| GIS
Solutions for the City of Bedford, Va. by James Martin
Working with Jimmy English, the Building Code
Official (CPCA) and Bart Warner, the Director of Planning and Community Development
(AICP), the Anderson Team is providing Bedford with an Enterprise GIS system that is
highly accessible to everyone through WebGIS, the
Anderson internet mapping program.
After migrating Wayne Hale’s engineering mapping and
Commissioner of Revenue Brenda Daniel’s tax database to GIS, the Anderson Team is
transforming and integrating business practices of many key departments in the City into
the GIS. The City of Bedford has undertaken map
data migration/automation services for land parcel, building inspection, zoning
classification, water distribution, sewer collection, and storm water conveyance. In
addition, Gene Ratzlaff, who leads the electric utility GIS development effort has set the
example for integrating GPS (Global Positioning Systems) data into the WebGIS with the
location of the City’s power poles and structures. The key ingredient has been
effective communication between the City, the Anderson Team, and now the Bedford citizens
as a result of the WebGIS development. 
The City now improves its ability to support mission-critical operations by providing
City staff and the public with fast, easy access to information via a single source -
WebGIS. It also sets the groundwork for successful data sharing with external agencies and
business partners.
Future development will include E-911 coordination with the County, integrating
criminal justice reporting, and economic development applications as well. The City of
Bedford is leading by example in developing GIS technology for municipal government in the
Commonwealth of Virginia. (see http://arcims2.webgis.net/bedfordcity/default.asp)
For more information about A&A's GIS services, please contact James Martin at (800)
438-0394 or by email at martinj@andassoc.com.
&
Gearing Up for Bicycle
Safety
by Karen
Marsh
T he first annual Fun in the Park event in Winchester, Va., took place on Saturday, May 17th, 2003. Sponsors included Anderson & Associates, The Adams Companies, Blue Ridge Schwinn, Winchester Parks & Recreation, Bike Walk Virginia, Winchester Green Circle, and
the Winchester Wheelman. Blue Ridge
Schwinn and the local bike club, the Winchester Wheelman, provided bicycle safety checks. The Winchester Police bike patrol set
up an obstacle course for the kids to ride and practice their safety skills.
The staff of the A&A Middletown office had an excellent opportunity to meet members
of the local community. Tim Stowe, executive vice president and branch manager of the
Middletown Office, feels that the event was very valuable. "The day was a tremendous
success. With our event partners we provided bike safety checks on a number of
children’s bicycles and distributed bike helmets to the children," he says. The
Adams Companies and Bike Walk Virginia donated 81 children’s bike helmets, so every
child present received a new helmet. The Adams Companies also donated an adult mountain
bike and a child’s BMX bike. The winner of the mountain bike was Jonetta Carter of
Winchester, and the BMX bike winner was Katrina Glutch, also of Winchester.
Information was also provided on the proposed Winchester Green Circle. A&A has
participated in numerous greenway and trail projects over the years, and has built an
extensive amount of knowledge. Stowe says, "The Winchester Green Circle is a proposed
greenway that will encircle the city, thereby providing an alternate way for citizens and
tourists to visit the businesses and historic attractions. We were delighted to assist in
promoting the Green Circle in conjunction with the A&A Bike Safety Day event."
Those who attended the event left with a safer bike, a new helmet and a smile on their
face. For more information about our greenway services, or to plan a similar event for
your community, please contact Tim Stowe at 540-869-2501 or stowe@andassoc.com. & |
