In an effort to maximize value for companies with multiple PSLS memberships, we recently launched a new Membership Partner Program that land surveying and engineering companies can take part in This is a great way to bundle multiple PSLS memberships and some partner levels also receive conference registrations In addition, all gold, silver, and bronze levels will receive recognition at the annual conference in January as well as have their logo on the PSLS website and in the PSLS newsletter We will help promote your company!
If you are interested in more details, please visit the Membership Partner Program webpage. If If you want to become a gold, silver, or bronze partner, please fill out this form with your information. We encourage you to enroll in this BEFORE you pay your 2023 membership invoice(s) so we can adjust participant invoices ahead of time.
We want to thank the companies that have already joined as partners!
Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc
Arthur A Swallow Associates, LLC
J.H. Hickman Surveying, LLC
Keystone Surveying and Mapping, Inc.
Lennon, Smith, Souleret Engineering, Inc.
McMillen Engineering, Inc
P Joseph Lehman, Inc
Morris Knowles & Associates, Inc
The PLS Foundation would like to thank the following groups for recent donations or sponsorships:
McMillen Engineering, Inc
SPK Engineering, Inc
Susquehanna Chapter of PSLS – In memory of James Creasy who passed away earlier this year.
What a year 2022 has been! I’ve enjoyed my year as PSLS President and can’t believe it is almost over! I am proud of the accomplishments the PSLS leadership and membership have achieved together. As I reflect back, here are some highlights over the past year.
We held four board meetings and one strategic planning session to ensure the governance of PSLS remains strong. Our committees were active in education planning, legislative efforts, public relations, bylaws review, and more. We had 15 past PSLS presidents on a virtual meeting of the Past Presidents Council. It was great to see all these leaders at the same time and hear the passion they still have for PSLS. The 2022 Surveyors’ Conference in Hershey was very successful It was nice to be back in-person and get the opportunity to network with everyone again coming out of the pandemic We had excellent session topics and instructors to further the professional development of attendees
We conducted 10 webinars covering important topics in Land Surveying We also started to sell recorded webinars so that people can earn credits at their convenience We worked diligently on legislative issues facing the surveying profession We still have a lot of work to do in the next legislative session, but we are making strides Some PSLS members also went on a State Capitol Tour to better understand the inner-workings of the state legislature
We unveiled the new Membership Partner Program giving land surveying and engineering companies the opportunity to bundle memberships and get more promotion of their business.
I started off the year challenging the PSLS membership to jumpstart local chapters and to get more involved with PSLS committees and the Board of Directors. We have made some progress in these areas, but I know we can do even better. I challenge you again as leaders in the industry to step up and get more involved.
I want to thank the PSLS Executive Committee, Board of Directors, committee chairs, and committee members. In addition, thanks to Bob Regola, our state lobbyist, for all his efforts in Harrisburg Thanks to everyone that has supported me during my presidency I truly appreciate it
I know PSLS will be in great hands with Pete Brothers who will be assuming the President’s role at the January conference Pete is passionate about our Land Surveying community and will do a tremendous job leading the Society
I promise to continue to stay involved with PSLS as the Immediate Past President and through other roles within the Society Again, I send a sincere thank you to every one of you for all that you do for the surveying profession Here’s to another great year in 2023! I hope to see many of you at the 2023 Surveyors’ Conference in January
E. McMillen, Jr. PSLS PresidentThis is the fifth article I have prepared in the series offering thoughts on professional practice and education In this article, I wish to discuss the timing of professional exams In particular, I wish to advocate allowing an applicant to take their licensing exams before obtaining any required experience
There are two common models of examination sequence found in the United States The first model, that appears to be most common at the present time, requires the applicant take the professional surveyor exam and state specific exam after the experience requirements have been met.
The second model is to permit an applicant to take all three exams at or near graduation and before meeting minimum qualifications.
