ITAC Teleconference
January 27, 2006 -- 11:00 am -- 12:30 pm ET

Below is the "connect" information for the ITAC teleconference/WebEx session. Please forward it to anyone else who should be invited to participate in the meeting:

Audio Bridge and WebEx Connect Information:
Date:   Friday, January 27, 2006
Starting time:   11:00 am, Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00, New York)
Duration:   1 hours 30 minutes
Meeting number:   712 122 292
Meeting password:   ITAC
Host key:   Passcode: 45194#
Teleconference:   MCI Audio Bridge (See below.)
Host:   Marilyn Billone 
Host's email address:   mabillon@usgs.gov 

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Conference ITAC
Software Application WebEX
Telecommunications: MCI
Date: Friday, January 27, 2006
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM - Eastern Time
Duration: 1 hours 30 minutes
Dial In Number: 1-800-889-1954
#Ports/Lines: 15
Conference Code/Passcode: 45194#
Audio Features: Tone Entry
Service Level: Unattended

To contact Marilyn Billone, call 1-703-648-5658 or,
send a message to this address: mabillon@usgs.gov

ITAC membership email abbreviation:   GS-W ITAC

Attendees:

The following members attended today's cyber conference call:

Agenda and Discussion Notes:

Discussion before meeting about My Documents: If you're using two IDs -- one with administrative rights and one without -- and you are converting documents, it doesn't work across Windows. Terri Moore will talk to Paul Exter about this.

1. Membership
2. Charter Overview
3. Communications
4. Goals for 2006
5. Action Items
6. Next call
7. Oklahoma Meeting

Pre-meeting Agenda and Discussion Topics from Jim Nicholas (1/27/06)

Membership (See updated online listing.)

• Athena Clark, AL WSC Director, is replacing Jeff Stoner.
• Kym Burns, WICAS, will be replacing Marilyn Billone as Executive Secretary, to the extent that she is available. Kathy Long, OWI Secretary, will be Kym’s backup.

Charter Overview

• Leadership (p. 4 of Charter): ITAC members voted Donna Schiffer to take up Vice Chair role.
• Member: Primary responsibility of members is communicating with their constituents. It is recommended that each member pull relevant materials from overall minutes to share with their constituents.

Communications

• Jim’s thoughts: There are three channels of communicating ITAC issues:
• WSC --> WSC: ITAC needs to “beef this up;” will communicate via RCSer.
• WSC --> WRD: ITAC is supposed to recommend things to Bob Hirsch—expenditures, standardized practices, etc.; it’s a bit more formal. Through RCSer, or through Katherine; it’s important for Katherine to be able to communicate to Bob Hirsch on how to prioritize IT needs. We need to be mindful of this.
  Recommendations: Similar to what Jim Steverson put together for presenting to Bob Hirsch, via Katherine Lins to Kevin Gallagher, GIO.
• WSC --> GIO: We’re fortunate that were getting GIO to fit in, via Kevin Gallagher. Paul Exter is also in the midst of this. Katherine also serves on GIO Leadership team, where she can communicate IT issues through Kevin—formally and informally. We can follow through on requests for WSCs to “do things.”
• Action Item – Identify what level of communication; who will be doing it is important; need to link with someone who really “owns” the issue. Needs to be accurate and understandable.

Discussion:

• It’s good, as to how we handle action items, using white papers, etc.
• It’s “right on”; goals are consistent with what they expect to be doing.
• It’s a good way to refresh new members.
• The term “white paper” can be a bit “off-putting.”

Goals for 2006

• Goal 1—Identify and address emerging IT issues
  • NHDplus

  Discussion: Our interactions with GIS folks in Water could be better. Efforts are being duplicated. Can Sonja Sebree step up to represent GIS community, or should we add a GIS member?

Jan27.2006.Telecon.1: Sandy Williamson will ask Curtis Price or Sonja Sebree offline about better representation of GIS community.

Should ITAC have a role in trying to improve the coordination between IT users and map servers? There is a GIS interest group. We can check into how we interact with them, and what portals are out there. Is there a point of contact for IT/GIS issues? Members can ask their GIS people about this, and ask what they think of issues.

