Musings from your CT Director - NSPS Business Meeting October 8th & 9th, 2015 - Sandusky Ohio

To all of my fellow NSPS Directors, Good day!

It was a pleasure to see all of you last week for a pleasant and productive meeting.  As observed by Mr. Sargent, there were many familiar faces in the room and it felt like the participants experience made for a calm, orderly meeting.  Then again, perhaps the 800 lb gorilla in the room (in all its various forms for the last several years) has simply been put out in the hallway where it belongs.  Thank you Kalahari Resorts!  Past Presidents Bob Dahn (CT) and Wayne Harrison (MA) have agreed to do their best to keep it there. :)

The Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio were wonderful hosts.  The meetings flowed smoothly and the facility was very interesting and capacious.  Being surveyors, many of us could not keep ourselves from pacing those hallways!  Also being surveyors, I heard of more than one way to get it done.

Setting the fun aside, most all of us in that room have played important roles in bringing our state societies together to form one unified voice for the surveying profession.  I would offer that we can consider our 100% initiative a success.  Congratulations on a job well done, it is truly a pleasure to serve with you all.

Here than are a list of initiatives and observations from our fall meetings:

• The ALTA/NSPS Standards have been approved by both organizations and we will have new standards that take effect on February 23, 2016.
• NSPS will prepare a position statement on U.A.S. (unmanned aircraft systems) regulations and operations. We’ve also signed on with other mapping organizations in crafting a letter to urge the F.A.A. to codify the government’s regulations for operating this technology in a more urgent manner.
• The young surveyors group had a productive meeting and started to think about bylaws, sub committees and addressing tasks that many have offered up for them to consider.  Approximately 11 of them attended the Board of Directors meeting on Friday.
• We intend to broaden the awareness of the Young Surveyors and our National Society at educational institutions across the country by inviting a student to attend our meetings as our guest and write a short review that will be shared with all surveying programs.  The program will be administered by the Young Surveyors and funded through NSPS Board of Director donations.  We intend to have a student in attendance at the 2017 spring meeting.
• Our President Jon Warren & President-Elect Tony Cavell have each made a significant effort to re-align our committees and offer specific charges for these committees to work on.  PLEASE consider having your constituents sign on to the email distribution lists for a committee by contacting the chair of that committee.  It’s a great way to be involved without the commitment of attending our meetings.
• The Director from Alaska requested support regarding the setting of monuments by the BLM when creating Townships that would be further subdivided and sold by the State of Alaska.  As you might have guessed, the number of monuments being set has been drastically reduced.  Our Government Affairs Committee will review and comment on the matter.
• Certified Survey Technicians (CSTs) at all levels and existing membership can now have their annual certification fee waived by maintaining a membership in NSPS.
• The NSPS Joint Government Affairs Committee shoulders a great deal of responsibility in representing surveyors across the nation on Capitol Hill.  Please review their report for the many tasks and/or accomplishments they have had over the last 6 months.  Mr. Pat Smith, Chair of the Committee, requested direction from the BoD on the following matters:
• NSPS will provide a position statement on the PHMSA (Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Agency) Proposed Rule which contains a number of references to surveying and mapping – and provide a standardized position to our state affiliates
• NSPS will provide a position statement to the House Financial Services Committee which is considering modifications to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), either to implement an improved working process or privatize the effort
• Support the addition of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council – given that many small businesses are effected by FAR regulations.
• The NSPS 100% Membership Program has been very successful.  We currently have 47 states and the District of Columbia participating, just under 17,000 members, and continue to offer our help to those still considering the program.
• We continue to collaborate with NGS and participate in quarterly meetings on various initiatives.
• We are designated by ABET as the Lead Society among its professional organization members for evaluating Surveying Programs seeking either initial accreditation, or renewed accreditation. Currently, NSPS evaluates 31 such programs.
• Our CST program that has been a monumental success and run by several individuals for many years, and even decades.  Their succession plans require them to look for individuals who are interested in serving on the CST Board and upholding the fine standard which has been set.  Please consider this opportunity and contact President Warren if you are interested in this appointment.
• The NSPS Foundation Concluded their Cruise Raffle – The winner is Randall Myers. He is Past President of both the West Virginia and Pennsylvania Surveying Societies.  Congratulations Mr. Myers.
• We had previously decided that an At-Large Director(s) would represent those NSPS members who did not belong to a 100% Membership state.  Given that we are now down to three states who do not belong, we passed a motion whereby the Past-President will provide representation to those individuals, albeit in a more cost effective manner.
• The NSPS Foundation has been instructed to rename the NSPS Board of Governors Scholarship to the NSPS Board of Directors Scholarship.  The Board of Directors has agreed to continue providing personal funds at the conclusion of our meetings, as a means for funding this and the Trig-Star scholarship.
• The new web site for NSPS should be rolled out this fall.  There have been many improvements in appearance and functionality.
• The NSPS Board of Directors approved pursuing the following meeting schedule:
• 2016 Spring: National Surveying and Mapping Conference, Alexandria VA March 14-18^th (NSPS Business Meetings 17-18^th) – agreement finalized
• 2016 Fall – Joint meeting with Western Federation of Professional Surveyors, Phoenix AZ –  pending
• 2017 Spring – National Surveying and Mapping Conference  - pending
• 2017 Fall – Joint Meeting with Texas Society of Professional Surveyors, Frisco, TX -pending

Those are the things that readily come to mind.  Please chime in if I've left out something important that I should include in my report.  I’ve attached a few photos and captions below for your use.  Cut and Paste, as well as blatant plagiarism are all encouraged.  If you have a unique observation, please share with the rest of us.

Many thanks to the NSPS staff for all of their efforts.

Be well.  Stay thirsty my friends.

Rick Howard

NSPS Director – CT

President John Warren addresses the Young Surveyors group.

We honor those for length service

Standing Left to Right: President Jon Warren (WA) presiding; 
5 Years – Bob Akins (OH), John Lloyd(ME), Bob Neathamer (OR),
 Ed O’Brien(RI); 20 Years – Alan Dragoo(MD)

Pat Smith, Past President and Chair of Joint Government Affairs Committee addresses  the board during his report.

Young Surveyors Group in Attendance at Board of Directors Meeting