Memorandum

Date: January 7, 2005

From: Linda Shaffer

Subject: R5 GIS Coordination Team Meeting Minutes

Attendees:

> Linda Shaffer/NWRS-CSDS
>
> Marilyn Eames/NWRS-Patuxent NWR
>
> Michelle Babione/NWRS-Conte NFWR
>
> Greg Thompson/EA
>
> Bill Zinni/NWRS-Planning
>
> Andrew MacLachlan/ES-SNE/NYB
>
> Mike Drummond/ES-VAFO

Team members not in attendance:

> Herb Bergquist/ES-NWI
>
> Mike Weaver/LE
>
> Ed Christoffers/RDT
>
> Marci Caplis/EA
>
> Chris Castiglione/FR-Lower Great Lakes FRO

The January 5, 2005 meeting started at 1:30 pm.

We reviewed our workshop assignments once again:

1.  **Agenda/presentations/"handling" presenters** ...Chris & Marilyn

    Chris sent out the latest schedule.

    The wrap-up session (approximately 25 minutes of it) will be a
    jeopardy game with questions and answers tied to the posters and
    presentations. Each person will be assigned to one of 3 teams upon
    registration (Earth = brown, Wind = blue, Fire = orange). Scores
    will be tallied and the winning team will win a prize.

    Tony Leger is confirmed to present the welcome address on Wednesday.
    Linda is working with Tammy Hogan to have Marvin Moriarty address
    the workshop on Thursday, Jan. 20.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Linda: provide bullet items to Tony for his address

    Linda: introduce R5 GIS Team members during 1/19 1:20 presentation

    All: be in the room when you're introduced!

    Chris, Mike D., Greg, and Marilyn: coordinate jeopardy game.

    Chris: ask poster authors and presenters to submit questions about
    their offerings for the jeopardy game. Request presenters bring
    powerpoint presentation and load it onto RO laptop rather than use
    their own laptop for their presentation.

2.  **Poster session and "tech table" for handouts**...Mike D.

    Mike is coordinating. He has received notice of 4 posters so far.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    None

3.  **Refreshments/lunch**... Ed & Linda (4 snacks, 1 lunch)

    Fran Breedlove is assisting with food planning and purchasing. Linda
    and Fran estimate \$12 per person to cover the food expenses. Bill
    Zinni, Greg Thompson have volunteered to assist with getting the
    food and accessories to the right place at the right time.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Linda and Fran: adjust food amounts once attendee count is known.
    Schedule trip to BJ's to purchase food and supplies. Order Atkins
    food by Jan. 14.

4.  **Outside speakers**...Andrew

    Andrew has lined up speakers from UConn (2) and USGS-Patuxent (2).

    Ed arranged with Peter Claggett of USGS to speak.

    Linda arranged with Marcia McNiff of USGS to speak.

    Tim Green of Brookhaven National Lab will speak.

    Total of 8 outside presenters.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Linda: contact presenters who need travel expenses paid to agree on
    reimbursement amount (no more than \$300 each). Peter Claggett and
    Curt Larson.

5.  **Registration**...Linda

    Mary Nelson will handle registration and nametags for us.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Linda: Once total count is available, alert Marilyn so she'll know
    how large the 3 jeopardy teams will be.

6.  **Presenter gifts and tokens for attendees**...Linda & Mike D.

    We decided on these gifts:

-   USB mini-mice for the 8 presenters

-   gift certificates for the 6 FWS logistics helpers

-   very cool t-shirt for each attendee

-   snack/goofy gift bag for each Jeopardy game winner

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Linda: purchase gifts

7.  **Town meeting goals, objectives, logistics**...Michelle

    We'll split into 4 subgroups, each assigned a discussion topic and
    each with a facilitator. The discussion topics are:

    1\) vegetation mapping to be facilitated by Catherine Hibbard with
    the goal of either developing recommendations to present to the
    Regional and Refuge Biologist staff or to identify a list of issues

    2\) geodatabases to be facilitated by Linda Shaffer with the goal of
    finding out what users need in order to migrate their data to them
    and discuss personal vs. enterprise geodatabases

    3\) GPS to be facilitated by Michelle Babione with technical
    assistance from Rick Schauffler with the goal of identifying needs
    and issues

    4\) Spatial Data Library to be facilitated by Andrew MacLachlan with
    the goal of identifying what datasets users need now.

    The town meeting will take up 1 hour 20 minutes:

-   5-15 minutes introduction/background by "expert"

-   45-55 minutes discussion by the group

-   20 minute break

-   20 minutes for reports by each group (5 minutes each)

-   35 minutes to discuss other topics of interest to the attendees
    (Marci Caplis to facilitate)

    Two discussion groups will meet in the large auditorium, one in the
    training room, and one in the lobby/gallery area.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Linda: make a handout that describes the 4 discussion topics. Give
    to each attendee at registration.

8.  **Interpreters or software/hardware for hearing impaired
    attendees**...Ed

    Ed reports that he's working on hiring 2 sign language interpreters
    and securing funding to do so.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Ed: carry on!

9.  **Hardware setup and logistics**...Greg

    Greg reports that he's ready to assist as necessary and will set up
    an RO computer with powerpoint and WinXP for all presentations.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Greg: carry on!

10. **Social event/off-site event** sponsored by vendor(s)...Greg

    ABC Social will be on Wed. night

    Great Falls tour will be on Thurs night (reserved)

    We had a discussion on how to handle the ABC event, since Greg
    reported that their costs for room rental have gone up significantly
    and we have no source of funds. We decided to forego reserving the
    ABC room and just have everybody show up at ABC on Wednesday
    evening, mingle, then decide where to go for dinner.

    Greg reserved 5 vans for Thursday night.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Greg: make a handout that advertises the socials

    Michelle: get a stack of volunteer forms for the vans on Thurs.
    night.

11. **print/serve proceedings** -- abstracts, graphics, technical
    summaries...Chris & Marilyn & Ralph & a CSDS staffer to be named

    No discussion today.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    None

12. **add conference web page to Region 5 FWS website**...Linda & Ron R.

    Include agenda, registration announcement, EWF graphic.

    Linda reported that events and leave schedules are precluded this
    from happening. Maybe next time!

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    None.

13. **prepare evaluation form to hand out to all attendees**...Linda

    Linda updated the 2003 workshop evaluation form and they're ready to
    go.

    **[Action Item(s):]{.underline}**

    Linda: Have someone hand out the evaluation forms on Friday morning
    and collect them in a box.

    Chris: After the workshop is over, compile the results...please!!

    Our next meeting will be at 3:00 pm on January 18, 2005 in Linda's
    office for all those who are present. We'll make copies, discuss
    logistics, and do last minute stuff.

-   On Tuesday late afternoon (after the CWD workshop adjourns for the
    day), we'll arrange the large auditorium for the NHD workshop and
    the small auditorium for the CWD workshop's Wednesday morning
    conclusion.

-   On Wednesday lunchtime we'll arrange the small auditorium for
    workshop refreshments and the large auditorium for the workshop.

-   We'll need 2 tables in the lobby near the security guard's desk for
    the registration table and a separate table in the lobby for
    handouts.

-   We have signs to post at the reception desk, registration table, and
    on the various auditorium and training room doors to direct people.

-   Got that?!