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Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado Volume 41, Issue 1
February 2010
LESSONSFROM SURVEYINGDOWNTURNS OF THE PAST
– page 7
SIDE SHOTS • 3
PPrrooffeessssiioonnaall LLaanndd SSuurrvveeyyoorrss ooff CCoolloorraaddoo,, IInncc..
AFFILIATE—NATIONAL SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORS
MEMBER—COLORADO ENGINEERING COUNCILMEMBER—WESTERN FEDERATION OF
PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORS
OOFFFFIICCEERRSS ((22000099))
Tom T. AdamsPresident
1210 24th Lane • Pueblo, CO 81006O: (719) 546-5454 F: (719) 546-5414
Michael M. GreerVice President
7174 Union Street • Arvada, CO 80004O: (303)271-8787 F: (303) 271-8706
Diana E. AskewExecutive Director/Secretary-Treasurer
PO Box 704 • Conifer, CO 80433H: (303) 838-7577 F: (303) 838-7179
22000099 PPLLSSCC CCHHAAPPTTEERR OORRGGAANNIIZZAATTIIOONN
CCEENNTTRRAALL CCOOLLOORRAADDOO PPRROOFFEESSSSIIOONNAALL SSUURRVVEEYYOORRSSPresident Joe Conway: 303-586-6411 (O)
Vice President, James “JJ” Rihanek; Secretary, Norm SimonsonTreasurer, Aaron Willis
Directors: Earl Henderson, Jim Beatty, Rob Snodgrass, Chris Rami,Jim Holben, Warren Ruby, Shawn Clarke
NNOORRTTHHEERRNN CCHHAAPPTTEERR -- PPLLSSCC,, IINNCC..President: Ron Perkins: 970-420-5542 (O)
President-elect: Carl Sumpter; Secretary/Treasurer, Rob HintzDirectors: Bennie Salgado, Laine Landau, Bob Edmonds,
Steve Varriano
NNOORRTTHHWWEESSTT 11//44 CCOOLLOORRAADDOO LLAANNDD SSUURRVVEEYYOORRSS
President: Gordon Dowling 970-276-3613 (O)Vice President, John C. Noonan; Secretary/Treasurer, Brian T. Kelly
Directors: Thomas H. Effinger, Jeffry A. Gustafson
SSOOUUTTHHEERRNN CCOOLLOORRAADDOO PPRROOFFEESSSSIIOONNAALL LLAANNDD SSUURRVVEEYYOORRSS
President Mark Johannes: 719/633-8533 (O)Vice President: Joe Alessi; Secretary: Bill Brooks;
Treasurer: Daniel HantenDirectors: Nathan Lira, Mike Mincic, Dennis Craig,
Steve Parker Mike Bouchard
SSOOUUTTHHWWEESSTTEERRNN CCHHAAPPTTEERR -- PPLLSSCC,, IINNCC..President Tom E. Au: 970/385-0563 (O)
Vice President, Clyde J. King; Secretary, Robert L. TrudeauxTreasurer, David L. Sieler
WWEESSTTEERRNN CCOOLLOORRAADDOO LLAANNDD SSUURRVVEEYYOORRSSPresident Tom Sylvester: [email protected]
Vice President: Richard Bullen; Sec’y-Treas.: Brian BowkerDirectors: Leslie Doehling, Patrick Green, Jonathan Kobylarz,
Dennis Shellhorn, Scott Thompson, Peter Krick and Mike Drissel
CCOOLLOORRAADDOO SSPPAATTIIAALL RREEFFEERREENNCCEE NNEETTWWOORRKKPresident: Dan Smith: 303-512-4401
Vice President, Brian Dennis; Secretary, Jan Sterling; Treasurer, Todd Beers
Directors: Matthew Barr, Pam Fromhertz, Lawrence deVries, Jack Sparks, Daniel Akin
Side Shots is the official publication of the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc. and is published quarterly for the betterment of the surveying profession.
Tom T. Adams Michael GreerPresident Vice President
For Editorial Correspondence, contact:John B. Guyton
Editor: Side Shots3825 Iris Ave., Boulder, CO 80301
303-443-7001 • [email protected] publication is not copyrighted and articles may be reprinted with due credit.
Statements made and opinions expressed are from the contributors and do not necessarily express the official views of the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc.
Deadlines for editorials, articles, pictures and advertising are January 1, April 1,July 1 and October 1. All material received after the current deadline will appear
in the next issue of Side Shots.
We would like to invite anyone who is interested to advertise in Side Shots. Do you have something you want to sell, trade or buy? Why not use Side Shots for your
next ad? We can also reproduce business cards for advertising. Ad space reservation must bearranged with Diana Askew, PO Box 704 Conifer, CO 80433; 303-838-7577. Ad copy may be
sent to: [email protected] before the editorial deadline (January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1).
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SIDE SHOTSF e b r u a r y J o u r n a l 2 0 1 0
Volume 41 Number 1
� President’s Letter ........................................................4
� From the Editor ...........................................................5
� Lessons from Surveying Downturnsof the Past ..................................................................7
� Control Points – Logarithms ......................................12
� Rues of the Game: The Four-Year Degree Standard for Surveying’s Recognition as a Profession ..........................................................13
� BLM Cadastral Letter .................................................15
� CCPS Annual Meeting andConference Announcement ......................................16
� Letter to the PLSC .....................................................18
� Help Wanted: Renew Your SurveyingLicense on Time.........................................................19
� Legislative Committee News......................................19
� PLSC Annual Meeting Highlights...............................20
� Chapter News ...........................................................21
� Sustaining Members .................................................26
SIDE SHOTS • 4
DEDICATED TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF LAND SURVEYING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE.
Dear Fellow Members:
Happy New Year. I hope 2010 yields more business and a strongfinancial recovery for everyone. The 2009 Fall Technical Sessionand Annual Membership Meeting was a success. I know that manyof our fellow surveyors are either out of work or getting by on muchless work right now. Thank you to all who were able to participatedespite these tough economic times.
Congratulations to all who won an award at the meeting, including Thomas Sylvester(Surveyor of the Year), Warren Andrews and Ed Bristow (Citizen Surveyors), Roger Nel-son and Pamela Fromhertz (Distinguished Service) and Dan Corcoran and CharlesAdams (Appreciation). Thanks to you all for your hard work and dedicated service to thePLSC.
The Legislative committee has been working hard to improve some of the statute lan-guage regarding land surveying. A recently-proposed addition was to increase the mini-mum standards for licensure.
A proposed bill included some additional requirements to be able to take the PLS examincluding the following:
• 20 years of progressive experience with no education beyond high school (vs. the cur-rent 10-year requirement);
• Board-approved college credit hours in Geodesy, Boundary Law, and Computation and12 years progressive experience. This was added to lessen the 20 year requirement bygetting a minimum amount of education that many believe is needed for a land survey-or to be able to practice;
• A 4-year non-surveying degree plus board-approved college credit hours in Geodesy,Boundary Law, and Survey Computation and 6 years progressive experience. Again,this helps to lessen the requirements for 20 years of experience for a surveyor whomay already have a college education.
The above changes are in addition to the current 2-year surveying degree and experi-ence path, the 4-year engineering degree with experience, and the 4-year nonboard-approved surveying degree with experience.
