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Journal of the Professional Land Surveyors of Nevada Vol.47, No.

4 • December 2020

Inside This Issue:


Professional Land Surveying: Then, The Grand Unifying Theory of
Now, and Where Are We Headed? Surveying/Geomatics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 16 By: Carl C.de Baca, PLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg.14

Institutional Af filiate National Societ y of Professional Sur veyors • Member Western Federation of Professional Sur veyors
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Who’s Who in NALS
Board of Directors Committee Chairs & Liaisons continued...

Greg Phillips, PLS, President NSPS Director: Nancy Almanzan


gphillips@LumosInc.com Nancy.Almanzan@swgas.com

Justin Moore, PLS, Vice President Nominating: Jason Higgins


justin@odysseyreno.com jhiggins@wmksurveying.com

Robert Carrington, PLS, Secretary/Treasurer Professional Practices: Justin Moore


rcarrington@diamondbacklandsurveying.com justin@odysseyreno.com

Jason Higgins, Immediate Past President Outreach: Justin Moore


jhiggins@wmksurveying.com justin@odysseyreno.com

Crissy Willson, Executive Director Membership: Justin Moore


nals@nvlandsurveyors.org justin@odysseyreno.com

Nick Ariotti, PLS, Director Young Surveyors Network: Sarah Walker & Nick Ariotti
nariotti@egradig.com nvyoungsurveyors@gmail.com / nariotti@egradig.com

Todd Enke, PLS, Director WFPS Delegates: Trent Keenan & Greg Phillips
nvpls19734@yahoo.com tkeenan@diamondbacklandsurveying.com / gphillips@LumosInc.com

Bill Ray, PLS, Director Chapter Presidents


bray@eseconsultants.com
William Nisbet, Great Basin Chapter
Frank Wittie, PLS Director waanelko@citlink.net
ridinghigh4x4@gmail.com
Bill Ray, PLS, Lahontan Chapter
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Committee & LIAISONS
Chairs & Liaisons bray@eseconsultants.com

2022 Datum: Kevin Almeter Nick Ariotti, PLS, Southern Nevada Chapter
kalmeter@woodrodgers.com nariotti@egradig.com

Advanced Education: Trent Keenan Executive Office


tkeenan@diamondbacklandsurveying.com
NALS Executive Office
Board of Registration Liaisons: Jason Higgins & Kevin Almeter T. (888) 994-3510
jhiggins@wmksurveying.com / kalmeter@woodrodgers.com E. nals@NvLandSurveyors.org

Communications/Publications: Trent Keenan Social Links


tkeenan@diamondbacklandsurveying.com
Website: NvLandSurveyors.org
Constitution and Bylaws: Nancy Almanzan
Nancy.Almanzan@swgas.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NVLandSurveyors/

Continuing Education/Conference: Nancy Almanzan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nevada-


Nancy.Almanzan@swgas.com association-of-land-surveyors

Legislation: Robert Carrington


rcarrington@diamondbacklandsurveying.com

NDOT Working Group: Greg Phillips


gphillips@LumosInc.com

Institutional Af filiate National Societ y of Professional Sur veyors • Member Western Federation of Professional Sur veyors
N A
THE

Inside this Issue...


This publication is issued quarterly by the Nevada Association of Featured Articles
Land Surveyors (NALS) and is published as a service to the Land
Professional Land Surveying: Then, Now, and Where Are
Surveying profession of the state of Nevada. The Nevada Traverse
We Headed?
is an open forum for all Surveyors, with an editorial policy predi-
cated on the objective of NALS and Bylaws, Article II, which reads: By: Trent J. Keenan, PLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6

“The purpose of the association shall be to promote the common The Grand Unifying Theory of Surveying/Geomatics
good and welfare of its members in their activities in the profes- By: Carl C.de Baca, PLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 14
sion of Land Surveying; to promote the common good and welfare
of the public in terms of professional land surveying activities; to
promote and maintain the highest possible standards of profes- The Collector By: Carl C.de Baca, PLS . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 18
sional ethics and practice; to promote public awareness and trust
in Professional Land Surveyors and their work. Nevada Young Surveyor’s Network
By: Sarah Walker, NV YSN Chair & Heather Keenan
This organization, in its activities and in its membership, shall be
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 16
non-partisan, non-sectarian, and non-discriminatory.”

The publication is mailed to NALS members and similar orga- Get Kids Into Survey: Educating The Next Generation of
nizations on a complimentary basis. The Nevada Traverse is not Surveyors and Geospatial Experts
copyright protected. Articles, except where specifically copyright By: Elly Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 19
noted, may be reprinted with proper credit. Written permission
to reprint copyrighted material must be secured either from the Ligado Know Your Enemy
author directly, or through the editor. By: Carl C.de Baca, PLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 20

Articles appearing in the publication do not necessarily reflect


the viewpoints of NALS, its officers, Board of Directors, or the Mentoring Mondays By: Trent J. Keenan, PLS . . . . .Pg. 23
editor, but are published as a service to its members, the general
public, and for the betterment of the surveying profession. No
responsibility is assumed for errors, misquotes, or deletions as
to its contents.

Article & Advertising Deadlines


January 25th, April 25th, July 25th, October 25th Departments
To submit and article or to request information regarding
Who’s Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 1
advertising, please contact the NALS Executive Office

NALS Executive Office Editor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3


T. (888) 994-3510
E. nals@nvlandsurveyors.org
President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5

Running an ad does not imply endorsement of that advertiser by


NALS, and the editor reserves the right to not accept ads which Professional Listings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 17
may be in poor taste or objectionable to the policies of NALS.
WFPS Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 22

Sustaining Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 25


SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP $195 Annually
INCLUDES : Quarterly Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 26
• Complimentary business listing in the Traverse
• Complimentary listing on NALS website
• Member pricing on ads in the Nevada Traverse NSPS Nevada Director’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 27
similar outlook, so I feel like I could offer a good feel for where we

The are headed! Given the changes to the profession and the threats
to deregulate licensing, I think it is inevitable that surveyors will

Editor’s need to start being a little more active in our recruitment of the
profession moving forward.

Corner In this edition, we have an article by Carl C.de Baca on what a


tiered and or National licensure may look like if we decided to
go down this path in the years ahead. The other story looks
by Trent J. Keenan, PLS into the history of Lidago (LightSquared as we all know it) and
what effects it may have on the surveying profession if their
technology is allowed to move forward. Lastly, Carl again talks
I am sure I can speak for all of us, but I’m glad that 2020
about the “Collector” and his stories of the conference silent
is over. This is going to be a year we will remember for the
auctions to a great new find while recently surfing the internet.
rest of our lives, and not in a good way. 2020 has been the
most extended year in history it feels like, with the Covid-19
And finally, as I close out this last issue of the Nevada Traverse
Pandemic causing us to live in house arrest, Massive wildfires
for 2020 and wrap up my first year as the new editor, it’s time to
around the world, murder hornets, droughts (235+ days in Las
follow our former editors’ annual plea for new material. You folks
Vegas without rain, where the previous record was 150 days),
all have a variety of unique experiences in the world of Surveying.
a record number of hurricanes, BLM became one of the most
You can all tell great stories at the bar or at the table before a
search terms on the internet after the riots spread across the
chapter meeting starts. And there’s certainly no shortage of
nation, and this has been the worst year that I can remember
opinions on the leading surveying topics of the day. Why is it so
for celebrities deaths with some of the biggest names to be
difficult to turn that into an article or editorial? Please help me
born in the twentieth century passing away, with names like
keep this magazine as Nevada-centric as possible.
Kenny Rogers, Charlie Daniels, and Eddie Van Halen to Alex
Trebek and Sean Connery to name a few. The Stock Market
Enjoy this edition. My hope is you see in the data provided and
Crash and Oil Industry bust are just a few more highlights,
articles that the time to act is now!
but let us not forget about the presidential election where the
most ballots were cast in US History.
May you all have a safe holiday season and a Happy New Year!
Not everything that happened in 2020 was all bad. There
were a lot of good things to come out of all this bad. With the
technology advancements we were forced into this year with

About the Cover...


Zoom, we were able to keep business as usual for the most part
on the association business side. Crissy & Dorothy proved we
could have a successful conference even on a virtual platform.
Lastly, we were also able to bring the whole state together
with a few virtual lunch meetings and bring surveyors to the
gatherings who haven’t attended in years! There have been
some other wild advancements in the surveying equipment
world as well. Would you believe me if I told you, you could
now store a point with an unplumbed rod in your hand and still
have a very actuate location? Yes, you read that right. With a
new Trimble GPS receiver, you can take a shot on a point with a
GPS rod at a 45-degree angle and still get the same result as a
correctly plumbed rod. That would seem like the craziest thing
ever said out loud ten years ago. To learn more, search Trimble
R12i receivers in your web browser. What will they think of next?
Automated drafting? Oh wait, that is the works already!

Well, enough of the depressing stuff; let’s talk about the Future
of Surveying and what things might look like with the current
economic climate and technological advancements. In this
edition, I wanted to look back at SB-103 and the bachelor’s
degree requirement since we just passed our 10th anniversary
of the requirement going into effect. I also wanted to provide
an in-depth look at what it means when we say the average
surveyor is 61 years old. We hear it all the time, we are an aging
profession, so I spent about six months doing a research project
and reaching out to every licensing board across the country A composite image of different photos taken from articles throughout this
year’s editions of The Nevada Traverse. Photo credit: Jeremy Long (Full Metal Worldwide)
trying to get as much information as possible. I was not given
enormous data, but about 28 states responded to my request
with some data. However, in the end, I only have six matching Do you have a cover shot you would like to submit?
data sets and a few other partial data sets that provide a very Email: nals@NvLandSurveyors.org

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 3


Custom Survey Markers & Monuments • Signs & Witness Posts • Flagging & Targets • Nails & Washers

Our legacy is your legacy.

800.356.7388 | berntsen.com

NALS Launches Job Board


Visit the NALS Website at: NvLandSurveyors.org
NALS has launched
a new job board
to help employers
fill vacancies and
members search for
new opportunities.
The job board is a
separate system
from our members’
portal, to post you will
need to register and
follow the onscreen
prompts. Registration
is free. You do not have
to register to view
postings.
The 
President’s 
Message
by Greg Phillips, PLS

Happy winter, and goodbye to 2020! I think we are all looking


forward to moving on and getting back to some normal life in
2021. It has been a challenging year, but I am grateful for the
opportunities I have had. So far, my family has stayed healthy,
and we have been able to keep busy and productive at work. My
family has been fortunate to spend a lot of time outdoors this
year, and hopefully, we can continue through the winter, staying
active while socially distant.
When I started this journey over eight years ago, serving
different capacities on the Lahontan and State Boards, I
definitely did not see me finishing out as the COVID President.
This will be my final message to you as NALS President, but you
haven’t seen the last of me. I am looking forward to being a Past
President and am excited to continue serving on committees as
needed and being one of the 2 Nevada delegates to WestFed. I
am committed to following some of our recent past presidents’
footsteps to remain active and help the next generation of NALS
leaders. I would specifically like to thank both Jason Higgins and
Trent Keenan for their continued support of this organization, as
well as them personally mentoring me.
I am very excited about the future leadership at both the State
and Chapter levels. Frank Wittie has put together a great team
of seasoned veterans and some newer faces on the Southern
Chapter Board. The Lahontan Chapter is coming out of the gate
strong with Jake Johnson taking the reins. Jake has recruited
quite a bit of new talent that I am confident will keep them
going strong well into the future. With Justin Moore as our new
State President, it will be an excellent year for NALS. I have
known Justin for a long time, and his work ethic is unrivaled. I
am glad to see we are in a strong position to move forward as
an organization.
Virtual meetings have been a blessing and a curse. We have
been missing some faces that are either reluctant to turn on
the camera or don’t have or want the technology. The plus side
is that we have been connecting with members in the state
and regionally that we would usually not see at an in-person
meeting. The Board just made the difficult decision to shift
our 2021 conference to a virtual platform. We are talking with
other western states to partner with to provide the best value
and learning experience that we can while still maintaining our
social distancing. When the pandemic threat begins to recede,
I am sure we will be planning a live get together as soon as it
is safe to do so. I would love to see a late summer – early fall
workshop, golf tournament, beer-drinking social event.
I want to thank you all for the opportunity to have served you
and NALS. This is a great organization, and the relationships I
have developed through my years of service have been more
rewarding than ever imaginable. Happy New Year, welcome
2021, get that vaccine rolling, and I will see you all in person
very soon!
The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 5
Professional Land Surveying: Then, Now, and
Where Are We Headed?
Prepared by Trent J. Keenan, PLS
Introduction.
The landscape of the licensing requirements for the land surveying profession has changed dramatically over the past decade. In this
article, I will take an in-depth look at where the Nevada Legislature has brought us today, current trends of the profession, and the
direction our future actions might take us.

