e-NEWS NOVEMBER 2021
IN THIS ISSUE...
  • A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
  • CLSA LOSES FRIEND, DAVID SKIDMORE, PLS 7126
  • NGS RELEASES NEW VERSION OF THE HTDP UTILITY
  • GPSonBM UPDATE: OCTOBER 2021
  • BPELSG OFFICIAL NOTICE AND AGENDA
  • NSRS MODERNIZATION NEWS
  • IN THE NEWS
  • SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The October California PLS Exam was recently administered, and we just held our November CLSA Board of Directors online meeting today. There are some great things going on. 
 
Highlights from the meeting include:

  • Alek Jevremovic has been confirmed as the new CLSA Liaison to CEAC.
  • Ian Wilson has been confirmed as the new CLSA Legislative Committee Chair.
  • Steve Wilson has been recognized for his contributions to CLSA by the Board of Directors.
  • CLSA Entrance fee for new members is suspended for those who join by 1/1/2022.
  • CLSA Reinstatement fee for lapsed members is suspended for those who re-join by 1/1/2022.
  • The 2022 CLSA Budget has been approved and reflects dues of $270 per year for PLS. 
  • The budget includes CRTN Consortium membership, and a line item for NSPS membership.
  • Once negotiations conclude, NSPS membership will be an additional CLSA member benefit. 
  • CLSA continues to hold webinars (free to CLSA members). The next is January 7, 2022.
  • Central Office is arranging a special guest speaker for a 2022 webinar on SB9 and SB10.
  • Registration (discounted for CLSA members) is now open for the 2022 Conference. Sign up at www.PLSEducation.org.
  • Work is continuing on the updated CLSA CA PLS Exam Guide. If you have example test problems to include, please send them to the Central Office for Landon Blake.
  • West Fed, of which CLSA is a member, is now selling FS Exam prep videos for $199.
  • Annual CLSA Survey results will be shared via the members-only section of the website.
  • A synopsis of the results is available in the October 2021 CLSA eNews.
  • Many Chapters are getting back to in-person meetings, while abiding by COVID rules.
 
At this time, we are expecting to hold our February 5, 2022, Board of Directors meeting in person at the Holiday Inn Oakland Airport. Please plan to attend. 
 
Pop quiz: I usually end my President’s letters and reports with a message. What is it? 
If you know, then you likely know the importance of safety apparel and equipment in our work. 
 
Plan your 2022 calendars for the IN-PERSON 2022 Conference. It will be held in Las Vegas, NV March 30 - April 2, 2022. The theme is Mapping the Path for the Next Generation. I suggest attendees plan to arrive on the 29th, as the conference will start on the morning of the 30th. Certain usual suspects will likely have informal receptions in various suites throughout the conference. As mentioned previously, this will be a four-state (CA, AZ, NV, UT) plus West Fed conference, so a great turnout is anticipated, thus it will be an opportunity to improve your knowledge and reconnect with old friends. Thanks to our members of the joint conference committee: CLSA Conference Committee Chair Rich Maher, President-Elect Warren Smith and Executive Director Kim Oreno.
The deadline for GPS on BMs data collection is December 31, 2021. Please coordinate your efforts with John Tosto using the gpsonbms@californiasurveyors.org email. Steve Martin has been doing a great job of performing observations and rallying the troops to follow his lead. If you have considered doing a GPS on BMs observation, go occupy the most picturesque locations while they are needed.
 
The August 2021 CLSA eNews featured Rick Coffman’s company and racing adventures. Recently, Rick and co-driver Ben LaBrake thoroughly tested most of their side-by-side UTV’s safety equipment during a race, flipping over forward four times! Thankfully, both men walked away unscathed. Safety equipment doesn’t do any good if it is not in place when you need it. See the photo sequence below by Judd Neves Nothing But Dirt Racing Photography for action shots of the safety equipment test!

Please remember, CLSA is a volunteer organization. Individuals contribute their time, energy and brainpower to achieve our mutual goals. No member can contribute 100% of the time. Some are not in a position to contribute at all at a particular time. That is OK. We all have lives to lead, and many of us have work to do, children to raise, and others to care for. Obviously, those things come first. Please ensure that your membership dues are current, and do whatever you can, whenever you can, to improve the profession. It is up to all of us to help make a difference in our world. CLSA does that.
 
The familiar epilog follows:
 
Chapters, please continue recruiting new CLSA members. Licensees, LSITs, Technicians and others are all welcome. There is a membership level for any level of qualification. Individuals, companies, or corporations who, by their interest in the land surveying profession, are desirous of supporting the purposes and objectives of CLSA may also join as Sustaining Members. 
 
If you are not a CLSA member, please recognize all the good that CLSA and CLSA members do to benefit you in your day-to-day work and improve the profession as a whole. Please give back to the profession by joining CLSA, attending webinars, workshops, and conference and participating in the various efforts of importance to you.   
 
