(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson County Conference Board this week voted to purchase a new aerial mapping system for the county.
County Assessor Pat Dodds requested the updated aerial mapping, saying she likes to have update aerial photography every five years to assist in determining valuations. She says the last time the aerials were updated was in the spring of 2002. Dodds adds a lot has changed in the lakes area since then.
Dodds says the aerial photos will become one layer in a series of different types of maps that can be used not only by her office, but others as well.
For instance, Dodds says the city of Spirit Lake is in the process of mapping its water distribution system, and the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary Sewer District is mapping its mains. She says the goal is to be able to overlap those layers and share them among the various governmental entities in the county.
The Sidwell Company, which has done similar projects in the past for Dickinson county, was awarded the contract for 50,600-dollars.
Dodds says the new aerial photos won’t be taken until 2009, but they had to act now to take advantage of a special.
