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NSPS is here to assist our State member organizations when Our Young Surveyors Group continues to be very active, there
troubling legislation may be introduced. In January, of this year, are a number of chapters throughout the country now and the
the NSPS Director from Montana, Matt Morris requested our Member Organizations which I have spoken at speak glowingly
assistance in combating a change proposed in the licensing statue of their Young Surveyors and their accomplishments.
for land surveyors. Essential the proposed revision to the statue
would allow any individual to set and/or recover boundary Our budget and finance committee has been working diligently
monumentation. At the Montana Land Surveyors Assoc on our behalf to analysis and prepare for any drop in our State
request NSPS sent a letter the State Representative proposing affiliate organizations membership rolls. Projecting how our
the changes, outlining how this would have an adverse impact budget may look if there 10%, 15% or maybe as much as a
to the general public and would result in possible litigation and 30% drop in membership numbers. I am happy to report that
homeowner heartache due to lack of expertise of unlicensed with our organization that renew their memberships in the
individuals. With our help, the Montana Land Surveyors second half of the year we have not seen any down turn and in
Association was able to get the bill withdrawn. some cases, just the opposite.

Among the successes for NSPS was the issuance of All Agency NSPS is scheduled to host the FIG 2023 Working Week,
Memorandum AAM 235 which overrode AAM 212 regarding May 27 - June 3, 2023 in Orlando, FL. In 2022, NSPS will
the applicability of Davis-Bacon labor standards to members host Global Surveyors Day activities. GSD is a collaboration
of survey crews. AAM 212 was issued by the Department of between NSPS and our European counterpart the Council
Labor on March 22, 2013 and required that members of survey of European Geodetic Surveyors. It is held each year during
crews be classified as Laborers and Mechanics and subject to the U.S. National Surveyors Week which is always celebrated
the provisions of the Davis Bacon Act. This memorandum during the week in March following the 3rd Sunday.
provided no rational for the policy change and was made I ask you remind your State memberships of the numerous
with no public notice, no public comment, no consultation benefits afforded them as members of NSPS including
with affected stakeholders, no economic or regulatory tirebuyer.com which I use for both my work and personal
impact analysis and no study of its effect on small businesses. vehicles, deep discounts on purchases of Dell computers, the
NSPS felt that the policy was an affront to the surveying
profession, the classification detrimental to our profession, an NSPS insurance program as well as many others.
inappropriate demotion of valued and skilled employees and Thanks for putting your trust in me and the rest of the
would place an extreme burden on the thousands of surveying Executive Committee and here’s hoping for a healthy, happy
firms that are small businesses. Since its enactment NSPS has and successful 2021.
been on a 7-year campaign to seek rescission of the policy. It
included testimony before Congress, meetings with individual Respectfully Submitted
Congressmen and Senators, letters by design and construction Mark C. Sargent, LLS
trade associations, professional societies and taxpayer groups. NSPS President
With assistance of the Small Business Administration (SBA),
longstanding negotiations with the Department of Labor
and the Wage and Hour Division on December 14th the What is NSPS?
Department of Labor rescinded AAM 212.
NSPS does have a strong presence on Capitol Hill, through NSPS is the voice of the professional surveying
the work of our Government affairs committee and our federal community in the United States and its territories.
lobbyist, JB Byrd, we are able to get attention on matters such Through its affiliation agreements with the respective
as the Davis Bacon Act. JB has presented two webinars on state surveying societies, NSPS has a strong
government affairs this year, look for an email notice or the constituency base through which it communicates
News and Views newsletter for upcoming events.
directly with lawmakers, agencies, and regulators at
The 2021 version of the ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey both the national and state levels. NSPS monitors and
standards which became effective just last month, February comments on legislation, regulation, and policies that
23, 2021. The joint ALTA/NSPS Committee has worked very have potential impact on the activities of its members
hard to update this document and I believe all will be pleased and their clients, and collaborates with a multitude of
with the results. other organizations within the geospatial community
Our CST program continues to be one of the most successful on issues of mutual interest.
certification programs we offer. We are currently in the process Learn more at www.nsps.us.com
of developing an online version of the test, in hope of attracting
even more participation.

EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 57 • NO 3/ 2021 • MAY/JUNE 21