There was a third model that may still be present in some states. The third model was to require the experience first then allow the applicant for licensing to take all the exams within a short window of time When I was first licensed almost fifty years ago, I took the first exam one day and the second exam the very next day
In this article, I would like to advocate that states allow an applicant to take the exams on sequential days at or near graduation I offer two reasons for my position
For my first reason, I would suggest professional exams near graduation is the b journey to schedule and have time to take t time the graduate achieves the pre-requisit licensure, they are often married – perh children, involved in community activities, employment commitment. It is difficult to f or even take time off from work for testing are usually far less stressful and a less bus
hectic and stressful work schedule a graduate will encounter after graduation To emphasize this, let me remind surveyors that as a full-time student in college, the student could count on two to three weeks off at Christmas, one week off during Thanksgiving, and a one or two-week spring break College breaks were known well in advance, allowing for professional test scheduling
Once the graduate is employed, vacation time or personal days must often be used for testing Time off from work must often be scheduled in advance and authorized only when work allows While college can be stressful, the stress of college often pales in comparison to balancing family responsibility, home, and work commitments
The second reason for allowing all tests while in college or shortly after graduation is the extent of retained surveying knowledge. Broad knowledge of surveying is usually at a maximum retention just before or soon after graduation. Therefore, the best chance to pass all three exams with minimum study is at or near graduation.
Some would argue that testing the graduate on knowledge retention after the graduate has some experience is a reasonable procedure to protect the public’s safety Perhaps this statement is true Yet, on that basis, all licensed surveyors should be periodically tested from time to time to insure knowledge retention after the passage of time I suspect there are very few licensed surveyors that would advocate that they be subject to periodic retesting to ensure knowledge retention
B Y : K N U D E H E R M A N S E N P L S , P E , PH D , ESQ
REMOVING EXAMINATION
PRE-REQUISITES - CONTINUED
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
* Other books and articles by Knud can be found at https://umaine.edu/svt/faculty/hermansen-articles/
WEBSITE TIPS & TRICKS
JOB BOARD
Professional Land SurveyorTriad Engineering, Inc. - New Stanton, PA and/or Morgantown, WV
Professional Land SurveyorFuehrer Associates, Ltd.Lancaster County, PA
With the 2021-2022 legislative session coming to an end and with the recent elections, much has changed in Harrisburg. The new leaders of Pennsylvania are Governor Josh Shapiro (D) and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis (D) The Senate is still controlled by the Republicans by a margin of 28-22, however, the Democrats have control of the House by a margin of 102-101 Three of those House Democratic seats will be vacated in January; two will be resigning to take a higher office and one passed away in October, but was still elected after remaining on the ballot. Per PA State law, substitute candidates cannot replace a deceased candidate after ballots have started printing; in this case, occurring a few weeks prior to the death of Democrat State Representative Tony DeLuca. On January 3, Representative DeLuca’s former seat and Representative Summer Lee will ultimately leave Republicans with a majority The swearing in of Representative Austin Davis on January 17th as Lieutenant Governor will be another drop for the House Democrats, at least until special elections are held to fill the three Democrat seats, all located in Allegheny County As you can see, much remains unsettled for next year: a Speaker of the House, which party will control the House, and for how long.
With the next legislative session to begin on January 3, 2023, below is a list of the new leadership teams for 2023-2024
Kim Ward: Pro Tempore
Joe Pittman: Leader
Ryan Aument: Whip
Scott Martin: Appropriations Chair
Kristin Phillips: Caucus Chair
Camera Bartolotta: Caucus Secretary
Dan Laughlin: Policy Chair
Lisa Baker: Caucus Administrator
Bryan Cutler: Leader
Tim O’Neal: Whip
Seth Grove: Appropriations Chair
George Dunbar: Caucus Chair
Martina White: Caucus Secretary
Sheryl Delozier: Caucus Administrator
Josh Kail: Policy Chair
Senate Democrats:
Jay Costa: Leader
Christine Tartaglione: Whip
Vincent Hughes: Appropriations Chair
Wayne Fontana: Caucus Chair
Maria Collet: Caucus Secretary
Katie Muth: Policy Chair
Judy Schwank: Caucus Administrator
Tim Kearny: Appropriations Vice Chair
House Democrats:
Joanna McClinton: Leader
Jordan Harris: Whip
Matt Bradford: Appropriations Chair
Ryan Bizzarro: Policy Chair
Tina Davis: Caucus Secretary
Mike Schlossberg: Caucus Administrator
Dan Miller: Caucus Chairman
The new Committee Chairs and Session Schedule are still to be determined. Once the Chairs have been determined, we can begin to establish the PSLS legislative agenda for the 2023-2024 legislative session.