Specifically, I will explore:

• The shift that occurred when Nevada Senate Bill No. 103 passed (B.D.R. 54-408).
• The new distinction between land surveying as a “trade” versus a “profession.”
• The results of my nationwide research into current land surveying educational trends and exam rate statistics; and
• The importance of how and why we should invest energy in the land surveying profession’s future.

The History of Nevada Senate Bill No. 103.

We will start with how and why Nevada Senate Bill No. 103 (SB103) came to fruition. Before SB103 was passed, surveying was not
considered a degree-based profession. Rather, it was an apprentice trade. The winds of change began in 1992, with a Florida Supreme
Court Decision (Garden v. Frier (1992) 602 So.2d 1273) that sought to determine if a land surveyor was a “professional” in relation to
Florida’s professional malpractice statute. This case followed an earlier court case (Pierce v. AALL Insurance Co. (1988) 531 So.2d 84),
which in short said:

“we hold that a ‘profession’ is any vocation requiring at a minimum a four-year college degree before licensing is possible in
Florida. There can be no equivalency exception…a vocation is a profession if any graduate degree is required as a condition of
state licensure, without regard to the nature of the undergraduate education.”

In Garden v. Frier, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that land surveying was indeed a trade, as no formal surveying education was required
to enter the profession. The Florida Supreme Court’s decision soon led every other state in the nation to review their land surveying
licensing requirements. The state of Nevada was no exception.

Let us fast-forward to the Nevada Legislative Session of 1999 and the passage of Senate Bill No. 103 — Committee on Commerce and
Labor, Approved June 8, 1999. SB103: The Nevada State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors’ (BOPE&LS) Bill entitled
“An act relating to professionals. This Bill requires applicants for licensure as professional engineers and land surveyors to be graduates of certain
curricula approved by the Nevada State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, etc.”

The Bill incorporated Senate Amendment No. 581 and Assembly Amendment No. 985 and was signed into effect by Nevada’s Governor
on June 6, 1999. Key to SB103 was Section 7, which was not scheduled to go into effect until 2010.

To read the full Bill as it was enrolled, please visit:


https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/70th1999/bills/SB/SB103_EN.pdf

The 1999 Nevada Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor meeting contained some interesting Meeting Minutes dated February
12, 1999. These Meeting Minutes show initial discussions that resulted in what would become the final SB103 language. Below are the
positions held by three (3) of the key individuals in attendance.

a. Larry L. Spitler, Lobbyist, American Consulting Engineers Council of Nevada (ACEC/Nevada), read from a prepared
testimony stating that ACEC/Nevada could not support the elimination of the experience and testing option for land
surveying licensure because it may lead to an artificially induced shortage of licensed land surveyors.

b. Senator Raymond C. Shaffer commented that most land surveyors work beneath engineers. Because many engineering
companies had their own land surveyors, this meant that there was typically someone on the record and responsible,
therefore protecting the public.

c. Rita Lumos, P.L.S., pointed out that although surveying and engineering were often housed within the same firm, they
were separate positions. Thus, the engineer had no authority under the law to oversee land surveying. She also stated
the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors had been working towards establishing a degreed program at the University of
Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and that there was an existing 2-year program in place at the Community College of Southern

6 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


Nevada with 78 students enrolled. Finally, she argued that Nevada’s 400 existing licensed surveyors were on a path that
required further education. In short, both national and local trends demonstrated a need to keep standards high and move
towards a degree-based profession.

Needless to say, the resulting SB103 favored the position of Ms. Lumos, and a trajectory was set in Nevada that would shift land
surveying from the realm of trade to the realm of profession.

Trade Versus Profession – What Do These Terms Mean?

A discussion of trade vs. profession should start by defining the terms in question. According to Black’s Law Dictionary, the term
“profession” is defined as a vocation requiring special or advanced education, knowledge, and skill. The labor and skill involved is
predominantly mental or intellectual, rather than physical or manual.

In contrast, Black’s Law Dictionary defines a “tradesman” as a “mechanic, craftsman, or artificer of any kind, whose livelihood depends
primarily on the labor of his hands.” Further, it defines a trade as a business or industry occupation; a craft of profession.

As you can see, the real difference between a trade and a profession is education. For Nevada to officially move the land surveying
profession from the realm of “trade” to that of a “profession,” Nevada needed to change state law and require everyone entering the
profession to have a bachelor’s degree. As mentioned, SB103 passed in 1999, and the education component of this Bill officially went
into effect on July 1, 2010.

You can now see that Nevada had devoted over ten (10) years before 2010 fighting to make land surveying a “profession.” Nevertheless,
there was another battle brewing on Capitol Hill soon after SB103 went into effect. There is no direct correlation between this battle
and SB103, but this back-door decision ultimately hurt the land surveying profession’s professionalization.

Progress Prevented: The 2013 “Laborers and Mechanics” Classification.

On August 4, 2011, the International Union of Operation Engineers (Local 12) sent a letter to Mr. Timothy J. Helm, Chief, Branch of
Government Contracts Enforcement - Division of Enforcement Policy and Procedures Wage and Hour Division (W.H.D.) requesting a
meeting to discuss the reclassification of land surveyors within the Davis-Bacon wage determination schedules. This 26-page letter
stated that land surveyors should be included as part of the Davis-Bacon Act for wages.

In making their argument, the union members did not provide a favorable evaluation of the land surveying profession. The W.H.D.
followed through on Local 12’s request, and the Union was successful in reclassifying certain individuals of the land survey crew
as “laborers and mechanics” within the W.H.D. However, it should be noted that this reclassification does not apply to licensed
professional land surveyors or party chiefs working on the site. The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued an All Agency
Memorandum (AAM-212) on March 22, 2013.

To understand the delta between the land surveying licensed professional and union field staff surveyors, the IUOE letter argues
that:

a. Educational Requirements.

There is no minimum level of formal education required to become a field land surveyor. A GED is sufficient. Acting Solicitor of Labor
Harold C. Nystrom’s August 31, 1960 letter stating: “[R]odmen, chainmen, axemen (grubbing brush, etc.) stakemen, and the like,
clearly perform the work of laborers and do not in fact even approach the educational or other qualifications associated with the
true professional.”

b. The Jobs of Office Surveyors and Field Surveyors Are Not the Same.

The job of a field survey crew is similar to that of a grade checker: to ensure that the heavy equipment operators dig or fill to the
correct depth and in the correct location. The office surveyors determine the depth and location based upon measurements provided
by the field surveyors and, in turn, provides field surveyors at the site of the work with the necessary step-by-step instructions
concerning grade and elevation. The office surveyors make mathematical calculations and plot the coordinates of the locations that
need to be staked, and the field surveyors carry out this work, bringing errors and issues to the attention of the project manager,
registered engineer, or licensed office surveyor.

Additionally, the IUOE Letter, page 19 states:

c. Field Surveyors Are Clearly Not “Professional,” “Semiprofessional,” or “Subprofessional.”

In the Davis-Bacon context, the W.H.D. issued an opinion letter characterizing work as “subprofessional” and “semiprofessional” as a
justification for failing to extend coverage to skilled tradespersons. Under this view, a field surveyor is clearly not a professional—nor
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE u
The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 7
Professional Land Surveying... continued from previous page
even a “subprofessional” or “semiprofessional.” There is no requirement that field surveyors be licensed, obtain a certification, or earn a
college degree or even a high school diploma.

Thus the framework was laid out for compensating some members of a land survey crew as simple laborers and mechanics—a move
separate from but in direct competition to the SB103 movement that sought to solidify land surveying as a profession.

In January 2015, NSPS Federal Lobbyist John “J.B.” Byrd published an article on the XYHT website. In the article, he argued persuasively
against the Local 12 Letter and the AAM 212 Memorandum. Byrd stated in no uncertain terms that the surveying community was
facing the most serious threat to its professional image in decades. The U.S. Department of Labor—without consultation with the
community, public notice, or opportunity for public comment—had issued the Order on March 22, 2013, declaring that members of
survey crews are “laborers and mechanics” subject to the controversial Davis-Bacon Act. The Order reversed more than 50 years of
policy that, since President John F. Kennedy’s administration, had largely exempted survey crews from the Davis-Bacon Act.

NSPS has strongly objected to the U.S. Department of Labor’s classification of members of land survey crews as laborers and
mechanics, stating it is “an affront to the surveying profession” and “detrimental to our profession and an inappropriate demotion of valued
and skilled employees.”

Much time and effort have been expended in attempting to reverse the 2013 W.H.D. decision. There have been nine (9) Opinion Letters
issued from 1960-1964 listing several examples of the physical work performed by land surveying crews. However, there have also
been six (6) W.H.D. Opinion Letters from 1975 to the present that demonstrate a failure to understand the 1960-1964 Opinion Letters
from the U.S. Secretary of Labor and the U.S. Solicitor of Labor.

NSPS has not given up on their fight yet. Curtis W. Sumner (Executive Director at NSPS) testified before Congress on June 18, 2013.
More recently, on September 8, 2020, NSPS sent a letter to The Honorable James Comer, Ranking Member for the United States House
Committee on Oversight and Reform, urging his oversight and investigation into the applicability of Davis-Bacon labor standards to
members of land surveying crews.

In a September 8, 2020 letter, Mr. Sumner held that the memorandum “provides no rationale for this change in policy, cites no recent
legislation, and references no
court case to explain the basis of
this new policy. There has been
no action by Congress, no ruling
by a court, and no other recent
development to change a 50+
year policy. Moreover, this change
in policy was made with no
public notice, no public comment,
no consultation with affected
stakeholders, no economic or
regulatory impact analysis, and
no study of its effect on small
businesses.”

It goes without saying that


Nevada has taken all the right
steps to solidify land surveying’s
place as a professional career.
However, as with most change,
it rarely comes easy. Today, we
remain faced with defending
ourselves against the 2013
issuance of AAM212. In contrast,
there is no legal change to the
victory of SB103, the W.H.D.
consideration of land surveying
as being the domain of “laborers
and mechanics” is disheartening
and could open the door to the
profession’s deregulation.

