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IN THIS ISSUE...
- A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
- CLSA/NALS CONFERENCE 2023
- CLSA LOSES FRIEND RAYMOND DIAL, PLS 7341
- BPELSG OFFICIAL NOTICE & AGENDA FEBRUARY 2023
- NATIONAL SURVEYORS WEEK
- WHERE IN CA IS THIS?
- CLSA MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
- LAND SURVEY EXAM REVIEW BY CLSA SAN DIEGO CHAPTER
- PHYSICS SCIENCE & MATH DAYS
- Help Shape the Future of Land Surveying by Educating Our Future Surveyors
- IN THE NEWS
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Dear Members of the California Land Surveyors Association,
I am honored to serve as the new President of CLSA and I am excited to lead this esteemed organization that represents the interests of land surveyors in California. As we move forward into the next year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on some of the highlights of our recent Board of Directors Meeting on February 4, 2023.
The Legislative Committee (LegCom) has made significant progress in updating the Lot Line Adjustment and Monumentation guidelines, ensuring the highest standards of accuracy and consistency in land surveying practices. We have also approved a letter of support from the President to NGS expressing our support for two Low Distortion Projections in the Bay area and the LA Basin.
We had great success with our hybrid Audio Visual setup for members who logged into Zoom. This enabled us to connect and share information with our members in a safe and convenient way.
My top three priorities as the new President of CLSA are as follows. Firstly, I am committed to promoting diversity and increasing the number of women in our profession. Secondly, we plan to create a Leadership Academy for Corporate and Associate Members to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become industry leaders. Thirdly, we will establish an Advanced Technology Committee to keep members up-to-date with emerging technologies such as generative AI, Digital Twins, and the Industrial Metaverse and their impact on the profession.
Finally, I encourage all members to attend the upcoming NALS/CLSA conference in Reno. This will be a great opportunity to learn and network with fellow professionals and to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing our industry.
Thank you for your continued support of CLSA. I look forward to working with you to advance the goals of our organization and the profession as a whole.
Kevin Hills, PLS
President, CLSA
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ABOUT KEVIN HILLS
Kevin is a highly experienced and accomplished professional land surveyor with more than 35 years of expertise in the profession. He holds a Diploma in Survey Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Management, and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University.
As County Surveyor for the County of Orange, Kevin leads the OC Survey Services Unit within Public Works, overseeing a team of 90 professional surveyors and GIS professionals. They are responsible for managing all surveying and mapping operations, GIS services, map reviews, right-of-way acquisitions, and Digital Twin integrations for Orange County Public Works. Kevin has extensive experience in the preparation of ALTA surveys, topographic surveys, subdivision engineering, right-of-way surveys, and 3D spatial mapping services for commercial, residential, and institutional facilities.
Kevin is the current President of the California Land Surveyors Association, demonstrating his commitment to the profession and his strong leadership abilities.
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REGISTER HERE
CLSA members should use code 201950 in place of their member number to receive the member discount. Please be sure your 2023 membership dues have been paid prior to using that code.
Important information regarding this year's auction: The scholarship auction remains one of the highlights of the conference and all proceeds are used to benefit land surveying education. If you plan to donate items to the auction this year, please report those items in advance using the spreadsheet linked HERE.
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50% off in the CLSA Store. We are accepting preorders for the 203 PE Act and PLS Act with Board Rules
2023 Complete Package with DVD
2023 Subdivision Map Act & Index
CLICK HERE
| ARTICLE & PHOTO SUBMISSIONS FOR CALIFORNIA SURVEYOR MAGAZINE | Do you have a photo from your field work that would make a great magazine cover? Do you have an idea for an article or have you written an article that you'd like us to consider including in the next issue? Please send your submissions and ideas to California Surveyor Editor, Joseph Waltz. |
NSPS - STOLEN EQUIPMENT REGISTRY
Reminder - NSPS provides a registry of stolen equipment.
| Offers a $.07 per page discount and will automatically donate $.10 per page to CLSA when members download courthouse documents through this website. These instruments include Deeds, Easements, Rights-of-Way, Releases, Liens, etc. | |
Remember to Contribute to the CLSA Education Foundation
The CLSA Education Foundation (CLSA EF) can accept direct contributions, payroll deductions such as the California State Employee “Our Promise” Charitable Campaign, and shopping donations through Smile.Amazon.com. Additionally, you can provide contributions to the CLSA EF through gifts, grants, or bequests, of property, real or personal, tangible or intangible. Please add an item to future Chapter meeting agendas for CLSA Education Foundation discussions.
| Effective February 20, 2023, Amazon has discontinued the Amazon Smile program. Many thanks to those who have used the link to send donations to the Education Foundation. | |
CLSA MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you have not already renewed your CLSA membership, please do so now. And be sure to invite others to join our great organization. Your membership supports CLSA’s efforts to protect, enhance and grow the land surveying profession. Members receive free monthly webinars, discounts to the annual conference and from our affinity partner organizations, as well as membership in the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) for representation and advocacy at the national level.
