Commission okays 35.58% share toward enterprise GIS server after debate

The Whitley County Redevelopment Commission approved a motion to contribute 35.58% toward the county’s proposed enterprise geographic-information-system (GIS) server, voting 4–1.

Staff presented cost estimates for an enterprise GIS system, saying total project cost could be up to $48,000 but likely in the $42,000–$45,000 range. Nathan (staff) outlined three ways to apportion the commission’s share—percentage of county area, assessed-value share, or commercial-property share—and said an enterprise server would allow additional internal viewer licenses and new internal data layers not currently published on Beacon.

Commissioner Thor Hodges moved to set the commission’s share at 35.58% and argued the commission could justify the percentage based on work already compiled by staff. Andy, a staff member, cautioned that the method is ‘‘not in the statute’’ but called the approaches ‘‘a rational basis’’ for determining the commission’s share. The motion passed 4–1.

Staff said they will prepare a reimbursement agreement that identifies the county department to be reimbursed and lays out specific payment mechanics, to be presented at the next meeting.

The vote authorizes county staff to proceed with a reimbursement agreement for the chosen funding mechanism; the majority considered the enterprise GIS important for economic development and internal operations, while the lone opposing vote objected to the proposed share or calculation method.