To review the letters referenced above and stay up-to-date with the Davis-Bacon decision, visit the NSPS website:
https://www.nsps.us.com/general/custom.asp?page=DavisBacon

8 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


2020 Education and Licensing Trends.

We now know that in 2010 new educational requirements were implemented for all individuals entering the land surveying profession
here in Nevada. The question is, what has changed since then? The answer is that we are about to see a dramatic reduction in licensed
land surveying personnel in the coming years unless action is taken to attract and nurture new surveying professionals.

To find this answer, I conducted an in-depth national investigation to determine how Nevada has fared since the 2010 implementation
of SB103 Section 7 and the trends in other states that adopted similar measures. This meant examining data from all states that
publicly provide their existing licensing data.

The first data point to review was the number of licenses awarded to college-educated surveyors from the ten years before SB103
went into effect (2000-2010). The data revealed that there was already an educated applicant base here in Nevada before SB103 went
into effect. 53% of those applying had some
type of college education and could therefore
be considered professionals. 47% of those
applying did not have a college education and
could therefore be regarded as tradesmen.

The second data point to review was the


number of new licenses awarded during
the most recent ten years (2010-2020). In
total, I wanted to look at both the ten years
preceding the degree requirement and the
ten years following the degree requirement
set forth by SB103. Below are the numbers
for all licenses for both “In-State” and “Out of
State” land surveyors. As you can see from the
Tables below, there was a big push in 2010
for licensees trying to beat the July 1, 2010,
effective date for SB103.

a. An Aging Workforce.

It is shocking is when you put the trend of these data points into context. Nevada could theoretically lose 120 “In-State” land surveyors
aged 61+ over the next ten years if current trends continue. That is the equivalent of 42.2% of all currently licensed surveyors. In
comparison, Nevada has only awarded 32 new “In-State” licenses in the last ten years. This means that Nevada will potentially lose a
net of 88 or more land surveyors in the next ten years.

It quickly becomes apparent that land surveying is an aging profession needing an infusion of new members. The data in the following
tables illustrate that Nevada is not a unique state in this regard. From California to Florida and almost everywhere in between, the
number of anticipated new professionals cannot hope to replace the number of surveyors expected to retire.

The following data sets are all compared with anyone over the age of 61 that may retire in the next ten years.

Idaho could theoretically lose 102 “In-state” land


surveyors aged 61+ over the next ten years. That
is the equivalent to 39.3% of all currently licensed
land surveyors. In comparison, Idaho has only
awarded 32 new licenses in the last ten years.

• Education Requirements:
Effective on July 1, 2010, all P.L.S. applicants must
have a 4-year degree either in surveying or related
science plus 30-semester credits of surveying
courses.

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The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 9


Professional Land Surveying... continued from previous page

North Carolina could theoretically lose 787 in-state


land surveyors aged 61+ over the next ten years. That
is the equivalent of 43.9% of all currently licensed land
surveyors. In comparison, North Carolina has only
awarded 250 new licenses in the last ten years.

• Education Requirements:
Effective on January 1, 2013, all P.L.S. applicants must
have a Bachelor of Science degree in surveying or other
equivalent curricula.

Nebraska could theoretically lose 77 in-state land


surveyors aged 61+ over the next ten years. That is the
equivalent of 38.1% of all currently licensed land surveyors.
In comparison, Nebraska has only awarded 37 new
licenses in the last ten years.

• No Education requirements.

Maine could theoretically lose 188 in-state land


surveyors aged 61+ over the next ten years. That is
the equivalent to 37.8% of all currently licensed land
surveyors. In comparison, Maine has only awarded 57
new licenses in the last ten years.

• Education Requirements:
There are four ways to get a license in Maine. Either
with education, four (4) years bachelor’s degree and
no experience or no education, and seven (7) years
experience.

Kansas could theoretically lose 174 in-state land surveyors aged


61+ over the next ten years. That is the equivalent of 55.4% of
all currently licensed land surveyors. In comparison, Kansas has
only awarded 34 new licenses in the last ten years.

• Education Requirements:
graduation from a four-year surveying baccalaureate curriculum
accredited by (ABET); implementing K.S.A. 2013 Supp. 74-7022,
as amended by 2014 SB 349, sec. 15

10 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


The following data sets are for information about the entire state (both In-State and Out-of-State Surveyors).

Iowa could theoretically lose a total of 163 in-state land surveyors


aged 61+ over the next ten years. That is the equivalent of 35.9% of
all currently licensed land surveyors. In comparison, Iowa has only
awarded 146 new licenses in the last ten years.

Washington could theoretically lose a total of 407 in-state


land surveyors aged 61+ over the next ten years. That is the
equivalent of 40.1% of all currently licensed land surveyors. In
comparison, Washington has only awarded 309 new licenses in
the last ten years.

The number of new licenses issued by the states to “In-State” land surveyors versus the number of licenses issued to “Out-of-
State” land surveyors is drastically different. When you look at the number of land surveyors combined in the two totals above from
Washington and Iowa, the “Net” number is not alarming because we have added the reciprocity numbers to the data sets.

A few other notable data sets from other states continue to show a downward trend. These states did not provide a full data set, so I
could not thoroughly compare the data. However, I feel the data gives an accurate representation surrounding the numbers of in-state
land surveyors.

• South Carolina could lose 379 +/- In-State Land Surveyors with an age of 61 and older (40.1%) over the next ten (10) years.
However, for comparison, South Carolina has only awarded 299 new In-State licenses in the last twenty (20) years.
• Florida could lose 1,297 surveyors (50.12%) over the next ten (10) years. However, for comparison, Florida has only licensed
1,292 in the last twenty (20) years.
• Montana could lose 79 +/- In-State Land Surveyors with an age of 61 and older (35.9%) over the next ten (10) years.
However, for comparison, Montana has only awarded 53 new In-State licenses in the last ten (10) years.
• New Mexico has more Out of State Land Surveyors (300) than In-State Land Surveyors (250).
• Wyoming has more Out of State Land Surveyors (196) than In-State Land Surveyors (148).
• Arizona is very close in numbers for both In-State Land Surveyors (914) and Out of State Land Surveyors (712). There was
no age data provided; however, Arizona did say they have licensed 797 land surveyors in the last twenty (20) years. They
have about 524 licenses that either retired, canceled, expired, etc., since 2000. However, of the 797, I was not provided a
split on In-State versus Out-of-State land surveyors.

The real data is found in the primary home state, where the land surveyor practices. For example, I am personally licensed in five (5)
states. Another land surveyor in my office is licensed in seven (7) states. Our main work focus is Nevada; however, we have 12 licenses
between us. Add our colleague Steve Parrish, P.L.S., to the mix, and suddenly we have 22 licenses between just three (3) land surveyors.
Now there are roughly 50,000 licenses in the United States, but what is the real number? The fact that the number of national licensees
remains steady over time could be misleading, as many surveyors have earned multiple state licensures.

Average Age at Licensure.

One additional point that should be made is the exceedingly long time for the average land surveyor to obtain a professional license in
the United States. In Nevada, the average age of an individual obtaining their Professional Licensure is 42 years old. According to the
data in the 2019 NCEES Squared Report, national trends follow suit. The average age of individuals taking The Principles and Practice
of Surveying (P.S.) exam is just under 39 years old. In comparison, the national average of individuals taking The Fundamentals of
Surveying (F.S.) exam is just over 34 years old.
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The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 11


Professional Land Surveying... continued from previous page
The fact that it takes a minimum of 8-10 years to become a professional land surveyor in most states is problematic. In some cases, it
will take you longer to become a professional land surveyor than it will to become a dentist! We need to explore ways to help expedite
this process to get young surveyors started on their professional journeys much sooner in their careers.

College Enrollment Trends and Licensure Examinations.

In terms of what is happening at college campuses, enrollments have been relatively steady. Most programs graduate five (5) or six (6)
students per year. The most recent National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) report shows some interesting
trends.

First-time exam takers of The Fundamentals of Surveying (F.S.) are going up, with a 40% increase in first-time exam takers between
2015 and 2019. As a refresher, the F.S. exam is designed for recent college graduates and college students who are close to completing
an undergraduate degree in surveying. Passing this exam is an essential first step in the surveying licensure process. The roughly six-
hour computer-based exam is comprised of 110 questions and is administered year-round.

However, first-time exam takers of The Principles and Practice of Surveying (P.S.) are going down, with 15% fewer exam takers than in
2015. The P.S. exam is designed for surveyors who have gained at least four (4) years of work experience in their respective field. It is an
eight-hour computer-based exam.

NCEES seeks to address this downward trend by focusing on recruitment in the geomatics profession. With a coalition of interested
parties, NCEES is formally focused on the surveying profession’s needs by enhancing current efforts nationwide. These new
opportunities to bring recruitment, education, and diversity to the surveying profession work are carried out in tandem with NCEES
goals, which are to promote the value of licensure and increase the number of people entering the surveying workforce. In July 2020,
Marisa Trzemzalski became a member of the NCEES Public Affairs team. At NCEES, Marisa works closely with Surveying Candidate
Objectives for Recruitment and Education (SCORE) partners on surveying marketing and outreach projects. She coordinates NCEES
surveying marketing activities through print and digital advertising, exhibitions, and sponsored collaborations. She is also responsible
for marketing NCEES services, promoting the value of licensure in surveying, and coordinating K–12 surveying outreach events.

Investing in Our Profession’s Future.

Land surveying has undoubtedly come a long way over the years. Surveyors today can work with technologies that those before us
could only have dreamed of. This is not to suggest that today’s land surveyors are better or more experienced than those of the past.
We merely have a more advanced set of tools allowing us to create more accurate results.

The advancement of technologies comes with a price. We now need the higher educated and more advanced workforce to complete the
everyday tasks of creating a boundary survey or running the advanced software to make the 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM).
We need to pursue this goal of professionalization while simultaneously combatting the effects of an aging workforce and jumpstart a
new generation of young surveyors on the road to licensure.

Listed below are some first thoughts on revitalizing the land surveying profession and better preparing for the years ahead.

a. Invest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Education.

1. Work with your local technical high schools.

2. Identify the Work-Based Learning Coordinators for each school district.

3. Promote the Get Kids Into Survey initiative and become a Brand Ambassador.

4. Continue to teach the Surveying Merit Badge contents to the Boy Scouts and the STEM Badges to the Girl Scouts.

5. “rapid growth will require a large, steady and incredibly capable workforce with an eye for innovation. By investing in STEM
education opportunities and promoting its importance to the younger generation now, the engineering *surveying added*
industry will have a better chance of closing the skills gap in the future, which will aid in attracting and retaining the talent the
industry needs.”

-Yvonne Garcia Thomas, Now is the time to invest in the next generation of engineers, San Antonio Business,
September 24, 2020

b. Commit to Diversity.

1. It is clear that the land surveying profession remains critical and would benefit from attracting new and diverse
members. The statistics mentioned above also reveal the sobering fact that, out of all 669 active P.L.S.’s in Nevada,

12 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


only 14 are female. That is correct; only 2% of our current surveyors are women.

2. Despite efforts to close the gender gap, women and girls remain underrepresented in STEM fields and in college STEM programs.
While women make up half of the college-educated labor pool in the United States, they only account for 29 percent of the
STEM workforce. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics also confirms that African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans
are underrepresented in the engineering industry, where they represent only 22 percent of the workforce.

--Yvonne Garcia Thomas, Now is the time to invest in the next generation of engineers, San Antonio Business September
24, 2020

c. Provide Mentorship.