Members, please reach out to others who are not currently CLSA members and invite them to join or re-join us. I challenge every member to bring in at least one new member. Every membership helps improve our situation adding additional funding, brainpower and enthusiasm. Increasing membership is critical to the success of our organization, and the well-being of our profession. Thank you for all your efforts. 
Keep yourselves and your people safe. 

Robert M. McMillan, PLS, EiT
CLSA LOSES FRIEND, DAVID SKIDMORE, PLS 7126
With great sorrow, we mourn the sudden passing of David Lee Skidmore at the age of 64. A beloved father, husband, brother and friend to so many, Dave will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Dave is survived by his wife of 33 years, Nikki Skidmore, sons Jacob and Ben, daughter-in-law, Kylie and grandson Rhett, his father, Richard Skidmore and sister, Susan Rash. He was preceded in death by his loving mother, Jaqueline and stepfather Marvin Solum, and brother, Timothy Skidmore.

NGS RELEASES NEW VERSION OF THE HTDP UTILITY
HTDP (Horizontal Time-Dependent Positioning) is an NGS utility that transforms positional coordinates across time and between spatial reference frames. A new version (3.4.0) is now available on the NGS website and on GitHub.

Although HTDP v3.4.0 includes several significant updates, the intent is to minimize change in output for land areas covered by the previous version, except for areas affected by new earthquake models, and for transformations involving the original (“Transit”) realization of WGS 84.

The HTDP User Guide has been extensively revised, including new figures and tables, updated instructional exercises, and more details on how reference frames and transformations are implemented. Cross-references have also been added to related definitions in the widely used ISO Geodetic Registry and EPSG Geodetic Parameter Dataset.

BPELSG OFFICIAL NOTICE AND AGENDA November 2021
The Official Notice and Agenda for the November meeting of the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists is now available.

BPELSG MEETING MATERIALS
November 2021
The materials for the November 8-9, 2021 meeting of the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists are now available on the Board's website HERE.
NSRS MODERNIZATION NEWS October 2021

GPSonBM UPDATE: OCTOBER 2021
Transformation Tool Campaign Countdown
As the end of 2021 approaches and the cut-off date for submitting data for use in the Transformation Tool looms, NGS is working hard to evaluate our progress on the core elements of the NSRS Modernization plan.

We’re also adaptively managing and prioritizing our limited staff time and resources across the many interrelated development efforts while continuing to serve all of our existing users of the current NSRS.
As part of this evaluation, we’re considering exactly when we will be ready to pull the lever and run the first official Reference Epoch Coordinate (REC) adjustments on the GPS data that we have received. As I wrote back in August, GPSonBM is here to stay. Stay tuned for more updates as the GPSonBM priority list and goals continue to evolve.

GPSonBM CAMPAIGN CUT-OFF DATE EXTENDED
NGS is officially extending the GPS on Bench Marks Campaign’s cut-off date for one year, until December, 31st 2022. Partners are encouraged to continue to collect and submit GPS data to NGS for use in developing products to be launched with the Modernized National Spatial Reference System.

This extension reflects the NGS commitment to include as much local data as possible in determining the Reference Epoch Coordinates (REC) that will be used to create the Transformation Tools that will be released with the Modernized NSRS. This will allow users to transform their data between current vertical datums and NAPGD2022, the new geopotential datum being developed for the Modernized NSRS.

This extra time will allow participants to use the recently released beta version of OPUS Projects 5.0 to submit a series of much shorter RTK or RTN observations using GVX, the GNSS Vector eXchange file format. Major geospatial software providers are beginning to enable users to export their survey data in GVX format for use in OPUS Projects. Check for recent updates to your survey software or talk to your vendors to see if your software supports GVX export.

While OPUS Projects 5.0 is being beta tested, users will be able to try out all of the functionality and processing workflows but will not be able to submit their surveys to NGS. However, all users who load data into OPUS Projects will be given an opportunity to complete the bluebooking process and submit the data to NGS for use in the transformation tool after the beta testing period is complete.
OPUS SOLUTIONS SHARED, MONTHLY OVERVIEW
  • 1,288 observations shared by OPUS users in October 2021
  • 1,145 observations on 956 prioritized bench marks
  • 111 observations on 100 published marks
  • 142 observations on 121 new marks (not published yet)
  • Wisconsin = most observations shared this month within one state
  • Minnesota Dept of Trans. = most observations shared this month by one agency
CLSA STORE - 2021 PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE
  • 2021 PE Act and PLS Act with Board Rules
  • 2021 Complete Package with DVD
  • 2021 Subdivision Map Act & Index

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.
OFFICE DEPOT DISCOUNT PROGRAM
Save up to 60% on your office supplies. Click on the Office Depot Logo to begin utilizing the CLSA-Office Depot Discount Program. If you do not know your username and password, or for more information, contact the CLSA Central Office.
The CLSA Education Foundation was established in 1993 and is committed to supporting land surveying students and programs. Last year over $50,000 in scholarship aid was provided to land surveying students. 
 
