The Butler County Commission discussed the policy on arial photography for the county during their meeting Tuesday.
Pam Dunham, GIS director, asked the commission to approve a proposal from Aero-Metric for county-wide digital color ortho imagery and updated ground control.
The cost for digital imagery was $69,935, while film would cost $66,970.
Dunham was recommending the digital imagery with this firm. The next closest bid was for about $73,000.
Once the commission gives the go-ahead the department would put together a contract with the company.
The imaging was last done three years ago and cost just
under $60,000.
“We have added in additional ground control this time,” she said.
Before that it had been six years since the imaging was completed.
“We found quite a large change in the photography with land use and new buildings,” she said. “There are ways of recouping this money.”
One of those ways is if they have old photography, they will have to make actual field trips to verify the existence of some structures.
The commission also considered the possibility of only looking at the growth areas.
“Would there be an argument that we would only have to fly the western half of the county every three years and all of it every six?” Commissioner Randy Waldorf asked. “Would there be half of the savings.”
Pam said it would not be half the cost.
“You’re still going to have the majority of it that is on the urban area for that price,” Dunham explained.
“Would it be safe to say we could save $20,000?” Waldorf asked and clarified, “I’m not saying we shouldn’t do this. I’m saying in the future as we continue with a three-year program, I could see that in the western two-thirds.”
County Administrator Will Johnson suggested they only do what they call the triangle, which excludes a portion of the north part of the county. Johnson said that area is as desolate as the south eastern half of the county.
“It’s just something I would like to see you consider,” Waldorf said. “We made quite an investment in our GIS and we want the pictures to be as accurate as possible. I’m just not sure how much change there’s going to be in the south and east in these pictures from ‘03.”
Pam said she would identify what changes they found with this photography, compared to that in 2006.
Commissioner Dan Woydziak asked how they would pay for it.
They have budgeted $20,000 a year for three years, with an additional $10,000 for ground control budgeted, which would cover the expense.
Waldorf said he would like to see them use technology money if they can, rather than tax money.
Johnson said they would set down and look at it.
Waldorf made a motion to approve the proposal and award the work to Aero-Metric in an amount not to exceed $70,000. It was approved 5-0.
El Dorado, Kan. —