1. There is a growing need for industry mentorship opportunities, both in the profession and associations. I recently started
Mentoring Mondays for the Land Surveying Profession, a weekly meeting room via Zoom for surveyors of all ages.

3. Create “Career Ambassadors” like the current program in North Carolina. I would like to see NSPS create a “school/
training” for every Career Ambassador from across the country to learn about land surveying, learn how to present, and
what tools to bring to a career fair or class presentation. One voice for all of us to preach.

4. Ensure we have a very active NSPS -Young Surveyors Network in your home state and nationally. I feel like the young
surveyors could be the ones up in front of the class or the career fairs, bringing the energy and excitement we need to
show off our best tools!

Suppose we can embrace the type of initiatives described above and successfully promote and market the land surveying profession. In
that case, I feel there is real hope that we can pull the profession out of this “sag” point of what I hope is a Bimodal Curve. If we do not
make any meaningful changes and simply rely on trends to correct themselves, we may well end up in the bell curve’s asymptotic tail.
Together, we can reflect on the long and storied history of land surveying and take the steps needed to influence our profession’s future.

In an upcoming edition next year, I will follow up with another article that will provide an in-depth look at The Surveying Candidate
Objectives for Recruitment and Education (SCORE) initiative, which is a regional pilot program to promote the geomatics profession. SCORE
was devised by a coalition of surveying societies including the National Society of Professional Surveyors, Maryland Society of Surveyors,
North Carolina Society of Surveyors, Surveying and Mapping Society of Georgia, Tennessee Association of Professional Surveyors, and
Virginia Association of Surveyors. These organizations are working together to address recruitment in the geomatics profession—such
as the recruitment of women and racial minorities, who are underrepresented in the field—as well as engineers who may become dual
licensees. In so doing, we can strengthen licensed professional representation in an evolving geospatial world. The coalition requested
funding from NCEES to support the study and implementation of recruiting, marketing, and public relations strategies for the geomatics
profession.

The NCEES board of directors fully supported the aims of the project and saw the need for this initiative not just on a regional level but
also on a national level. Therefore, the board wanted NCEES to have more direct involvement and approved the development of a national
marketing program to increase the number of licensed professionals in the geomatics field and for NCEES staff to work in conjunction with
the National Society of Professional Surveyors and the coalition of state surveying societies to support the initiative.

About the Author: Trent Keenan, P.L.S., W.R.S., CFedS. Trent’s surveying career started when he was 19 and now spans over
twenty-five (25) years, including ten (10) years in the public sector working for a large utility company, and fifteen (15) years
in the private sector, with 12 of the 15 years being the President / Founder of Diamondback Land Surveying. He has served
through all officers positions of both the Southern Chapter and State Association of NALS (Nevada Association of Land
Surveyors), received the Meritorious Service Award for NALS in 2013, and was honored as the NALS Surveyor of the Year
(2015). He is a past-President of NALS (2015), Current, Editor of The Nevada Traverse Publication (NALS), Current WestFed
(The Western Federation of Professional Surveyors) Director from NALS, Current Director on The Nevada Land Surveyors
Education Foundation Board (NLSEF), Current Director on the Southern Nevada Chapter of the NALS, Moderator/ Facilitator/
Founder of Mentoring Mondays for the Land Surveying Profession, and a proud sponsor and brand ambassador for Get
Kids Into Survey (GKiS). He is currently licensed in 5 Western States (Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah & Washington). He is also a Certified Federal
Surveyor and a Nevada Water Rights Surveyor. He has been an active board member in NALS since 2007 and a regular member since 1997.

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 13


• The skilled and knowledgeable young party chief that used

The Grand to be brought into the office to become a technician, on their


way to eventual licensure, is now too valuable to take away

Unifying Theory
from their field duties because you never hired the young
inexperienced person that would become the next party

of Surveying/
chief. Why would you?

Geomatics
• Remote sensing has legitimately become just a tool in the
toolbox and not exclusive to Professionals or those who
work under their supervision. Plenty of non-surveyors
are flying UAVs, operating drone boats, using LiDAR in
Prepared by Carl C.de Baca, PLS various platforms to produce three-dimensional data.
Sometimes because the state law does not place limits on
Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, them, sometimes applicable law has no meaning for them,
art, and science of determining the terrestrial or three- and sometimes they just don’t care. As long as the only
dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles downside is a cease-and-desist letter, this last group won’t
change their ways.
between them.
– Wikipedia
• Like it or not, contractors are doing much of their own
Surveying, is a means of making relatively large-scale, surveying these days, even in jurisdictions where the work
accurate measurements of the Earth’s surfaces. It includes the is the exclusive domain of the surveyor, like Nevada and
determination of the measurement data, the reduction and California. Automated grading done via machine guidance
technology works much better if the grade setter has GPS
interpretation of the data to usable form, and, conversely, the
and/or a total station, and well, if he has that equipment and
establishment of relative position and size according to given a little something here and there needs staking, why bother
measurement requirements. Thus, surveying has two similar the surveyors…
but opposite functions: (1) the determination of existing
relative horizontal and vertical position, such as that used for
the process of mapping, and (2) the establishment of marks to • Demands from clients have changed. As they get exposed
to more sophisticated data, they get more sophisticated,
control construction or to indicate land boundaries.
or so it would seem. This is primarily related to the above
– Brittanica comment regarding remote sensing topography available
to the client. It might not be any good, but it tends to be
“I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of cheaper than the real thing (as prepared by professionals)
material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand and is just as readily available. Not all surface models are
description, and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly created equal, but how does the client know that?
doing so. But I know it when I see it…”
-Justice Potter Stewart U.S. Supreme Court • Related to the previous observation, clients now expect
an immediate presentation of the data, and with the
The Honorable Justice Stewart was definitely not talking about diminishing number of surveyors being now too obvious to
Surveying/Geomatics, but he might well have been. We know discount (or hide), it would seem that we can’t keep up with
what ‘Surveying’ is when we see it. Even so, we seem to be the demand.
going through a generational (maybe ‘seismic’ is a better word)
shift at the moment. Sometimes it looks like we are on different • Society is increasingly embracing a ‘Libertarian’ outlook that
plates moving in different directions. These powerful forces are deemphasizes licenses and encourages entrepreneurship.
converging to change the shape, the size, the purpose, the very It’s our version of the’ Gig Economy’. If a market exists,
definition of our profession. What we know about our profession then the ambitious tend to rush in and flood it. This is an
is quickly becoming what we knew about it. We are fragmenting insidious threat, couched as it is, in the feeling that free-
into specialties, a wide array of boutique services if you will, and enterprise is an infallible, self-regulating system. What
boundary surveying is no longer holding it together. And while could possibly go wrong with the unlicensed taking most
this is happening, or just maybe because this is happening, we of our work away from us? It’s not as if the public could be
have sprung some leaks. Work that used to be ours is leaking harmed, right? Right.
out and being sopped up by non-surveyors.
I would be remiss to not point the reader toward this group: http://
Let’s recap the forces of change at work in our professional lives www.responsiblelicensing.org/ for a quick synopsis of what they are
these days: doing go here:

https://csengineermag.com/asce-ncees-nspe-launch-new-
• Technology has rushed full-speed ahead into a whole coalition-to-protect-professional-licensing/
new paradigm lately. So much of what we do can be
accomplished with a single person in the field these days This coalition is an active alliance organized to temper the overly-
that it is not possible to mentor the up-and-coming in a zealous trend toward deregulation, as this trend pertains to the
one-person crew environment. engineering field. I encourage readers to find out all they can
about this group and the serious threat they have come together
to combat.

14 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


What does this all mean? Where do we go from here? Is it time terminology. And it is a short, straight line from there to
to panic about the loss of previously valuable workstreams? implementing licenses for each of these modules. Pardon me
No, but one common reaction has produced a detectable while I make an editorial comment (this is, after all, an editorial).
undercurrent of protectionism, making itself felt through This would solve the photogrammetry issue once and for
suggested legislation in various states. It is certainly reasonable all. They are accomplished professionals who don’t deal with
to attempt to regulate and prevent the unlicensed from offering boundaries – let’s test and if they pass, license them. And that
‘protected’ services. But is that a smart tactic and one likely would presumably include newer folks who use UAS technology
to succeed in the long run, especially in light of the Libertarian to model the Earth’s surface, as well.
mindset taking over the country? But wait, maybe more
outreach is a viable pursuit. How would outreach work - who This might force closer ties between the NSPS, THSOA, NCEES,
are we to be reaching out, anyway, and to whom? Do we really and ASPRS, and maybe give our combined forces more lobbying
think more people will care about our profession if they just power. It might also address some of the Libertarian issues
knew more about us? What is Surveying in 2020? Are some of with our practice. Remaining licensure restrictions after
us leaving the traditional Boundary Surveying community behind implementation of such a scenario could be almost completely
and becoming part of the greater “Geospatial Community’, (which limited to Boundary and state law questions, as they should be.
includes many unlicensed professionals)? There might be more
questions like this than there are answers right now. One thing this proposal does not address is construction
staking and topographic surveys done by contractors. That
Even at this great remove, distant as we are from the times is a legitimate concern in many geographic areas, almost an
when all measurement and mapping was done by a surveyor (or, every-day occurrence and therefore an every-day violation of
gulp, an engineer), there is more that unites us than divides us. state law, at least in the jurisdictions where I practice. Before
It’s time to pull closer together. At the signing of the Declaration we let our frustration and anger take the lead and start drafting
of Independence, old Ben is supposed to have said, “We must all legislation to buttress the wall around our profession, we should
hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” explore and exploit the laws that are already on the books.
That makes sense to me. We should all be members of our And to do that, we must simply identify the instances where a
state societies, and we should all be members of NSPS or NSPE contractor has gone too far and reported the offenses to the
or ASCE or some other similar organization because these are Board of Regulation. In other words, don’t whine about it, do
the folks who advocate for us at the national level. That is just something about it. The Board assures us they will investigate
a common-sense observation. It is not any sort of solution by all complaints. I take them at their word. Ah, but I digress.
itself.
Let me wrap this up. To conclude, we need to stop thinking
It occurs to me that at least some of the heartburn we are having that there is Surveying and then separate from that a
can be solved by, (wait for it….) a National Surveying License. ‘Geospatial Community’ and start realizing that we are the
Years ago, we looked at, and mostly rejected out of hand, a Geospatial Community, and our cousins in GIS, Bathymetry,
suggestion for a tiered licensing structure. In its simplest form, Photogrammetry, Geodesy are surveyors too. You know ‘em
it could mean a state-regulated license for Boundary surveys, when you see ‘em, so let’s recognize ‘em and give them a path to
which we have today, and a new national license for things licensure.
like bathymetric, photogrammetric, geodetic, and topographic
surveys. Look me in the face and tell me that topographic About the Author
surveys are different in Maine and Malibu or that bathymetry Carl C.de Baca, PLS is a longtime practicing land
is different in Portland or Puerto Rico. An aspiring (or perhaps surveyor in both Nevada and California and
previously unlawful) surveyor could test for one or more of these a thirty-plus year member of NALS. He has a
specialties and upon receipt of the license, could offer services passing familiarity with the Nevada Traverse and
within their area of expertise, anywhere in the US, lawfully. I great enthusiasm for provoking thought in his
suspect more than half of those ‘unlicensed practitioners’, at fellow surveyors
least the ones doing photogrammetry/topography / bathymetry,
could come in from the cold and be part of our community under
such a framework. And we should welcome them. Personally,
I’ll take anything short of a Yeti to bolster our ranks these days
(not talking about the ice chest…), and I’d want to see the furry
devil’s resume before sending him/her/it away.
Consider the following: NCEES has already recognized that the
needs for Surveying licenses vary by region or by state, and the
requirements for licensure are less than monolithic. In the last
few years, they have moved toward a multi-divisional PS Exam.
The most obvious example is segregating the PLSS questions
into a separate division that surveyors in the Colonial States,
Texas, and the Island states and territories would not have to
take unless they want to.

