We are all familiar with the OneURISA deadline looming. Georgia's URISA Chapter will be meeting to discuss OneURISA in Atlanta. All GISAA members are invited to attend. Please register at the following website:
https://www.gaurisa.org/events/oneurisa-discussion/
The intent of the meeting is summed up in the email included below from President Tim Poe to all Georgia members. I will be attending as our Chapter has vested interest in OneURISA, both it's pros and cons, and National URISA President, Kim McDonald, will be in attendance to answer questions.
Thanks,
Hunter Simmons
Happy New Year Colleagues,
Georgia URISA is at a significant fork in the road for our organization and we need your input on which direction you as a chapter member want to move forward. Our January 15th lunch and learn at GEMHSA is a public chapter discussion about our choice of paths prior to opening voting to select a path.
The diverging paths boil down to these options:
1) A chapter vote for an increase to our professional membership dues to $235 a year ($195 for URISA International professional membership plus $40 for GA URISA) payable directly to the International. This represents a choice for Georgia to go forward with the OneURISA plan.
2) A chapter vote to not increase our dues. This would be a vote not to move forward with the OneURISA Plan.
There are different ‘sale prices’ and other things being discussed by URISA International that we will also discuss.
Opinion of the Georgia URISA Board
Your chapter leaders have had extensive conversations with many international past presidents, many international board members, presented in-person at the International Board meeting at GIS Pro this year on this topic, conversations with other chapter leaders, and a considerable amount of due diligence by the GA URISA Board members. The Georgia URISA board does not recommend adopting OneURISA and believes it will severely impair the ability of the chapter to provide you the value proposition to which you are accustomed while eliminating the flexibility to increase that value proposition in the future.
Rest assured a no vote is not an end to this organization. Georgia URISA has provided an excellent value proposition to our members in the form of education, outreach, advocacy, and service since 1990. Regardless if you are in leadership roles or a student just beginning your career, Georgia URISA has something to offer you. It is this board’s intention to increase that value proposition to you for many years to come.
We do ask that you attend our January lunch and learn to hear more about this topic to make the most informed decision for our future as an organization. Voting is scheduled to be online the week of January 20th. You will need to be a current member of Georgia URISA member to vote. Your vote will be confidential. This vote is very significant and sets a path for our organization. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any board member to ask us questions. We are here to serve the Geospatial professional community in Georgia and its citizens.
Best,
Regards,
Tim Poe, GISP, MBA, MSIS
President Georgia URISA