It was decided that we might wait to propose most of the changes until the next sunset,which is in 2013. The legislative committee kept the proposed 20 years in the newchanges. 20 years, it is thought, will encourage survey interns to get more education,which is also more in parallel with the standards for professional engineering. You mayreview the standards for engineers to become licensed by examination and experience(no college degree) under C.R.S. 12-25-112(4) and 12-25-114(3).As you can see, the proposed bill would require either a minimum amount of college-level coursework, or a great deal of time and experience. A couple of states have deter-mined that land surveyors are not professionals because they do not require higher edu-
PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYORS OF COLORADO, INC.P.O. Box 704, Conifer, CO 80433
AFFILIATE - NATIONAL SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORSMEMBER - COLORADO ENGINEERING COUNCIL
MEMBER- WESTERN FEDERATION OF PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORSOFFICERS (2009-2010)
MICHAEL M. GREERVICE PRESIDENT
7174 UNION STREETARVADA, CO 80004H: (303) 279-5452O: (303) 271-8787F: (303) 271-8375
TOM ADAMSPRESIDENT
1210 24TH LANEPUEBLO, CO 81006H: (719) 296-8262O: (719) 546-5454F: (719) 546-5410
JOHN B. GUYTONPAST PRESIDENTWFPS DELEGATEFLATIRONS, INC.
3825 IRIS AVENUE, STE. 395BOULDER, CO 80301
O: (303) 443-7001F: (303) 443-9830
DIANA E. ASKEWEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SECRETARY-TREASURERP.O. BOX 704 CONIFER, CO. 80433
H: (303) 838-7577F: (303) 838-7179
DIRECTORS (2007-2010)
DOUGLAS R. BERLING11536 COMMUNITY CENTER DR, #87NORTHGLENN, CO 80233H: (303) 252-1861F: (303) 252-1863
MICHEAL BOUCHARD929 CLIMAX LANEPUEBLO, CO 81006H: (719) 542-8055O: (719) 590-9194F: (719) 590-9111
RUSSELL CLARKCLARK LAND SURVEYING INC.119 NORTH WAHSATCH AVENUECOLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80903O: (719) 633-8533F: (719) 633-8822
ROGER D. NELSON19014 E. VASSAR DRIVEAURORA, CO 80013O: (303) 353-3916C: (303) [email protected]
DIRECTORS (2009-2012)
DAVID FREIENMUTHPO BOX 497DURANGO, CO. 81302O: (970) 385-6891F: (970) [email protected]
GARY D. GABLE6538 VIVIAN STREETARVADA, CO 80004H: (303) [email protected]
PATRICK GREENLANDesign2045 S. BROADWAYGRAND JUNCTION, CO 81507O: (970) [email protected]
STAN VERMILYEA9658 TOWNSVILLE CIRCLEHIGHLANDS RANCH, CO 80130H (303) 471-8460O: (303) 796-4640C: (303) [email protected]
WFPS DELEGATE (2007-2008)
DAVID C. DIFULVIOFARNSWORTH GROUP8055 EAST TUFTS AVENUE, SUITE 850DENVER, CO 80237O: (303) 692-8838F: (303) [email protected]
NSPS GOVERNOR (2007-2008)
WARREN D. WARDP.O. BOX 653 FRASER, CO 80442H: (970) 887-0462O: (970) 725-3347F: (970) [email protected]
SIDE SHOTS • 5
ATTENTION: Did you receive yourLSI or PLS in 2008 or 2009? If so,as a well deserved welcome to ourprofession, you are entitled to acomplementary (free!) one-yearmembership in the PLSC. OurExecutive Director, Diana Askew,may have already sent you an emailwith a special code for your comple-mentary membership. If you haven’tclicked through to complete theapplication, please find that emailand do so – it takes only a minute ortwo. You also get to choose yournearest local PLSC Chapter, also forfree. Our chapters have meetingsthat are good for networking, social-izing, and for educational opportuni-ties. Please give it a try – most peo-ple who do join become regular par-ticipants and find it to be a rewardingand ongoing relationship with theirfellow surveying professionals andwith the PLSC organization.
This issue includes an article byyours truly, based on the idea thatsome of our most senior and sea-soned PLSC members have seenseveral economic downturns overthe course of their careers, and justmight have learned something fromthem that would be good for us tohear right now. While no two reces-sions are quite alike, the storieswere interesting, and the advicevery practical. There was also acertain degree of hope for the futurefor those of us in the surveying busi-ness. I hope you find it interesting.
We are also reprinting an article onthe controversial topic of requiring a4-year college degree in surveyingto attain legal and public recognitionthat we are, indeed, part of a trueprofession. The author is Dr. DavidGibson, who is an advisor to theMetropolitan State College of Den-
ver’s surveying program. The pub-lisher of Professional Surveyor mag-azine was kind enough to allow usto reprint this in Side Shots. Thisincludes some very interesting courtrulings in Florida, Kentucky andMaine, and is well worth consideringas the Board and the LegislativeCommittee deliberate over whatwould be best for Colorado in thefuture.
I also wish every-one a very happyand prosperousNew Year.
JB GuytonEditor
FF RR OO MM TT HH EE EE DD II TT OO RR
cation. You may read more about this in Dr. Gibson’sarticle in this issue of Side Shots. The larger questionbecomes, of course, whether this sort of minimum edu-cation should be required to adequately protect the pub-lic. Some arguments for such a change include:
• GPS is currently becoming a standard land-measuringmethod for surveyors. It is theorized that you reallyshouldn’t be using GPS to measure, if you don’t havea basic understanding in geodesy.
• Boundary Law is, of course, extremely important tounderstand if you are going to set boundary corners.Boundary retracement as opposed to original surveysis probably the primary practice of land surveyorstoday. Understanding boundary law is arguably some-thing that the professional land surveyor needs morethan strict mathematical application.
• Survey computations, at a minimum, should be under-stood by all surveyors. Basic trigonometry and statis-tics are good background, but many would argue thatyou really need to apply this sort of math to survey-related problems.
This is a very controversial topic, but these are somegeneral rationales for the proposed laws. If you haveinput as to minimum standards for licensure, please letme or any of your PLSC Directors know.Sincerely, Tom Adams, PLS
President’s Letter from page 4
Lessons from SurveyingDownturns of the Past
By John B. Guyton, PLS
Long-time members of PLSC discuss their past experiences with tough economic times
Land surveying, in all of its various stages of development and sophistica-tion, has been around for thousands of years. Because of its importance, anobserver could conclude that the demand for surveying would be somewhatconstant. But as we know too well after enduring the slowdown in 2009, thedemand for surveying services is highly dependent upon development activi-ties, which in turn are dependent upon the health and vigor of the overalleconomy.
At the time of this writing, the Labor Department reported that another85,000 jobs were lost in December, and unemployment remains at 10%nationally. While the Gross National Product (GNP) has seen some gains, theturnaround in employment that the experts were expecting by now has notmaterialized. While Colorado’s unemployment rate is not as severe, at 7.5%in December, you don’t need a PhD in Economics to know that the situationfor non-government surveyors, or anyone connected to the state’s construc-tion professions and trades, is in a near-depression.
Since this country has not seen any downturn this serious and prolongedsince 1981-83, when the national unemployment rate reached 10.8%, wehave an entire generation who has never known such hard times. Discour-agement for all of us comes naturally enough, given how long things have spi-raled downward.
So, I decided to ask some of the senior members of the PLSC, who havebeen around long enough to see several economic downturns in past years,for stories of their past experiences with tough times. Some of the messageswere surprisingly hopeful.
Gaby Neunzert
Chic Chichester
Gus Chambers
Ira Hardin
Doyle Abrahamson
Bob Stollard
Warren Andrews
SIDE SHOTS • 7
SIDE SHOTS • 8
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A recurring theme in the response to questions forthis article was the importance of government work andfor continuing education during hard times. Getting upto speed on new technologies can result in new oppor-tunities later.
