GIS has proven its value, will continue to help county
The new GIS system used in Franklin County has already proven its value.
Following the tornado in April, county officials were able to assist area residents by providing useful information to cut through red tape. The officials were able to assist state and federal agencies as they tried to assess the damage caused by the storm.
It is hard to imagine what the county would still be like if it did not have this valuable resource at its disposal.
Fortunately David Palmer and other county officials saw the benefit of such a system and set out to make it a reality in Franklin County. Through their efforts, the county qualified for a grant to pay a salary for a full-time employee to gather the information, log it into the system and keep it updated.
In addition to its assisting with disaster relief, the system provides officials with a variety of data in a matter of minutes.
The Franklin County Times extends its appreciation to Palmer and all the other county officials who had the vision and dedication to make the GIS system a reality in Franklin County.