News
Meet Gavin Jaravata, GIS Technician
Where are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in a small unincorporated area called Silverdale in Washington State. I crossed the Puget Sound to go to college in Seattle and decided to stay after graduating. What do you do at FLO? I’m a GIS technician working in the local government…
Ruth McColly, GISPWhat You Need to Know About Student Enrollment Forecasting
Student enrollment forecasts are critically important to all long-term planning efforts. They inform everything from staffing to school capacity planning. But how much do you really know about the forecasts you’re using? Here are the four things you need to know about student enrollment forecasting (no demography degree required!) to be the most strategic school…
Alex BraschSpatial Data Management Best Practices While Working Remote: What Local Governments Need to Know
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced an unprecedented number of local government employees to work from home. While very little is known about when they will be able to return to a physical workplace on a consistent basis, one thing is certain: the health of our communities depends on the vital services local governments provide. To…
Grant Herbert, GISPFLO’s Statement Against Racism
We must work to resist and reverse systemic racism in the communities where we live, work, and serve. We acknowledge that our society is built on systems and institutions that oppress Black people and Black communities. We have had the privilege of remaining silent, and now we commit to using our privilege to speak up…
Tyler VickWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in a small unincorporated area called Silverdale in Washington State. I crossed the Puget Sound to go to college in Seattle and decided to stay after graduating. What do you do...
Ruth McColly, GISPStudent enrollment forecasts are critically important to all long-term planning efforts. They inform everything from staffing to school capacity planning. But how much do you really know about the forecasts you’re using? Here are the four...
Alex BraschThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced an unprecedented number of local government employees to work from home. While very little is known about when they will be able to return to a physical workplace on a consistent basis, one thing is certain:...
Grant Herbert, GISPWe must work to resist and reverse systemic racism in the communities where we live, work, and serve. We acknowledge that our society is built on systems and institutions that oppress Black people and Black communities. We have had the...
Tyler VickWith the opening of FLO’s new office in Denver, Colorado, local governments, utilities, school districts, businesses, and nonprofits of the Rocky Mountain Region now have greater access to the GIS and data analytics services that can help...
Leora WernerFLO’s newest senior GIS analyst, Kate Doiron, has joined our growing East Coast team. We welcomed Kate in March, just a couple weeks prior to when the first stay-at-home orders were announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite beginning a...
Leora WernerStudent enrollment is the foundation of school planning, no matter a school district’s size. In this blog post, we draw back the curtain on our student enrollment forecasting process, so you can learn what student enrollment forecasting is...
Tyler VickIn May of 2020, the National League of Cities asked their state league affiliates to support the Cities Are Essential advocacy campaign by calling for direct federal aid for all local governments. As Connecticut is one of the country’s most...
John McKenzieA GIS needs assessment is a tool that any city or town can use to take stock of how GIS and data are currently being utilized, and to put some thought into how they would like to better utilize them in the future—to improve operations,...
Eric Sack, GISPAt the end of February, we announced the launch of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities GIS Consortium, a program that brings increased access to affordable GIS services for municipalities in Connecticut. Little did we know that less...
Kate DoironWhere are you from and where do you live now? Originally, I’m from Louisiana, but I’ve lived in enough cities that I feel I can certifiably say that I’m from nowhere and/or everywhere. I’ve spent just enough time in northern...
McKay LarrabeeFLO and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities created a web-mapping application to help Connecticut municipalities identify where in their communities the COVID-19 outbreak might present the greatest public health challenge. Explore...
John McKenzieAs the number of COVID-19 cases grows in our communities, we want to take a moment to reach out to our clients and friends and let you know how we’re working to be good neighbors and part of the solution to this outbreak, while continuing to...
Tyler VickWhere are you from and where do you live now? I spent my formative years on the western shores of Michigan’s lower peninsula. I made the move to Oregon for graduate school (go Beavers!) and have been in Portland ever since. What do you...
Jenny AxelrodWe are excited to announce the launch of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities GIS Consortium! This new program will bring increased access to affordable GIS services for municipalities in Connecticut. CCM created the GIS Consortium out...
John McKenzieWhere are you from and where do you live now? I was born and raised in Dunwoody, Georgia, and have lived in Portland, Oregon, since 2001. What do you do at FLO? I am a senior GIS analyst in the local government/utilities sector....
Grant Herbert, GISPEnrollment projections are the building blocks of effective school district planning. Only with detailed and accurate projections are districts able to site schools in the best possible location, future-proof school attendance area boundaries,...
Tyler VickWhere are you from and where do you live now? I am from Michigan (huge metropolis of Dimondale) by way of North Carolina (Asheville and Chapel Hill). I currently live in southeast Portland and love it! What do you do at FLO? I serve...
Jenny AxelrodGet to know the six new professionals who have joined the FLO team! Are you interested in working with us? For current job openings, please visit our online application...
Leora WernerWith the opening of FLO’s new office near Boston, Massachusetts, East Coast local governments, utilities, school districts, businesses, and nonprofits seeking bold and innovative solutions that will improve their communities now have greater...
Leora WernerThe Association of Washington Cities (AWC) GIS Consortium continues to gain members from all corners of Washington State, representing the diverse GIS and data needs of Washington communities large and small. Read on to learn about how FLO,...
Ruth McColly, GISPI've got some important questions for you: Do you rely on employees with the most experience and expertise to provide context for projects and historical knowledge about key assets? Are these employees your go-to resource for records and...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I was born and raised in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Washington). I had a few stints in New York and Texas in my younger years and traveled around and worked on the West Coast after graduate...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Iowa along the Mississippi River. I remember that there were a lot of cornfields, but I don’t like corn! So perhaps that wasn’t the ideal setting for me. My family moved to the...
