The first item on the agenda was the review of the proposed Interagency Service Agreement (ISA) and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The ISA is designed to control the relationship among ASU, ASM and SHPO with respect to AZSITE financial activities. The MOA establishes the core members' (ASM, ASU, MNA and SHPO) responsibilities regarding the operation and administration of AZSITE. After some minor alterations in the wording of each document, both were agreed upon and will be submitted to each institution's legal offices.

Temporary AZSITE user license applications and confidentiality agreements were circulated and discussed. It was suggested that there be two applications requiring signature and approval prior to anyone being allowed access to the online database. The first is an agency license agreement. An authorized representative of each agency requesting access to AZSITE signs this agreement and in doing so takes responsibility for enforcing the rules governing the dissemination and confidentiality of information retrieved from AZSITE. The second application is an individual user account request form. This must be signed by the applicant and countersigned by the agency representative who signed the license application. Individual user account request forms will also be required for all researchers requesting AZSITE access.

Authorized users will be allowed online access to a database that contains only those records that are within the boundaries of those land managing agencies that have chosen to participate in AZSITE. Personnel in agencies that have chosen not to participate, may get access to the database, but records from those agencies’ lands will not be viewable.

AZSITE has progressed sufficiently to allow core and participating land managing agencies to "field test" the online database search feature. This field-testing (primarily by BLM and Forest archaeologists) will require individuals to obtain a temporary AZSITE user license application and submit the completed form to Peter McCartney at ARI. Upon approval, a user name and password will be assigned that allows access to AZSITE via the web page: http://archaeology.la.asu.edu/azsite.

Several methods for deriving user access fees have been discussed including:

1. A flat annual fee that includes "X" hours of access and then "X" dollars for additional access time used.
2. A sliding scale annual fee based in part on an agency's past ASM site files usage. Each usage category would be allowed "X" hours of access. There would an additional charge for additional access time.
3. A flat per hour usage fee. Each agency has open access to the online database and is billed monthly/quarterly/annually for the amount of time they were connected to AZSITE.
4. Having core institution personnel perform record searches for any agency. Core institutions may charge a records search fee.

No dollar amount has yet been determined for access fees as the consortium is still analyzing and calculating the per annum cost of AZSITE's operation and maintenance.

The Standalone Data Entry form is downloadable from the AZSITE homepage. This form is currently being used by the core agencies to populate AZSITE. No password is necessary to download the blank database form and the consortium invites all potential AZSITE participants to use and provide feedback on its completeness and efficiency or lack there of. There is a set of data entry and digitizing instructions online that will facilitate your use of the database and insure all data is recorded in a similar manner.

Each core agency will have access to an AZSITE Master Database that allows access to all records contained within AZSITE regardless of land jurisdiction. Each of the core agencies has administrative and mandated requirements that necessitate their access to all the records they currently hold. This database will not be accessible via public Internet connection. There was concern expressed at the meeting regarding each core agency's policy for allowing legitimate researchers and visiting scholars access to the Master Database. An initial plan for controlling access to information in the AZSITE Master Database was circulated. This plan described potential database users and what their information needs would be. The consortium members will be working to come to some mutual agreement on who has "in house" access to the Master Database.

The consortium is currently preparing an AZSITE funding package to present to the State Legislature. This package requests the State provide financial support for the long-term maintenance of AZSITE. It will request funding for permanent AZSITE administrative personnel and computer hardware and software update support for each of the core agencies. A preliminary proposal was circulated explaining the rationale behind AZSITE's request for state funding citing a 1995 Interim Study committee's recommendation that the State of Arizona develop an integrated interagency computerized cultural resource database that will provide information and graphic display of cultural resources and previously inspected area. This proposal included a projection of each core agency's personnel needs. Hardware and software requirements will be calculated and included in the final proposal.

6. Next meeting: Wednesday, November 25, 1998, 9:30 a.m. ARI, Tempe.