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Arkansas GIS director honors Marion County 9-1-1 mapping work, praises Melissa Penn
Summary
Shelby Johnson, director of the Arkansas GIS office, presented a plaque recognizing Marion County’s early adoption of next-generation 9-1-1 mapping and commended Melissa Penn for leading the effort that made the county go live on Feb. 12, 2025.
Shelby Johnson, director of the Arkansas Geographic Information Systems office, addressed the court on April 14 to recognize Marion County’s work to modernize 9-1-1 mapping.
Johnson said Marion County went live on the state’s next-generation 9-1-1 system on Feb. 12, 2025, ahead of roughly 35 other counties. He described the county’s address and road-centerline data—1,281 addresses and 4,946 road segments in the database— and said the county’s GIS and 9-1-1 teams had meticulously curated dozens of data fields to improve emergency response.
Johnson singled out Melissa Penn for leadership on the project, saying her work has improved public safety and thanking her for “grace” and professionalism in coordinating with the state. On behalf of the Arkansas GIS office, Arkansas GIS board and the Arkansas 9-1-1 board, Johnson presented a plaque and offered to take photographs with county officials.
County justices and staff thanked the GIS director for the recognition and praised local staff for the technical work supporting emergency services. The presentation was a ceremonial recognition and did not include operational or funding actions recorded in the meeting minutes.
