Governmental Units

Governmental Units are essentially legally documented and attributed jurisdictional boundaries. For Montana, the following Governmental Units are identified as possible elements in a framework data set:

1. State Boundary (1)
2. County Boundaries (56)
3. Incorporated Cities and Towns (130)
4. Federal American Indian Reservations (7)
5. School Districts (401)
6. Special Districts (777)

The first five categories are already available in one form or another primarily in the form of US Census Bureau TIGER Data. Many governmental unit boundaries also define rights and interests on the land and therefore have been identified by the Cadastral I-team as needing to be coincident with the statewide parcel layer and GCDB where appropriate. Some local governments also collect digital boundary data. Additionally, there are state statutes that pertain to boundaries that are being followed in various degrees of compliance. Census data is freely available but is not coincident (vertically integrated) with the cadastral data but is not coincident with the framework cadastral database or GCDB. Census data may be improved by incorporating state or local data for the 2010 census.

The conflict in spatial delineation between Census data and other digital boundary representations poses a dilemma that isn't easily resolved regarding the authoritative source of boundaries in Montana. This makes it difficult for GIS professionals to determine which boundary data sets to use. ITSD is working with Census, BLM, USGS and others to attempt to identify and resolve issues. For a more complete discussion of Government Unit issues, please go to the links listed below.

Map examples of boundary discrepancies

Relevant Montana Boundary Statute

Take a boundary survey

In order to resolve the issues relating to Governmental Units, and to meet the objectives, the Governmental Units I-team proposes the following action plan.

• Complete this strategic plan in draft form;
• Assemble a more comprehensive team of stakeholders;
• Rely upon CEIC to provide training and outreach related to the use of TIGER/Line data;
• Develop a US Census Bureau partnership that provides two-way communication on Governmental Units issues and works on vertical integration of state/federal governmental units for the 2008 US Census Bureau;
• Identify the priority special districts of overall statewide value;
• Develop the standards and data model design for the special districts data;
• Collect the base information for the special districts;
• Create the special districts data component of the Governmental Units Framework data theme;
• Move into the data integration, maintenance, and distribution life cycle for the special districts data. A phased prioritized plan for incorporation should be developed with agencies possessing information on database change;
• Develop an educational component that insures the appropriate use of both US Census Bureau and Montana boundary information.

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Status of Framework

The Government Units Framework is currently in its inaugural stage. Up until now elements of the framework have been created and loosely maintained by the US Census Bureau, USBIA, ITSD, or are nonexistent. With a recently received SBA Grant, ITSD now has funding to complete boundary conversion projects on School Districts, Incorporated Cities and Towns, and Special Districts (specifically Historic Districts). Winning the grant marks the beginning of ITSD's initiative to incorporate all recognized elements into the Montana Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI). The primary purpose of creating new data is to enhance data integrity.

A partnership project between the Montana Department of Administration, Information Technology Service Division, The US Census Bureau with assistance from other stakeholders has been established to revise existing (TIGER based) school district and municipal boundary (incorporated places). ITSD will then examine the results and implications of the revised boundary themes from a State perspective.

Future projects consist of the creation and population of a Government Unit Boundary Data Model. The data model is proposed to be developed in-house by ITSD staff and the Government Units I-team.

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Stewardship Contact Information

Theme Steward

Department of Administration, ITSD
Base Map Service Center
910 Helena Ave, Second Floor 2
Helena, MT 59620

Governmental Units Framework Theme Lead

Erin Geraghty
Department of Administration, ITSD
Base Map Service Center
910 Helena Ave, Second Floor 2
Helena, MT 59620
Fax: 406-444-1887
Phone: 406-444-1550
E-mail: egeraghty@mt.gov