GIS mapping is making a huge impact in Laurens County and across the nation. In South Carolina, an ARC-User Network is a non-profit group of GIS professionals that work together to promote better understanding of GIS, examining new technology and promoting communication within the GIS community around the state. This year’s South Carolina ARC conference began yesterday and concludes today, with breakout sessions with examples that are considered to be good sampling of GIS use around the state.
Laurens County GIS users are participating in the conference. Laurens County Emergency Communications Director Joey Avery is participating in the discussions, noting that GIS at the county level can be a difficult task when you have multiple integration, multiple websites, multiple physical office address with editors and 70 mobile units. Avery is discussing how automated tools allow his agency to maintain its database and provide reports related to the integrity of the county GIS data to the Sheriff’s Office and the officers of the Assessor and the Voter Registration office.
Speaking of her involvement in the presentations yesterday, Lynne West, Laurens County Director of Registration and Elections, said “We are very excited to be facilitating three separate forums at the SCARC 2013 Conference this year. Participating by Laurens County highlights the fact that many departments in the county are working closely to conserve resources and better serve its citizens.”
Lynne West was reporting to the state-wide attendees that after reapportionment, the fun really starts for the County Election’s office. She talked of how GIS is used to ensure accurate placement for voters, and spoke of the voter registration location tool that is part of the Laurens County website.