THE NEVADA TRAVERSE - Nevada Association of Land Surveyors

H
NSPS Area 9
Director’s Report
By Carl C. deBaca, PLS
ello NSPS members in Nevada! It’s a good day to be a
surveyor, or so the saying goes. The NSPS just finished
our spring meeting, held this year in Charlotte,
North Carolina. There is much to report from this meeting.
I will defer to Nevada’s governor, Paul Burn, for the details
and flavor of the meetings, but I do want to discuss two very
important topics that affect all NALS members, whether you
are also members of NSPS or not.
The first issue is an update on the two-year process of merging
the ACSM and NSPS entities. The process is complete. The
final step was a general membership vote on Saturday, May
5. The two organizations, both non-profits, have been merged,
essentially absorbing the ACSM and all its assets, liabilities
and programs, into the NSPS. We can now move forward
with a more streamlined organization. AAGS, the geodetic
surveying organization has decided to join us as an affiliate
member, while GLIS, the land information folks, have chosen
to try to go on their own though they are welcome to join us as
an affiliate at a later date. This merger protects the integrity
of the ACSM/ALTA standards (no name change anticipated),
our seat in ABET - the college accreditation board, our seat in
FIG - the international surveying organization and our seat
in COGO – the coalition of geospatial organizations, while
allowing us to evolve our organization to fit the changing needs
of surveying and surveyors in the US. There is nothing but
upside to this merger and I would encourage you to think past
the ACSM moniker. After all, times change, names change but
we are still here, to deal with surveying issues on the national
scene.
The second issue is much more significant, if that is possible.
The members of NSPS have for years tried to find a way to
develop an organization that encompasses all members of all
state societies, an estimated 30,000 surveyors in the US. If a
way could be found to combine the memberships of the states
with the NSPS, without endangering the autonomy of the
36 The Nevada Traverse Vol. 39, No. 2, 2012
state organizations, many benefits for all would accrue. At the
national level we would have much more clout on lobby day
when we bring our issues to the legislators because it’s hard to
ignore 30,000 constituents. And the extra voices would provide
more direction to the leadership so that the NSPS would truly
be answerable to all surveyors who belong to their states. At
the state level, members would find they had a true voice in
determining the direction of the national group and would
receive the various member benefits such as the insurance
program.
Over the last six months, a committee has worked out a way to
make this idea a reality. It involves asking each state to raise
its dues by the sum of 40 dollars and send that money to the
NSPS, for which each regular member of that state will become
a regular voting member of the NSPS. The state will also
receive a seat on the board of directors, giving it true say-so. It
is true that there are some details left to work out but the plan
was fleshed out enough that all 49 governors in attendance
voted on Saturday to bring it forward to the board of directors
and on Sunday, the Board of Directors, myself included, voted
unanimously to adopt this plan. Of course by law changes are
needed to provide for the extra seats on the board of directors,
and a few other things, but we have committees looking at
these details right now and by our fall meeting we will be
prepared to make this a reality. One interesting detail: once
all the states in an area, such as Area 9, have come onboard
and have a director, the area director (my) position would be
eliminated.
While some would say that this is not a good time to ask NALS
members for a dues increase, I ask all of you to consider the
proposition and the associated benefits with an open mind. At
the risk of trivializing the requested sum, 40 dollars over the
course of a year is not that much, about equal to a libation
a month at your local pub. In exchange you get a voice in
national affairs, you can belong to committees you think are
important, you get the SaLIS Journal digitally four times a
year, access to a good E&O / Liability insurance provider (I am
a client and very happy with the program), and many other
resources developed over the years, including the work of the
Government Affairs Committee, whose members fight tirelessly
to keep our profession treated fairly by government agencies
and legislators.
I cannot stress enough how significant this plan is and how
good it will be for the surveyors of Nevada and all the states. I
encourage you to contact Governor Paul Burn or myself with
any questions, suggestions or other feedback. Email me at
alidade.nv@sbcglobal.net.
It’s a good day to be a surveyor!
U