Mapping Millcreek
How Matt Puda is using GIS technology to shape the future of the Township
For Matt, all of it is personal. Millcreek isn’ t just where he works. It’ s where he lives.“ What I love most about the work I do is how I can make an impact on the community that I also call home. Every day I am challenged to learn something new, bringing my skills as the Geospatial Systems Administrator to better the Township that means so much to me.” illcreek
MILLCREEK TOWNSHIP NEWS
If you’ ve ever pulled up the GIS Property Viewer on the Millcreek Township website to check your zoning district, find a nearby park, or look up parcel information, you’ ve already experienced Matt Puda’ s work firsthand. As Millcreek’ s Geospatial
Systems Administrator, Matt is the person behind the maps, and much more besides.“ Every day is different as a Geospatial Systems Administrator,” Matt says.“ I coordinate with the various Township departments to help create plans and track assets. I multi-task on several projects at a time, including but not limited to upgrading Geographic Information Systems( GIS) software, collecting and creating new data, designing maps, and running geospatial analysis.”
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That coordination spans the full breadth of Township operations, from Parks and Recreation to Planning and Development to the Police Department. Each department has its own data needs, its own assets to track, its own decisions to make. Matt works across all of them, helping translate raw information into something useful and actionable.
Most of that work happens in the office, but Matt also heads into the field when the work calls for it.“ Occasionally I will go out of the office to gather data with a GPS unit,” he says. It’ s a blend of technology, analysis, and on-the-ground data collection that keeps every part of the Township connected and informed.
Getting that data into the hands of residents has also been a priority. The GIS Property Viewer on the Millcreek Township website is one example of that effort in action, giving anyone the ability to explore zoning districts, parks, parcels, and more.
It’ s the kind of transparency that helps residents understand their community and engage with their local government in a meaningful way.