The Iroquois County Board has approved a resolution to seek professional help in creating a countywide Geographic Information System (GIS).

The $570,000 cost will not come from the general fund, but instead will be paid in installments by using an already-approved GIS fund, made up by fee services over the last several years.

Bruce harris & Associates of Batavia (IL) will provide the professional services for the digital orthophotography, a seamless mapping system. A GIS website will also be created.

Bruce Harris explains all county offices will benefit from the mapping.
Harris said the digital process builds maps in a layer-fashion that helps much more than just the assessment purposes.

The GIS becomes a land-information system that becomes an important part of what decisions are made through any government entity. The GIS is a wealth of information that the county currently does not have access to.

Iroquois County's Industrial Development Association (IDA) and the Emergency Management Agency (EMA/ESDA) have pushed for GIS for several years. The layered-mapping, Harris explains, is so critical for documentation.

GIS also assists fire departments, and is a powerful tool for business and the private sector for people looking for accurate up-to-date land information.

94.1 FM, WGFA