Technology Creates Jobs

Getting online with regional resources is the central theme among these projects, proving that everything from building permits to computer training can be enhanced with technology. Geographic information system (GIS) mapping and websites illustrate how technology benefits rural environments and communities.

The www.NHFuture.net website project offers free online services to connect New Hampshire’s recent high school, college and technical program graduates with in-state companies. The site, co-sponsored, funded and administered by the Belknap County Economic Development Council, links recent graduates to full-time, part-time or seasonal job opportunities as well as apprenticeships, internships and cooperative education experiences. Companies list their openings and job seekers post classified ads for employers to browse. The site averages 3,000 hits weekly and has helped stem the outmigration of youth from New Hampshire’s predominantly rural countryside.

In an effort to shrink the digital divide among governmental departments in rural Mississippi, the Three Rivers Planning and Development District established a Regional Internet Service Network. The eight-county region now has “e-government” capabilities: local government offices can provide Internet access and email addresses to employees. Each office can develop a website complete with electronic forms and applications for public service postings. Project costs were reduced by extending a local Internet provider’s T-1 lines to the development district office.

The Southeast Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (RPDC), the state of Alabama and various Alabama Association of Regional Council partners worked together to construct the Alabama Advantage program’s website to attract retirees to Alabama. The website, www.alabamaadvantage.org, was developed by Southeast Alabama RPDC and contains community profiles from across the state that highlight regional areas, offer regional links and contain information such as maps, photos, demographics, tax rates and cost of living estimates. Alabama Advantage is a program of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

In 2000, the development/construction community and a local city manager asked South Georgia Regional Development Center’s information technology department to build an electronic permit system. The development center responded, creating the E-Commerce Building Permit System. Contractors and citizens now save hours normally spent waiting in line to purchase building, electrical, sprinkler, mechanical and plumbing permits, by electronically completing a virtual city hall application at www.valdostacity.com. Once the permit is approved or denied, a notice is sent to the applicant who may pay by credit card or electronic check.

The Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania and local co-sponsors focused on making computer technology and training available to local governments when they launched the Municipal Computer Donation Program. From a survey, it was determined that a majority of municipalities had no computers and wanted software and Internet training. Computers were donated, in conjunction with Pennsylvania’s Technology Investment Authority’s Local Government Initiative, and will be upgraded or repaired for distribution to almost 300 municipalities without computers. Training sites have been set up and a local computer learning center has been contracted for training.

The need to develop an interactive, GIS-based tool for classifying and indexing forest land motivated the Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center to initiate the Using GIS to Identify Critical Forest Areas in the Georgia Piedmont Based on Local Priorities project. An electronically transferable geographic assessment determines a forest’s classification and indexes the forest based on its resources in regards to “urban” benefits. The classifications and indices allow local governments to query the data and determine whether or not certain land protections meet local priorities. The data is also being used in other areas such as comprehensive and watershed planning.

The Delivery of GIS Services via Internet Map Service project completed by the South Georgia Regional Development Center (RDC) and partners is aimed at achieving the maximum benefit of the region’s GIS investment. Two of the region’s counties joined forces to develop a regional GIS program and recently partnered with the RDC to create the region’s first generation Internet Map Service at gisweb.sgrdc. com. The site features datasets including parcel records and zoning classifications. The project fulfills many demands such as eliminating the need for special software to access data and recovering operating costs through subscription sales. Site access is free for a trial period.

The Community GIS project by Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board and partners was a demonstration involving six of the region’s municipalities. The project provided the municipalities with GIS capacity by overcoming typical barriers, like cost and inadequate software. The municipalities provided the data, Internet equipped computers and explained their intended use of the system. Southern Tier West built and maintains the system, which has many GIS layers. The region has also created websites for each community with interactive mapping using ArcIMS, which runs on a Windows NT platform. Each site is tailored to meet the specific needs of the community.

Award Winners www.NHFuture.net, Belknap County EDC. Contact: Kelly Bryer, 64 Court St., Laconia, NH 03246; (603) 524-3057; fax (603) 524-0314; email bcedc@worldpath.net; web www.nhfuture.net Regional Internet Service Network, Three Rivers PDD. Contact: Vernon R. Kelley, III, PO Box 690, Pontotoc, MS 38863; (662) 489-2415; fax (662) 489-6815; email vrk@trpdd.com; web www.trpdd.com Alabama Advantage, Southeast Alabama RPDC. Contact: Fred Dykes or Bill Meadows, PO Box 1406, Dothan, AL 36305; (334) 794-4093; fax (334) 794-3288; email freddy@sanman.net or armor@mindspring.com; web www.alabamaadvantage.com E-Commerce Building Permit System, South Georgia RDC. Contact: William Roberts, 116 McKey St., Valdosta, GA 31601; (229) 242-1988; fax (229) 249-2659; email vroberts@sgrdc.com; web www.valdostacity.com Municipal Computer Donation Program, EDC of Northeastern

Pennsylvania. Contact: Shirley Perhalla, 1151 Oak St., Pittston, PA 18640; (570) 655-5581; fax (570) 654-5137; email smp@edcnp.org; web www.edcnp.org Using GIS to Identify Critical Forest Areas in the Georgia Piedmont Based on Local Priorities, Northeast Georgia RDC. Contact: Lee A. Carmon, AICP, 305 Research Dr., Athens, GA 30605-2795; (706) 369-5650; fax (706) 369-5792; email lcarmon@negrdc.org; web www.negrdc.org Delivery of GIS Services via Internet Map Service (IMS), South Georgia RDC. Contact: Chris Strom, 327 West Savannah Ave., Valdosta, GA 31601; (229) 333-5277 ext. 142; fax (229) 333-5312; email cstrom@sgrdc.com; web www.sgrdc.com Community GIS, Southern Tier West RPDB. Contact: Brian Schrantz, 4039 Route 219, Suite 200, Salamanca, NY 14779; (716) 945-5301; fax (716) 945-5550; email bschrantz@southerntierwest.org; web www.southertierwest.org

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