Congress Seeks Limits on Russian GLONASS Station in U.S.

As Congress moves closer to final approval of the fiscal year 2014 national defense authorization act, efforts to slow or derail a plan by the Russian space agency to place GLONASS receiving stations in the U.S. are progressing.  The final bill will likely include a provision requiring the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence to certify to Congress that such ground monitoring stations will not be used to gather intelligence in the United States, or enhance capabilities of a foreign weapon system.

NSPS Radio Hour — Tomorrow, Dec. 23, 11 a.m. EDT

Bill Barton with H2O Partners Inc. is working on a FEMA Elevation Certificate training video. Join host Curt Sumner at 11 AM Eastern at www.americaswebradio.com for his conversation with Bill regarding the video, and how it may differ from the Certified Floodplain Surveyor program initiated several years ago by NSPS and the North Carolina Society of Surveyors (NCSS). That program is still in place in NC, but FEMA has not allowed it to be utilized more broadly.

If you are unable to listen to the show when it is being broadcasted, listen to the archive of the show at http://www.radiosandysprings.com/showpages/ACSM.php. Archives for each show are typically available for listening within a few days after the show airs.

During the show, listen for the "key question" and be the first to email the correct answer to quikstakescontest@americaswebradio.com to win a $50 gift certificate from our sponsor, Parker Davis Quik Stakes. No purchase is required to receive the gift certificate. Winners limited to once every three months.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

NSPS website links to job opportunities. Employers interested in posting job opportunities on the NSPS website should contact John D. Hohol at jhohol@gmail.com

State Licensing Board Profiles

Want to know more about how your state licensing board operates, and the most current information about licensure requirements? NCEES provides this information on its website, www.ncees.org.

The information is now called a Board Profile and it is on the NCEES website under the tab “Licensing Boards”. If you look at the bottom of each state’s section, there is a link to their profile, http://ncees.org/licensing-boards/. Select “surveying” in the left column on that page to find answers to questions specifically related to surveying matters.

Thanks to Tim Miller PE (NCEES Director of Examination Services), and Gary Thompson (NCEES Treasurer and Past NSPS President), for their assistance in providing this valuable link.

Surveyor Sworn in as Attorney by Another Surveyor

Submitted by Paul H. Mabry, JD, PLS, CFeds

Land Surveyors who enter the practice of law are few, but often well-known; Abraham Lincoln among others.  A modern inspiration, Walt Robillard of "Brown and Robillard" fame, also did so.  In May of 2013, Paul Mabry, a Professional Land Surveyor and Certified Federal Surveyor, graduated from Golden Gate University School of Law, with honors.  Then, over the summer, Paul took the California Bar Exam and just last week learned that he had passed one of the most difficult bar exams in the country.

In many jurisdictions, such a newly admitted attorney would be sworn in before a court convened with a sitting judge.  In California however, a little known section of the Government Code authorizes a County Surveyor to administer and perform such oaths.  Bruce Storrs, the City and County Surveyor of San Francisco, has agreed to administer this oath and swear Paul into the Bar. This may be the first time ever that an engineering professional has sworn in another engineering professional to practice as an attorney before a state bar!  

Paul intends to use the new credentials to continue promoting and supporting the practice of civil engineering and land surveying.  Bruce highlights the long and historic accomplishments of county surveyors everywhere with this rather unusual act of sending a Surveyor to practice before the Bar.

NSPS Continues Davis-Bacon Battle

NSPS government relations consultant John M. Palatiello met with House and Senate staff to continue the society’s efforts to seek a rescission of the Department of Labor’s memorandum from March 2013 that expanded application of the Davis-Bacon Act to certain survey crew activities.  NSPS is collecting information from members on their recent experience with federal contracts in which Davis-Bacon is being applied.  If you have documents related to application of the law to your contract, please share that information with NSPS Executive Director Curtis Sumner, LS, at curtis.sumner@nsps.us.com.

Holiday Greetings from NSPS

Thanks to all who have participated in the work of our Society in 2013.

Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching. NSPS and surveyors across the country have plenty to be thankful for. As one of our past presidents, John Matonich, routinely says, “It’s a great day to be a Surveyor!”

The economy shows signs of improvement, and it appears that members of the surveying profession are seeing that, more than ever, solidarity is critical to our future.

The joint state society/NSPS membership program has exceeded our wildest expectation. Having begun only 15 months ago, as of December 16, 2013 a Memorandum of Understand (MOU) has been signed with 39 state societies and the society in the District of Columbia, bringing to 40 the number of societies participating in the program. Another four (4) state societies have approved the program, and NSPS anticipates the signed MOU from them soon after the beginning of 2014. Yet another state society Board has approved the MOU and is awaiting a membership vote in the Spring of 2014. All remaining state societies are in some stage of discussion about the program.

The NSPS News & Views weekly email newsletter has proven to be a magnificent outreach and feedback tool. It now boasts in excess of 10,000 subscribers. The NSPS Radio Hour is also reaching a broad audience with approximately 9000 downloads per month, in addition to those who listen in “live”.

Our efforts on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC are more effective than at any time in the recent past, with NSPS conducting a successful Lobby Day outing in November, providing direct testimony to legislative hearings, and weighing in more meaningfully on myriad legislative and agency initiatives.

Feeling truly blessed to have you with us, we look forward to joining you in a successful 2014!

NSPS Leadership and Staff