February 2024
63rd Annual LSPS Convention
April 10-12, 2024
Lake Charles, LA
Hosted by the Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors and LSPS District 8
Online Registration: FEBRUARY 25 - APRIL 1, 2024
You can go directly to the hotel to book your rooms HERE
OR call the hotel directly at 844-777-4653 TOLL-FREE and use the group code: PSA16A
The hotel group cut-off date is Monday, March 20, 2024.
Jeff Messinger, LSPS President
PRESIDENTIAL PRIVILEGE
“Be careful what you ask for!!” How many times have we heard that saying? Fall brought us incredibly dry weather. Now, I cannot wait for the rains to end so I can get out of the mud. I’ll take the heat and dry weather over having to clean mud off everything, every day.
There have been a lot of good happenings lately in LSPS’s pursuit of advancement in our profession. One of our own, Foy Gadberry, State Representative for District 15 and a dual licensee, is spearheading the legislative requirements to redefine “Land Surveying.” With the guidance of past LSPS Presidents, current and former LAPELS members, and other volunteers, this new definition should give better clarity and – well, the definition of what “Land Surveying” is and in-turn who is allowed to both use the words and conduct land surveys.
Another happening is LSPS’s decision to change executive board members’ terms from a single year to two years and to combine the Secretary and the Treasurer offices into a single office. Hopefully, this will allow for more experience and increased continuity of the executive board, which will in turn provide greater value to you, the members.
We are also hiring an attorney to represent the best interests of the society and its members. These interests include but are certainly not limited to bylaws revisions, rules and laws reviews and recommendations, and administrative law revisions, just to name a few. The selection of the right attorney for the society is an important decision, and your Board is spending a lot of time vetting recommended individuals and firms.
Albeit it is – at least by my admission – long overdue, we are updating the Standards of Practice. A survey was recently sent to all the active members regarding some of the major topics and issues that have been discussed in the past 2 years. The process for revising the Standards of Practice will be as follows:
1. Each District will discuss the considered revisions, provided by the Executive Board, at its local meeting
2. The District Chairmen will provide a summary of its district members’ opinions and recommendations to the Executive Board by September 1st
3. The Executive Board will author a draft report by November 1st
4. After the District Chairmen review the draft report, it will be finalized by the Executive Board during the December meeting
5. It will then be formally presented to LAPELS
As a side-shot – pun intended, part of the reason we are hiring an attorney is to help with just this kind of thing. LAPELS has a virtual full-time attorney and LES has a lobbyist, so why should LSPS not at least have an attorney on contract to best advise the society on important issues like revising the Standards of Practice?
I cannot overemphasize enough the significance of the revising of the Standards of Practice. It is one of the most important parts of the practice of our profession. If you do not get involved in anything else, please attend your district meetings, offer your input, and contribute to the future of our profession. That said, I do ask two things from each of you: (1) We are looking for solutions; please help us with them, and (2) If you do not participate, please do not complain. I resemble it to political elections – those who do not vote should not complain about who is in office
Lastly, we recently asked each active member to complete a survey containing questions about the most frequent topics, issues and concerns the executive board has heard or received in the past 12 months. This survey, and its results, are important because it allows the leadership to better craft strategy and hone in on the things the members say are key to success. Unfortunately, only 36% of the members completed the survey, which fell significantly short of our goal of a 75% response rate. To those who took the time to complete the survey, thank you for doing so. I especially thank those members who provided positive feedback or constructive criticism; both of which were well-received by the executive board.
**There is a link below for you to see the survey results.
Due to the interest and the responses, we have decided to conduct a follow-up to clarify a few topics and dig deeper into several issues. I would love to see 75% or more of the active members complete it!! Please look for it in your inbox during the upcoming weeks.
And now really lastly, the annual convention is finalized, and there will be a lot of educational content, good food and drinks, and most importantly the opportunity to fellowship with your friends, colleagues, vendors, and yes, competitors. Please plan to attend – even if you cannot make the entire convention, attend what you can. I promise it will be worth your time.
I want to make our society better every year, and it takes dedication, commitment, consistency, and teamwork. LSPS has all of those so the sky is truly the limit of what we, LSPS, can do.
