The Maryland Society of Surveyors is pleased to announce the program has been set for its 2019 Fall Conference to be held October 16-18 at the Princess Royale in Ocean City.
The format will provide more opportunities for networking, a wider array of educational and CPC offerings, and a focus on professional, techical, and business-oriented programming.
The program features a lively lineup of sessions designed to keep surveyors informed of current and emerging markets, opportunities, technologies, and applications. Check out the
program
and register today.
Here are some helpful links to the many conference highlights:
- The conference begins on Wednesday, October 16 with a Golf Tournament and Fishing
- On Thursday evening, there will be a dinner reception, Beer and Trivia Contest
- On Friday evening, MSS will host a dinner reception and Cornhole Tournament
- Be sure to enter the Plat Contest and the Photo Contest
- You can also enroll as an exhibitor to showcase your newest technology, services, equipment, or software.
- As an added benefit, you can maximize your exposure before your peers, partners, clients, and professional colleagues as a sponsor.
Network with fellow surveyors. Discuss issues affecting the profession with your peers. Improve your professional skills through continuing education and continuing professional competency. Learn about new technology, markets, applications, and procedures.
If you have any difficulty using the MSS website, please call the MSS staff at 800-303-6770.
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Purchase of the Black Book is not mandatory but highly recommended to get the most out of this conference. The price for the Black Book has been reduced for the conference. If you wish to purchase the book, simply click the OPTIONAL TICKET on the registration form. Your book will be available for you to pick up at the conference. It will NOT be mailed in advance. If you wish to purchase our other books please click the button below.
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Hogan Administration Announces New State Development Plan, A Better Maryland
More than 85 Meetings and Listening Sessions Held Since Fall 2017 to Engage Local Officials, Citizens and Planners
(August 7, 2019) ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Hogan administration today announced the filing of a new state development plan, A Better Maryland. In 2017, Governor Larry Hogan signed Executive Order 01.01.2017.18, directing the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning) to coordinate with local governments and other stakeholders to prepare a revised State Development Plan.
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Potomac and Chesapeake Chapter Baseball Event Recap
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On August 3, 70 MSS members, friends, and family attended a Bowie Baysox baseball game in the support of the Maryland Society of Surveyors Educational Trust and the Young Surveyors Chapter to which the Potomac and Chesapeake Chapters each donated $500. This night was also the 5th Annual Touch A Truck event presented by Miss Utility! Over 35 utility and heavy vehicles were on display!
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The Interesting People I’ve Met While Surveying By: Eric B. Gladhill, P.L.S.
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At C. S. Davidson, Inc [in the 1990’s and early 2000’s] we did all of the survey work for the Gettysburg National Military Park, a division of the National Park Service. It was interesting work and we did such things as a ALTA/ACSM Title Survey of the property where the National Battlefield Tower had stood (south of Gettysburg, between Baltimore Pike and Taneytown Road).
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Spotlight: Eric Cooper
is a Professional Land Surveyor at Wallace Montgomery & Associates and is the current Secretary of MSS.
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When did you start surveying and why?
I was born into surveying and can remember carrying my Daisy BB gun on sites before my age hit double digits. I have many memories of being responsible for counting chaining pins, borrowing a dollar to bet on the distance from the early EDM, and betting on how many hits it would take to fall a modest-sized tree on line.
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Describe one of your best experiences while surveying.
Finding out that I had passed the survey exams and had become a Professional Land Surveyor. I invested a lot of time and effort into meeting all the criteria to be accepted to sit. Passing was a great feeling.
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Describe one of your worst experiences while surveying.
The very worst experience I have ever had was September 11, 2001. A coworker rolled a TV into our area and tuned it to the news as we watched a plane strike the second tower. I have never had such a horrible feeling of helplessness and concern.
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What type of surveying makes up most of your work?
Most of my work today is for transportation and capital improvement projects. I do a lot of right-of-way surveys and topographic mapping in support of roads. My current workload is filled with 3D mapping, from conventional methods to aerial and terrestrial LiDAR.
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Who are some of the surveyors that influenced your knowledge in the profession (in school or on the job)? What was special about what you learned from them?
There are a few, but it all began with Gary L. Cooper – my father and one of my best friends. He taught some very valuable lessons, but most importantly, he taught me honesty and integrity above all. Being honest and standing up for the things I believe in has served me well in life and in my survey career. I learned a lot about surveying while tagging along and those roots run deep. Others that influenced me are Jim Lorenzi, Jay Wooldridge, and Keith Bailey. Jim Lorenzi led by example; he showed exemplary character and kindness in all employee matters. I learned that it is not all about the profit, and to stop and look at the people working with you. Make sure they are doing well, and we will all do well. Jay Wooldridge introduced me to GNSS and the world of new technologies in surveying. Keith Bailey taught me about transportation work and opened a door to a whole new world of surveying that is now my main practice.
Each of these mentors taught me a lot over the years and I still have them all on speed dial. The common theme is that they all taught me professionalism and a love for the profession.
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What advice would you give to new surveyors?
