Commissioners approve $32,500 contract for GIS cleanup under state Sea Grant

Noble County commissioners approved a professional services contract with Cloudpoint to perform GIS data cleanup after staff secured an Indiana Geographic Information Office Sea Grant. Presenter Steve (Speaker 9) told the board the grant program typically awards up to $30,000 but the state approved $32,500 for the county after the vendor justified the higher price in its proposal.

The project will focus on updating road centerlines and address points — data layers used by emergency dispatch and future NextGen 9‑1‑1 systems. Steve explained the county must not "supplant" work already budgeted for in‑house, so hiring a consultant was the allowable approach under the grant. The Sea Grant earliest start date was noted as Sept. 29 and staff said the work could be completed in approximately three months once started.

Commissioners asked about start timing, contract term and whether in‑house staff could do the work; staff replied the grant prohibits using funding to pay regular in‑house duties (supplanting) and consultants typically complete the work faster. A motion to approve the Cloudpoint contract for $32,500 was moved and seconded and carried on the record.

Staff will scan and distribute the signed contract to the clerk; the project is funded primarily through the Sea Grant award and associated county encumbrances where needed.