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City of Brookline

Brookline has successfully implemented an integrated enterprise-wide GIS system. The operational GIS serves internal departments and the general public by providing accurate and timely geographic information and spatial analytical capabilities.

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Business Problem

Lack of accurate and up-to-date geographic information, and integrated information systems has made the municipal decision-making process difficult, time consuming and sometimes misdirected. To provide better services to its residents and to help make better and quicker decisions, the town saw the potential benefits of an integrated and enterprise-wide municipal GIS system and started its implementation more than 5 years ago.

Technology Implemented

Brooklines enterprise-wide GIS system is built upon a sophisticated LAN and WAN. It utilizes a centralized server Sun Ultra 60, as its GIS data and application server. In addition, an ArcIMS server, other file servers and desktop PCs are also important parts of the system. Various ESRI software products are used, including Arc/Info 7.0.2, ArcView 3.2, ArcGIS 8.1, Map Objects, ArcIMS and ArcPad. GPS technologies (Trimble ProXR), a laser system (Criterion), and handheld devices (Compaq Ipaqs) are used for geographic and attribute data collection. Tremendous amount of GIS data has been developed over time, including high-resolution color digital orthophotos. GIS has been integrated into other municipal information systems such as the towns permitting system, road management system, and E-911 system.

Development Team Biography

Feng Yang, GIS manager since 1996. She is also an adjunct faculty at University of Massachusetts (Umass) Boston, author of an ESRI virtual campus course (GIS applications for Tax Assessors), and board member of Northeast Arc Users Group (NEARC). She holds a Masters degree in Geography from Umass Amherst and a Bachelors degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Beijing University, China.

Parvaneh Kossari, GIS Analyst since 1999. She worked as a GIS Planner for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Massachusetts DEP. She received her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Urban Planning from the Instituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia in Venice, Italy and did her GIS studies at Umass Boston.

Kate Lommen, GIS Technician since 2000. She received her Bachelors degree from University of California Berkeley and her Masters degree in Historical Anthropology from Umass Boston.

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