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IN THIS ISSUE...
- A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
- FS/PS FREE STUDY REVIEW SESSION FOR FALL 2022
- SAN FRANCISCO CHAPTER NEWS
- WHERE IN CA IS THIS?
- CLSA ANNUAL AWARDS
- SURVEYORS A AND B
- OFFICIAL NOTICE & AGENDA
- CONGRATULATIONS MATT STRINGER
- 2023 CLSA MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL
- IN THE NEWS
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The Board of Directors met on November 4th via Zoom. Among items adopted was the 2023 budget. Line items were added to cover the cost of hiring a consultant to produce a series of targeted videos for distribution on social media and for use at outreach events such as job fairs and student counselors’ gatherings. Another addition was for the purchase of a dedicated audio/video suite for casting virtual meetings to upgrade current capabilities.
A motion was passed to accept renewal of lapsed memberships for the remainder of this year at a prorated rate without incurring penalty charges. There was discussion about chapters working with Central Office on membership lists to assure proper apportionment of Directors to the Board in a timely manner.
An MOU is being considered to finalize the joint Conference with NALS in Reno next March but was authorized by CLSA’s Board.
Several committees were expanded through the volunteering of members and a general sense of more efficient cooperation when common interests overlap.
Warren D. Smith, LS
President, CLSA
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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.
| Thanks to customers shopping at smile.amazon.com or using the Amazon app with AmazonSmile turned ON, everyday purchases make an impact. So far, AmazonSmile has donated $1,741.64 to the California Land Surveyors Association Education Foundation (CLSA EF). If you have not done so already, please set up your AmazonSmile and Designate the CLSA EF! This is an easy way to contribute to the Education Foundation at no cost to you. | The 62nd Annual Geomatics Conference at Fresno State will take place on January 12 and 13 at the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union. | |  |
San Francisco chapter welcomes Kate Anderson, newly appointed City and County Surveyor at The Old Ship Saloon last month. |  | |
The October “Where in CA is This?” winner was Michael Chiara, PLS of Sacramento, correctly identifying a spot in the Feather River Canyon just east of Tobin where Interstate 70 and the railroad tracks cross the river. He further identified the location saying “The photo is taken from the southbound lane. I used to ride my motorcycle on that road a lot – I’d make a loop from Oroville up Oroville-Quincy Road, then back either along Highway 70 or La Porte Road.”
Only 4 minutes later, Mark Madonna, a Survey Tech with The Wallace Group submitted his correct answer along with a screen capture from Google satellite imagery. Mark commented “I had no idea where it was. Google Earth and Google searches. It was on a highway again. Pretty fun to look for it.” I think Mark did an amazing job finding it this way. In the early evening, Survey Technician Richard Elgenson, with KDMMerridian, also submitted a correct response saying: “I've driven through there once or twice, and, even better, I've been on several charter passenger trains through the Feather River Canyon. I see, according to the map, this is Tobin on CA highway 70 looking south/west bound, and the railroad overcrossing was originally the Western Pacific Railroad, built around 1910 or so.” Bob Berti was the final correct responder for October. All four win a beverage at the next conference.
|  | Try to identify the location of this month’s photo. Submit your answer to: Rob McMillan. | |
Remember to Nominate Your Colleagues and Chapter for the Annual CLSA Awards!
Award nominations/submittals are due December 31, 2022. The categories are: Dorothy Calegari Distinguished Service, Member of the Year, Chapter of the Year, Chapter Newsletter of the Year, Chapter Website of the Year and Photo of the Year.
LEARN MORE
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SURVEYORS A AND B
Regarding the discussion of Surveyors A and B from October, I was reminded that the practice of “Traffic Engineering” is not regulated. The use of the title, “Traffic Engineer” is however protected. There is nothing in California state laws or the Board’s rules which would prohibit any individual from simply stating a sight distance. Thank you Nancy Eissler of BPELSG for the insight. I should have recalled that at the original conversation.
Submit your scenario for a future Surveyors A and B to: Rob McMillan
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OFFICIAL NOTICE & AGENDA
The Official Notice and Agenda for the December 8-9, 2022 meeting of the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists is now available. Please click on or copy and paste the following URL into your browser for further information.
