Georgetown, Del., June 19, 2012: Sussex County’s efforts to merge property data with plats are putting the County on the map in the world of geographic information systems (GIS).

California-based Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc., also known as Esri, a leader in GIS software development, has named Sussex County among its 2012 recipients of the Special Achievement Award in GIS. The County will be recognized with other worldwide recipients at the Esri User Conference in July for outstanding work in GIS technology.

“It’s very flattering to be recognized for the work we’re doing,” said Megan Nehrbas, the County’s 911 Addressing/GIS Services manager. “We’re thrilled to work with this technology and to have earned the praise of our peers. But the real reward will be for the public being able to use these tools in the future to improve their understanding of the community they live in.”

Geographic information service is a field in which maps and databases are merged to give planners and the public the means to sort and analyze information for better decision making.

Sussex County is currently in the process of transferring more than 170,000 records into a new GIS system that will offer the public a map-based interface that will contain a wealth of knowledge, from tax and permitting information to land use and assessment data. Currently, the information is scattered among various County departments, and not tied together in a one-stop, easy-to-access format for the public.

The service is expected to be available to the public on the County’s website later this year.

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