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Kossuth GIS asks supervisors to formalize 911 billing as pictometry costs rise
Summary
GIS manager asked supervisors to include $3,600 in compensation tied to 911 mapping services and said the county will invoice E-911 $5,000; officials also warned that the county's share of aerial imagery (pictometry) will rise when the next contract is signed and recommended budgeting for higher software/hosting and a replacement drone.
The county's GIS manager presented a proposal to formalize compensation for GIS services provided to the county's 911 center and warned supervisors that the county's share of high-resolution aerial imagery contracts will increase in the next cycle.
Luke (GIS) said he has been providing GIS and mapping support for 911 since about 2017 and asked the board to include an additional $3,600 in his budget to reflect roughly 5% of his time supporting 911 operations. He said the county will also bill the county's 911 fund $5,000 for the service this year. "So we'll be billing 911 $5,000," Luke said, adding that the county could also keep the funding as a separate line item to make future adjustments easier.
County 911 and IT representatives raised technical and accounting questions. Derek said E-911 can pay for GIS as an allowable contractor expense, but he cautioned that 911 cannot directly pay wages and that reimbursements must account for payroll taxes and benefits. Board members discussed whether the payment should be an invoice for services or part of payroll and recommended keeping the funding trackable as a separate revenue and expense line so future changes are visible.
Luke also warned that the county's pictometry contract (aerial imagery used by assessor, engineer and others) will become more expensive in the next flight cycle. He said the county's "one-third" share will rise from roughly $18,000 a year to about $25,000 per year (the tripartite cost will be paid across two flight cycles contracted through 2027 and 2030). "Our next contract is going to be for the same imagery that we have today. It's going to be $25,000 higher per year," he said, noting the assessor and engineer split the rest.
The GIS presentation also asked supervisors to budget for rising software and hosting fees (Esri and hosting services) and to consider replacing an aging drone used for stockpile measurements, drainage work and appraisal support. Luke described GIS as an integrated service with broad uses across county offices but said the overall approach had been efficient compared with contracting the services out.
The board directed staff to review accounting options (service invoice vs. payroll reimbursement), keep the GIS/911 arrangement transparent in the budget, and return with formal language for inclusion in the upcoming budget packet.
