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VI. Committee Reports LS PAC
[Editor’s note: All committee meeting minutes can be viewed on the Steve Boddecker, Chair
NYSAPLS website. Go to the About Us tab. Scroll down to Committees. • Current balance is $7,308.87. $265 in contributions were received in
Click on the name of the committee to view meeting minutes]. connection with membership dues payments.
Annual Conference Membership
Amber Carpenter reported for Ken Stigner, Chair Heather Schultz for Nik Decker, Chair
• The conference committee met last Friday at the conference hall in • Membership reports were included with the handouts. 1,272 membership
preparation for our 2024 annual conference. The committee will meet in dues invoices have been issued. 745 have been paid to date. Roy urged
Saratoga Springs next week at the conference center. Eastern is the host for Directors to reach out to their regional members, especially those who
2026. RFP’s have been sent to conference centers for 2026 conference. The haven’t renewed lately, and try to bring them back “into the fold”.
goal for publishing the 2024 conference brochure is by October 1st.
• The committee is still working on the “Find a Surveyor” feature of our
Constitution & By-Laws website. The committee is also working on a possible Golf Tournament
Marshall Wilson, Chair and a member benefit offering by Trimble.
• Marshall reported that there are no matters to act on at this time.
Minimum Technical Standards (ad hoc)
DOT Relations (ad hoc) Jason Larson, Chair
Roy Garfinkel reported for Jim Thew, Chair • The committee met July 11th. They plan to continue meeting with
• Roy reported that there has been no action since the committee’s last regionals to ensure awareness of the DRAFT MTS and where the process
meeting (in May). The technical part still involves the creation of a trial GIS stands. In the meantime they are waiting to hear back from SBELSG.
using Albany County DOT right-of-way maps as the prototype example.
The other part still involves the political aspects (funding, etc.). Both prongs NSPS
are still works-in-progress. Roy has been talking with NYS GIS Association Patti Brooks, Chair
President Susan Knauss about the process. They are planning a roundtable • Patti attended the FIG conference recently in Orlando Florida.
discussion on this matter at the upcoming NYS GeoCon (NYGeoCon2023 | • Patti has rotated off a two-year term on the NSPS Executive Committee.
NYS Geospatial Conference 2023 (nysgis.net)
• The next NSPS Business meeting is being held in Cleveland, OH.
Education • See the last issue of the ESS for a good article titled “NSPS Spring Update”.
Bill Eggers, Chair
• The committee has completed the education grid for our 2024 annual • Patti will speak with our Education Committee Chair Bill Eggers about possibly
conference. Bill attended the FIG Working Week in Orlando Florida recently. hosting a Certified Floodplain Surveyor training course for NY surveyors.
The last time FIG was held in the United States was 20 years ago. Bill met • President Garfinkel announced that his firm Foit-Albert is going to start
geomatic professionals from around the world. The Education Committee hosting the NSPS Certified Surveying Technician exam at their Buffalo
met with the Shaw Fund Course Content Reviewers last week. One result of office each September starting this year. Steve Boddecker is hoping to
that meeting is that we will try to schedule a joint meeting with SBELSG to have his firm Fisher Associates (Rochester) host the spring CST exam.
further discuss Continuing Ed course content reviews for CE credits. John Roy is hoping that other offices in other regions of the state get involved.
Abruzzo had a question about a request from a past course presenter. Roy hopes that the new Workforce Development Committee can get
involved as well.
Ethical Practices
David Zigler, Chair Public Relations
• Dave addressed the request made by Don Stedge at the last BOD meeting Heather Schultz for Lem Morrison, Chair
to look into a guide and YouTube video discussing land surveys (seen here: • The committee has been working on the following campaigns: Surveying
https://www.nyrentownsell.com/blog/how-much-does-a-land-survey-cost/). in Renewable Energy; Workforce Development; Summer of Surveying;
Dave received direction from the BOD regarding a proposed response. Benchmark Search; Surveyors Corner YouTube videos; Question of the Month.
Dave and the committee will work on a response. Directors – Consider inviting a local reporter to a “benchmark search”.
• Dave discussed the committee’s practice of checking to see if an alleged Strategic Planning
violator has had an enforcement action listed on the OPD website. Dave Amber Carpenter for Greg de Bruin, Chair
asked for guidance as to what the committee should do if they see a • The Draft Strategic plan can be viewed here: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.
member who is not the subject of a NYSAPLS investigation but is on nysapls.org/resource/resmgr/strategic_2022-2024/2023-2025-Strategic-
the OPD list. The Directors were asked to discuss this matter with their Plan-Boa.pdf . The SP Committee has fine-tuned the SP. Every committee
regional members. Then the Committee will draft a policy on this for review
and approval by the BOD. has SP tasks charged to it. Their charges are discussed at each meeting. The
BOD is charged with items 1.1.1, 4.2.3, 6.1.1, 6.1.9. Amber reviewed the
Legislative SP tasks charged to the BOD and particularly 6.1.9 “Explore opportunities to
Amber Carpenter reported for Jason Graf, Chair restructure Regionals so that people can join nearby active Regionals”. Roy
• See the Legislative Committee page on NYSAPLS website for a condensed went on to add that he has received feedback from some members who say
list of bills that may directly impact surveyors. The committee will also that their regional may be somewhat exclusive in terms of promoting new
resume publishing the Legislative Update Newsletter. Their next prerogative membership, or that their regional was defunct and no longer holds meetings.
is to find an effective way to get feedback from our members. Scott Gillis described some of the history of Nassau Suffolk. Nassau Suffolk
• The committee is still seeking input on best language for the New 2022 no longer excludes non-proprietors. Nassau Suffolk only started accepting
Datum legislation. The committee presented 3 options to choose from for Associate Members a few years ago. Scott is working on doing away with
our recommended language. Watch for another email from Amber on this. their separate application process (separate from the NYSAPLS application
The Directors were asked to seek input from their regional members. continued on page 30
EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 59 • NO 5 2023 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 29