Donating to the Education Foundation is easy! Click HERE to donate via PayPal.

Thank you to everyone who clicks through to Amazon through the CLSA's Education Foundation Amazon Smile account! If you're not doing so already, please shop on Amazon with this link.
CLSA Education Foundation's Deadline to Apply for Scholarships is 
Friday, December 3, 2021
The 2021-2022 Education Foundation Scholarship Application has been posted to the website. Applications are due by December 3, 2021. Please note that all applications must be submitted by email. Mailed applications will not be accepted.




IN THE NEWS...
AllTerra Central and CSDS announce the acquisition of Allen Instruments & Supplies
"We are extremely excited to welcome the California-based Allen Instruments group of employees to the CSDS team," states Tom Cardenas, President of CSDS "As a leader in the geospatial and large format printing solutions in Northern California for over 35 years, it is extremely important that we expand our coverage into Southern California and combine the forces of both organizations to offer the highest level of expertise to the industries that we serve.
Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald publishes story on LiDAR
The article entitled “Capturing the reality of land surveying” highlights the efforts of Fargo N.D. based Houston Engineering using LiDAR for reality capture. This is a great example of land surveying being recognized in main-stream media in a positive light, emphasizing application of technology to improve accuracy, efficiency, and safety. Image by Houston Engineering. 
Hall County Nebraska Commissioners claim their state law is “really messed up”
Hall County recently surpassed a population of 60,000 people, and under Nebraska state law, the County Surveyor is required to be the highway superintendent if the county meets that threshold. The good news is that the County Commissioners recognize the current County Surveyor is “marvelous” but has his hands full working with every other county department and they don’t want to add more duties.
Surveying activities and processes reported on Texas and Kansas municipal projects
In Midlothian, TX, field surveying work is in progress for McAlpin Road improvements. Once complete, the existing right-of-way boundaries will be reviewed and needs for roadway alignment, right-of-way, and easements will be assessed. READ MORE

Once the Topeka, KS city engineer is done surveying the land for the new water tower, the City Council will vote to start the process to acquire the land. If approved, it will take more than a year before construction would start. The project is expected to take 18 months and be finished in 2024.
News from Down Under – Cardno announces Troy Ryan becomes a Licensed Land Surveyor
Here is another example of a press release that California firms can issue to get them a bit of good publicity as an employer, recognize an employee’s achievement and promote the profession all at once. The article describes the often typical wandering path and challenges of pursuing a land surveying career, the passion exhibited by Mr. Ryan, the role of land surveyors in society, and the advancement opportunities available to those who enter the profession.
Memphis, TN area firms McCaskill and Associates and The Reaves Firm announce merger
The described benefit of the merger is the ability for both firms to share limited surveying resources.
Surveyors Advised to Acquaint Themselves with New Ghana Land Act
Mr. Francis Manu-Adabor, Chairman, Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands and Forestry, has advised surveyors to study the new Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036) and be abreast with tenets of the provisions for effective service delivery. He charged the executive of the License Surveyors Association of Ghana (LiSAG) to regularly train members of the Association on the Act to serve their clients better. “The Act provides a general description of the interests in land in the country and it is the responsibility of the surveyor to undertake the demarcation of these interests and make effort to find out the persons in whom the interests are vested and the persons with the capacity to deal with,” said Mr. Manu-Adabor. While this story is from the African nation of Ghana, this is great advice to all land surveyors, and underscores the importance of membership in your professional association.
Panola County's international boundary marker to get antiquities landmark status
A Texas State Antiquities Landmark Medallion will be officially unveiled at the Texas/U.S. international boundary marker near the Texas-Louisiana state line on Saturday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m.
China and India International Border Dispute Could Heat Up!
India criticized China on Wednesday for passing a new land boundary law which it said could impact the two countries’ long-running border dispute. Last year, 20 Indian troops were killed in a clash with Chinese soldiers involving clubs, stones and fists along the disputed border. China said it lost four soldiers. Both countries have stationed tens of thousands of soldiers backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets along their de facto border, called the Line of Actual Control, in the Ladakh region. The Line of Actual Control separates Chinese and Indian-held territories from Ladakh in the west to India’s eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims in its entirety. India and China fought a war over the border in 1962.
Land Surveying NEARLY makes the Big Time as Miss Manners discusses Setting Boundaries 
Syndicated columnist Miss Manners was so close, but just missed her mark when advising her reader to “establish boundaries with the neighbor.” The adjoiner apparently acquired more vehicles than they have parking spaces, and began parking on the grass between the two houses. The reader has noticed the “parking is gradually creeping forward and getting closer and closer to my front lawn.” Miss Manners suggested “Build a fence, plant a bush or provide a strip of bare dirt or gravel — something that will at least make it clear when an infraction has occurred, and preferably will give warning before it does.” Sadly, she missed the step of hiring a professional land surveyor to determine where the fence, bush or strip of bare dirt or gravel should be placed.
Thank You CLSA Sustaining Members