We started this year with a balance of $1,926.69, and we currently have $5,206.53. A special thanks to those of you that have contributed to the PAC.
On November 4th, the PSLS Political Action Committee hosted a tour of the State Capitol followed by a social networking event at Café Fresco Everyone who attended had a wonderful time, learned a lot about the State Capitol, and enjoyed good food and beverages With the new 2023-2024 legislative session beginning and with our profession under attack, along with some much-needed legislation and new regulations, we must get engaged. I encourage everyone to consider donating to the PAC so we can protect our profession!
I look forward to seeing many of you at the 2023 Surveyors’ Conference in Hershey on January 22-25 and having conversations with you about the importance of the PAC Let’s not forget that the PAC is your voice!!
I encourage everyone to visit our website at www.psls.org to donate.
The PSLS PAC raises money to cultivate political support from legislators who take interest in issues that are important to Pennsylvania surveyors. The PSLS PAC is bipartisan and operates with full transparency in compliance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Election Campaign Act and applicable laws. PSLS PAC’s strength comes from you and your commitment to the surveying profession. With your commitment, together we can make Pennsylvania a better place to practice land surveying for today’s and tomorrow’s working professionals.
Welcome to another edition of Capitol Contours with JB
A few highlights since our last update include:
In September, NSPS cosigned a coalition letter urging Congress to pass the 2022 Water Resources Development Act, which primarily authorizes civil works projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The bill, which funds Corps projects and policies every two years, could be enacted later this year during the lame-duck session of Congress.
In September and October, major developments occurred with USGS 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) reaching 90% nationwide coverage, for which NSPS has been a leading advocate. To help map the remaining 10%, the FY23 3DEP Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) was recently released and will remain open and proposals will be considered for review until June 1, 2023, pending available funding The long-anticipated 3D Nation Elevation Requirements and Benefits Study is now available This study, shepherded by USGS and NOAA, builds upon the 2012 National Enhanced Elevation Assessment NEEA by collecting new and updated information on requirements and benefits for high resolution topographic elevation data and identifying requirements for repeat data coverage in the years beyond the planned initial 8-year acquisition program
In October, the Fall Business Meeting for NSPS convened in Tulsa Oklahoma PSLS Director to NSPS Mike Given attended and represented the Commonwealth well.
In November, GIS Day was commemorated in Congress including recognition of NSPS via H.Res.1473. In a news release issued by the Congressional sponsors, NSPS President Amanda Allred was quoted in a statement of support, saying, “The land surveying profession and GIS community are working hand in hand in mapping and cataloging the Nations vast infrastructure, disaster planning and recovery efforts, floodplain management, natural resources, and other important public policies for the protection and safety of the public ” I helped coordinate the National GIS Day observance in Congress, noting “it is significant that Congress recognizes the important role geospatial data plays in American society and that the role of surveyors and NSPS was highlighted ”
In November, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released the new broadband maps PSLS Member Brent Birth has been instrumental in advising the FCC and the U S Department of Agriculture on ways to improve the mapping given his role per the 2018 Farm Bill provision that NSPS secured
In December, the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) is scheduled to meet virtually. The NGAC will provide advice and recommendations related to management of Federal and national geospatial programs. NSPS member Gary Thompson of North Carolina is the Chair of the NGAC.