By the same token, Bathymetry, Photogrammetry, Geodesy


could all be separate modules or ‘divisions’ to use the NCEES

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 15


an idea on how the NV Young Surveyors could help out in the
Nevada Young community, please reach out to us, as we would love to hear your
thoughts. Sponsors and Supporting Members from outside the
Surveyor’s Network group are encouraged to contribute, mentor, and guide those in
the network! If you have someone who works for you that might
want to join the group, encourage them to take the next step in
Prepared by Sarah Walker, NV YSN Chair their careers, and get involved with society.
& Heather Keenan
November’s Meeting
November’s meeting was a great turn out. We had about
Who are the Young Surveyors? 15 people who attended the meeting via the Zoom forum.
The Young Surveyors are defined by surveyors aged 35 years or We started the discussion with four ice breaker questions to
under, surveying students, or those surveyors within ten years introduce everyone joining, including a few special guests; Nolan
of graduating with a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree. Whether Marks (Indiana’s YSN state chair), Rob Mcmillian (CLSA 2021
you are a field crew chief, CAD technician, LSIT, or PLS- all are president), Byron Calkins (Great Basin College Land Surveying
welcome; however, the focus is to provide support for those Professor), and James Combs (NSPS YSN Vice President). There
individuals who meet the definition. The main focus of the group were a lot of great connections and conversations throughout
so far has been on networking and getting to know more people. the hour-long meeting. There was also an overview of the
Being involved will help expand our personal and professional December 2019 meeting and the pre-COVID meeting in March
networks and entice people to get involved in the movement, and a reminder of when the upcoming scholarship submissions
allowing room for success. Please reach out to us via email or were due. This month’s main topic was to talk about outreach
through our social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram and how we as young surveyors need to get involved within the
for more detail to join our next statewide meeting. Meetings will community and speak up; the best thing a young surveyor can do
be held quarterly (every three months), and the next one will take is participate in the state board meetings and get involved. Get
place Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021, 6-7 pm PST. involved with career fairs and schools. Engaging the power of
social media and have fun! Thank you so much to everyone who
The Nevada Young Surveyors Network is one of the 44 States attended. We have such a great group of people, and we couldn’t
with an active Young Surveyor Network established under the be more thrilled to be able to bring everyone together.
direction of the NSPS National Surveyors. As you can tell by the
numbers, nearly every State has a Young Surveyors Network,
except for a few, and the numbers are continually growing. If you
haven’t already done so, please check out the National NSPS
Young Surveyors website, https://youngsurveyors.org/, click the
join now button and fill out the form to receive updates. The next
National meeting will be on December 4th, 8-11 am PST. If you
are interested in participating, please do not hesitate to email us
at nvyoungsurveyors@gmail.com.

What are the goals of Nevada’s YSN, and how can you help?
What started with the two founders here in Nevada has turned
it into a strong group of 5 dedicated board members and 46
network members spread throughout various parts of the
State. The group generated enough membership in the past two
years to break into chapters modeling the NALS framework,
incorporating a Northeast, Northwest, and Southern Nevada
Young Surveyors sub-chapters. State Coordinator Sarah Walker
is in charge of the Lahontan (Northwest) chapter, Nick Montoya
runs the Elko (Northeast) chapter, and Heather Keenan heads
the newly formed Southern Chapter. A primary group chat and
full state membership are included for every group member
when you signup; however, members are directed to their local
YSN chapter to be involved in regional meetings and events.
During the current situation, much of the board’s work has been
getting together and making the membership of NALS who are
35 or younger and recent graduates aware of YSN. Social events,
both virtually and in-person, have helped the group connect and
get to know each other’s faces within the society. The group is
also looking for ways to help out and volunteer! Unfortunately,
with COVID-19, we have not volunteered much, but traditionally
we would attend career fairs or get into schools. Regardless,
Great Basin College students hold a lab class by doing solar
members are willing to help out where we are needed, whether observations. Kevin Almeter as the mentor.
surveying or community-related. If you or anyone you know has

16 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


Professional Listings
Contact the Editor to place your business card!

Your Your Your


Business Card Business Card Business Card
Here Here Here

Your Your Your


Business Card Business Card Business Card
Here Here Here

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 17


stack, all in excellent condition – Hosmer and Breed – Principles
The Collector and Practice of Surveying Volume 1 - 1908, Hosmer and Breed –
Principles and Practice of Surveying Volume 2, 1908, and Railroad
Prepared by Carl C.de Baca, PLS Location Surveys and Estimates by F. Lavis – 1906. Those babies
set me back 50 bucks for the stack. The store had three other
My favorite part of our annual conferences is the auction. Live old Surveying texts, but Laurie cut me off at three, so I never
or silent, I love to snoop through the merch and see if I can spot scrutinized the others. But I know where they are…
any gems. It’s like going to a yard sale where all of the goods are
surveying-related. I also found an HP 11C at a thrift store last year, and that cost me
almost five dollars. I use it daily.
Over the years, I have drug home compasses, antiquated, if But wait – look what I found yesterday while surfing the web:
not antique, drafting tools, lamps, old levels, old transits, old
alidades, old theodolites, old maps, and most enthusiastically, http://www.survivorlibrary.com/index.php/8-category/131-
old books. I love old surveying books. I can’t get enough, not library-surveying
sure why. Call it an obsession. I have probably three dozen in http://www.survivorlibrary.com/index.php/8-category/59-
the basement. I probably even have duplicates. I work the silent library-geodesy
auction pretty hard each year.
I may never buy another old book again. Yeah right.
When I go to a used book store, I always ask. Sometimes it
About the Author
pays off. A few years ago, I was in Pocatello for a high school
Carl C.de Baca, PLS is a longtime practicing land
wrestling tournament, and during some off time, I went down surveyor in both Nevada and California and
to the old downtown area and found a used bookstore. Huge a thirty-plus year member of NALS. He has a
and dimly lit. It was dusty as hell, but I was in heaven. The passing familiarity with the Nevada Traverse and
books were relatively well organized, and I found a section of great enthusiasm for provoking thought in his
engineering and surveying books. There were seven books from fellow surveyors
our profession, including an absolutely pristine 1930 GLO Manual
of Instruction for the Survey of the Public Lands of the United States.
I bought the whole stack for $30.

Other good places to hunt for survey books, at least in my


experience, are estate sales and thrift stores. Recently I went to
an estate sale in the town of Rescue and started in the garage,
where I saw the usual contingent of fishing poles, garden tools,
and miscellaneous stuff that accumulates in a garage over a
lifetime. Then I spied a Spencer tape. Sadly, it was in someone’s
hands so that I couldn’t snatch it up, but it got me wondering
TIRED OF SUBSCRIPTION FEES?
who but a surveyor would own a Spencer tape? In a back
bedroom, I hit the jackpot: a 2nd edition Clark on Surveys – 1939 WE HAVE YOUR CARLSON SOLUTION!
and a Rubey, Lommel & Todd Engineering Surveys 1954. A buck
each and both were in good condition!
US SURVEY SUPPLY OFFERS:
I was at the local thrift store last summer and found a like new LIFETIME FREE TECH SUPPORT
1942 Surveying by Charles Breed. The book was remarkably in FLAT RATE SERVICE RENTALS
brand-new condition. $1.99 since it was determined to be a FIELD SOFTWARE IS YOURS: CAN BE MOVED
soft cover. Otherwise it would have been a whopping $2.99. I ROBOTICS, GNSS RTK OR RTN, AND CAD
hit a used book store by the university when I was in San Diego
SURVEY/CIVIL SOFTWARE
this summer and ended up paying 10 bucks for a like new 1941
TRULY AFFORDABLE SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE
copy of Surveying by Raymond Davis. Some bored college kid had
sketched a hammer and sickle inside the cover. Ah, the good old
days…

Recent Finds:
Last month I stepped into my favorite used bookstore in
Orangevale with a sack of trade-in books, and after shopping (866) 877-8783 (541) 347-5413
for various books, I spotted the gold mine. Three books in a www.ussurveysupply.com

18 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


Association (TSA) conference in the United Kingdom. Instead of
Get Kids Into Survey: creating promotional material about her marketing workshops,

Educating The
Elaine wanted to give something back to the industry and address
the issues we face. With help from some of her friends in the

Next Generation industry to provide support for the cost of artwork and printing,
Elaine created a kid’s poster for the surveyors attending the

of Surveyors and conference. Through the poster, the surveyors could teach their
kids at home or at a local school, all about surveying and the

Geospatial Experts geospatial world. It was a success.

Prepared by Elly Ball After the initial 500 posters were printed, Elaine then went on to
produce the Antarctica poster. The interest skyrocketed and went
Over 85% of UK surveyors said they have problems recruiting beyond anything we imagined. In 2018 Timothy Burch of NSPS
due to a lack of qualified applicants (RICS, 2015). In fact, “the (National Society of Professional Surveyors) went out of his way
skills shortage has now overtaken planning and regulation as the to visit Elaine in Florida, where she was attending a conference. It
second biggest problem facing the industry” (Telegraph 2017). was then that the NSPS took on the distribution of the posters for
In the USA, POB Magazine reported a shortage of surveyors, the Americas. With that, we went into a more regular production
full stop! The FIG and the NSPS both launched young surveyor’s of posters and other educational resources, including lesson plans.
networks to support surveyors aged up to 35 – but there’s a more
basic challenge: to generate interest in surveying as a career while In the last year, we have gained 2 more distributors: The Chartered
kids are still in school! Institution for Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) in the UK
and, more recently, The NSW Surveying Taskforce in Australia,
In October 2017, Elaine Ball of Elaine Ball Ltd, a marketing who help us to distribute our posters to their region as well as
consultancy specializing in the geospatial industry, was asked promote and support us. Additionally, 37 Brand Ambassadors
to provide material for the free packs given out at The Survey (and growing) now represent GKiS in CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 19


operate its satellite system. The FCC placed the waiver request

LIGADO KNOW YOUR on a fast track approval schedule with a truncated 10-day
comment period over the Thanksgiving holiday. The FCC granted

ENEMY
the waiver in January 2011, allowing LightSquared to proceed.

In February 2011, LightSquared released a description of its


three-phase plan for deployment. All three phases identified
Prepared by Carl C.de Baca, PLS by LightSquared for the study used a portion of the MSS band
directly adjacent to GPS, 1545.2-1555.2 MHz (the “Upper
Author’s note: Portions of this first appeared in the Nevada Traverse MSS band”). LightSquared planned to construct 40,000
magazine in 2011 Vol 38 Issue No. 4 ground-based transmitters similar to cell phone towers and
broadcasting 1,500W each across the U.S. These were targeted
at metropolitan areas with a high-density population. They
proposed to transmit signals in the band adjacent to GPS that
are billions of times more powerful than GPS satellite signals. In
fact, the highest recorded power levels during a study done in Las
Vegas were 800 billion times the power of GPS signals.

