Reports - Mississippi Renewal

THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION REPORT | 47lowing objectives:■ Evaluate the current sources of regionalGIS information and platforms.■ Assimilate and establish a central repositoryfor base map and databaseinformation for the entire state ona platform that is consistent withexisting information. Through thework of the Coordinating Council,the Mississippi Department ofInformation Technology Services(ITS) has received $1 million toestablish such an infrastructure. TheRFP(s) to configure, acquire andset-up this statewide effort will beout by early 2006.■ Create a web-based base map anddatabase that includes the followingdata which should be accessible bythe public to aid in the rebuildingand development effort: roads andstreets; water and sewer lines; zoning;proposed zoning amendmentssuch as the SmartCode; aerial andsatellite imagery; flood zone datafor pre-Hurricane Katrina; andflood zone data for post-HurricaneKatrina. A site exists at the GeospatialOne Stop 7 with many of thesecapabilities. The new clearinghouseeffort led by ITS will have these capabilities.■ Initiate collaborative efforts withadjacent regions in Alabama, Louisiana,and north of the six-countyarea.A Public Services CooperativeAs a result of the destruction of HurricaneKatrina the local governments ofSouth Mississippi are faced with dauntingresponsibilities, including removaland hauling of debris; restoring infrastructuresuch as water, sewer and communications;providing housing to displacedresidents; and coordinating andoverseeing rebuilding efforts throughinspection and permitting.To make matters worse, most localgovernments will not have enough incometo support these efforts as salestax revenues have plummeted and advalorem tax revenues are projected todo the same. A regional cooperative canprovide an expanded set of services tothe areas most devastated by HurricaneKatrina. The Commission recommendsthat a six-county public services cooperativebe created to purchase commonitems, train personnel, and performmaintenance of facilities. Obviously,this regional approach could be used byother areas of the state.Centralizing procurement will allowservices to be offered more competitivelyand will result in more consistentpricing across the region. Significantcost savings can be realized in the areasof training and maintenance by allowingall counties and cities to draw froma larger pool of resources and funding.To establish a cooperative, the Commissionrecommends that each countyand city prepare a report detailing staffand personnel losses, the public serviceswhich it will be unable to supply duringthe rebuilding effort, estimated fundingshortfalls for its programs and services,and any other areas of assistance. Additionally,the governor should create atask force to assist with the preparationof these reports, to evaluate the feasibilityof providing such services on aregional basis, and to evaluate the costsavings which could be associated withcentralized procurement of equipmentand supplies. The task force should furtherevaluate funding and personnel resourcesthat can be utilized and sharedacross the region during the rebuildingeffort.The task force should prepare a finalreport outlining its findings andpropose a plan to implement sharedservices across the region. Based uponthe recommendations of the task force,the governor should create a temporaryagency which will be responsible forimplementing the findings and recommendations.