CHIC CHICHESTER, PLS of Denver, a founderand former President of the PLSC, said, “Contract Sur-veyors Ltd. was founded to handle the mineral survey-ing surge. Over 30,000 unpatented mineral claims bearmy name, located in 5 western states. In 1986, we sawthis drying up. We also did land surveys (but) thephone was not ringing like it had been.” After Chicannounced to Art Hipp and Homer Gibson that he wasplanning to move to California to find work, Homerasked him to work for the BLM on a temporary basis. “Iwrote a paper on the Front Range project; I was toldlater that it got the Denver office a $20 million grant.While working at BLM, I got a real break. Trimble wasputting on a two day introduction course about GPS inCalifornia. I paid my own way out and back. My mindwas made up when I got back that I was going to learnhow to do a GPS survey. The rest is history. I havedone GPS in all 50 states.”
WARREN ANDREWS, PLS of Lakewood, a for-mer PLSC President and Side Shots Editor, diversifiedwith government work and education. “Because I wasperipheral to surveying from 1966 to the present (myother job was as a mining engineer with the Federalgovernment), I was not as impacted by the surveying
downturn. My experience has been to have anothersource of income besides surveying. Even going backto school again, which I did…is an alternative to getready to go when things get better again.”
IRA HARDIN, PLS currently of Las Cruces, NMand a founder of the PLSC, said that the worst year inmemory for him was 1974. He was operating a survey-ing and engineering firm working on mountain subdivi-sions when sales of those properties declined. He saidthat the larger and more diversified firms were, and arenow, less affected than the small ones. Ira’s advice:“Keep current with the latest tools, such as GPS andAutoCAD. Increase your skills and (therefore) yourpotential scope of services. Join a professional societyand become active in the PLSC.” He also suggested,“Become a Certified Public Survey System Surveyor,which will expand your market.”
GUS CHAMBERS, PLS of Morrison, a formerPLSC President, wrote, “The last worst time for us was1987-88 when we were overstaffed and underworked.We tried to hang on to our talented people, expecting aquick turnaround, but that was not to be. We had to getsmall and have remained so ever since. The market-place was turned inside out, with small firms bidding onthe only available work which was highway, pipeline,large industrial projects and government contracts.Conversely, as large firms’ work loads dried up, some ofthem started going after small local cadastral jobs. In arace to the bottom, pricing went crazy. Firms who
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‘bought’ large contract projects weredamaged by their naïve bids.”
Gus described an interestingsolution used back then: “A groupof us founded the Central Chapterduring those hard times. As themembers of the CCPS becamefriends as well as colleagues, wecame to know the special skills andterritories that each was most com-fortable working within. To this daywe still refer jobs around this groupaccording to those specialties.”
As for the current crisis, Gusreports some friction between smalland large firms. “Small shops likeours are an ‘endangered breed’ asmany Colorado survey businesseshave been bought by national andinternational outfits. There is a lossof institutional memory and surveyhistory when this occurs. It is agood practice to be cordial with thecompetition. We have alwaysshared our information freely withour colleagues and have built up abody of records that we could nothave obtained through publicrecords only. It is frustrating to calla large company about a surveyissue and be told that they cannotspend the time to talk to us if it isnot ‘billable to a client.’ In conclu-sion, we've found a way to be niceAND endure.”
BOB STOLLARD, PLS ofDenver, also a former PLSC Presi-dent, was working on the Air ForceAcademy site in Colorado Springsbetween 1955 and 1960. But afterthat, “work was very slow andalmost non-existent.” He said thathis boss at the time found that “themost important thing was to attendthe City Council meetings, waterand sanitation meetings, militarymeetings and town council meet-ings of the small towns that neededimprovements for water, sewer,street paving, etc. where Federalgrant money was available.” Healso said that owners and man-agers of surveying firms shouldsimply “get out of the office and domore,” and to cut costs by perform-ing more field work themselves dur-ing the bad times.
DOYLE ABRAHAMSON,PLS of Aurora, another formerPLSC President and a frequentspeaker at PLSC workshops, said,“In my experience, over the last 40years that I have been in this busi-ness, we have had slowdowns with-in our profession about every 7 to10 years.” He said that past slow-downs affected small and largefirms equally. “Some firms consoli-dated or went out of business per-manently. Every case had otherfactors to consider when the down-turn came, such as the owner need-ing money now for retirement.”
So, what signs were there atthe start of a recovery, that wemight watch for today? Doyle said,“Watch for new projects to start get-ting going and it will not be long andeveryone will want to get their proj-ects started again. The next thingwe will have more surveying workto do than we have surveying com-panies to do them.”
He emphasized this most posi-tive and encouraging point: “Sur-veying is always one of the first pro-fessions to pick up after our econo-my has had a downturn.” Perhapsthe economic forecasters should bekeeping an eye on surveyors.
GABY NEUNZERT of Gold-en, a former Professor at theSchool of Mines and a current con-tributor to the surveying program atthe Metropolitan State College ofDenver, was a teacher during mostof the previous downturns. Theworst year for him was 1990 whenthe surveying program at RedRocks Community College was shutdown. Instead of seeing surveyorsleaving the profession, ProfessorNeunzert instead saw geologistsand people from other professionsreturning to school to study survey-ing. His advice for today is to getall of the education you can. “Edu-cation is the future of surveying. Itis paramount that you understandwhat you are doing!”
So, the advice from these sur-veying professionals who haveseen this all before is straightfor-ward: Downsize, tough it out, main-tain your professional connectionsthrough the PLSC and its chapters,seek government work if possible,and above all else, maintain yourcommitment to continuing educationin preparation for the next upturn.And keep in mind what Doyle said,that we will be among the first pro-fessions to enjoy the start of thenext upturn. What a great day thatwill be.
SIDE SHOTS • 10
SIDE SHOTS • 12
Control PointsBy Warren Andrews, PLS
LOGARITHMS
As a method of calculation I had thought about writ-ing something on slide rules, but realized that there isprobably a necessity to detail the basic mathematicsfirst, otherwise known as – what is a logarithm? Theconcept is rather simple, it’s just another way to multiplyand divide numbers.
The astronomers in Medieval Europe, such asCopernicus and Kepler when they realized the huge dis-tances they were working with, needed a better way tocompute very large numbers. Doing it the old way byhand by means of simple multiplication and division wasextremely slow and cumbersome and could take days oreven weeks to compute one distance. Napier came upwith a solution to their problem.
The short cut is based on powers of a number. Forexample: 102 = 100; 103 = 1,000; 104 = 10,000 and soon. The key is the 2,3,4 powers of 10. By definition thelogarithm of 100 to the base 10 is 2; the logarithm of1,000 to the base 10 is 3 and so on.
To use an expanded example, if you take the follow-ing number series:
1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 32, 64Or 1/23, 1/22 1/21, 2º, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26
the corresponding logarithms are:-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Now instead of multiplying 4 times 16 to get 64, justadd the exponents or logarithms which are 2 + 4 = 6 andthe number whose logarithm to the base 2 = 6 is 64.You are adding instead of multiplying and the addition ofsmall numbers is much easier than multiplying big num-bers. To put it in mathematical terms: log2 4 = 2; log2 16 = 4; 2 + 4 = 6 and the antilog of 6 to the base 2is 64. Symbolically if x = by then y = logbx.
Division works similarly but you subtract logs (orexponents) for the answer. 64 divided by 4 = ? Log264= 6; log24 = 2; 6 – 2 = 4 and the antilog of 4 = 16 whichis the answer. You can also take roots of numbers bydividing the logarithm of the number by the root. Forexample: 2√64 = ? Log264 = 6; 6 divided by 2 = 3; theantilog of 3 to the base 2 = 8; therefore the 2√64 = 8.For powers you multiply instead of divide. 43 = ? Log24 = 2; 2 times 3 = 6; antilog26 = 64. What happensif you have a number that’s not a simple integer such asgiven above? Well, you need tables such as wereworked out very laboriously centuries ago.