On June 30, 2011, the FCC-mandated Technical Working Group


filed a 1,000-plus page report analyzing interference from
LightSquared’s proposed deployment plans in the Mobile
Satellite Service (MSS) band adjacent to the Global Positioning
System (GPS). The working group test results showed that
the use of this portion of the MSS band caused overwhelming
interference to every category of the 500 million GPS receivers
in use in the United States, from those used by airplanes, police
vehicles and ambulances to everyday consumer cell phones and
personal navigational devices.

After the FCC granted the waiver to LightSquared, and the


A brief history of Ligado / LightSquared potential impact to GPS was revealed, a coalition of interested
parties (potential victims) was formed to combat this threat. The
The company once known as LightSquared started life in 1988 coalition was made up of hundreds of companies, corporations
as American Mobile Satellite Corporation. In April 2000, the such as Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA),
company changed its name to Motient Corporation and then American Association of State Highway and Transportation
to Sky Terra Corporation. In 2005, they purchased fifty percent Officials (AASHTO), American Congress on Surveying and
of Hughes Network Solutions, a subsidiary of the News Corp. Mapping (ACSM), California Land Surveyors Association, Case
owned by DirecTV Group. In January 2006, DirecTV sold its New Holland, Caterpillar, Deere & Company, Delta Air Lines, Esri,
remaining fifty percent share in Hughes Network Solutions to FedEx, Fire Department of New York (FDNY), National Association
the company.Hughes Communications was then spun off as a of Manufacturers (NAM), National Utility Contractors Association
separate company in February 2006. Interestingly then-Senator (NUCA) and Southwest Airlines, not to mention virtually every
Obama invested some $90,000 in SkyTerra in 2005 but sold manufacturer and seller of survey equipment and numerous
his stock in 2007. SkyTerra ran into financial problems, and survey companies and municipalities throughout the United
Harbinger Capital Partners moved to acquire SkyTerra in March States.
2010. It became part of LightSquared in July 2010.
Even the head of the European Commission’s Directorate-
In January 2011, the FCC granted LightSquared the right to use General for Enterprise and Industry, the agency that oversees
wireless spectrum to construct a national 4G wireless network in all Galileo program operations, has filed an official comment
a most expedited fashion. By taking over a ‘distressed’ satellite on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) docket
company, LightSquared has been able to take advantage of regarding the LightSquared proposal. Heinz Zourek told the FCC
an FCC loophole that eliminates the need to invest the billions chair that, “Analysis carried out in Europe, including by our own
of dollars normally required to purchase and use wireless technical partner the European Space Agency, has shown that
spectrum. This allowed the firm to enter the wireless phone transmissions from LightSquared base-stations do indeed have
and Internet market at a fraction of their competitors’ cost. considerable potential to cause harmful interference to Galileo
LightSquared stated that it plans to lease or sell a part of its receivers operating in the United States.”
spectrum for wireless phone or Internet service to a consumer
wireless company or companies that would share in the costs In light of the magnitude and severity of the protests regarding
of building and operating the network. Their planned first the impact on the GPS spectrum, the FCC suspended
step was to secure FCC approval for Harbinger’s acquisition LightSquared’s waiver while it considers the matter. The FCC
of SkyTerra, which they did. Step two would require getting issued a public notice announcing a comment period in the
the FCC to grant approval for Harbinger to take advantage of LightSquared/GPS matter. The House Committee on Science,
a loophole for satellite licenses, which allows the spectrum Space, and Technology held meetings throughout 2011 to shed
holders to “supplement” satellite spectrum with free terrestrial light on the issue and to hear the perspectives of witnesses
(land-based) spectrum. FCC implemented that policy because from a variety of agencies, as well as from a spokesperson for
satellites have limited transmission power, so satellite operators LightSquared.
are permitted to run base stations on the ground at the same
frequency and use the free terrestrial spectrum to fill in the gaps. Encouraged by the FCC and apparently not intimidated by the
opposition coalition or the concerns of Congress, LightSquared
On November 19, 2010, LightSquared initiated step two of its proceeded with its plan to develop a network through several
plan by applying for a waiver of FCC’s rules to allow the company interesting partnership arrangements. Clearly, LightSquared
to begin selling wireless phone and Internet services utilizing free believed it would be allowed to continue by the FCC. On July
terrestrial spectrum to wholesale customers without having to 28, 2011, LightSquared and Sprint Nextel announced that

20 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


they have entered into a 15-year agreement that includes services (MSS) license modification applications, as amended.1
spectrum hosting and network services, 4G wholesale, and 3G Our decision authorizes Ligado to deploy a low-power
roaming. Under the agreement, LightSquared would pay Sprint terrestrial nationwide network in the 1526-1536 MHz,
approximately $9 billion to deploy and operate a nationwide 1627.5-1637.5 MHz, and 1646.5-1656.5 MHz bands that
LTE network that would host an L-band spectrum licensed to
or available to LightSquared. They also signed deals with Best will primarily support Internet of Things (IoT) services. Our
Buy, ClearTalk, and EarthComm not to mention a multi-year action provides regulatory certainty to Ligado, ensures adjacent
wholesale agreement with Advanta Technologies, a US-based band operations, including Global Positioning System (GPS),
voice, video, and data service provider. Earlier in 2011, they are sufficiently protected from harmful interference, and
inked a cooperative agreement with Inmarsat. And coincidently promotes more efficient and effective use of our nation’s
or perhaps not, Harbinger Capital partners disclosed owning spectrum resources by making available additional spectrum
300,000 shares of Research in Motion, the makers of the
Blackberry mobile device. for advanced wireless services, including 5G.”

Not to be a sore loser or anything, on May 5, 2020, Mark


On February 14, 2012, the FCC initiated proceedings to vacate Esper, The U.S. Secretary of Defense, penned an editorial in
LightSquared’s Conditional Waiver Order based on the NTIA’s the Wall Street Journal entitled “The FCC’s Decision puts GPS
conclusion that there was currently no practical way to mitigate at Risk”. And, on May 22, the National Telecommunications
potential GPS interference. LightSquared declared bankruptcy and Information Administration requested the Federal
three months later. Communications Commission officially reconsider its vote in
favor of Ligado Networks while also filling a separate request for
the commission to put a stay on the company’s plan.
In July 2013, the National Review, parroting feelings expressed
throughout the Libertarian worldview, published an article entitled Most recently (prior to going to press, that is…), On June 15,
“Open Skies and Open Spectrum,” which advocates in no uncertain Aviation International News published this tidbit through their AIN
terms, the idea that license holders should be allowed to use their Online:
spectrum for any valid purpose. Which is another way of saying
GPS be damned. Senate Panel Moves To Pause Ligado Cellular Network
Also, in 2013 Dish apparently attempted to buy a controlling
interest in Lightsquared because the spectrum has value. [A] U.S. Senate committee voiced its own concerns about the
According to sources cited by the WSJ, a couple of DISH directors ramifications on military operations and moved to stall those
had been buying up LightSquared debt at a discounted rate with [Ligado] plans… the Senate Armed Services Committee called
the obvious intent of gaining control of the company’s assets. the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to approve
Ligado’s bandwidth request “misguided,” expressing concerns that
December 4 2015 FCC grants change-of-control application it would interfere with GPS signals. “As our warfighters rely on
allowing LightSquared Subsidiary LLC, Debtor in Possession to these signals, the bill prohibits the use of DOD funds to comply
transfer the licenses for its frequencies to LightSquared Subsidiary with the FCC Order on Ligado until the Secretary of Defense
LLC, and permitting foreign ownership of the parent company in submits an estimate of the costs associated with the resulting
excess of 25%, which paved the way for newly reorganized firm GPS interference, and directs the Secretary of Defense to contract
Ligado to emerge from Lightsquared’s bankruptcy. The company with the National Academies of Science and Engineering for an
announced the new name in February 2016 and immediately independent technical review of the order to provide an additional
began petitioning FCC to reconsider the application to use their technical evaluation to review Ligado’s and DOD’s approaches to
spectrum for terrestrial applications. testing,”

Between 2016 and 2020, Ligado amended its application to So after all the expert opinions in the known world have stated
significantly reduce its base stations’ power levels from 32 dBW why Ligado’s plan spells doom for GPS; after the Department of
to 9.8 dBW (a reduction of 99.3%). Ligado has also committed Defense, which oversees what we have become accustomed to
to providing a significant (23 megahertz) guard-band using thinking of as the most powerful military on Earth has condemned
its own licensed spectrum to further separate its terrestrial Ligado’s plan; after a powerful congressional committee has
base station transmissions from neighboring operations in the expressed concern that the plan puts our military at risk; after ten
Radionavigation-Satellite Service allocation. As such, Ligado is years of battle against first LightSquared and now Ligado, and
now only seeking terrestrial use of the 1526-1536 MHz, 1627.5- one apparent victory vacated by a group of appointed bureaucrats
1637.5 MHz, and 1646.5-1656.5 MHz bands. obviously motivated by something other than common sense
or patriotism, where does all this leave us, one small group of
April 19, 2020. Despite objections from the U.S. Defense GPS users? Standing on the edge of a precipice and hoping
Department (DOD), other federal agencies, and major U.S. that Congress will help us. I am not very confident that GPS will
airlines, the five-member Federal Communications Commission continue to exist as it is.
(FCC) voted unanimously to approve an order to allow Ligado
Networks to deploy a low-power nationwide 5G network. The
FCC said the approval order included stringent conditions aimed
at ensuring GPS would not experience harmful interference. To About the Author
quote from the official document, FCC Order and Authorization Carl C.de Baca, PLS is a longtime practicing land surveyor in both
No. 20-48, Nevada and California and a thirty-plus year member of NALS. He has
a passing familiarity with the Nevada Traverse and great enthusiasm
“Today, we draw to a close a 17-year old proceeding by for provoking thought in his fellow surveyors
granting Ligado Networks LLC’s (Ligado’s) mobile satellite

