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Commissioners discuss pictometry/aerial-imagery contract and frequency options
Summary
The commission considered the county's multi-year pictometry contract, cost spread and the trade-off between higher resolution and more frequent flights; staff described the six-year contract and the option to add a third flight for roughly $2,000 per year.
Commissioners reviewed the county’s existing pictometry (aerial imagery) contract and discussed whether to reduce frequency to save money or to pay a small additional annual amount to secure a third flight.
Commissioner Troy explained that the county is under a six-year contract that spreads payments annually and that the baseline annual payment is currently about $34,000 and is expected to rise toward $36,000 in coming years. Troy said the county can pay an extra amount to add another flight: “for that extra $2,000 spread over 6 years for that $12, you get a third flight.”
Some commissioners suggested reducing frequency because they perceived limited change in county building patterns since the last flight in 2023. Troy countered with construction figures, noting “there’s been over a 100 … 104 dwellings and single family dwellings and duplexes built since 2023,” and said more frequent flights help first responders and allow the county’s GIS data to be uploaded to the provider for use by appraisers and other departments.
Staff described technical trade-offs: paying slightly more to get an additional flight gives more up-to-date imagery, while choosing less frequent flights reduces annual costs. Troy noted higher resolution options increase cost and that the county’s chosen resolution meets state standards for horizontal accuracy (within roughly one foot), which some departments prefer over more frequent but lower-resolution data.
No final decision or roll-call vote was recorded in this session; commissioners asked staff to incorporate the information into budget worksheets.