The examples above use 2 as a base. The two log-arithmic systems most commonly used are to the base10, called common or Briggs logarithms, and to the base
e [2.7182818…which like π for a circle is an oddballnumber but which turns out to be highly useful in mathe-matics.] Logarithms to the base e are called natural log-arithms. In ordinary notation to distinguish between thetwo, common logarithms are given as log and naturallogarithms are given as ln, both without the subscriptswhich are understood.
In usage of logs in surveying calculations, one morething a person has to keep straight is where the decimalpoint is. For example: The log of 843 is 2.9258 (to 4decimal places). The tables give 9258 as the log of 843(called the characteristic of the log) and the 2 is one lessthan the integers to the left of the decimal point (calledthe mantissa).
Other examples are:Log 8.43 = 0.9258Log 84.3 = 1.9258Log 843 = 2.9258Log 8430 = 3.9258Log 84300 = 4.9258Log 0.843 = 0.9258 – 1 or preferably 9.9258 – 10Log 0.0843 = 0.9258 – 2 or preferably 8.9258 – 10Log 0.00843 = 0.9258 – 3 or preferably 7.9258 – 10
Notice the characteristic of the log stays the samebut the mantissa changes to indicate where the decimalpoint is.
For surveying calculations before the HP hand calcu-lators or before the old hand cranked Monroes, theC&GS used logs of which the following is an example:
54,927.32 x sin 32° 17’ 48” = ?
log 54,927.32 = 4.73978841 (to 8 decimals)log sin 32° 17’ 48” = log sin 32.296666670 = log 0.53430317 = 9.72778775 – 10
4.737788419.72778775 – 10________________14.46757616 – 10 The antilog of 4.46757616 = 29,347.84
Seems cumbersome, but it’s a lot quicker, easier,and less productive of errors than hand multiplying witheight – place natural trig functions! (If you are checkingthis on a hand calculator, it won’t give you the rightanswer as given above for the log sin of the angle butthe actual negative number (-0.27221225) but when youadd them together it still comes out correctly.
(To be continued next time on the slide rule.)
SIDE SHOTS • 13
The trend is growing in theUnited States toward a legalrequirement of a minimum four-yeardegree as the definition of a “pro-fession.” If surveyors wish to begenerally regarded as profession-als, then a national four-year mini-mum standard is very important.
First Four-Year StandardApplication
A 1992 Florida Supreme Courtdecision (Garden v. Frier 602 So.2d1273) was the first in the nation toapply the four-year degree standardto surveying. The decision wasapplied to wording in Florida’s Ch95, Limitation of Actions statute. If amember of a “profession” causesdamage, the damaged party hasonly two years to bring a negligencesuit from discovery of the error. If amember of the general public caus-es damage, the damaged party hasfour years to bring a “general negli-gence” suit.
For this case, a client of a locallicensed surveyor brought suit inlocal trial court, claiming damagesfrom a survey. The suit was broughtin the third year after discovery of theerror. The surveyor defended, sayingthat because he was a licensed pro-fessional surveyor the suit must bebrought in two years; therefore thesuit should be dismissed. The trialcourt held for the surveyor.
The client appealed eventuallyto the Supreme Court, who had todevelop a general definition of a“profession” for the Limitation ofAction statute. After deliberation,the court ruled that the Florida sur-veying profession was not a profes-sion because of the lack of a four-year degree standard at that time.Florida had passed a four-yearrequirement for surveying licensurein 1987, but because of an 11-yeargrandfathering period almost allnewly licensed 1992 surveyors didnot have a degree.
The 1992 Supreme Court fol-
lowed a 1988 Supreme Court defi-nition of the statutory term “profes-sional” in a case involving insur-ance underwriters/agents, Pierce v.AALL Insurance Co., 531 So.2d 84(Fla.1988). The 1992 court stated:“Accordingly, in harmony with thecentral thrust of Pierce, we hold thata ‘profession’ is any vocation requir-ing at a minimum a four-year col-lege degree before licensing is pos-sible in Florida. There can be noequivalency exception.”
The 1992 court also comparedengineers with surveyors in Florida:“Thus, all future admittees musthold a four-year degree, and allengineers accordingly are profes-sionals for purposes of the statuteof limitations. Land surveyors withsufficient qualifying experience, onthe other hand, can be licensedwithout a four-year degree §472.012(2)(e), Fla. (1991). Accord-ingly, some future admittees couldbe licensed without a four-yeardegree, and land surveyors thusare not professionals for purposesof the statute of limitations.”
The court was quite clear andcertain. This case created a shockwave among surveying profession-als nationwide in the early 1990s.
The Next StepKentucky Trial and Appellate
Court Decision ruled on a similarcase (Gardiner Park Development,LLC, et al v. Matherly Land Survey-ing, Inc., 2003). The KentuckyStatute of Limitation of Actions alsohas a reduced time for anaggrieved party to bring a negli-gence suit against a professional(KRS 413.245, the one-year profes-sional malpractice statute). Howev-er, like Florida, the Kentucky statutedid not define “professional,” andthe court had to make a definition.
The trial court applied Florida’sGardner v. Frier definition that aprofession must have a four-yeardegree standard for entry. There-
fore Kentucky surveyors were alsodeclared non-professionals.
The surveyor appealed, and in2005 a Kentucky appeals courtreversed and remanded the deci-sion. The big issue on the appealwas the confusion between engi-neering surveying versus land sur-veying services. Because states likeKentucky still permit engineers todo some surveying (non-boundarywork related to an on-going engi-neering design/construction proj-ect), the trial court did not strike adistinction between engineering sur-veying versus land (boundary) sur-veying in the decision.
The appeals court addressedthis distinction, basically saying ifthe surveyor who caused the dam-ages was doing “engineering” sur-veying then the one-year statute oflimitations would apply, becauseengineering had a four-year degreestandard. However, if the damageswere caused by work that only aland surveyor could perform(boundary work), then the one-yearstatute would not apply, because2003 land surveying statutes didnot require a four-year degree, andland surveying is not a profession.
Even though the case was“reversed and remanded” back to trialcourt, the trial court, upon rehearing,evidently held that the damages werecaused by boundary surveying workthat only a land surveyor could do.Therefore, the initial trial court deci-sion stood: Land surveying is not aprofession in Kentucky.
The Kentucky appeals court stat-ed: “However, the parties are in dis-agreement about whether the servic-es ... are those of a professionalengineer or those of a land surveyor.This, in our view, is a question to bedetermined by the trial court. There-fore, the judgment of the JeffersonCircuit Court is vacated and the caseremanded to the circuit court for adetermination of what services areprofessional engineering versus land
Rules of the Game: The Four-Year Degree Standard forSurveying’s Recognition as a Profession
By Dr. David W. Gibson(Reprinted with Permission. Originally appeared in the December 2009 issue of Professional Surveyor Magazine)
SIDE SHOTS • 14
surveying. To the extent that theclaims relate to professional engi-neering, they are subject to the one-year statute of limitations in KRS413.245 and should be dismissed....To the extent that the claims relate toland surveying, they are not subjectto the statute of limitations in KRS413.245.”
The 2003 case caused greatconcern to the Kentucky surveyingprofession. Surveyors there immedi-ately began to develop legislation fora four-year degree standard. Thatlegislation passed in 2006 and is inthe grandfather period at this time.
The U.S. Fair LaborStandards Act
In 2008-2009, Maine surveyorswere surprised to find that the U.S.Department of Labor ruled that theywere not members of a “learnedprofession,” because Maine statestatutes do not require surveyors tohave a four-year degree to belicensed. Maine surveyors foughtthe DOL decision and asked ACSMto help. After a diligent challenge to
the ruling, the surveyors lost, andthe DOL decision stands.