Tyler VickJoin us for a presentation on the fundamentals of successful school district planning activities, focusing on enrollment forecasting, school siting, and boundary reviews. We will cover how to plan for these activities, how to do them, and why...
Jerry OelerichGet to know the newest members of the FLO team! Alison Guse, GIS technician, has a diverse background in GIS, environmental science, and environmental engineering. She has served as project manager for several air- and water-related...
Leora WernerAfter working with land trusts across the Northwest and with nonprofit land trust advocates Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts and Land Trust Alliance, senior GIS analyst Jenny Axelrod has some thoughts on how conservation organizations can use...
Jenny AxelrodTwo experienced GIS professionals have joined the FLO team—McKay Larrabee, senior GIS analyst, and Jenna Putnam, GIS technician. Both will lend their skills and experience primarily to our growing school district work. McKay is a North...
Leora WernerA version of this article was originally shared in the Washington State Chapter of the Urban and Regional information Systems Association (WAURISA) newsletter in fall 2018. Building the Data Pillager by Grant Herbert GIS are an...
Grant Herbert, GISPTwo new experienced GIS professionals have joined the FLO team—Elliot Frank and Jenny Elstrott. Elliot comes to us from the Big Apple, where he worked as a GIS aide at the New York City of Transportation, honing his skills in spatial...
Leora WernerWhere are you from and where do you live now? I’m originally from New Zealand, and now I live in Seattle, Washington. What do you do at FLO? I manage a number of Local Government and Utilities Sector projects, including those we...
Leora WernerCongratulations to Rachel Roberts, who was recently promoted to GIS Technician 2! Clients and FLO team members alike recognize Rachel’s commitment to excellence in her work, keen analytical perspective, and an ability to calmly juggle a host...
Jenny AxelrodAttendance area boundary updates are just like a "giant sudoku puzzle" as one Bend-La Pine Schools boundary update committee member recently put it. I couldn't agree more. Boundary updates are also complex, lengthy, and can be quite...
Tyler VickAt the Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council (IACC) Conference, senior GIS analysts Grant Herbert and Ruth McColly will be presenting on the nuts and bolts of GIS technology, its ability to manage assets, and considerations for...
Leora WernerThe Association of Washington Cities (AWC) and FLO partner to run the GIS Consortium, an AWC program that helps Washington cities and non-city entities (conservation districts, utility districts, and more) implement or improve the use of GIS....
Grant Herbert, GISPExtreme summer heat, mega forest fires, super storms and flooding—global climate change is already having a significant impact on communities and the environment across the United States, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. How...
Jenny AxelrodIn 2016, FLO joined a multidisciplinary team tasked with evaluating Pierce County’s existing land use policy for designating agricultural resource lands (ARL)—lands that “have long-term significance for the commercial production of food...
Jenny AxelrodCongratulations to North Clackamas School District on the new boundaries! It’s another boundary review success! After many months of hard work on the part of District staff and community members, the North Clackamas School Board approved new...
Jenny AxelrodThe Association of Washington Cities (AWC) and FLO partner to run the GIS Consortium, an AWC program that helps Washington cities and non-city entities (conservation districts, utility districts, and more) implement or improve GIS for their...
Ruth McColly, GISPWe are excited to welcome a new senior GIS analyst to our growing team! Ruth McColly comes to us with 12 years of professional GIS experience, both as a consultant and as an in-house GIS expert. Ruth’s extensive capabilities include...
Leora WernerThe 26th Annual GIS In Action Conference, hosted by the Columbia River Region of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) and the Oregon-Southwest Washington Chapter of the Urban and Regional Information Systems...
Leora WernerGeographic Information Systems (GIS) provide local government with tools to improve the lives of citizens through increasing internal efficiency, boosting citizen engagement, and improving the delivery of services. But when it comes to...
Grant Herbert, GISPAt some point during the year, most school districts will fall into one of these three areas: Thinking about planning a bond measure Attempting to pass a bond Trying make the most of the bond they just passed No matter which...
Tyler VickBefore we step into a new year, we’re taking a look back at some of our most popular news stories from 2017. Click on the links below to explore how we're helping school districts, government, utilities, non-profits, businesses, and more...
Leora WernerOrganizational sustainability. Important? We think so. Cities risk losing critical information when staff retire unless they focus on creating more sustainable data sharing systems within their organizations. One of the most common issues...
Leora WernerFLO and the Association of Washington Cities partner to run the GIS Consortium, an AWC program that helps Washington cities, counties, and special districts in Washington implement or improve GIS for their organization. Since the GIS...
Ruth McColly, GISPAre you using the best possible data and analytics for school district planning? Here are three essential tools you can use to make more confident, data-driven planning decisions. 1. Accurate student enrollment forecasting, by...
Tyler VickWelcome to the third and final part of our series on updating school attendance boundaries. As we covered in posts one and two, a successful boundary update is both data-driven and consensus-based. In other words, it’s made up of accurate...
Alex BraschWelcome to part two of our three-part series on school attendance area boundary reviews, where we’re taking a look at how school districts can successfully update boundaries with a consensus-based and data-driven approach. If you haven’t...
Tyler VickSchool may be out for the summer, but for district leaders, the work continues. Many superintendents, assistant superintendents, and business managers will spend the summer break planning for future enrollment growth, or developing strategies...
Jenny Axelrod