I'm covering this for the Board, and in the next few days I will be putting out
a formal motion for OSGeo to endorse it.
-mpg
From: board-boun...@lists.osgeo.org [mailto:board-boun...@lists.osgeo.org] On
Behalf Of David William Bitner
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 4:50 AM
To: OSGeo Discussions
Cc: OSGeo-Board List
Subject: [Board] Fwd: Request for your endorsement of GIS Amicus Letter re:
Sierra Club v Orange County
Dear OSGeo friends,
As has been discussed earlier on this list, the Sierra Club's case against
Orange County to try to open up county parcel basemap data under California
data practices laws is heading to the CA Supreme Court. Bruce Joffe has drafted
an Amicus Letter in support of the Sierra Club. I encourage the GIS
professionals on this list to consider individual support of this effort and
ask the Board to consider signing this letter as an organization.
Thank you,
David Bitner
-- Forwarded message --
From: Bruce Joffe gis.consulta...@joffes.com
Date: Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 10:22 PM
Subject: Request for your endorsement of GIS Amicus Letter re: Sierra Club v
Orange County
To: apa...@wakegov.com, bill.mo...@townofcary.org, bit...@dbspatial.com,
bra...@co.thurston.wa.us, bspat...@together.net, chris.woodw...@state.co.us,
chr...@zwebdesign.com, chuck.drin...@ewam-associates.com,
craig.par...@sbcglobal.net, cwo...@dhs.ca.gov, dia...@ci.fullerton.ca.us,
dmur...@ci.westminster.co.us, e...@msi.ic.ucsb.edu, g...@onda.org,
haydee.dabr...@cdph.ca.gov, jsack...@selcnc.org, jwhi...@stanford.edu,
l...@calmail.berkeley.edu, l...@berkeley.edu, lbl...@ksninc.com,
sunburned.surve...@redefinedhorizons.com, leanne.les...@colorado.edu,
leebe...@earthsystems.net, li...@prev.org
Dear Friends,
You have been stalwart supporters, advocating for our principles on
this important issue of vital concern to our GIS community. I thank you for
sending me your pre-endorsement of this GIS Amicus Letter, and hope you will
now co-sign this version as an individual, and perhaps also representing your
own organization.
You may pass this request along to other potential supporters.
Thank you,
Bruce
Dear Colleague,
I'm sure you know that Sierra Club is in the final phase of contest against
Orange County for access to its GIS-compatible parcel basemap. This case will
determine the applicability of the CA Public Records Act to GIS-based data.
Although Orange County prevailed in the Trial Court, and again in the Court of
Appeals, the case has been accepted for final resolution by the California
Supreme Court.
I count you among the overwhelming majority of GIS professionals who support
Sierra Club's lawsuit because you support unfettered access to our governments'
geodata. Now is your opportunity to influence the outcome of the case by
adding your name to the GIS Community Amicus Letter (attached) that will be
sent to the Court. The letter explains several GIS technicalities to the Court
and refutes misinformation proffered by Orange County. A large preponderance
of signatures will help convince the Court that OC's arguments do not represent
the normal standard of GIS professional knowledge and practice.
Please send me an email indicating your endorsement of the Amicus Letter, and I
will add your name as a co-signer.
* You may co-sign as an individual.
Please indicate your title and professional affiliation for
reference purposes. (The letter makes it clear that individuals' signatures
does not imply endorsement of their reference organization.)
IN ADDITION
* Please encourage your professional organizations to endorse
this Amicus Letter as an organization. Organizational endorsement makes a big
impression!
* Please ask your employer to endorse as well, if appropriate.
The Amicus Letter must be sent by February 24, so please send me your
endorsement as soon as you can.
With Anticipatory Thanks,
Bruce
_
Bruce Joffe, GISP
Organizer, Open Data Consortium project
c/o GIS Consultants
902 Rose Ave.
Piedmont, CA 94611
510-508-0213
gis.consulta...@joffes.com
_
P.S. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
I have sent out Amicus endorsement requests before. Previously:
83 people and organizations co-signed a GIS Amicus Letter asking the
Supreme Court to review this case ... and the Court agreed.
77 people and organizations co-signed a GIS Amicus Letter asking the
Court of Appeal to force Santa Clara County to provide its geodata under terms
of the PRA ... and the Court agreed.
65 people and organizations co-signed a request to the CA Attorney
General to determine whether Parcel boundary map data maintained by a county
in electronic format is subject to public inspection and copying under
provisions of the California Public Records Act. ... and the AG concurred.