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 21


in good standing and are also available for purchase on the

WFPS Report MARLS website. MARLS has requested clarification from BLM
on the use of geodetic bearings on smaller area surveys. A
final point is being planned to honor James Flansburg, a local
land surveyor and artist who contributed wonderful artwork
The Western Federation of Professional Surveyors (WFPS) held a for the MARLS magazine.
virtual Board of Directors meeting on October 17, 2020 via Zoom
video conferencing. NEVADA (NALS) Trent Keenan & Greg Phillips – Current
membership is 246. NALS membership has increased 40% over
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 13 WESTERN STATES the last four years. NALS first virtual conference was held in
August and was a great success. NALS continues to support
ALASKA (ASPLS) Steve Buchanan – No report. the four-year land surveying degree at Great Basin College
(GBC). GBC is in the process of hiring a second professor.
ARIZONA (APLS) Mike Fondren – Current membership is 307. Trent Keenan has started a Mentoring Mondays weekly
The 2020 conference with California and Nevada was held Zoom meeting. NDOT provided a 30-minute introduction to
virtually. The conference was well attended and we received the AX System at the last NALS statewide virtual meeting,
positive feedback from the attendees regarding the virtual NALS worked with NDOT to allow land surveyors to access to
platform. Senate Bill 1274 passed and became effective in right of way mapping and other records. In an effort to keep
August 2020. This changed the composition of the Board of membership engaged, NALS is hosting monthly statewide
Technical Registration (BTR). Each profession will have one virtual meetings. This has been very successful and has
representative on the BTR however, public members will now allowed participation from members in the more remote areas
comprise the majority of the Board. There are approximately of the state that otherwise would not be able to participate in
1280 active land surveyors. Approximately 800 have an in‐ NALS meetings.
state address. And we have granted only 7 new licenses in
2020 as of June. NEW MEXICO (NMPS) Allen Grace – Oral report provided. No
significant activities due to the pandemic shut down.
CALIFORNIA (CLSA) Ray Mathe & Warren Smith – Current
membership is 1483. The 2020 Conference with Arizona and UTAH (UCLS) Mike Nadeau – Current membership is 399.
Nevada was held virtually. A white paper has been drafted The UCLS recently found out that the statute that covers
regarding monument preservation during and after a disaster subdivision plats was amended this last year and came as a
such as wildfires. surprise to the UCLS board. The change affects the surveyor’s
certification language and the surveyor certifying that he/
COLORADO (PLSC) Roger Nelson & Todd Beers – Current she has also prepared a record of survey of the property per
membership is 338. License renewal fees increased to $94 state code 17-23-17. The Standards and Ethics committee
this year. PLSC is assisting NSPS directors to create legislation is working to revise the UCLS subdivision guide document to
related to railroad abandonment of property in order to have incorporate this change.
the existing infrastructure surveyed prior to destruction.
PLSC is currently tracking a bill that is intended to eliminate WASHINGTON (LSAW) Ben Petersen & Chris Jepson – Current
polyester/mylar plats from being stored by the Clerk and membership is 879. LSAW is supporting the monument
Recorders of the state. preservation fund legislation that is being proposed. A virtual
survey technicians webinar series is underway and is well
HAWAII (HLSA) Cliff Yim – Current membership is 81. HLSA attended. The series consists of six weeks with each week
Board is poised to resume working on a bill to amend the providing two hours of education on various topics for the survey
2017 Land Court Deregistration Legislation when the 2021 technician. LSAW Board of Directors and Chapters continue to
legislature session returns to business. The HLSA Board meet virtually during the pandemic.
recently updated our digital newsletter to bring a refreshed
WYOMING (PLSW) Mark Corbridge – Current membership is
and modern presentation. The newsletter continues to be
198. PLSW is currently soliciting comments on draft legislation
released every two months and includes a president message,
addressing the 2022 Datum. The Fall Technical Session is planed
announcements, and resources for our members.
for November and will feature speaker Chuck Karayan. PLSW is
working with the Board of Registration and GeoInquiry to provide
IDAHO (ISPLS) - Jeremy Fielding was recently appointed as outreach to K-12 schools. Work is progressing towards a RTN in
the new WFPS Director from Idaho. ISPLS recently launched Wyoming.
a new website at www.idahopls.org. Working on standard of
practice document which have not been updated in several WESTFED SERVES AS A REGIONAL VOICE
WFPS sent a letter to NALS (Nevada) for support of mandatory
years.
continuing education requirement. WFPS serves as a regional
voice for the 13 western states. If your state association is
MONTANA (MARLS) Dick Smith & Russ Kluesner – Current
dealing with an issue and would like a position letter from WFPS,
membership is 431. MARLS continues to meet virtually during please contact admin@wfps.org
the pandemic. Our MT Subdivision and Surveying Laws Digest
CONTINUED ON PAGE 32 u
was published and distributed to all MARLS PLS members

22 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


Mentoring
Mondays
Prepared by Trent J. Keenan, PLS
Do you ever wish that you could have a weekly cup of coffee with
like-minded surveying professionals? We are here to tell you that
you can do just that – by participating in the virtual Mentoring
Mondays program.

This fantastic program is a weekly Zoom meeting featuring live


Q&A’s on your favorite surveying topics. Every Monday, the forum
is hosted by a rotating series of guest speakers who are among
the best in the surveying business.

Think of Mentoring Mondays as the weekly “office hours” of the


surveying profession. The meeting room is open and available
to anyone in the profession who is looking to stay informed on
current industry topics and trends or just needs a little more help
understanding a specific topic within the profession.
Recent Mentoring Monday topics include “Practical Management
of Field Surveys” with Landon Blake. PLS, “Star*Net Adjustments”
with Tony Cuomo, PLS, and “Drone Surveying 101” with Logan
Campbell, CEO of Aerotas. A full lineup of exciting topics is planned
for the year ahead.

Register for the free weekly meeting with the click of a button on
the Mentoring Mondays website. Are you interested in attending
but cannot make the meeting? All meetings are video-recorded
and uploaded to the website upon completion so that you can
watch past meetings at your convenience. However, we encourage OUTPERFORM
live participation; after all, this program was created to be a live
and interactive Mentoring Program. THE COMPETITION
While college students and young surveyors will benefit The most versatile terrestrial laser
enormously from this program, do not assume that the word
“mentoring” means this program is just for 20-year-olds. Instead,
scanner on the market
think of Mentoring Mondays as a free professional conference
that goes on all year long.

Anyone in the surveying profession will benefit from these weekly For more information and to
meetings and the chance to network, stay informed, and bounce schedule a demo, contact:
ideas and questions off of fellow land surveyors.
Luis Rojas
In addition to the weekly video feeds that are uploaded to the Regional Sales Director, Carlson Software
website, the site contains a wide array of podcast and book lrojas@carlsonsw.com
suggestions that any surveyor will find interesting and valuable. 859 568 8429
So, whether you are a freshman in college or a 50-year
Professional Land Surveyor looking to contribute your wisdom
and experience, we hope to see you at the next installment of
Mentoring Mondays!

If you are interested in being a featured guest speaker on


Mentoring Mondays, or you need help with a specific topic, please
contact trent@mentoringmondays.xyz carlsonsw.com/products/hardware/carlson-scan2k/

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 23


THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS

Allen Instruments & Supplies DEFINITECHS, Inc.


Surveyors Source
NSPS/ARM Multi Insurance Services, Inc. Hall & Company
Tersus GNSS
Bad Elf, LLC Leica Geosystems
California Surveying & Drafting Supply Monsen Engineering TopoDOT

Wood Rodgers provides a full range of aerial mapping services, utilizing photogrammetry and LiDAR sensors from both manned
aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). We have the ability to capture oblique imagery and video, model surfaces, produce cross
sections, compute volumes, surveying vertical structures, monitor mining and construction sites, and detect change over time. Our licensed
Remote UAS pilots ensure data is collected in the safest way and ensuring regulatory procedures. We use modern digital mapping
techniques and workflows to help reduce delivery time and get your project moving through, faster. Our licensed land surveyors and
photogrammetrists will ensure your data meets the accuracy standards you need for your project each and every time.

Applications
Surveying
• Topographic and planimetric maps
• Elevation and terrain models
• Orthorectified imagery
Mining
• Pit and leach pad volume measurements
• Disturbance and reclamation monitoring
• Mine claim base maps
• Site documentation for regulator permitting
Monitoring & Inspection
• Geological surface monitoring Contacts:
Kevin Almeter, PLS – Survey & Mapping Manager
• Infastructure and facility inspection
Phone: (775) 828-5687
• Change detection over time
Email: kalmeter@woodrodgers.com
• Removing personnel from dangerous situations
GIS Michael Detwler, LSI – Photogrammetrist
• Imagery and elevation layers for databases Phone: (775) 828-5688
• Imagery classification and analysis Email: mdetwiler@woodrodgers.com

PHOTOGRAMMETRY &
WOOD RODGERS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
AERIAL MAPPING
Sustaining Members
Following is a listing of sustaining members of the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors. Please remember that these
firms and businesses, through their NALS membership, are supporting the aims and objectives of our association.

Aerial Mapping Consultants Monsen Eng. Supply


4011 W. Cheyenne Avenue, Ste. A 1190 Corporate Blvd.
North Las Vegas, NV 89032 Reno, NV 89502-2381
T. (702) 291-2875 T. (775) 359-6671
info@aerialmappingconsultants.com F. (778) 359-6693
marty@monsenengineering.com

AeroTech Mapping
2580 Montessouri St., Ste. 104 Nevada Transit & Laser
Las Vegas, NV 89117 Joe Schneiderwind
T. (702) 228-6277 5720 S. Arville, #110
F. (702) 228-6753 Las Vegas, NV 89118
leotorres@atmlv.com T. (702) 960-2833
joe@rmtlaser.com

Atkins Global
617 Alexander Avenue Paul R. Wolf’s Artisan Surveying Group
Las Vegas, NV 89106 Las Vegas˚ Pioche´ McGill˝
T. (323) 425-5680 PO Box 33434
chevyhdz23@gmail.com Las Vegas, NV 83133-3434
T. (702) 233-3451
twolf@ArtisanSurveying.com
www.ArtisanSurveying.com
Berntsen International, Inc.
PO Box 8670
Madison, WI 53708
Reno, NV 89511 US Survey Supply
T. (608) 249-8549 PO Box 2127
awiegand@berntsen.com Bandon, OR 97411
www.berntsen.com T. (541) 404-6825
rod@ussurveysupply.com

Carlson Software
T. (859) 568-8429 Vertical Mapping Resources, Inc.
lrojas@carlsonsw.com Andrew Babian
1610 Montclair Avenue, Suite D
Reno, NV 89509
T. (775) 737-4343
info@verticalmapping.com

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 25


NALS Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, October 22, 2020 • Via virtual meeting

MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER In 2006 the Nevada Association of Land Surveyors (NALS) entered into
President Greg Phillips called the meeting to order at 9:00 AM. multiple memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the National Society
of Professional Surveyors Foundation (NSPS Foundation). Each of these
ROLL CALL MOUs defined the donation made on behalf of NALS to the NSPS Foundation
Greg Phillips, President and provided specific criteria for the awarding of funds. Between 2006 and
Justin Moore, Vice President present day, two of the funds were merged. It is recommended that we
Jason Higgins, Immediate Past President consolidate the funds and create new, more flexible criteria. A draft of the
Todd Enke, Director revised MOU and criteria was included in the agenda.
Frank Wittie, Director
Crissy Willson, Executive Director MOVED by Justin Moore and SECONDED to combine the NALS Equipment
Fund and the NALS Scholarship Fund into one depleting “NALS Fund” account
Guests: Trent Keenan and Bill Kruger and adopt flexible criteria that will allow funds to be used for a variety of
educational needs for the survey profession. MOTION CARRIED
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Report included in agenda.
ADVANCED EDUCATION
President Greg Phillips reported that NALS will be hosting a statewide virtual Advanced Education Chair Trent Keenan has reached out to Byron Calkins but
meeting featuring guest speaker Lucas Beauchamp. Lucas will be discussing has not received an updated report. Trent participated on the committee to
the transition from the GCDB era to the Parcel Fabric era and the Cadastral interview potential second professor. A candidate was selected and an offer
National Spatial Data Infrastructure data standard. Currently there are over 60 has been extended. Trent maintains contact with GBC and expresses NALS
registered for the virtual meeting. support of the program.

The Board discussed the fact that virtual meetings provide those members in BOARD OF REGISTRATION LIAISON
more rural areas an opportunity to participate and engage with NALS in a more Report included in agenda.
meaningful level. In addition to in-person meetings, NALS will continue to host
virtual meetings so that these members can continue to participate. Liaison Jason Higgins reported on the PAL Council meetings that were held
July 15, September 11, and September 28th. This included a strategic planning
Action Item: Crissy to contact Patty Mamola, Matt Gingerich, and Michael Kidd session. NALS had representation at all three meetings.
to determine if any or all of them would be available to provide a BPELS update
during the December 10th virtual meeting. NEVADA TRAVERSE
Editor Trent Keenan provided a preview of the next issue of the Nevada
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT Traverse which is currently being printed. The issue is the first “Living Legend”
Vice President Justin Moore reported that he is working to fill committee chair edition and recognizes Steve Parrish for his tireless contributions to NALS and
positions. the survey profession.