As always, if anyone ever has any questions, concerns, solutions, ideas, etc., reach out to your District Chairman. My door is always open and my phone is always on. I’m always willing to listen, help, offer input, and do what I can to make our society better.
Keep Surveying!
Survey: The Future of Surveying in Louisiana | January 10 - 19, 2024
LSPS DISTRICT INFORMATION
District 1
John Teegarden
jteegarden@ascellc.com
District 2
Andrew Szush
andrew.szush@tbsmith.com
District 3
Shawn MacMenamin
smacmenamin22@gmail.com
District 4
Jason Tuggle
Jason_tuggle@hotmail.com
District 5
Jon Braswell
jbraswell@sehuey.com
District 6
Jean Reulet
jean.reulet@tbsmith.com
District 8
Lee Broom
lbroom@ballard-clc.com
District 9
Dennis Gowin
dgowin@ddgpc.com
District Announcements:
Pictured Left to Right: Solon Culver, LSPS District 4 Chairman Jason Tuggle
DISTRICT 1 - John Teegarden, Chairman
District 1 held a meeting on February 6, 2024, at the offices of Gandolfo Kuhn. We reviewed the standards of practice to identify possible revisions to the standards. There were 10 surveyors in attendance.
DISTRICT 4 - Jason Tuggle, Chairman
District 4 recently held a meeting at Shane’s in Bossier where several updates on important items were discussed including The Definition of Surveying, Proposed amendments to the LSPS Executive Board/By-Laws, Gerald Fussell Scholarship recipient, and the proposed schedule for the Standards of Practice update coming this year. We plan on having a round table discussion soon after the convention to discuss possible edits to the Standards of Practice and we ask that you bring suggestions so that we may work towards practical solutions.
LSPS District 4 also recently awarded Louisiana Tech Student-Athlete Solon Culver with a $500 scholarship from the Gerald Fussell Scholarship Fund. The Haughton native is a senior majoring in Geographic Information Systems who is also pursuing the new Survey Certificate currently offered at Tech. Having not yet even graduated, his drive to succeed has landed him an employment opportunity here in the state where he will be continuing towards his goal of licensure. District 04 congratulates Solon on his achievements and wishes him the best of luck with his future endeavors!
DISTRICT 6 - Mike King, Chairman
District 6 held a joint meeting with District 9 at Walk-on’s in Denham Springs on February 1 to discuss potential revisions to the Standards of Practice for Boundary Surveys. There was a great turnout, and many important topics were discussed. District 6 will hold our next District Meeting on March 28 at NTB Associates, Inc. in Zachary. This meeting will serve as our annual crawfish boil (pending availability). We would like to invite members from other districts to attend as well.
DISTRICT 8 - Lee Broom, Chairman
District 8 is busy planning the LSPS 2024 convention at the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles! We have a meeting scheduled for February 21st to discuss any loose ends and updates to the society.
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.
LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY UPDATE
The LSPS student chapter partnered with Little Free Pantry, an on-campus food donation organization to host a Christmas food drive. This was the second consecutive year of partnering with Little Free Pantry, and the Louisiana Tech students were very helpful in donating multiple boxes full of canned good and personal hygiene items to help those in need around the holidays.
For our December Industry Talk, Mr. Charlie Coyle, PLS, President of Coyle Engineering in Bossier City, spoke about the importance of licensure and the licensure process – Education, Experience, Examinations, and Ethics. He also gave “real world” examples of responsibilities and tasks that surveyors will perform post-licensure.
Also, during December, the LSPS chapter participated in Louisiana Tech Engineering and Science (E&S) Day, where organizations on campus host local high school students to teach them about career paths available in engineering and related fields. LSPS partnered with AGC, another on-campus organization that focuses on construction related careers, to show students how to operate different types of surveying equipment and how they may be utilized in the construction industry.
Donna Sentell and Janet Lindsey with Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board visited Louisiana Tech University on January 10th and 11th. They gave presentations on the procedures to become licensed in engineering and surveying in Louisiana.
In February, the LSPS student chapter will partner with AGC and ASCE to host the 2024 Winter Banquet, where each club will give a presentation on the previous year's activities and achievements, while awarding some students with scholarships provided by various organizations including NSPS and LSPS.