On December 16, funding for the Federal Government including FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will expire unless Congress and the President act to keep the government open
As Congress continues its work, NSPS will provide updates as part of Capitol Contours with JB
Today I was pleasantly surprised to walk up and see an obvious concrete monument It was quite old; I’d guess pre-1980 because when I checked using my magnetic locater there was no signal Post 1980 surveyors in this area began requesting there be some sort of iron placed in monuments when they were formed
Because this monument was so easy to find, I was going to locate it and that’s all Thinking for a moment, I decided one day the nearby mulched planting bed might grow and that would easily cover and hide a great monument So, I did what I ask young surveyors working for me to do I took a mag nail from my pocket and pushed it down alongside the monument That was for posterity
I suggest that surveyors who find monuments and stones leave something magnetic in the earth and against the marker Years ago, I saw a lot of witness posts set at farm corners. In southeast Pennsylvania the old red and white witness post, at best, is replaced by a tall green fence post, as often found with barbed wire attached. The other witness post is the rotten lath one might find lying nearby. I do realize high quality, modern superb witness posts are available for purchase, but many surveying companies here don’t seem to find them necessary.
Surveyors used to leave a lot more trail markers. I’m not complaining about modern surveying technology where we set some control points and then stake out with GPS or the random points we leave When we find mag nails in curbs and blacktop, I instruct workers to always locate them They won’t be (in this area) at the PC, or PT of road centerlines, but they meant something to some other surveyor
Until our survey is complete, how can we be sure there won’t be calls from another surveyor and those markers are in their CAD files, and we can discuss our boundaries without another trip in the field? Also, it might be useful when we return 25 years later to survey the property next door, or next year to stake out a new swimming pool or addition.
This past summer, while looking for a rear corner in the woods with low brambles, I noticed some old, clipped brush and tree branches. My eye followed the ‘cut line’ and I easily found the pin sticking up a few inches. I think our line cutting will continue for many years. GPS staking of points in the woods won’t require a straight line though since you can walk your antenna some easier way around, but hopefully in the deep woods the accuracy will remain the same Do all young surveyors know about cut lines? I hope so
I’d like to encourage field people to leave something behind better than breadcrumbs Maybe leave drill holes in the curb where they intersect with property lines extended When tying on flagging, take an extra turn around the pin and the fence next to it You can cut costs and install a three foot 4inch-tall white PVC pipe (poor surveyors witness post) by property corners in the woods when there are not natural indicators of property lines On the now rare occasion of digging up a spike in pavement, when you fill the hole, put a mag nail at the surface when you patch the hole. A wise surveyor who finds a mag nail set in a mismatch blacktop square will believe it sits over a spike or ancient PK nail found.
40 years ago, while struggling to find boundary corners for a site in the deep woods, I saw an old tire still in its ancient rim and wondered how it got way out there Since I was not finding corners, I walked over and turned the tire over Underneath was a fine old pin After I located the pin and tied ribbon on some tree branches, I flipped the tire back over to cover and mark the pin It’s been a long time, but I would guess that I set a tall lath with plenty of flagging and wrote on the lath “PROPERTY CORNER UNDER TIRE ”
When working in the Kansas City area, I saw the curb cuts of the survey companies They were like unto a brand on the cattle of the old west Each company tried to have a unique mark on the property line where it extended across the curb so that other surveyors knew who surveyed the lot next door. I wonder if they still do that?
