before June 16 – when you speak to them you need to make sure that they do not charge your credit card, because it will show up on your credit card statement.

ACTION : All meeting participants need to make reservations by June 16.  Upload newest version of the agenda to Sharepoint.     

TOPIC: Training Program
DISCUSSION: September Statistic workshop – has been moved from 09/12-9/14 to 9/19–9/21 in Denver. 

There are 12 classes remaining for this year.  Dawn is still getting nominations.  Survey results are getting consolidated by NTTP. 
Learning management system / DOI Learn :  Management at the HQ level still have not launched it.  Will get out information about DOI Learn when it becomes available.

TOPIC: Software distribution
DISCUSSION: Cathy – Galena patches went out last week  - ERDAS Image 9.0, Image Analysis 9.2 and Stereo Analysis 9.2 will be distributed next week.  Future distributions are still being studied as to whether or not they will be distributed via hard drives.

Installation instructions will be discussed by the various discipline specific Teams and need to make a decision on who updates the installation instructions. 

Action item: Discussion for Breckenridge – software manager should get the software out when it is ready instead of every 6 months and update installation instructions regularly.

TOPIC: National Geospatial Data Stewards Meeting
DISCUSSION:

Bill Card discussed the below information
Geospatial Data Stewards Meeting
 Goals
·         Share NCMGC vision and goals
·         Communicate with Geospatial Data Stewards
·         Identify geospatial technology development needs
·         Plan for future NCMGC activities
 Logistics – Dawn and Al are taking care of the hotel and meeting location
·         June 27-28, 2006
·         Guest Speakers
·         Lodging: Warwick Hotel, Denver, CO
·         Meeting: Michael’s of Denver Catering, 1770 Sherman Street Event Complex   
          Across the street from the Warwick hotel
·         NCMGC pays travel for GDS only
·         Invitation Only

The meeting location does not have a hardwire internet connection but has wireless.  The agenda is still being fine tweaked.  LaVonne intends to send out the initial batch of traveler information by e-mail today.  There are 24 or 25 names today.  Need to keep pressing the folks to join this meeting.  Cathy made the name change on the SharePoint site. 

Next Meeting is Thursday, June 8th, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Central Time