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<p>A manager who shepherded Luzerne County government&#8217;s switch from paper maps to a digital system a decade ago is departing for a job in the private sector.</p><p>David Skoronski, the county&#8217;s GIS (Geographic Information Systems) director since April 2006, said he will wrap up his county employment Sept. 8.</p><p>Skoronski received $59,914, and the position has been advertised at a salary of $55,000 to $59,000.</p><p>His replacement will oversee all county computerized mapping programs, the department and a staff of five. Applicants must have a bachelor&#8217;s degree in computer science, computer information systems or a related field with an emphasis in GIS techniques.</p><p>At least seven years of GIS project management experience and familiarity with a range of software programs also is required. Sept. 12 is the application deadline, according to the posting on the <a href="https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/luzernecounty" target="_blank">career opportunities page</a> at www.luzernecounty.org.</p><p>Prior county commissioners originally bought the GIS program for approximately $1 million to help with the countywide reassessment that took effect in 2009, but they asked Skoronski to add data for other departments because the system had so much useful potential.</p><p>Among the offices that use the program in addition to the assessor&#8217;s office, according to Skoronski: planning/zoning, 911, voter services, emergency management, the sheriff&#8217;s department, and road and bridge.</p><p>The system shows boundary lines and tax/ownership information for more than 165,000 parcels in the county, Skoronski said.</p><p>Setting up the program was a challenge because thousands of boundary lines hadn&#8217;t been properly pinpointed on the county&#8217;s 1,400 paper maps, requiring additional research of deeds and survey books, some on crumbling records dating to the mid-1800s.</p><p>The printed versions had to be scanned, &#8220;stitched together&#8221; and resized for consistency to create the countywide digital map, he said.</p><p>Accurate property boundary lines were crucial because they are the foundation for &#8220;layers&#8221; of data loaded into the system. Building footprints continue to become more precise due to periodic aerial photography.</p><p>The digital system also aids economic development because it quickly generates records for developers and parties involved in buying and selling property, officials have said.</p><p>Humble and content to remain behind the scene, Skoronski downplayed his importance.</p><p>&#8220;It always was a team effort,&#8221; said the Fairmount Township resident.</p><p>Much of his focus lately has been on the creation of an online mapping portal that will allow the public free access to the system&#8217;s basic property information.</p><p>The digital map will never be finished because parcels in the 900-square-mile county are constantly changing hands, consolidating and subdividing, Skoronski said.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a moving target. It&#8217;s dynamic,&#8221; he explained.</p><p>Skoronski said he viewed his county employment as an opportunity to maximize a publicly funded asset.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m a taxpayer. I want fiscal responsibility,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Luzerne County GIS Director David Skoronski, who recently accepted a private-sector position, works on the county&#8217;s conversion from paper maps to a digital system in this file photo. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_skoronski.jpeg</photo0><caption0>Luzerne County GIS Director David Skoronski, who recently accepted a private-sector position, works on the county&#8217;s conversion from paper maps to a digital system in this file photo. </caption0><photoCredit0>File photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jennifer Learn-Andes</p><p>jandes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Luzerne County government mapping pro leaving for new position