The U.S. Congress adopted afederal act termed The Fair LaborStandards Act (FLSA), first enactedin 1938 with numerous changessince then. The purpose of the fed-eral law is to be sure that employeesare treated equitably while theywork. As a result, the FLSA estab-lishes minimum wages for certaintypes of employees and work andrequires time and a half for overtimework. However, if a person is amember of a “learned profession,”the employer does not need to meetthe act’s requirements. Maine surveyemployers wished to be exempt. TheDOL said they must meet the FLSAbecause they are not in a learnedprofession, due to the apprenticeshipsystem still in place.
The DOL website provides adescription of FLSA, as well as“learned profession” (§ 541.301). Itslast sentence is particularly telling:“The typical symbol of the profes-sional training and the best primafacie evidence of its possession is,
of course, the appropriate academicdegree, and in these professions anadvanced academic degree is astandard (if not universal)perquisite.” To be a member of alearned profession, you must havethe “appropriate academic degree,”and the “advanced academicdegree” is standard. Of course, thenon-four-year-surveying states donot meet this requirement.
The surveying “profession” iswalking a fine line of professionalrecognition in the United States. The1970s and 1980s movement to anational four-year degree standardhas slowed, and many states noware not supporting that action today.The public image of the surveyor asa technician is very strong. The four-year degree standard is needed toclearly identify the surveyor as a pro-fessional in both the public’s eye andalso according to these growinglegal standards of a profession.
David W. Gibson is the founding pro-
gram director of the Geomatics program at
the University of Florida in Gainesville, Flori-
da.
Complete Photogrammetric Services
MAPMAP WORKSWORKSContact: Ralph Vomaske, Certified Photogrammetist, ASPRS
7625 W. 5th Ave. #203E • Lakewood, CO 80226
Phone: 303-445-1856
E-mail: [email protected]
SIDE SHOTS • 15
SIDE SHOTS • 16
Central Colorado Professional Surveyors2010 Annual Meeting & Conference
Sponsored byCentral Colorado Professional Surveyors
Chapter of the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc.,and Metropolitan State College of Denver
Latitude: 39°44'47"N Longitude 105°00'27"W
Plan to attend on Friday February 26th and Saturday February 27th, 2010. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. andclasses start at 8:00 a.m. both days.
All Classes will be held in the Tivoli Center, 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver, Colorado 80204. The Tivoli Student Cen-ter is on the downtown Auraria campus of Metropolitan State College of Denver (Metro State). The Tivoli is easy toaccess from Interstate 25. It is centrally located just west of downtown Denver and south of the Pepsi Events Center,at 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver, Colorado 80204. Parking is available in the Metro State parking garage and paylots west of the Tivoli Center for a daily fee. See http://www.Colorado-Surveyors.org for a more detailed map.
Friday 2/26/10, 7:00 a.m. Registration and check in.Saturday 2/27/10, 7:00 a.m. Registration and check in.
BUSINESS TRACK
Strategic Planning and Proposal Writing Workshop Surveyors surviving the recessionDena Wyatt & Martha Cusick Eddy, Jeff Salmon – 2 contact hoursMarketing Evolutions – 4 contact hours
Going MobileBasic Business Contracts and Jeff Salmon – 2 contact hoursProtecting Your Business.Jennifer Lufman, ESQ, Land Use RepresentationFairfield and Woods, P.C. – 4 contact hours Jeff Salmon – 2 contact hours
Errors & Omissions InsuranceHoward Kohler – 2 contact hours
PROFESSIONAL TRACK
Advanced Case Studies in the Review of the Colorado Monument RecordPublic Lands Survey System Mike Drissel – 2 contact hoursDennis Mouland – 8 contact hours
Ethics for the Professional Land SurveyorAlan Blair – 2 contact hours
Geodetic Coordinate Data Base (GCDB)Paul Lukacovic – 2 contact hours
TECHNICAL TRACK
Colorado Survey Law, Board Rules and Policies Colorado State Plane CoordinatesDoyle Abrahamson\Roger Nelson – 2 contact hours Gaby Neunzert– 4 contact hours
Legal Terms Workshop Survey Instrument Adjustment WorkshopDiana Askew – 2 contact hours Mike Weller (Frontier Precision) – 4 contact hours
Heartsaver® CPR CourseClay Dobronyi,CEO STAT Medical Training – 4 contact hours
SIDE SHOTS • 17
CONFERENCE MEETINGS
Friday 2/26/10 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Friday 2/26/10 6:00 p.m.CCPS Meeting and Installation of New Officers PLSC Board of Directors Dinner and Meeting
CENTRAL COLORADO PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORSP.O. BOX 628 Littleton, CO 80160
Detail Map from www.Colorado-Surveyors.org
REGISTRATION FORM Please registration early so we have a good count for the food needed. Registration includes lunches, beveragesand snacks, class materials, instructors’ fees and access to exhibitors. Student rate is for full-time students with current student ID.
Parking fees (cash) may apply for on campus parking.
The CCPS has implemented an online registration process this year for those wishing to pay via credit card. Pleasego to either http://www.colorado-surveyors.org/ or http://www.plsc.net/ for the link to the online registration form.
REGISTER EARLY, ON OR BEFORE FEB. 12, 2010.
Days Member Non-Member Student1 $175 $225 $50Both $250 $300 $80
SIDE SHOTS • 18
Mr. Tom Adams, Presidentc/o Ms. Diana Askew, Executive DirectorProfessional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc.P.O. Box 704Conifer, CO 80433
Re: 2009 Surveyor of the Year Award
Dear Mr. Adams and all of the Members of PLSC:I was deeply honored, humbled and downright flabbergasted to have
been awarded the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado 2009 Surveyor ofthe Year Award at last fall’s PLSC annual meeting. I want to thank you andthe full membership for the honor.
There are so many others in our organization who give time and effortback to their communities and our profession and who are as deserving, if notmore deserving, of the recognition and thanks that you have bestowed uponme.
I know that a large part of the consideration for the award has been myinvolvement with the mentoring program that the Western Colorado Land Sur-veyor’s chapter is sponsoring here on the Western Slope, my interest in ensuring that Metro State College maintainsa viable surveying degree program, my advisory role for the surveying portion of the Mesa State College’s Construc-tion Management degree program, and my involvement with the Grand Valley School District 51’s School to CareerAdvisory Council. These efforts stem from my belief that we should all give back in some way to our communitiesand professions depending on our capabilities and talents. I just happen to have the audacity to believe that my tal-ents are best expressed in encouraging the education of the next generation of Professional Land Surveyors.
However, my contributions were not achieved alone. A special thanks and recognition should also go to GabyNeunzert who has been totally selfless in providing me guidance and materials for the Mentoring Program and toTeresa Smithson who had the courage to get the Mentoring Program off the ground and successfully running hereon the Western Slope before she found greener pastures in Iraq. The members of the Western Colorado Land Sur-veyors have also been very supportive and have provided me with the encouragement and the wherewithal to keepthe program going.
Again, I want to give you all a heartfelt thank you for this wonderful award.
Sincerely,Thomas W. Sylvester, P.E & P.L.S.
LL EE TT TT EE RR
Now AvailableA masterful documentation and his-torical perspective of each initialsurveying point for federal publiclands in the United States. Publishedin 9x12 format, Initial Points of theRectangular Survey System featuresa 4-color section with more than130 photos depicting monumentsand landmarks.
C.Albert White's second book,
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Mr.White's first book, A History of the Rectangular Survey System, published by the BLM in1983, is considered the definitive work on the U.S. Public Land Survey System.Arguably themost distinguished authority on the history of nineteenth and twentieth century publiclands surveying,White began his career with the General Land Office in 1946. Both as BLMand a private surveyor, he applied his zeal to a wide range of activities.White's expertiserepresents a bridge between the wisdom and experience of the American heritage of landsettlement and the contemporary uses of surveying technology.