The old quote comes to mind “you have two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Listen twice as much as you speak. Stay driven and ask questions. Do not be afraid to ask a fellow surveyor, as we are professionals and should always be willing to help another surveyor learn.
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When you are not surveying, what do you like to do?
I consider myself an outdoorsman and love to be in the woods. I enjoy hunting, fishing, and playing golf.
How has surveying changed you?
I do not know that surveying has changed me so much as it has shaped me. Surveying has been a huge part of my entire life. Surveying has provided me the opportunity to make great friends and establish wonderful relationships while providing for my family. Surveying has kept me challenged and excited while keeping me grounded and fulfilled.
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TUGIS Recap
On August 7 and 8, a team of 7 members represented MSS at the TUgis conference. They received more than 20 associate member applicants and spoke to a lot of people about the relationship between surveyors and GIS professionals.
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District
of Columbia Continuing Education:
By Vincent X. Nohe, MSS Regional Director
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Of the land surveyors that have ever been licensed in the District of Columbia, more than fifty percent were or are from Maryland. About a twenty-five percent call Virginia home. Maryland and Virginia land surveyors and engineers who also hold a license in the District need to take note.
After nearly three years in the regulatory process, continuing education for land surveyors and engineers is now a requirement for those licensed in the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineering adopted new rules on April 25, 2019 which took effect upon their publication in the District of Columbia Register on August 2, 2019.
For license renewal, next due on or before August 31, 2020, engineers will need no less than twenty hours of acceptable continuing professional education, to include at least one hour on the subject of professional ethics. Land surveyors will need no less than twelve hours of acceptable continuing professional education, to include
no less than eight hours of surveying education specific to the District of Columbia
and to include at least one hour on the subject of professional ethics. Compare that requirement to sixteen hours required in Virginia for land surveyors and engineers; sixteen hours, including one hour of ethics or law for Maryland registered engineers and twenty-four hours, including four hours of ethics or law for Maryland surveyors.
The full requirements are outlined in newly added Sections 1526 through 1528 of Title 17 Business, Occupations, and Professionals, Chapter 15 Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and can be found in the August 2 issue of the
District of Columbia Register
. Not all continuing education requirements are the same and it is the licensees’ responsibility to know what is expected of them. Licensees should read and understand the requirements and the differences between what is required and acceptable in the District and that of other jurisdictions in which they are licensed. As in most jurisdictions, the DC Board has the final say in what is acceptable, but they do provide a list of categories of providers that are acceptable. As in all jurisdictions, it is the licensees’ responsibility for recordkeeping and the reporting requirements for renewals and in an audit, which are also outlined in the new rules.
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Makin' Tracks
A Land Surveyor's Letter to His Client on the Surveying of a Railroad Right-of Way And How It Affects a Proposed Subdivision
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Foreword
Quite a few years ago, I became aware of my lack of sufficient knowledge of railroad rights-of-way, especially how to survey them for the purpose of determining the relative mathematical positions of the limits of rights-of-way as they passed along or through parcels of land. As I gradually gained more surveying experience, it seemed that at least some lands had been acquired and railroad tracks appeared to have been laid before the dates of the right-of-way and track maps or the evaluation maps. This made me wonder “Do deeds exist which conveyed title from private land owners to the railway companies?” In most cases involving railroad land research, I was unable to find deeds and therefore resigned myself to making reference just to the railroad maps. The land for the right-of-way was probably originally taken by power of eminent domain. Research got somewhat difficult and excessively time-consuming when I tried to find deed references among charter and grant documents.
So, as with other subjects of my many and varied ignorances (my word), I started a “Railroad File”. In time, this old letter which I now share with you came to light. A copy was saved for reference because it contains so many facts, ideas and opinions.
Written long ago by a land surveyor to his client, this letter is apparently just a private communication of thoughts, without presuming to give legal advice. The original contents have been retyped and reformatted. References and clues to persons, origin and locations have been deleted. A few supplementary aspects, notes and illustrations have been added. Hopefully these revisions do not distract or detract from the subject of the original writer’s missive.
I do hope that you’ll find this interesting and useful, or at least worthy of thought and perhaps discussion. Perhaps you’d like to add this article to your personal file. If you have constructive comments to make and share on the subject of the surveying and re-establishment of railroad rights-of-way, or if your opinion differs from that of the letter writer (or mine), let’s hear from you.
R. Wayne Twigg, Secretary
Appalachian Chapter, MSS
Wolfsville, MD July 2019
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Licensed Survey/Survey Group Leader - Timmons - Richmond, VA -
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Survey Party Chief - Dewberry - Lanham, MD -
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Field Technician - EN Engineering - Baltimore, MD -
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Survey Crew Chief - EN Engineering - Baltimore, MD -
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Survey Manager - Potomac Valley Surveys - Poolesville, MD -
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Field Engineer - Ben Dyer Associates, Inc - Mitchellville, MD -
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Survey Crew Chief - Weston & Sampson - Reading, MA -
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Utility Locator - Weston & Sampson - Reading, MA -
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Survey Technician - Dewberry - Lanham, MD -
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PLS Project Manager - First Capital Engineering, Inc. - York PA -
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