Currently more than 30 students are working toward the Land Surveying Certificate. For information about the Construction Engineering Technology Surveying Option at Louisiana Tech University contact Reginald Jeter, PE, Program Chairman at rjeter@latech.edu.
(L to R) Connor Gray, Vice President, Kyler Hill, President, and Connor Sigler, Treasurer with the Food Drive.
Donna Sentell with LAPELS talks to the students about licensure.
Charlie Coyle (L), PLS talks to Louisiana Tech students about surveying.
Last fall, LSPS donated $20,000 to Louisiana Tech for the procurement of state-of-the-art surveying equipment for the students. Shown here is a picture of District 4 Chairman, Jason Tuggle, presenting the check to Reggie Jeter, the Program Chair of the Construction Engineering program and a professor who works closely with the surveying students.
High School students learn about surveying equipment with the aid of Skylar Belt, Gabe Lipe and Lane Ebare (right side).
NICHOLLS STATE UNIVERSITY UPDATE
Greetings from Nicholls State Geomatics Program.
We are in the fourth week of Spring 2024 semester and looking forward to the LSPS Convention. Here are some updates from our program.
Luke Guidry Fall 2023 graduate passed his FS exam before graduation and got his NCEES honor cord.
The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) Gulf South Region (Louisiana & Texas) will hold its 3rd Annual Business Meeting & Geospatial Conference April 29th, and 30th 2024 at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. This in-person event will feature geospatial technical sessions, a 4-hour ASPRS Certification Workshop, a Geospatial Experts Panel, Student Project showcase, and an abundance of networking opportunities for attendees and sponsors. Attendees will receive one (1) Professional Development Hour (PDH) for each technical session they attend.
Follow the link for details and registration
Bethany Ekiss xyHt January issue
Spring 2023 graduate Bethany Ekiss was interviewed by ‘xyHt-a magazine for geospatial professionals’ January issue. She was mentioned as one of the “Young Geospatial Professionals to Watch in 2024”.
Happy Easter and hope to see you at the ASPRS Gulf South Region 3rd Annual Business Meeting & Geospatial Conference at Nicholls State University.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
By: Elizabeth Harper, Harper Duncan & Associates, LLC
We're thrilled to provide you with an update on our ongoing efforts to shape the landscape of land surveying in Louisiana.
Defining Land Surveying: A Critical Step Forward
One of our primary focuses has been on updating the definition of land surveying within Louisiana's legislative framework. After thorough deliberation and collaboration with key stakeholders, significant progress has been made in this regard. The updated definition draws inspiration from the model definition proposed by the National Society of Land Surveyors, ensuring alignment with best practices and industry standards nationwide.
The updated definition is not merely a technicality; it's a crucial step towards modernizing our profession, ensuring clarity, and adapting to the evolving demands of the field. The final draft of the definition is currently being drafted by legislative staff and will be shared with the membership once it is complete.
Legislative Advocacy: Your Voice Matters
However, our work is far from over. While we've achieved significant milestones in the process of updating the definition of land surveying, the journey toward legislative enactment requires continued dedication and advocacy. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be calling upon each and every one of you to lend your voice to this important cause.
Your legislators need to hear directly from you—the experts in the field—about the significance of these updates. Your experiences, insights, and expertise carry immense weight in shaping the decisions that affect our profession. Whether through letters, calls, or in-person meetings, your engagement will be pivotal in garnering support for this legislation.
Get Involved: Your Action Matters
As members of the Louisiana Society of Land Surveyors, you are not merely observers but active participants in shaping the future of our profession. Your involvement in this advocacy effort is crucial for its success.
Stay tuned for upcoming communication outlining specific actions you can take to support this legislative initiative. We will be providing the membership with pre-drafter letters, talking points, legislative timeline and information on how to contact your legislator. Together, we can ensure that the voice of the land surveying community is heard loud and clear within the hallowed halls of our state capitol.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to advancing the field of land surveying in Louisiana. Let's continue working together towards a future where our profession thrives and our contributions are duly recognized and valued.
NSRS MODERNIZATION NEWS
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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