SECRETARY/TREASURER’S REPORT NDOT ADHOC


The Board of Directors reviewed the financial statements as included in the Report included in the agenda.
agenda.
NDOT AdHoc Committee Chair Greg Phillips reported NDOT has received 50
MOVED by Justin Moore and SECONDED to accept the financial statements as licenses for software that will allow public access to their records database.
included in the agenda. MOTION CARRIED. Currently they are developing an application to submit for individual logins
and working through a few bugs before releasing to the public. Margaret Nutt
A draft 2021 budget was included in the agenda. (NDOT) demonstrated the software and how to access the database on the
statewide NALS meeting September 23. There is a new GIS based platform
MOVED by Todd Enke and SECONDED to adopt the 2021 budget. MOTION being developed that will hopefully launch by the end of 2021.
CARRIED.
LEGISLTIVE COMMITTEE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Legislative Committee has requested the tracking service subscription be
Executive Director Crissy Willson provided a report on the APLS-CLSA-NALS reactivated for 2021.
Virtual Conference. The 2020 Conference, originally scheduled for March was
rescheduled for August and then shifted to a virtual platform. The in-person NOMINATING COMMITTEE
conference had 442 full paid registrants. We only lost 79 in the shift to a virtual The slate of candidates was approved by the Board of Directors at the last
platform ending with 363 full paid registrants. The registration fee for the meeting. The slate was sent to the membership with opportunity to nominate
virtual conference was reduced and registrants received a partial refund check. additional candidates. No additional candidates were nominated therefore, per
Recordings of the conference webinars are available for attendees to view the bylaws, a unanimous ballot was cast by the Secretary.
through December 31st and are available in the Conference app. Of the 363 full
paid registrants, 32% were from Nevada. This means that Nevada will receive 2021 Officers
32% of the net proceeds of the conference. We are waiting on the final bills to Justin Moore, President
come in and we anticipate we will be able to reconcile and cut proceed checks Robert Carrington, Vice President
by the first week in November. Special thanks to all the vendors and sponsors Bill Kruger, Secretary
that continued to support the associations through the pandemic. The virtual Nick Ariotti, Treasurer
exhibit hall is still available and we encourage you to all visit that and support Greg Phillips, Immediate Past President (by succession)
these vendors.
NSPS
Crissy reported there are still a few members that have not paid their NSPS will be meeting at the end of the month as there September meetings
2020 membership dues. An unpaid dues report was provided and it was were postponed.
recommended that Chapter Officers contact those members on the unpaid
dues list in their area and encourage them to pay their dues. WFPS
Report included in agenda.
EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Reports included in agenda. WFPS is in the process of developing an online
CONTINUED ON PAGE 28u
26 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020
Committee adopted the consensus 2021 Standard in August,

NSPS and ALTA approved and adopted it on October 1 of 2021. The


motion was passed by the NSPS Board of Directors, and the new

Nevada standards will become effective on February 23, 2021.

Director’s One of the highlights of the meeting was the approval of Fellow
status for Carl CdeBaca. In addition, Rick Brooks, Don Falken, and

Report
Craig Palmer were also nominated and approved as Fellows. The
requirements to be considered for Fellow status include achieving
distinction in one or more of the following areas: perennial and
progressively more responsible service to NSPS; significant
Prepared by Nancy J. Almanzan, PLS contributions to an associated profession; and/or, notable
professional qualifications in a position of responsible charge or
The Fall 2020 2020 NSPS Committee and Business Meetings occupying a senior position for at least ten years. Carl has gone
were held virtually in September and October due to the above and beyond serving the survey community on the local,
pandemic. Plans for in-person meetings are scheduled for the state, and national levels. Congratulations Carl!
Spring of 2021.
The final motion considered at the meeting was regarding the
The NSPS Foundation Board of Trustees meeting was held on various wildfires that ravaged the West over the past few years,
September 18, 2020. The Thomas A. Foote Memorial Scholarship leaving a lasting mark on those communities affected, not just
has been converted to a depleting scholarship fund. Priority will from the loss of improvements but also from the destruction of
be given to land surveying students in Nevada and those enrolled survey monuments will be removed due to the cleanup efforts.
in the Great Basin Surveying Program. The foundation is currently Typically, once an area is deemed safe to rehabilitate, soil (12”-
managing 15 funds, which include scholarships and grants to 18”) is removed to clear the toxins and deposits left from the fire.
surveyors experiencing hardships. It is anticipated that most of the monumentation and control
points used to establish property and rights-of-way will be
The Workforce Development Committee was held on October destroyed in these efforts to reclaim the land for redevelopment.
14, 2020. Discussions included the Bureau of Labor Statistics The surveyors within these areas are concerned that during the
Operational Outlook handbook; retention of qualified instructors cleanup measures (not the firefighting), many controlling PLSS
at Colleges, Universities, and Technical Schools; what states corners (not to mentions lots of local lot corners) will be dozed
are doing in terms of recruitment of new surveyors and the role out or destroyed. The motion by the Western States Director’s
of NSPS in recruitment efforts; and developing a database for Council requesting NSPS to pursue congressional support to seek
states to share their resources and activities involving outreach funding to support the restoration of Survey and Rights-of-Way
and recruiting. The short and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on Monument Control in the Western States adversely affected by
the surveying industry and future efforts on outreach were also the wildfires was approved.
discussed
The next NSPS meetings will be held in April 20-24, 2021 in
The Western States Director’s Council: Meeting was held on Arlington, Virginia. Please feel free to contact me with any
October 27, 2020. A discussion was held on the requirement of concerns, suggestions, or questions you may have about NSPS.
Geodetic Bearings on BIA Surveys. The Rocky Mountain, Tribal
Leaders Council, is expected to pass a resolution requesting that
the BLM issue a “Letter of Instruction” providing clarification on
the acceptance of grid or ground bearings rather than geodetic
bearings on small scale surveys. Ride TV, a cable TV network, is
interested in a pilot program showcasing Land Surveyors. Several
directors volunteered to be part of the initial discussions with the
Congratulations!
network. Jim Coan, Director from Washington, was elected to
serve as Chair of WSDC for the upcoming two-year term.
Congratulations to
The NSPS Board of Directors and General Membership Meeting NALS Past President
was held on October 30, 2020. There were several motions voted Carl C.deBaca for being
on during the meeting. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, named an NSPS Fellow!
Article V of the bylaws was amended to allow the extension of
the term of office for NSPS officers. This motion passed, and the
Thank you from all of
2020 officers will continue in their roles throughout 2021. us within NALS and
everyone in the Land
The Joint ALTA/NSPS Standards Committee and the NSPS Surveying Profession
Subcommittee on the ALTA/NSPS Standards have, over the across the country for
past two years, worked through approximately 12 pages of
the passion and energy
suggestions and arrived at a consensus for the 2021 Minimum
Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys. you bring every day!
In the process, over 300 surveyors reviewed the suggestions and
provided input and suggestions on a series of drafts. The Joint

The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020 27


NALS BOD Meeting Minutes...continued from page 26 WFPS Report...continued from page 22

review course (zoom recordings) for studying for the FS exam. Each of WFPS FOUNDATION
the WFPS member states will be able to market the program to their
membership. It is anticipated that the course will be complete in June 2021.
The WFPS Disaster Relief and Scholarship fund has been
established through the NSPS Education Foundation. Donations
WFPS Director Trent Keenan recommended visiting the Alliance for are now being accepted. The criteria and application information
Responsible Professional Licensing - http://www.responsiblelicensing.org/
has been sent to all State Associations and can be found on the
This group is providing outreach to the public regarding the importance of
licensing for technical professions such as CPAs, Engineers, Architects, and WFPS website.
Land Surveyors.
Donations can be made mailed to WFPS: 526 South E Street,
CHAPTERS
Chapters are currently working to fill their leadership roles. Santa Rosa, CA 95404.
https://www.nsps.us.com/donations/donate.asp?id=18191
SNALS was able to hold a Golf Tournament although, due to current
pandemic restrictions, the number of attendees they could accept was
limited. A holiday party is being planned.

Executive Director Crissy Willson reported that the dissolution of the Great
Basin Chapter has been finalized. About WFPS
MEETING SCHEDULE
December 10, 2020 ...........................................Statewide Virtual Meeting
January 14, 2021 .................................................Statewide Virtual Meeting
January 20, 2021 .................................................NGS GPS on Benchmark Update The Western Federation of Professional Surveyors (WFPS)
January 22, 2021 .................................................NALS Board Meeting (Las Vegas) was formed in 1979. The Board of Directors includes two
March 26, 2021....................................................NALS Board Meeting (Reno)
March 27-30, 2021 ............................................CLSA/NALS Conference (Reno) delegates from each of the 13 western states. WFPS serves
May 2021 (TBD) ...................................................Statewide Virtual Meeting
July 2021 (TBD) ....................................................Statewide Virtual Meeting as a regional voice for Land Surveyors and meets quarterly
July 16, 2021 .........................................................NALS Board Meeting (Las Vegas) to discuss practice issues affecting western state surveyors.
September 2021 (TBD) ......................................Statewide Virtual Meeting
October 15, 2021 ................................................NALS Board Meeting (Reno) For more information about WFPS and the state associations,
November 2021 (TBD) .......................................Statewide Virtual Meeting
visit WFPS.org
Chapter meetings to be added to the calendar as they are scheduled.
WFPS Executive Office
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:30 AM. T. (707) 578-1130 | F. (707) 578-4406 | E. admin@wfps.org

Get Kids Into Survey...continued from page 19

8 different countries who go above and beyond to share our free For sponsorship inquiries: hello@getkidsintosurvey.com
resources as well as take part in career fairs and presentations in
Free Resources to order or download:
schools.
www.getkidsintosurvey.com/resources

“HELP US GET CHILDREN EXCITED ABOUT GEOSPATIAL


CAREERS! I’M ON A MISSION – TO RAISE STANDARDS AND
GET YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE SURVEYING INDUSTRY”
—Elaine Ball

Since 2017 we have gained more than 70 sponsors over 15


posters who each support our mission and help us to produce not
only posters, but comic strips, coloring in sheets, activity pages,
and lesson plans. In 2021, we will also be producing a full comic
book complete with activities supported by our sponsors as well
as a teaching curriculum that complements it. Our plan is for kids
not only to enjoy the comic book for fun but that it can be used in
the classroom or as a homeschooling resource.

To help us with our mission to educate and excite the next


generation of surveyors and geospatial experts, please check out
our website and get in touch.

28 The Nevada Traverse Vol.47, No.4, 2020


ADVERTISER INDEX
for this Issue

Advertiser Page No.

Berntsen International..............................................................4
Carlson ........................................................................................ 24
Monsen Engineering Supply.........................Inside Front Cover
Nevada Transit & Laser .............................. Outside Back Cover
Office Depot ....................................................... Inside Rear Cover
US Survey Supply .................................................................... 18
Vertical Mapping Resources ................................................ 15
Wood Rodgers .......................................................................... 25

Members have spoken and we are listening! To fill the void


Members
left have
by the spoken
ending and
this we are
past Julylistening! To fill Radio
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Hour, the
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N A
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