A Publication of the Society of Land Surveyors of Iowa 

September
 2015
SLSI: Our Purpose  

To advance the science of land surveying and mapping

To raise the standards of land surveying practice

To advance the professional status and economic welfare of land surveyors

To contribute to the public education of the necessity for professional land surveying

To establish a central source of reference for land surveyors

SLSIResponseToLicensingBoardSLSI to Propose Changes to Code

Thanks to the efforts of SLSI Board member Frank Bellon, over the past two years, the Society of Land Surveyors of Iowa (SLSI) has been working with the Iowa County Recorders Association (ICRA) and Iowa Land Records (ILR). Representatives from each organization have focused on the following objectives for Professional Land Surveyor's paper products:

1) Improve Recorders' filing standards to enhance reliability of searches for users and public.
2) Take advantage of existing technology and provide for future technological advances.
3) Simplify indexing for County Recorders and their staff.
4) Improve quality of document reproductions from County Recorders and ILR.
5) Housekeeping to promote uniform understanding by local jurisdictions of the Iowa Code.


We continue to work with ICRA and ILR to improve current systems. More particularly, e-filing plats through ILR and amendments to 331.606 Code Iowa are our current focus. Some additional revisions to the Administrative Code may be needed.

Members of SLSI are encouraged to review and submit comments to SLSI. You may do so at info@slsi.org.


SLSIResponseToLicensingBoardSLSI Submits Response to Licensing Board on Request for Ruling

A request for a declaratory ruling was submitted to the Iowa Board of Engineering and Land Surveying Examiners by a professional land surveyor in Iowa. The request was seeking interpretation on several sections of the Iowa Code and Administrative Rules. The SLSI Board of Directors voted to unanimously submit the following response to the licensing board.
 
CLICK HERE to read more and/or to download a printable copy.

The licensing board chose not to issue a declaratory ruling at this time and it is our understanding the board may appoint a peer review committee to come back with a recommendation to the Board.
Feel free to submit your comments back to the SLSI board at info@SLSI.org.
Article1SLSI January Workshop on FEMA and ALTA
 
SAVE THE DATE!
JANUARY 15, 2016
Scheman Building, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

The SLSI educational program scheduled for January 15 at the Scheman Center in Ames will feature two programs. 

Part one of the workshop will provide an update on FEMA, including elevation certificates and LOMR and LOMA.  The second portion of the workshop will focus ALTA standards.

These will be very timely programs since a new set of ALTA/ACSM standards - the 2016 version -will be effective in February 2016.  ALTA and NSPS will vote on the standards in October 2015.

The presenters will be Gary Kent, PLS and Dennis Grumpp, PLS with the Schneider Corporation of Indianapolis, IN.

Registration information will be distributed later this fall, but put January 15 on your calendar today.

Surveying Merit Badge;
A recruitment tool par excellence
                 
By Frank Lenik, PLS
Leica Geosystems Inc.
 
Frank Lenik, PLS serves on the Youth Outreach Subcommittee for NSPS. He wrote the attached article to share with you a wonderful idea which he saw in action at the Penn State University in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.

It is a novel way to teach youth about our profession and attract them into the surveying programs across the country. He hopes local survey programs consider adopting this method to attract students.

Article:
 
There are few challenges facing the profession of land surveying today which are as great as the need to revitalize our ranks with young and technologically savvy individuals. We all recognize the aging of our colleagues but cannot seem to identify the reasons for the lack of new blood coming into the field. New tools and technologies have been introduced, but the application of these tools to our methodologies has been slow.
One of the storied tools for education and outreach has been the Boy Scout Surveying Merit Badge. As a former scout and scout leader, I recognize the value of the merit badge system as a way to introduce young people to various fields as a way to encourage them to grow and learn about the world around them. I typically attend a troop meeting or camporee to teach the scouts about the highlights of surveying and guide them through the requirements for the badge.
Recently however, I was introduced to a new and exciting way to work with scouts to earn this merit badge which I believe is a game changer.

The Surveyors Historical Society Presents:
RENDEZVOUS 2015 - BELLINGHAM  WA        



In This Issue
SLSI Propose Changes to Code
SLSI Response to Licensing Board
SLSI January Workshop
Surveying Merit Badge
SURVEYORS RENDEZVOUS 2015
Members Approve Bylaw Revisions
SLSI January Workshop
 
SAVE THE DATE
January 15, 2016
 
Registration to open later in the fall.
SLSI Members Approve Bylaw Revision

The SLSI members voted overwhelmingly to approve a number of bylaw revisions.  With over 225 responses, there were or only one or two proposed changes that received more than a handful of "no" votes.

The proposed changes, for the most part, reflected current practices and included a number of provisions that reflected changes to adhere to Iowa's non-profit act.  Other changes were suggested to help SLSI more efficiently serve our members - such as being allowed to vote online or by email.

Thank you to all the SLSI members who took the time to read the proposed revisions and send us your ballot and comments.
Quick Links
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: 

President
Alan Fagan, PLS
Al Fagan-Land Surveying, P.C.

Past President
Craig Steffensmeier, PLS
Steffensmeier Surveying

Vice-President
Paul Herold, PLS,
Herold-Reicks-Surveying

Secretary/Treasurer
Gary Brown, PLS,
GB Consulting

NSPS Governor
Richard Leu, PLS
Iowa Department of Transportation (retired)

DIRECTORS:
Frank Bellon, Jr. PLS
H. Frank Bellon

John (Jay) W. Waddingham, PLS/PE
Franklin County Engineer

Mike Geier, PLS
Snyder & Associates, Inc.

Terence Crawford, PLS/
PE
Denison City Manager

Jason Hull, PLS
French-Reneker-Associates

Dan Rittel, PLS
Engineering Resource Group

Joel Romey, PLS
Raccoon Valley Land Surveying

Howard Stewart, PLS
Jasper County Highway Dept.

Terry Coady, PLS
Snyder & Associates

Jeff Gaddis, PLS
Civil Engineering Consultants
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 Society of Land Surveyors of Iowa
          100 Court Avenue, Suite 203
          Des Moines, IA  50309
          Phone: 515-284-7055   Email: info@slsi.org
          Website: www.slsi.org