LORDSTOWN Officials hear facts on mapping system

The village will get the base information for the computer system on a quarterly basis from the county.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- A new mapping system could provide village officials with everything from homeowners' names to the locations of emergency vehicles.
Council members heard a presentation before their meeting Monday from representatives from the Trumbull County Auditor and Tax Map offices on the Geographic Information System the county recently compiled.
GIS is a computer system that uses maps and detailed databases for areas to benefit everything from planning and zoning commissions to police and fire departments. The system starts with a base map of a village, city or township, and computer software specified to each municipality's needs can analyze data provided from various sources.
For demonstration purposes, George M. Kaschak Jr. of the county's GIS/Tax Map office showed council members how the program could display land uses in the village, street locations and locations of rivers, streams, ponds and more.
"It could significantly save money on things like engineering projects," he said.
Requirements
Dave Rantilla, GIS director for the county, said the county will provide the base information to all municipalities on a quarterly basis; the only requirements are a one-time licensing fee of between $800 and $900 and a computer with enough memory to run the programs. Each local government could then tailor the program to its needs with more detailed applications for additional fees.
"Basically, the only limitations are one's imagination and pocketbook," he said.
Council members made no decision on what types of applications would be needed in the village, and set no timetable for that decision.
During the regular meeting, council members also gave first reading to ordinances that would allow Time-Warner Cable to install Road Runner Internet service in village offices.
Road Runner uses cable lines instead of telephone lines to provide Internet access. The new service would consolidate service for the village's seven departments; currently Internet access is provided by three separate companies.
Proposed costs
Under the proposed five-year contract, the village would pay more than $10,000 to install the lines and roughly $444 per month for access.
The monthly fee, which will not change during he contract, would be split among the seven departments.
Benefits to the village include tighter security through fixed computer addresses and the elimination of dedicated phone lines for the dial-up Internet access.
slshaulis@vindy.com