NNeevveerr bbeeffoorree,, iinn tthhee hhiissttoorryy ooff ssuurrvveeyyiinngg,, hhaass ssoo mmuucchh ppeerrttiinneenntt aannddiinntteerreessttiinngg mmaatteerriiaall bbeeeenn ssoo mmeettiiccuulloouussllyy ccoommppiilleedd iinn oonnee ppuubblliiccaattiioonn..((WWhhiittee ppeerrssoonnaallllyy vviissiitteedd EEVVEERRYY IInniittiiaall PPooiinntt..))
Initial Points of the Rectangular Survey System is undertaken in the spirit of, and dedication to, Mr. White's remarkable contributions to his field. Net proceeds from its sale will be returned to the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado Inc. Scholarship Fund.
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SIDE SHOTS • 19
Help Wanted…Renew Your Surveying License On Time!Your help is desired to help us help you stay out of
trouble with the Colorado Board of Licensure for Archi-tects, Professional Engineers and Professional LandSurveyors and in the meantime protect Colorado con-sumers.
The Board sees an unbelievable number of situa-tions every year of individuals who have failed to renewtheir Professional Surveyor’s license on time and prac-ticed without a license. In fact, this is the number oneviolation of the practice act!
The reasons that are offered boil down to somecommon themes: I forgot; I thought I renewed but Iguess I didn’t; I moved and I forgot to notify the Boardso I never got the renewal notice; I thought that myassistant/secretary/wife/boyfriend, et cetera, handled it;it’s the Board’s fault because I did renew my license…orI thought I renewed my license.
The result is that depending on how long it takes forthe individual to “remember” to renew, the Board oftentakes disciplinary action against the individual becauseit is against the law to practice land surveying withoutan active license.
So, here’s where we need your help. And the stepsare just 1-2-3 easy!
1. Go to the Division of Registrations website atwww.dora.state.co.us/registrations and click on Regis-trations Online Services.
2. Select the option for “I have an individuallicense.”
3. Click the link for “Set up your password” and fol-low the instructions.
4. Once you have logged into your account, checkyour mailing address and update it if it is not correct.Please add your email address or update it, too. Wewill use electronic communication increasingly in thefuture.
5. Also, check your license status to be sure it isactive and note the expiration date in your calendar toremind yourself of when it is time to renew your licensethe next time.
6. Make note of your password, and when yourlicense is 45 days away from renewal, come back to thesite to renew your license electronically.
7. This is perhaps the most important step in help-ing us: Tell every other licensee that you know in yourcompany, in the next office, in your association, on yourprojects, in your social circles, and in your neighbor-hood to go through steps 1-6, too…please!
See? That wasn’t so hard, huh? And maybe youhave prevented yourself or someone else from fallinginto this problem that can have long-lasting conse-quences.
If you happen to find that you do have an expiredlicense, the process and forms to reinstate your license
can also be found online athttp://www.dora.state.co.us/aes/forms.htm.
Remember, it is each licensee’s responsibility torenew his or her license on time and to keep the Boardinformed of any address changes. With our online sys-tem, you can handle all of this yourself in real time, anytime, day or night.
Thank you for your help!
The Colorado Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and
Professional Land Surveyorshttp://www.dora.state.co.us/aes
Legislative CommitteeNews
By Alan Blair, PLS
The PLSC legislative committee waspresented with an aggressive slate ofissues to pursue for the next session ofthe state legislature. The committeehas developed language for threestatutes:
• A surveyor’s affidavit of correction;• Minimal educational requirements for
licensure;• Mandatory recording of court decrees
resolving boundary lines.
These three bills are being moved for-ward for consideration in the next leg-islative session. The legislative com-mittee is looking for direction in 2010.If you think, “There oughta be a law,”let a PLSC board member know youropinion.
SIDE SHOTS • 20
Recognition of PLSC Board Members and OfficersPresent: Tom Adams, Michael Greer, Diana Askew, MichealBouchard, Doug Berling, Roger Nelson, Russell Clark,Patrick Green, Stan Vermilyea, Gary Gable, WarrenWard, JB Guyton, Dave Difulvio Absent: DaveFreienmuth
Annual PLSC Recognition Awards – congratulationsto the following recipients!
Surveyor of the Year: Thomas SylvesterCitizen Surveyor: Warren Andrews & Ed BristowDistinguished Service: Roger Nelson & Pamela
FromhertzAppreciation: Dan Corcoran & Charles Adams
Changes to Membership Dues (All dues now includeone chapter affiliation)
Full Voting Member: $ 110.00; Associate: $ 75.00Student: $ 30.00 Retired: $ 60.00 Sustaining: $ 230.00
Tally of Ballots for the membership vote for requiredchanges to the bylawsShould the Bylaws be amended for Sarbanes-Oxley?Yes: 61, No: 8. PASS
Tally of Ballots for the membership vote for anoptional change to bylawsShould the Bylaws be amended for Honorary LifeMembership? Yes: 60, No: 9. PASSNSPS Governor, Warren WardRecap of the Railroad Abandonment Bill: Any railroadthat is abandoned if there is not a record or if the centerof the tract controls the boundary of the railroad, thereis a law in Colorado that is widely ignored at this timeand this is a problem across the US.
Motion: Warren Ward moves to write a letter for theBoard of Directors of the PLSC to approve, to besent to the representatives from Colorado in theUnited States Congress in support of the railroadabandonment law.Tom Sylvester seconds. Vote: unanimous approval.
Respectfully submitted:Diana E Askew, PLSPLSC Secretary-Treasurer
PLSC Board of Director’s Meeting MinutesThursday, November 12, 2009 – Fall Technical Session Annual Membership Meeting
Bank Accounts 9/30/2009 10/31/2009 11/30/2009 12/31/2009Balance Balance Balance Balance
Checking at Wells Fargo - Main Checking 26,592.17 22,878.68 45,353.27 35,553.92 CSEF Checking at Wells Fargo 2,773.16 2,766.27 2,691.27 2,691.27 CSEF Savings at Wells Fargo 50,448.39 50,476.04 50,646.82 50,743.33 Merchant Checking - Credit Card Acct 3,767.05 7,437.04 5,008.39 10,100.31 PLSC Savings at Well Fargo 40,106.99 40,123.91 40,137.11 40,150.74 TOTAL Bank Accounts 123,687.76 123,681.94 143,836.86 139,239.57Investment AccountsICA - Roger Patterson Scholarship Fund 21,649.45 21,649.45 22,963.96 23,461.52 Merrill Lynch - PLSC Scholarship fund 25,282.00 25,282.00 27,064.10 27,764.90 WMIF - Roger Patterson Scholarship Fund 21,398.80 21,398.80 23,206.00 23,788.94 TOTAL Investment Accounts 68,330.25 68,330.25 73,234.06 75,015.36 OVERALL TOTAL 192,018.01 192,012.19 217,070.92 214,254.93
Secretary-Treasurer, Diana Askew Treasurer’s Report
SIDE SHOTS • 21
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CCPS The CCPS 2010 spring techni-
cal session has entered the finalplanning phase. The technicalworkshop will provide three tracksfor the workshop sessions: Profes-sional, business and technical.Some speakers and topics of inter-est include Dennis Mouland withthe BLM, who will be speaking on“Advanced case studies in the Pub-lic Lands System,” Jeff Salmon, awriter with Professional SurveyorMagazine, will be hosting discus-sions on surveyors surviving therecession, going mobile and landuse representation, and Alan Blairwill provide a session on “Ethics forthe Professional Surveyor.” Othertopics to be presented include astrategic planning and proposalwriting workshop, basic businesscontracts and protecting your busi-ness, Colorado survey law, boardrules and policies, legal terms work-shop, a heart-saver CPR coursewith certification, errors and omis-sions insurance, Colorado stateplane coordinates, a survey instru-ment adjustment workshop, Col-orado monument records review,and the Geodetic Coordinate DataBase. This will be a very diverseand well rounded conference thatwe are sure will be valuable to theprofessional land surveyor. Wehope you can all attend! Please seethe announcement of the CCPSworkshop in this issue of SideShots. Any suggestions are wel-come and can be provided via theCCPS website or any Board ofDirectors member.
