Fall - Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association

CouncilHighlightsCarl Shiels, M. Sc., P. Eng.Executive Director2006-07 Meeting #3 - Sept. 11, 2006Committee chairmen B.G. Clark (Practiceand Convention) and J.H. McLeod (Education)joined Council for the annual CommitteeWorkshop. The CCLS web site washighlighted as a valuable source of informationfor Council and committee chairmen.There had been no presidential travel sincethe last meeting but the president wouldbe attending the AMLS AGM later in theweek.G.D. Craig’s appointment as SLSA representativeto the CCLS was extended foranother three year term.The regulatory bylaws, approved by themembership at the 2006 AGM, had receivedthe approval of the Ministers responsiblefor the LSPS Act and are in effect.The Ministers also confi rmed that theamendment to the LSPS Act – the repealof section 19(2) clause (a) – as approved atthe 2006 AGM, would be presented to thelegislature at the spring, 2007 session.In response to letters from the Controllerof Surveys and President Webster expressingconcern about the destruction ofsurvey monuments by city work crews, arepresentative of the City of Regina EngineeringDepartment had contacted the executivedirector for details of the complaint.A formal written response is expected fromthe engineering department and it is hopedthat this will lead to an ongoing dialogue onthe matter.The president had sent a letter to the Sask.Law Society expressing concern about lawyersmaking illegal copies of Real PropertyReports. The letter was expected to bediscussed at the next Law Society Councilmeeting and a formal response would beforthcoming. Council was also advised thata lawyer with Korven Legal Services waspreparing a paper on the illegal copying ofReal Property Reports by lawyers, for submissionto the Law Society. The executivedirector was asked to investigate the possibilityof having an article published in theSask. Law Society newsletter.Most of the executive directors with thevarious land survey associations in Canadamet by telephone conference on August16. Much of the meeting had been takenup reviewing the CCLS web site and howit can be accessed and used by associationexecutives, councils and committeemembers. One of the topics discussed wasthe problem of budgetary pressures due toincreasing costs for presidential travel andthe amount of time that presidents mustspend attending all of the other associationAGM’s. Out of that discussion came thesuggestion that these problems might bealleviated if each association were to hostall other presidents every second year andthat one AGM per year was attended byexecutive directors. This suggestion wasto be presented to the next Presidents’ Forumthrough the CCLS president. Councilconsidered this option but rejected it. Althoughthe amount of time spent by presidentstravelling can be signifi cant, and particularlyproblematic for one-person surveyoffi ces, the “once-in-a-lifetime” experiencewas considered to be well worth the time,expense and effort involved.Council approved a Land Surveyor inTraining Agreement signed between R.P.Maloney and P.M. Maloney.On the recommendation of M.E. Putnam,Council appointed J.H. McLeod chairmanof the Education Committee.It was agreed that vice-president Rosnesand the executive director would representthe SLSA at the 2006 Political Form sponsoredby the Saskatchewan Chamber ofCommerce (SCC). One of the issues thatSLSA representatives might raise is thechallenges that most survey companiesare having in fi nding and keeping skilledlabour.At the request of the Board of Examiners,Council prepared a short list of memberswho would be invited to sit on the Board, eitheron a temporary basis to replace memberswho require a temporary leave, or on alonger term basis to replace members whowould like to step down. Some period ofoverlap was considered to be highly desirable.The next meetings were tentatively scheduledfor Monday, October 30 and Thursday,November 30. 252 SLSA Corner Post Fall 2006