GIS Day
Summary
GIS Day is an annual global event, held on the third Wednesday of November, celebrating geographic information systems technology. The City of Fairfax has developed a recurring participation in GIS Day events hosted at George Mason University, led by Planning Commissioner and GMU Professor Matt Rice. On November 12, 2024, Mayor Catherine S. Reed issued a proclamation designating November 20, 2024 as GIS Awareness Day in the City of Fairfax, recognizing the event's 25th anniversary under the theme "Mapping Minds Shaping the World." The 2024 event featured presentations by multiple city staff members and was attended by Chair Feather, the Mayor, and Chloe Ritter from multimodal transportation. The 2025 GIS Day event was similarly held on November 20, 2025 at George Mason University's Exploratory Hall (1–4 pm, with city presentations from approximately 3–4 pm), with city planning, GIS, and stormwater staff presenting; it was reported as a success at the November 24, 2025 meeting, and Rice noted at a December 2025 meeting that seven staff and leaders from the City of Fairfax participated. A related student project from George Mason students is pending final judging, with potential contributions to the city's Fact Book also noted.
Open questions & options on the table
- The GMU student GIS Day project is still under review (judging ongoing as of March 9, 2026); further discussion and results are deferred to a future meeting.
- Potential Fact Book content from George Mason students, noted after the 2025 event, has not yet been confirmed or finalized.
What members have said
Commissioner Rice (a GMU professor) has been the primary organizer of and advocate for the city's participation in GIS Day each year. For the 2024 event, he invited the public and colleagues to attend, described innovative city uses of GIS including stormwater infrastructure work, and thanked city staff — specifically Mr. Feather, Patrick Remsen, Maurice Ryu, and Amy Lynn Denny — for attending. For the 2025 event, he announced details at the October 27 and November 10, 2025 meetings, and afterward thanked city staff and a city intern for their contributions, noting potential Fact Book content from GMU students. In December 2025, he reported the session was 'really well received' with seven city staff and leaders attending.
Chair Feather attended both the 2024 and 2025 GIS Day events at George Mason University and assisted Rice in hosting city staff presenters. At the November 24, 2025 meeting, he congratulated Commissioner Rice on the success of the 2025 GIS Day event. He also noted helping to arrange the Mayor's 2024 proclamation recognizing GIS Day in the City of Fairfax.
Positions as recorded in meeting minutes; votes without recorded comment aren’t summarized.
Discussion time
Minutes of named discussion per transcribed meeting.
Full history
[10] Commissioner Rice announced GIS Day at George Mason University on November 20, 2025, from 1–4 pm, open to the public, with city staff presenting.
[11] Chair Feather congratulated Commissioner Rice on the success of the GIS Day event; Rice thanked city staff and a city intern for their contributions and noted potential Fact Book content from George Mason students.
Discussed alongside
Topics that come up in the same meetings.