Our October general meetingincluded Mr. Earl Henderson, PLS,current CCPS Director as guestspeaker and Mr. Bryan Baker withFrontier Precision as guest vendor.Earl provided a very interesting his-tory of the boundaries of Coloradoincluding the four corners monu-ment which has had some nationalpress lately. Thanks to our vendormember who updated the group onGPS, total station and scanningequipment from Trimble Navigation.The next CCPS general meeting
will be at the Northwest location,the Table Mountain Inn at 1310Washington Avenue, Golden, Col-orado on Thursday January 28,2010 at 7:00 P.M. Free dinnerbegins at 6:30 P.M., cash bar opensat 6:00 P.M. Guest Speaker: MikeBlakeman from Moedus, LLC willbe providing an introduction to stat-ic and mobile mapping with HighDefinition Scanning. Guest Ven-dor: Benjamin Philips with Cad-1.General Membership Meetings areheld on the fourth Thursday of thefollowing months: January, March,May, August and October.
CCPS will be awarding scholar-ships at the upcoming technicalworkshop in February, 2010.
Continued thanks to Alan Blair,PLS who is the CCPS web masterassisting in the maintenance of theweb site - we greatly appreciate allof your efforts, Alan!
Elections for the 2010 CCPSBoard of Directors positions havebeen compiled and the electedmembers are as follows:
Joe Conway, President; James“JJ” Rihanek, Vice President; AaronWillis, Treasurer; Norm Simonson,Secretary
Directors: Robert Snodgrass,Earl Henderson, James Beatty,Shawn Clarke, Chris Raml, WarrenRuby and James Holben
The next Board of DirectorsMeeting will be held at: SEH Inc.,390 Union Boulevard, Suite 630,Lakewood, CO 80228 on Thursday,January 7, 2010 at 6:00 P.M. Boardof Directors Meetings are held onthe first Thursday of every month.
Respectfully submitted,Todd G. Beers
CCPS President
CSRNThe Colorado Spatial Refer-
ence Network would like to thankthe PLSC and its respective chap-ters, and all of our members andsupporters for all you have done forus throughout 2009. We are trulygrateful and appreciative.
Looking back on 2009, theCSRN is proud of its many accom-plishments, including a new websitedeveloped by Bohannon Huston,seven Open Board meetings withtelephone conference available; twoOpen General Meetings with techni-cal presentations given by industryexperts such as Hixon, Intuicom,Leica, NGS, O’Neil’s Positioning,Trimble and many others. TheCSRN provided four reports to thePLSC, published four eNewsLettersonline and published two articles inPOB Magazine and Side Shots.The CSRN had representatives inattendance at seven separate train-ing events and ended the year byproviding a half day training sessionat GIS in the Rockies.
In cooperation with the PLSC,the CSRN has begun collectingannual membership dues fromPLSC members effective January 1,2010. Dues for sustaining and non-PLSC members (i.e. geospatialindustries) will continue to bewaived for the year. Whether youare joining the PLSC for the firsttime or renewing your annual mem-bership, please consider becominga member of the CSRN in additionto your regular chapter.
As we look ahead to 2010 weare excited about the many oppor-tunities available for us to help sup-port and expand Real Time Refer-ence Networks throughout thestate. Our newly installed Board ofOfficers and Directors are: Presi-dent, Dan Smith; Vice President,Brian Dennis; Secretary, Jan Ster-ling; Treasurer, Todd Beers. Direc-tors are Pam Fromhertz, MathewBarr, Lawrence deVries, JackSparks and Daniel Akin.
SIDE SHOTS • 22
The CSRN will host a panel dis-cussion at the January 19 SCPLSmeeting. Our next Open BoardMeeting is scheduled for January26. We will also have a booth at theCCPS Conference in February.
If you are interested in learningmore about the CSRN please con-tact us through our website atwww.CSRN.us or you may contactme directly at 303-512-4401 [email protected].
Dan SmithPresident - CSRN
NC/PLSCWe currently meet at 6:00 P.M.
the first Wednesday of the month,September through May, in variousNorthern Colorado locations. Atten-dance has been down and we aretrying to determine if there is a bet-
ter day to meet. We will be sendingout an e-mail regarding our meetingnight. Please take the time torespond. We are sincere in ourdesire to reach our Northern Chap-ter members and to provide a valu-able and relevant program. Wewant your participation and input!
We anticipate hosting 2 or 3educational programs as part of ourmonthly meetings between Januaryand May. Sample topics to be dis-cussed: Scanning, Crime SceneSurveying, Marketing, and Tips onPreparing a Winning SOQ. If youare a current Northern Chaptermember and are not getting yourmonthly invitation, are a member ofanother chapter, or are involved inthe surveying profession and wouldlike to visit, please e-mail Rob [email protected] so he cangive you directions to the nextmeeting.
The December meeting is ourannual social meeting and was heldat Abbondanza Pizzeria in Long-mont. Those who attended enjoyeda nice meal and informal conversa-tion. This year good cheer is neces-sary to just get through and we areall hoping 2010 brings a rebound tothe survey market. We are all wish-ing for a Happy New Year!
Laine LandauDirector, NC
NW 1/4 The NW 1/4 hosted their last
meeting of the 2009 year onDecember 11th at the Holiday Inn inCraig, Colorado. They must reallylike us because we had the onlycold room in the place. Presentwere Dave Ginter, Peter Epp, LloydPowers, Jim Joy, John Noonan,Tom Effinger, Skidge Moon andBrian T. Kelly, with President Gor-don Dowling presiding.
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After finishing the normal itemsof business we proceeded to theprogram produced by Dave Ginterwith a technical assist from JohnNoonan on the Power Point coordi-nation. Dave is the BLM Surveyorbased in Craig and has been pro-ducing a presentation on the basicsof Cadastral Surveying for RangeTechnicians, Rangers and otheremployees of the BLM that maycome into contact with section lineissues. We all know that with handheld GPS, anyone can be a survey-or. Dave’s program started in thebeginning, with the Land Ordinanceof 1785 under the Articles of Con-federation. The fledging colonialgovernment had quite a task beforethem, surveying, inventorying andselling off vast tracts of land in thewest. The West at that time wasOhio, Indiana, etc., to the east ofthe Mississippi River. The LouisianaLand Purchase had not taken placeyet. None other than Thomas Jef-ferson, himself a surveyor amongstmany other things, stepped into thebreach to develop the earlymethodology for Sectionalized LandSurvey, called Cadastral Surveys.Cadastral is one of those old Eng-lish terms that includes recording,surveying and most importantly,taxing!
Dave’s program then ledthrough what constituted an officialsurvey - the authorizing documents,field survey and survey returns.Towards the end of the evening, hearrived at the really interesting part,survey of Section 36 in a Townshipwithin the Escalante Canyons WSAsouth of Grand Junction. This par-ticular section is in the most south-ern section of the Ute Meridian.The Sixth Meridian and New Mexi-co Meridian also border the area.And that is where he left it until thenext program this winter, where wefind out about setting intermediatecorners on a township line border-ing another Meridian.