RENEW HERE
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CLSA LOSES FRIEND RAYMOND DIAL, PLS 7341 | |
With heavy hearts, the Dial family announces the sudden passing of Raymond Todd Dial, 58, of Brawley, California, on November 21, 2022. Even though he left this world, his lasting impact will forever change those whose lives he touched.
READ MORE
| BPELSG OFFICIAL NOTICE & AGENDA FEBRUARY 2023 | |
The Official Notice and Agenda for the February 2-3, 2023 meeting of the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists is now available on the Board's website.
CLICK HERE FOR AGENDA
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The materials for the February 2-3, 2023 meeting of the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists are now available.
CLICK HERE FOR MATERIALS
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This year, National Surveyors Week will be observed from March 19-25, 2023. Surveyors Week helps us recognize the surveying profession and we encourage your company and community to participate. Please visit the National Surveyors Week webpage for details.
We are also happy to share information on Global Surveyors Day in conjunction with FIG (Fédération Internationale des Géomètres) and CLGE (Comité de Liaison des Géomètres Européens) to honor a famous surveyor and their contributions to the profession. For more information on Global Surveyors Day, visit the website HERE.
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The January “Where in CA is This?” had six winners, two of whom wish to remain anonymous. Luz Garcia of The Wallace Group, correctly identified Lover’s Point in the Pacific Grove area of Monterey Bay, saying “one of my favorite places I’ve surveyed so far.”
Chuck Pugh, of Whitson Engineers recognized the location and provided an alternate, much less placid view of the scene, captured in an Instagram photo by Seangravem.
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Also correctly identifying the location was Ryder Kovach of Polaris Land Surveying saying “This is Lovers Point in Pacific Grove. The photo was taken from the bike path looking north towards the point and across Monterey Bay. The Monterey Cypress trees caught my eye first, then I realized where it was. I’ve been going to that beach ever since I was a kid.”
Last to submit a correct answer was Magnolia Morris with the East Bay Regional Park District. All win a beverage at the upcoming conference.
| Try to identify the location of this month’s photos – a “two-fer” looking northeasterly and southeasterly. Please tell me how you identified the location. Submit answers to: Rob McMillan. | |
Land Survey Exam Review by CLSA San Diego Chapter
2023 LS Exam Review (FREE*)
*The cost is FREE, but we please ask for any amount of donation. To sign-up and receive the virtual meeting link without a donation, please choose $0.00 and proceed through checkout. The donated money goes directly into programs like this LS Review, local college survey courses and yearly education scholarships to surveying students.
In-Person participation is highly recommended. Hosted live at Caltrans District 11 in San Diego and also via virtual platform.
Caltrans District Office: 4050 Taylor St, San Diego, CA 92110
Questions? Please e-mail CLSA-SD or call Michael Knapton at (619) 847-3570
Schedule and Presenters are subject to change:
- 2/23 - 6:30-9pm - Boundary - TBD
- 3/2 - 6:30-9pm - Riparian - Kruger
- 3/9 - 6:30-9pm - Photogrammetry - TBD
- 3/16 - 6:30-9pm - California Coordinates - McMillan
- 3/23 - 6:30-9pm - GNSS/GPS/Geodesy - TBD
- 3/30 - 6:30-9pm - Construction - TBD
- 4/6 - 6:30-9pm - Review / Mock Exam - TBD
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
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PHYSICS SCIENCE & MATH DAYS
The Santa Clara/San Mateo Chapter of CLSA has organized interactive surveying presentations at Physics, Science, and Math Days at California’s
Great America in Santa Clara since at least 2014. We welcome all land surveyors, land survey technicians, and land surveying students to join us
in our presentations.
CLICK HERE for details
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Help Shape the Future of Land Surveying by Educating Our Future Surveyors
California State University Fresno is seeking a full-time lecturer in the Geomatics Engineering program for the 2023 fall semester starting in August, 2023.
READ MORE
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CLSA, CSDS and San Joaquin County Sheriff Team-up
CLSA Executive Director Kim Oreno received a call from Detective Matthew Miley of San Joaquin County. The Detective spotted a for sale listing of a Trimble S7 on an on-line marketplace for $5,000 that had signs of being stolen. On his drive into work, Miley spotted Caltrans District 10 Surveyors Joe Clary, Doug Hammerstrom, and Matt Olson, and approached them to ask about approximate value of the S7 and how to reach the survey community. Clary and Hammerstrom suggested reaching out to CLSA and Olson suggested contacting CSDS. (Miley and his partner work undercover, so the photo is only a likeness)
Kim sent out an email blast to CLSA’s email list, resulting in numerous emails with police reports and serial numbers of their stolen instruments. One CLSA member who reached out to the detective was confirmed to be the victim of the theft through his company records and confirmation by California Surveying and Drafting Supply company out of Sacramento.
