May 2023

New Board President

2023-2024

Jeff Messinger, LSPS President

PRESIDENTIAL PRIVILEGE

Dear LSPS member,

I would like to start by thanking all of you for your support for our society, and for the great turnout at our annual convention in Lake Charles. I would like to thank Jonathan Dufrene, our past president, for all his hard work, and our board members for their time and hard work and service to our profession. Our annual convention could not have been possible without all her behind-the-scenes orchestration of our Executive Administrator, Liz Kearney. Thank you, Liz, for ensuring things went as smoothly as they did!

It is truly an honor to begin my service as your LSPS President. I am fortunate to be able to follow in the footsteps of both my grandfather, Henry Messinger who served as President in 1967, and my father, Frank L. Messinger III, LSPS serving as President in 1982-83. As a third-generation surveyor, it means a lot to me to continue their legacies and to spend time with my son, who plans to become the fourth-generation surveyor of my family. I was very fortunate in having the opportunity to witness firsthand our profession’s transition from theodolites and tapes to lidar, drones, and GPS. I have seen our profession change so much with the ways information is gathered and the technology we now have. As a Society, it’s imperative we continue to grow and advance. Just as our means and methods have advanced, so do we, to ensure our profession remains viable for the next hundred years.

Over this next year I challenge everyone to find time to dedicate only three hours per quarter to improving our profession. With ways such as attending and participating in your district meetings, volunteering to speak to the youth interested in pursuing a career in Land Surveying or any other number of ways you can positively influence our awesome profession. Most importantly, be actively involved!

As always, please contact me or your District Chairman with any thoughts or ideas on how we, LSPS, can continue to improve our profession.

Sincerely,

Jeff Messinger

THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS FOR DONATING TO THE
2022-2023 “EVERY MEMBER CAMPAIGN!”

Benefactor Level
Dufrene Surveying & Engineering, Inc

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LSPS DISTRICT INFORMATION

If you are not an LSPS member, we would like to invite you to attend a District meeting in your area. Contact the LSPS office at lsps@lsps.net, or the chairman in your area noted above for details about upcoming meetings.

62ND ANNUAL LSPS CONVENTION

Hosted by District 2 Convention Chairman, Andrew W. Szush, P.L.S.

The 2023 annual LSPS convention was held at Golden Nugget Resort & Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This year’s convention was our second consecutive year holding it at the Golden Nugget with great results. The total numbers of in-person attendees were 295, which included board and committee members, 31 Guest Registrants, and 21 Spouses.

I would like to thank all of the Convention Committee Members, consisting of Dillon Baronne, Derek Martin, Shawn MacMenamin, and Jason Westerman, for all of vlike to give a special thanks to Mrs. Liz Kearney, LSPS Executive Administrator, who works tirelessly all year to make sure this event is a huge success. This year truly did not disappoint.

The events began on Wednesday with the return of the Annual LSPS Golf Tournament at The Country Club at the Golden Nugget. The tournament hosted 49 players from LSPS trying for the top spot, with a team composed of 4 current Nicholls Students eventually taking the win. Thank you to Shawn MacMenamin for coordinating the golf tournament and to the Nicholls student volunteers who worked the registration for this event. Wednesday evening saw Richard Savoie give the convention’s first presentation on Ethics. The night concluded with the Exhibitor Reception in the Grand IV ballroom hosted by our Gold Sponsors: Navigation Electronics, Inc. and g360.

Thursday kicked off with a breakfast with the exhibitors and then seminars on “Making Tracks -Railroad Problems”, and “Beaches, Bulkheads and Piers” by our keynote speaker, Kristopher M. Kline, PLS. An option to attend a presentation on “Changes to SUE and How it Affects the Surveyor” by TJ Stokes, P.E. or “Standards of Practice – Mississippi” by Joe Byrd, PLS was also given to attendees. Thursday evening saw the return of the crawfish boil hosted by Southbeach Sports Bar and Grill and catered by Hebert’s Crawfish Catering, LLC. Those in attendance enjoyed a wonderful evening of socializing, great food and even better weather.

