ACOG Offering ESRI Authorized Training
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Volume 5 Issue 2 August 2002 ACOG Offering ESRI Authorized Appalachian COG Receives National Training Awards nvironmental Systems Re- he Appalachian COG re- search Institute (ESRI) is cently received national the premier GIS software recognition for three inno- provider for the world, with vative programs. Innova- tens of thousands of users worldwide. tion Awards were presented by the Na- ESRI training is highly valued, and over tional Association of Development Or- 20,000 people attend ESRI training ganizations Research Foundation for the courses annually. The Appalachian COG’s efforts in Homeland Security Council of Governments (ACOG) is Training, Small Towns Technical As- pleased to announce that they now have sistance, and the GIS-based decision an ESRI Authorized Instructor on staff. support system, InfoMentum. Ann Ratliffe is certified to teach the In- In the area of Homeland Secu- troduction to ArcGIS I (for ArcView 8, rity, the COG conducted a series of Ter- ArcEditor 8, and ArcInfo 8) and Migrat- rorism Awareness classes and briefings ing from ArcView GIS 3.x to ArcView 8 including: elected officials and admin- istrators awareness training; a water system security workshop; and briefings by South Carolina’s Homeland Security Director and nuclear plant officials. grating from ArcView GIS 3.x to Arc- The COG is currently scheduling a se- View 8 class is geared towards users ries of First Responder Awareness with prior ArcView 3 experience. The classes for local law enforcement, EMS, minimum requirement for the Intro to and fire personnel. ArcGIS class is experience using basic The Small Towns Assistance windows software. For the Migrating program focuses intensive, hands-on course, students should have either technical assistance on some of the re- completed the Intro to ArcView training gion’s smallest economically distressed ESRI training courses. Both two-day class or have 3-6 months of recent Arc- municipalities. The COG conducted a classes are now offered at the ACOG, View 3 experience. detailed needs assessment for each as well as at client sites. These courses are excellent for town, and is currently providing custom Intro to ArcGIS I and Migrat- people of many different disciplines and computer programming, budget assis- ing from ArcView GIS 3.x to ArcView 8 areas of interest. GIS is a very useful tance, strategic planning sessions, gov- are both introductory level GIS courses, tool for data analysis, project planning, ernmental training, and a number of designed to teach the fundamentals of modeling and map creation. GIS is util- other services tailored to each town’s ESRI’s ArcGIS technology. Both ized for land use planning, routing, util- specific needs. The COG hopes to ex- courses teach GIS concepts and cover ity applications, wetland delineation, pand the program in the coming year. working with tabular data, editing spa- hydrologic modeling, permit applica- InfoMentum, a program tial data, creating maps, and working in tions, pollution studies, environmental started by the COG several years ago, the ArcMap, ArcCatalog, and ArcTool- modeling, public safety applications and continues to provide the region’s eco- box applications. The Intro to ArcGIS much more. Contact Ann Ratliffe at the nomic development professionals with a course is designed for people with little ACOG today to see if a GIS course powerful database tool used to recruit or no GIS experience, whereas the Mi- could benefit you or your organization! (Awards continued on page 3) Page 2 VIEWPOINT Gaffney West End Community Personal Property Development Plan Completed Taxes in 2003 he COG, working with staff accommodating children’s activities. from the City of Gaffney Also, while there is a park located in the and residents of the West West End, citizens identified improve- End community, recently ments to the facility, and in security, completed a development plan for the that could make it more useful to resi- West End neighborhood. Through field dents. work by COG staff, interviews with Over the next few weeks, the community leaders and input from a se- Community Development Committee of ries of public meetings, this plan identi- the Gaffney City Council will review fies strategies for preserving and en- findings of the plan and report to full hancing the area. Its conclusions pro- Council on possible actions to be taken. vide a framework for improvement ac- Another .75% drop in prop- tion to be carried out by residents of the erty tax assessments In 2001, in response to a state- 2002 S. C. wide referendum, the General Assembly enacted a law gradually lowering the Conference on 10.5% assessment ratio on personal vehicles to 6% over a period of six years. The General Assembly created a Aging new class of personal property, includ- ing personal cars and pickup trucks, This year’s conference will be which was assessed at a 9.75% rate in community and the City. It also puts held November 14-15, 2002, at the 2002 and will be assessed at 9.00% in the City in a position to seek Commu- Embassy Suites Hotel in Greenville. 