The instrument was stolen in Modesto in November of 2022. After a sting operation, the Trimble S7 is now back in the possession of its rightful owner and there have been two arrests made with this case. One of which was the person who tried to sell it and who later confirmed that he knew it was in fact stolen. The other was the person who drove him to the meet up spot. The Detective commented “You have a great group of association members. I have posted many Be On the Look Outs (BOLO's) in the past, and have never received such an immediate response from so many people.”
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Congratulations William Paul – Promoted to Senior Associate Principal
Will was promoted from Associate Principal to Senior Associate Principal where he will help lead BKF Engineers' surveying group. Paul started with BKF in October 2016 as a Senior Project Manager. His previous employer include Kier & Wright Civil Engineers & Surveyors, Sandis, Kjeldsen, Sinnock and Neudeck, Inc. and O’Dell Engineering. Will has served the CLSA Central Valley Chapter continuously since 2016 as President twice, and Vice-President.
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Congratulations Ian Hill on California LSIT
Ian Hill, a Survey Intern with Guida Surveying, Inc.’s Fresno Office and Geomatics Engineering student at CSU Fresno has successfully passed the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam and is obtaining his Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT) certification.
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Congratulations Elijah Duncan Hill on California LSIT
Elijah Duncan, a Survey Survey Technician at Project Design Consultants San Diego Office has successfully passed the NCEES Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam and is obtaining his Land Surveyor-in-Training (LSIT) certification
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Congratulations Best Land Surveying Practices - Future City competition
Congratulations to the Broadalbin-Perth Junior/Senior High School team for winning the Best Land Surveying Practices award, sponsored by NCEES, in the New York (Albany) region of the Future City competition.
READ MORE
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CLSA Education Foundation totals $46,250 in Scholarship Awards!
The CLSA Education Foundation is pleased to announce that $46,250 in scholarships will be awarded this year. This year’s scholarship recipients include students from the following colleges: Cal Poly Pomona, College of the Canyons, Fresno State, Great Basin College, Idaho State University, Oregon Institute of Technology, Purdue University, Santa Rosa Junior College and Shasta College.
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Sacramento City College to Resume Surveying Program
The Sacramento City College Surveying program which has been on hiatus since 2012 is expected to resume classes in September of 2023, thanks to efforts of the Engineering Design Technology Department Chair Kenneth Fitzpatrick and Dean of Math, Science and Engineering, Angelena Lambert. The previous class descriptions still exist in the Sac City Catalog. If you are interested in serving on the Sacramento City College Program Advisory Committee, as it explores ways to assist the school, please email John Wilusz, Adjunct Professor, Sacramento City College at john.wilusz@SCC or john.wilusz@Gmail. Next it will be up to the employers in the Sacramento area to send their new staff to the Sac City Program and serve as Adjunct Faculty.
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Mentoring Mondays for the Land Surveying Profession Holds 100th Session!
The Land Surveying On-Line mentoring serries Mentoring Mondays has aired it’s 101st session. The concept, developed during a discussion session during the 2020 CLSA-NALS Conference, has grown into a website with over 100 archived sessions of live presentations. This represents the tireless efforts of Trent Keenan and his staff who make it all happen as well as the efforts of 64 different speakers. There have been over 1700 different attendees, and just shy of 70,000 website views. The 101st session featured Ian Wilson discussing Records of Survey.
Below are caricatures of most of the presenters created by the Get Kids Into Survey team. See how many of them you recognize.
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California Trio Presents NGS GPSonBM Webinar to 588 Live Participants
The February 9th webinar kicked off the 2023 GPS on Bench Marks season by featuring a tremendous trio from California, Steven J Martin from Martin Geospatial, Philip Melcher from Provost & Pritchard and Dana Caccamise, the NGS Pacific Southwest Regional Geodetic Advisor. Dana, Philip and Steve talked about how they have worked together and alone to collect data on nearly 1,000 priority bench marks in the Pacific Southwest and have inspired, cajoled, and convinced a growing legion of other surveyors to get out there on the GPSonBM trail. Their story provided useful tips and tricks for both field and office and provide a roadmap for others across the country to hit the road, collect some data, and participate in preparing our Nation to derive the full suite of benefits from the Modernized NSRS to come.
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Dana Caccamise Challenges CLSA – NALS Conference Attendees to Perform GPSonBM
In a LinkedIn post, Dana posed a #GPSonBM CHALLENGE to all the surveyors going to the #CLSA-#NALS Conference on March 25-28, 2023, in Reno, Nevada, to #FILL_THE_GAPS in the #GPSonBM's in and around Reno on the way there and back from the conference.
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NGS Seeks Geodesist
This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Geodetic Survey (NGS) with one vacancy in Silver Spring, MD or Woodford, VA and one vacancy in Anchorage, AK. This position is also announced under vacancy number NOS ONGS-23-11818616-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.
READ MORE
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Thank You CLSA Sustaining Members | | | | |
