2026 Big Sky GeoCon - From Data to Design: Full Schedule

The Montana Association of Geographic Information Professionals (MAGIP) looks forward to your participation at this year’s 2026 Big Sky GeoCon!

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9:35am MDT

A Collaborative Partnership for Maintaining and Improving Parcel Data

Wednesday April 15, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am MDT

West Divide Room

The partnership between local governments and the Montana State Library for parcel data integration has continually evolved to support more efficient and accurate local contributions. Building on this collaboration, Butte-Silver Bow has enhanced its parcel stewardship by developing Python-based QA/QC tools that identify topology issues, duplicate geometries, geocode problems, and other inconsistencies before submission to the state. These scripted workflows improve local data quality and streamline integration with the statewide system. This presentation will highlight the history of the Butte-Silver Bow–Montana State Library partnership, recent technical advances, and the shared benefits of cooperative parcel data stewardship in Montana.

Presenters

Ross Carlson

City County Butte - Silver Bow

Ross Carlson is the GIS Coordinator for the consolidated city-county of Butte-Silver Bow. He studied GIS and Geography/Planning at the University of Montana and prior to joining BSB in 2023 spent over a decade at onX building ETL pipelines, scaling ArcGIS Enterprise in the Amazon... Read More →

Campbell Casseb

City-County of Butte-Silver Bow

Campbell Casseb - Campbell Casseb holds a B.S. in Urban Forestry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and an M.S. in Geography (GIS & Cartography) from Georgia State University. He has worked in academic and local government GIS roles, including supporting geospatial research... Read More →

Jeff Hedstrom

GIS Analyst, Montana State Library

Jeff Hedstrom is a GIS Analyst & the Cadastral Framework Theme Lead at the Montana State Library (MSL). His primary focus at MSL includes maintaining the Cadastral and CadNSDI datasets within the MSDI framework. He also maintains metadata collections and GIS applications pertaining... Read More →

Wednesday April 15, 2026 9:35am - 10:35am MDT
West Divide Room

Government

1:40pm MDT

The Modernized National Spatial Reference System is almost here!

Wednesday April 15, 2026 1:40pm - 2:10pm MDT

Alpine Room

NOAA's National Geodetic Survey (NGS) defines, maintains, and provides access to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), which is a common foundation for geospatial data that serves as the basis for civilian surveying and mapping in the United States. Changes in technology and a better understanding of the dynamic earth have made it necessary to improve the NSRS to be of better use for modern applications. Currently, NGS is in the process of modernizing the NSRS, updating the existing horizontal datums with a suite of geometric reference frames and the vertical datums with a gravimetrically-derived geopotential datum.

Presenters

Brian Shaw

Rocky Mountain Regional Advisor, NOAA's National Geodetic Survey

Brian Shaw is NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey Rocky Mountain Regional Advisor. He began his career at NGS in 2002 and has a BS in Computer Science and an MS in Geographic Information Systems and he emphasizes how surveying and GIS depend on geodesy as a frame of reference for location... Read More →

Wednesday April 15, 2026 1:40pm - 2:10pm MDT
Alpine Room

Government

2:10pm MDT

BIA GIS Standards: Ensuring Consistent Forest Cover Data

Wednesday April 15, 2026 2:10pm - 2:40pm MDT

Alpine Room

This presentation mandates annual updates to the Forest Cover Type (FCT) dataset and centralized storage in the BIA Enterprise portal. It defines data standards, standardized workflows, and staff training to ensure integrity, accuracy, and efficient collection, processing, and sharing. FCT supports the Regional Forest Management Plan, reflecting evolving inventories, management goals, and past actions. Originally developed regionally (2003–2018) and revised notably in 2013–2014 using NAIP imagery, the protocol consolidates update procedures and user instructions for field and office contributors.

Presenters

Ken Bixby

Regional Geospatial Coordinator, Department of Interior- Rocky Mountain Regional Office

I like to hunt, fish, and other outdoor activities. I really like talking about my 49ers, Celtics, and San Fran Giants. With work related, I like talking about AGOL, Collector, SDE Server (learning), parcel data, Metes and Bounds (COGO), and spatial analysis.

Wednesday April 15, 2026 2:10pm - 2:40pm MDT
Alpine Room

Government

4:20pm MDT

Challenges in Small Local Government GIS Operations

Wednesday April 15, 2026 4:20pm - 4:50pm MDT

West Divide Room

Discussing the challenges and freedoms that come with working as a solo GIS department. Highlighting asset management, empowering staff, growth policy, current projects.

Presenters

Kevin Fitzgerald

GIS Coordinator, City of Whitefish

GIS Coordinator for the City of Whitefish. Previously worked at Montana State University Facilities in Bozeman.

Wednesday April 15, 2026 4:20pm - 4:50pm MDT
West Divide Room

Government, AEC/Asset Management/Utilities

2026 Big Sky GeoCon - From Data to Design

9:35am MDT

Ross Carlson

Campbell Casseb

Jeff Hedstrom

1:40pm MDT

Brian Shaw

2:10pm MDT

Ken Bixby

4:20pm MDT

Kevin Fitzgerald

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