2003. Assessments are to continue to nity Development Block Grants to sup- The theme will be “South Carolina: A drop by .75% per year until 2007. port development initiatives. Community for all Ages.” Conference By the end of the transition Over 50 residents came out for highlights will include an address on period, vehicle owners will be receiving community meetings held at Bethel “Creativity and Aging” by Gene a substantial tax break. Unfortunately, Baptist Church. Participants were Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the local governments and schools are also asked to identify strengths of the Center on Aging, the Senior Celebra- slowly beginning to realize a significant neighborhood, as well as to list priori- tions Award Ceremony, six concurrent reduction in tax revenues. The drop ties for improvements. Identified workshops at three separate times dur- from 10.5% to 6% will result in a 43% strengths include the commitment of ing the conference, a great exhibit hall, decrease by 2007. Increases in vehicle long time residents, and the presence of and a closing general sessions lunch values may offset some of the loss, but strong churches and civic organizations, featuring guest speaker Roddy Gray most jurisdictions will lose annual reve- as well as a convenient location to from Abbeville. Information on regis- nue growth that they have come to rely downtown and shopping. The top three tration fees and an application should upon to stave off property tax increases. improvement priorities listed are hous- be mailed to interested persons by Au- South Carolina’s already com- ing rehabilitation, development of a gust 9, 2002. The Appalachian re- plicated classified tax assessment sys- community center and enhancement of gion’s aging network is excited about tem will be further altered by 1999 Act park facilities. the conference and encourages you to 130. Local governments will be pressed For housing rehabilitation, the participate and support this wonderful to make up revenue losses by raising primary areas identified are Peeler training opportunity. If you have ques- other taxes or fees, and the lower as- Street, Broad Street and West Robinson tions, need additional information, sessments will produce more of a tax Street. In addition, residents believe would like to receive a registration “shift,” than tax “relief.” In any case, that a community center could provide package, or are interested in being an local government budget writers must many benefits, including serving as a exhibitor/sponsor, please contact be prepared to deal with shrinking per- place for volunteer groups to meet, and Michael Stogner at the ACOG’s office. sonal property tax revenues. VIEWPOINT Page 3 Of the 79 students graduating Upstate Receives Four Community from the in-school program, 22 were from Anderson County, 29 from Development Investment Grants Oconee County, and 28 from Pickens County. The out-of-school program graduated 31 students from the three- he S. C. Department of have outgrown the space and desper- county area. Commerce recently ately need to expand to meet the grow- In his graduation address, Pen- awarded Community In- ing need for medical assistance, food, dleton High School’s Gary Burgess vestment Grants from the and clothing. The services benefited talked about being adopted and growing Community Development Block Grant 6,847 during 2001. up with six brothers and sisters. Bur- (CDBG) Program to four communities The City of Landrum was gess’ adoptive father worked three jobs in the Upstate. The Grants Services awarded $350,000 in CDBG funds and to provide for his family and gave them staff of the Appalachian Council of will also receive $150,000 in ARC the idea that they could become who- Governments assisted all four commu- funds for the McDowell Street Sewer ever they wanted to become if they nities in developing the projects, sub- Project. The project will extend public worked hard. Burgess quoted African- mitting the applications, and will ad- sewer to an area that is experiencing American educator and Martin Luther minister the grants. problems with malfunctioning septic King Jr. confidant Benjamin Mays Anderson County was tanks, causing health and safety con- about dreams: “The tragedy in life awarded $250,000 in CDBG funds, and cerns for the 67 residents, all of whom doesn’t lie, young people, in not reach- will also receive $250,000 in ARC are low income. The project will also ing your goals. The tragedy lies in hav- funds for the Lyonswood Sewer Pro- construct bathrooms for two houses that ing no goals to reach. Today our soci- ject. This project will extend public do not have indoor facilities. ety is seeking change, but we need to sewer service to a small neighborhood For more information on these know that the power of change is in our located just south of the Anderson city projects or the CDBG program, contact hands,” said Burgess.