The LSAW Board of Directors met in Renton, WA on June 1, 2019. Below are the highlights from the second quarter BOD meeting.

  • The LSAW Fall Seminar Series will be held at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, WA on October 25-26th. The seminar will feature a track specifically designed for the technician as well as a class on public lands which will be CFedS certified.
  • The 2019 Conference was a great success and special thanks goes out to our Chair Amanda Askren and the Conference Committee! LSAW is grateful for Amanda’s hard work as Conference Committee Chair over the past 10 years!
  • The 2020 Conference will be co-sponsored by Western Federation of Professional Surveyors (WFPS) and will be held at the Tulalip Resort & Casino February 26th-28th. The Board of Directors approved Vancouver as a location for the 2021 Conference.
  • LSAW Board Member Gary Letzring has been appointed to the Urban Surveyor position on the DNR Survey Advisory Board. 
  • Renton Tech was granted permission to use LSAW’s “Ethics and Business” video presentation which was developed by Jon Warren and is part of the LSAW PLS Refresher Course. Renton Tech was granted permission to use the video only as part of their survey program curriculum. 
  • President Kate Schalk, Past President Pat Beehler, and Past President Jon Warren participated in the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) “Day on the Hill” in April. It was reported that many positive things are being done for our profession on the national level.
  • NSPS is considering revitalizing the Certified Floodplain Surveyor program. They are requesting each association to gauge the interest in their state. LSAW has requested additional information regarding the program. Once obtained, members will receive the information along with a short questionnaire to determine if the program is of interest to our members.
  • Senate Bill 5443 which was sponsored by the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (BORPELS) died in committee but was inserted by amendment to HB 1176. HB 1176 passed and signed into law by Governor Inslee on May 21, 2019. This legislation separates BORPELS from the Department of Licensing (DOL) creating separate budgetary items and clarify roles. LSAW supported the legislation and assisted with a grass roots campaign to write the Governor.  President Kate Schalk was in attendance when the bill was signed into law. 
  • The Board of Directors reviewed the LSAW Arbitration Manual which had not been used in over a decade. It was determined that the manual was outdated and may cause potential liability for the association. The Board voted to eliminate the LSAW Arbitration Manual.
  • Pat Beehler provided an outline of proposed changes to RCW 58.20 that will be needed when the 2022 datum goes into effect. Click here to view the proposed changes and direct any comments to Pat Beehler at: pat.beehler@dnr.wa.gov
  • The Bylaws Committee continues to work with Chapters to update their bylaws. The committee’s goal is to receive all Chapter bylaws by the August meeting so that the Board of Directors can take final action.
  • The first publication of the Evergreen State Surveyor for 2019 was delayed but should be arriving in your mailbox soon. Click here to view the ESS online. Editor Ben Petersen requests that all material for the November publication be submitted by the end of September.