• Establish communication with other Water IT interest groups (ICOM, SUNTAC, FCIG, NWIS user groups)

Discussion: One from each group would probably be sufficient. Need to know issues they should be talking about. There is some overlap with ICOM and ITAC. This should be in our goals. Need to dentify all of these groups, and increase the communication both ways.

Any volunteers to “make first cut” on this?

Jan27.2006.Telecon.2: Donna Schiffer will draft a communication to WATER IT interest groups, using the Web site page that lists all the different committees.

• Goal 2—Strategically plan/coordinate WRD system configuration and implementation

Discussion: ITAC Charter was established in a different computing environment. Need to redefine; it’s basically advising WRD. Recommend the charter be discussed at next ITAC.

• Institutionalize mobile computing environment

Discussion: Need to “wordsmith” differently. Field computer interest groups seem to be more focused on PDA topics, rather than on laptops. Need to identify needs for out in the field; Donna Schiffer can help in this area.

• Advocate for DRGS – ongoing.

• Goal 3—Represent/communicate with different parts of organization

Summary of Goals Discussion: Goal 1 is okay as labeled, as long as all understands. Goal 2 is more of an out-year focus—what we see coming up. Some areas of Goal 2 can move into Goal 3. Operational, long-term/strategic planning, communication issues – to be tabled. Have to see how involved ITAC will get; need to weigh in, but have to be careful how we go about it. Goal 1 – encompasses broad IT issues; Goal 2 includes Water IT issues. How should they be organized? (Suggested new topic for goals: Separating security for laptops.)

Donna Hector-Sabin brought forth a recommendation from Alice Waxman (CT WSC) – Include AD in Goals; put into Goal 1; put Wireless under Goal 3. We have little control over these issues. CTOs make decisions on this stuff; ITAC is not asked to “weigh in” on this. It’s hard to get in on teams or groups for these issues. ITAC has had opportunity to communicate. Jim Nicholas will put both under Goal 3 and rephrase.

If anyone wants additional goals, please send them to Jim Nicholas.

Procedures for agenda items for face-to-face meetings

• Use “white paper” to (1) outline issue (2) state options (3) provide recommendation.

Discussion: ITAC can go case by case, with each agenda item.

Use background summary paper to bring topic before ITAC. Need to confirm topics prior to meetings. Whoever is doing communication will need this paper to help them. This will be discussed at next meeting.

• Next call
• Next teleconference will be Fri., 2/10/06 , 11:00 a.m. Eastern time. Kym Burns will send out a Lotus Notes Invitiation to ITAC.

• Oklahoma Meeting
• Date & place for next meeting: Oklahoma City , OK , 3/28-30/06; with travel on Monday, 3/27/06 , and wrap-up on noon , Thurs., 3/30/06 .
• Jim Nicholas will work with Jess Griffin on setting up meeting.
• Jim Nicholas said to send any agenda items to him for the OK meeting; they’ll be discussed at the next teleconference. (Teleconferences mostly go through action items and agenda items.)

• Action Items were reviewed

Jeff Stoner expressed a heartfelt “good-bye” to all, and “good luck” to Jim Nicholas as the new Chair.

Jim Nicholas expressed his sincere appreciation for Jeff Stoner’s leadership as ITAC Chair, and for Marilyn Billone’s service to ITAC as Executive Secretary.

Meeting adjourned at 12:50 p.m.

Action Items:

Jan27.2006.Telecon.1: Sandy Williamson will ask Curtis Price or Sonja Sebree offline about better representation of GIS community.

2/10/06 update -- Will update next call.
3/13/06 update -- Defer to Oklahoma

Jan27.2006.Telecon.2: Donna Schiffer will draft a communication to WATER IT interest groups, using the Web site page that lists all the different committees.

2/10/06 update --WIll investigate further. Donna does not think there are many more than what is listed on the pages.
3/13/06 update -- Complete, but will be discussed more in Oklahoma.

USGS :: ITAC :: Water :: Water Intranet :: WICAS

Address questions or comments to:

Kym Burns, ITAC Executive Secretary
(703) 648-5609