Brian T. Kelly, Sec.-TreasurerNW1/4
SIDE SHOTS • 24
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SCPLSThe Southern Chapter calendar
for 2010 has been set and is avail-able on our chapter page atwww.plsc.net.
The ballot for Chapter officershas been sent out and the new offi-cers will be installed at the Februarychapter board meeting.
In March the Southern Chaptermember meeting will be held at theManitou Springs Historical Societylocated in the Miramont Castle inManitou Springs, CO
The meeting will provide anopportunity to all attending to view acollection of surveys, plats, fieldnotes, mineral surveys and otherdocuments from the firm of Sawyerand Garstin. Sawyer and Garstin
were in business around the Mani-tou Springs and Colorado Springsareas in the early 1900’s.
The cost for the evening will be$10 and includes dinner, a tour ofthe castle and a presentation of thehistoric maps and documents.
A formal invitation will be sentvia email to all the members ofPLSC.
Mark JohannesPresident, SCPLS
SWC/PLSCAt our November meeting a
committee was formed for organiz-ing our 2010 seminar. Volunteersfor the committee were Dave Seiler,Bob Drum, Josh Casselberry, Ed
Young and Dave Freienmuth. Iwould like to thank all of the volun-teers in advance for their time andeffort.
A “Call for Nominations” wasmade at the November meeting andvia e-mail. So far the nominationsare Rob Trudeaux for President,Tom Au for Vice-President, EdYoung for Treasurer and ParkerNewby for Secretary. Voting willtake place at the January meetingscheduled for January 19, 2010 atChristina’s Bar and Grill at 6:00p.m. (F.Y.I.: Tuesday is $4.00 burgernight at Christina’s) I am urging allmembers to attend and get involvedin your local chapter.
Thomas E. Au, PLSPresident, SWC/PLSC
Southern Chapter FallTechnical Conference
September 10-11, 2010in Colorado Springs
Mark your calendars today - It’sshaping up to be another great line-up of guest speakers, and vendorsshowing off the latest technologies.
SIDE SHOTS • 25
Western Colorado Land Surveyorsa chapter of
Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc.
Is sponsoring
The Bill McComber Mentoring ProgramOn Surveying Fundamentals
Through the Delta-Montrose Technical College
Thursday Evenings, 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.Starting January 28, 2010Last Class May 13, 2010
For more information, and the course catalog, visitwww.dmtc.ecu
or call 970-874-7671
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WCLSWCLS finished off 2009 in
November with a meeting to estab-lish a slate for new officers. One ofthe Chapter’s concerns regards theslow progress for proposed legisla-tion, especially the bill addressingmodern professional educationrequirements. It is pretty frustratingto see two years of effort placed inestablishing a proposed bill, only tosee it shot down by the Board andDORA at the last minute. If DORAhas always been intending toaddress the issue in 2011-2013,why waste the time and energy that
was spent between 2008-2010?
At our January meeting, WCLSinstalled new officers as follows:
President, Tom Sylvester; VicePresident, Richard Bullen; Secre-tary/Treasurer, Brian Bowker.
Good luck to all of them andthanks ahead of time for their sacri-fice and leadership.
WCLS will be presenting ourannual Spring Seminar on Friday,May 7, 2010, featuring, among oth-ers, Mr. Geoff Anderson. He will bepresenting a seminar regarding the
Quiet Title Suit as it pertains to Col-orado law. This should be of inter-est not only to land surveyors, butalso to title examiners and attor-neys. Details will be provided clos-er to May, but mark your calendarand come visit Grand Junction dur-ing the Downtown Art and JazzFestival that weekend. It’s our besttime of the year for fun, includingCinco de Mayo, Palisade Bike Fest,and a racing event at Highline Lake.
Rick Mason Outgoing President, WCLS
SIDE SHOTS • 26
ACCURATE CORE DRILLING, INC.15550 Highway 86Kiowa, CO 80117
AERO-METRIC, INC.4708 South College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80525
AGA GEODOMETERPaul McDaniel
53 Meadow Lake DriveLyons, CO 80540
CAD-1, INC.Civil & Geospatial Specialist
12130 Pennsylvania St., #101Thornton, CO 80241
DANIEL W. AKIN3370 Fantasy Pl.
Castle Rock, CO 80109
AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL7979 East Tufts Ave., Suite 715
Denver, CO 80237
ASSURANCE RISK MANAGERSLisa Isom
2851 South Parker Rd, Suite 760Aurora, CO 80014
AXIS GEOSPATIAL, LLC18050 East 104th Place, Unit F
Commerce City, CO 80022
BERNTSEN INTERNATIONAL,INC.
P.O. Box 8670Madison, WI 53708-8670
www.berntsen.com
COMM-TECH5398 Manhattan Circle
Boulder, CO 80303
CONTRACT SURVEYORS, LTD.2133 South Bellaire Street, Suite 14
Denver, CO 80222
WILLIAM H. DOLINARWilliam H. Smith & Associates,
PCP.O. Box 820
Green River, WY 82935
JOSEPH A. DONOFRIO7355 Songbird Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO 80911
ESRIOne International CourtBroomfield, CO 80021
FLATIRONS SURVEYING, INC.3825 Iris Avenue, Suite 395
Boulder, CO 80301
FRONTIER PRECISION, INC.5855 East Stapleton Drive North –
Unit A140Denver, CO 80216
HIXON MANUFACTURING &SUPPLY CO.
1001 Smithfield DriveFort Collins, CO 80524
JEFFREY J. MACKENNAFalcon Surveying Inc.
9940 W. 25th Ave.Lakewood, CO 80215
MERRICK & COMPANY2450 South Peoria Street
Aurora, CO 80014
MOLLENHAUER GROUP3900 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Suite
325Lakewood, CO 80235
MOUNTAIN NAVIGATION, INC.1824 South Zang CourtLakewood, CO 80228
NOLTE ASSOCIATES, INC.8000 S. Chester Street, Suite 200
Centennial, CO 80112
NORTH AMERICAN MAPPING88 Inverness Circle East, B-103
Englewood, CO 80112
NORTHSTAR ENGINEERING ANDSURVEYING, INC.111 East 5th StreetPueblo, CO 81003
OATLEY & DIAK, LLC5299 DTC Blvd., Suite 1075
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
O’NEILLS POSITIONINGSERVICES
2513 Lexington StreetLafayette, CO 80026
PLANET-GIS-LLCP.O. Box 1747
Castle Rock, CO 80104
SITEWISE, LLC7000 N. Broadway, Ste. 3-306
Denver, CO 80221
ROBERT M. STOLLARD4005 West Linvale PlaceDenver, CO 80236-2201
SKLD INFORMATION SERVICES,LLC
9540 East Jewell Ave., Suite ADenver, CO 80247
SURV-KAP, Inc.P.O. Box 27367
Tucson, AZ 85726TOTAL POSITIONING SOLUTIONS
5385 Quebec StreetCommerce City, CO 80022
TOWILL, INC.88 Inverness Circle East, Bldg. A
207Englewood, CO 80112
TRIMBLE NAVIGATION, LTD.547 Kellenburger Road
Dayton, OH 45424-1099
TRIPOD DATA SYSTEMS345 Southwest Avery Avenue
Corvallis, OR 97333
UNDERGROUND CONSULTINGSOLUTIONS
2701 West Oxford Ave., Suite 6Englewood, CO 80110
V3 COMPANIES OF COLORADO,LTD.
2399 Blake Street, Suite 130Denver, CO 80205
VECTORS, INC.8811 East Hampton Avenue, Suite
110Denver, CO 80231
WESTWOOD COLLEGE OFTECHNOLOGY
7350 North BroadwayDenver, CO 80221
These firms support ourorganization. Please show them
your appreciation with yourpatronage.
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