READ MORE
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PASSING OF DALE ROPER, PLS 5504
We are sad to report the passing of Dale Roper, PLS 5504. READ MORE
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CONGRATULATIONS MATT STRINGER -- PROMOTED TO PRINCIPAL AT MARK THOMAS | |
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Matt has been with Mark Thomas since 2005. He began at Mark Thomas as a Project Surveyor, leading all phases of survey services in support of bridge, transportation, utility, and water/wastewater infrastructure design, and grown in his experience and level responsibility since that time. He was previously promoted to Associate in 2015, Survey Division Manager in 2018, and Associate Principal in 2019.
In his new role as Principal, Matt will continue to deliver major survey contracts statewide and will be responsible for managing our growing team of survey managers, office staff, and field crews. He will also take on additional firm management responsibilities.
Matt makes history as our first surveyor Principal since our founder Mark Thomas. This is an exciting recognition of Matt’s success in growing our survey team, and helps us continue to work towards our goal of celebrating and promoting team members from various backgrounds and technical disciplines.
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2023 CLSA MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL
Renew your 2023 CLSA membership in November or December of 2022 to waive the entrance fee for new members and the reinstatement fee for lapsed members. New and lapsed members will receive free membership for the rest of 2022. Sign up before December 31, 2022 to receive this offer. CLICK HERE to join today.
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Congratulations Justin Pallamary Promoted to Regional Manager at Psomas’ San Diego Office
Justin has been promoted to Regional Manager of Psomas' San Diego office. Justin is an Associate of Psomas, and is the Vice President and Team Leader for the San Diego Surveying Department. Justin has worked within the Psomas Survey group since 2020.
Justin's experience includes past presidency of the California Land Surveyors Association (CLSA) San Diego Chapter, current Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) liaison on behalf of American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and the Chairman of the Social and Community Service committee on behalf of American Public Works Association (APWA). Being an advocate for the professional surveying and engineering organizations, provides a strong foundation as a Regional Manager.
Justin will bring steady leadership to the San Diego-based team and represent Psomas in the community and throughout the industry. Congratulations Justin!
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Mark Your Calendars for the 62nd Annual Fresno State University Geomatics Conference!
The 62nd Annual Fresno State Geomatics Engineering Conference will be January 12th and 13th at the Clovis Veteran's Memorial Building. Thursday will be an afternoon event and Friday will be a full-day event culminating in a special banquet.
Details will be announced as soon as possible.
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Land Development Conflict of Interest Alleged in Sandpoint, ID
Bonner County commissioners have agreed to hold a “reconsideration hearing” for a minor land division (MLD) after claims a conflict of interest existed.
The MLD in question (MLD0084-22) was approved at the commissioners’ business meeting on Sept. 6 without complaint. In the minor land division, Candace Stephens, the landowner of Hundred Acre Wood, sought to turn one 24.5 acre parcel into four properties, each 5 acres or above.
Challengers to the MLD are claiming that the approval of the application was an indiscretion because the same surveying company used on the file is also occasionally contracted by the county.
Glahe & Associates, which does surveying work throughout North Idaho, assisted Stephens in her application and one of their employees, Joel Andring, is shown to be the representative of the applicant, county records show.
Commissioner Dan McDonald explained that, while the county does not have an “in-house” surveyor, they do “have a contract with Glahe to review the surveys on some of the files that require it.” McDonald said “They (oponents) are trying to claim that the file was processed quicker than most MLDs and that there was some kind of favoritism.”
READ MORE
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Thieves Posing as Surveyors Distract and Burglarize Senior Couple
Roswel, NM police are trying to identify a group of thieves who posed as land surveyors to distract a retired couple while burglarizing their home.
The couple, who wished to remain anonymous, said two men showed up at their door in the Willow Springs subdivision last Thursday wearing reflective vests and carrying walkie-talkies. “They said they were hired by the city to do a survey on our house.” said the homeowners.
The supposed surveyors convinced the couple to lead them to the backyard and show them their property line. They also told the couple to wait for the arrival of a drone that would take video and measurements.
One of the phony surveyors said he would contact the drone operator on when he was to arrive. In hindsight, the couple suspects he was actually talking to someone ransacking their home, looking for valuables. “They sent another crew of one or two to search the house, and on the walkie-talkie he was asking, ‘How much more time do you need?,’” said the homeowners. By the time they called police, the burglars were gone and had snatched valuable jewelry and family heirlooms.
READ MORE
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Thank You CLSA Sustaining Members | | | | | |