Friday again started with a robust breakfast, followed by the Business Meeting Luncheon, where Mr. Jeffery Messinger, PLS, was sworn in to serve as the 2023-2024 LSPS President. Presentations on “U.S. Survey Foot/International Foot – Datum Update” by Denis Riordan, PSM and “Standards of Practice – Louisiana” by Ryan Estess, PLS followed and concluded the speaking engagements for this year’s convention.

Once again, on behalf of LSPS I would like to thank all our sponsors, exhibitors, presenters, volunteers, and members for helping make the 2023 LSPS Convention such an outstanding and enjoyable event. We hope to see you again next year as District 8 hosts the 2024 LSPS Convention!

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The 2023 Louisiana Legislative Session is almost one month in and running full speed ahead. The Legislature convened on Monday, April 10th and must adjourn by 6:00 on Thursday, June 8th. This year is a fiscal session and each legislator is limited to 5 bills general in nature. We have identified 13 bills that could impact the Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors; while also monitoring other general labor bills that impact all businesses across Louisiana. Majority of the bills that we are monitoring will pass through House and Senate Commerce, Labor and Industrial Relations and Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committees.

Bills that have made it halfway through the Legislative process with no opposition:

HB 11 by Rep. Gadberry - Increases the contract limit for construction, maintenance or improvement projects of the Department of Transportation and Development from $500,000 to $1,000,000.
HB 80 by Rep. Gadberry - Changes the required response time after a product is submitted to the prime design professional from three days to five days. Further authorizes the prime design professional to extend the approval or denial period by 10 additional days, exclusive of holidays and weekends. Clarifies that the failure to respond cannot be considered approval.
HB 407 by Rep. Owen - Changes the name of the La. Drone Advisory Committee to the La. Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee. Also extends the existence of the committee through the 2026.
SB 42 by Sen. Mills - Establishes the Watershed Management Council to develop, implement, and manage the Louisiana Watershed Initiative that is a statewide, comprehensive watershed planning process, which fosters the collaborative management of flood risks by local, state, and regional governmental entities
SCR 6 by Sen. Hengens - Approves the annual state integrated coastal protection plan for Fiscal Year 2024, as adopted by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Board.

Bills that have been deferred and do not plan to be brought back to committee:

HB 333 by Rep. Pressly - Exempts certain civil engineers from architect licensure
HB 546 by Rep. Pressly - Clarifies whether a person may use the term of engineer, engineering, or practice of engineering.
HB 423 by Rep. Nelson - Broadens the tax base by removing current tax exemptions and adding sales and use tax to many services, including the surveying of property. This was part of a package of bills that would restructure the Louisiana tax system and phase out income taxes.

Bills that are still to be heard during in their originating chamber:

HB 602 by Rep. Deshotel - Creates the Accelerating Broadband Deployment Act and authorizes a broadband service provider to install, maintain, operate, improve, repair, replace, remove, and own attached facilities in the state highway right-of-way if the service provider has been granted a permit, agreement, or other right by the Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).
HB 4 by Rep. Bacala - Provides that the crime of criminal trespass does not apply to any person operating a watercraft on running waters of the state.
HB 420 by Rep. LaCombe - Employers who receive economic development incentives from the state cannot designate less than two percent of the man-hours in any apprenticeable occupation to registered apprentices for new construction projects or for the expansion of existing construction projects.
SB 167 by Sen. Abraham - Provides for design-build contracts relative to airport traffic control tower and hanger development and redevelopment and progressive design-build projects.

SOUTH LOUISIANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

By: Michael O’Pry

Two current students that are due to graduate this semester, and two former students, have taken and passed their FS exam. One former student received his stamp and is now licensed. They were all excellent students and all are well-earned. I have several students that are going to be finishing that are sure to take the FS and I’m sure they will pass it.

Current students who have passed their FS exam this spring:

Brock Hollier
Caleb Tate-Goff

Former students who have recently passed their FS exam:

Lance Evans
Brennan Marque

Former student who is now licensed this spring:

William Johnson

JOIN LSPS:
The Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors is organized to enhance the Surveying Profession. Our goal is to carry out our mission by maintaining high technical and cultural standards in our field, working with educational institutions for the maintenance of high standards of education in Land Surveying, requiring a high standard of ethical practice by our members, and encouraging the personal and professional development of young Land Surveyors.

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