On a large farm survey, at the neighboring tract corner, I found a hub with tack set for a boundary corner. I guess its age was two or more years, long enough that the surveyor was not intending to return to set something permanent. The retracement of a 40-acre site is far more work than a half-acre urban lot and ought to have more than a wood stake in our moist soil and humid conditions
Here is a good reason to help other surveyors find the pins you set or found When they are hired to survey the property next door to the one you surveyed, you really do want them to find the monuments you used for your survey If the pins, spikes, and monument prove your point, help the next surveyor prove your point also Leave lots of tracks for others to follow
Attendee and spouse registration is open! January will be here before we know it! Check out the great line up of sessions and speakers! There will also be opportunities at the conference to network with others in the surveying community
Interested in being an exhibitor or sponsor? Check out the many ways you can market your company to the land surveying profession in Pennsylvania! Thanks to all the companies that have already signed up to be a sponsor and/or exhibitor
View the conference website
By:Carl P Lagler Jr PLS Whitehall Township’s in-house Township Surveyor since 1984
A couple months ago our PSLS PR Committee Chair Amy Hopkins, PLS, emailed me asking if I would consider writing an article about my long surveying career with Whitehall Township focusing on a unique or interesting township surveying job that private sector surveyors wouldn’t normally be associated with. As Whitehall Township’s in-house Township Surveyor since 1984, over the past 38 years most of my Land Surveying projects as the Township Surveyor are as to be expected including boundary & topographic surveys for township parks and recreational lands, yearly township roadway reconstruction projects, and numerous storm sewer improvement and/or replacement projects. Projects include doing the initial field surveys, preparing CAD design plans and profiles, survey construction stakeouts, and finishing with providing construction supervision and inspection oversight. That said, a few times over my many years with Whitehall, I worked on several survey assignments for our local township police department that are what I consider NOT the usual day-to-day routine township survey work duties
I’ll start out by giving some brief facts and history about Whitehall Township. Whitehall is a first-class township, first incorporated in 1867 covering 13 square miles with a current population of about 30,000. Whitehall is located in the Lehigh Valley region in the Southeastern portion of Pennsylvania and directly borders the City of Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Whitehall Township is considered an older established urban-suburbanrural community on the northside outskirts of Allentown with the Lehigh River being the major water course through the Lehigh Valley Region and the “natural” county/municipal boundary line for all bordering municipalities along the Lehigh River. Additionally, you should know that the Lehigh River is historically and legally recognized and affirmed by our state Supreme Court as a “Navigable River.” This means the state owns the riverbed and the banks up to the normal seasonal highwater mark line.
About 30 years ago our Whitehall Police Department (WPD) called me for my surveying assistance to identify and locate our Whitehall Township Municipal Boundary Line on the Lehigh St SR 1014 Bridge over the Lehigh River. It turned out that morning WPD was called with a report of a suicide jumper off the bridge into the Lehigh River and WPD needed a surveyor’s determination whether or not the body was on Whitehall’s side of the River under WPD’s jurisdiction to investigate and report on
Well at the time I was called, our cops were out there waiting on the bridge, so this WPD survey request was a drop everything and get on it immediately awaiting my survey determination of the township boundary line location on the bridge over the Lehigh River!
First, before going out there, I had to think fast about what survey information I needed to take along and rely on for determining and flagging out the Lehigh River Bridge Township Boundary Line Location. Fortunately, we had County GIS Mapping on our township computers, which shows the accepted township/county boundary lines as the best available reference mapping, so I started there. The County’s Aerial Mapping is quite detailed and high resolution at 1” = 50 ft scale. The Lehigh St Bridge over the Lehigh River was at that time an open grate bridge and using the GIS measuring tools, I clicked the distance from the start of its easily visible open grate roadway at the bridge abutment wall on our west side of the river to the County’s GIS Municipal Boundary Line shown in the Lehigh River. It scaled as 250 feet plus or minus a couple feet to the county’s GIS line, so I printed it out, and then took off in my survey truck to field measure and flag our township boundary location out on the Lehigh St Bridge over the Lehigh River.
I was so focused on taping 250 feet on the bridge that during measuring I wasn’t looking down through its open grates to the river below What a surprise I received when I just got done flagging our Lehigh River Township Boundary Line Location on the bridge railing and our police lieutenant, standing aside of me, looked over the side of the bridge and spit saying, “YUP the dead guy laying on a sand bar island out in the river is on Whitehall’s side!” I looked down over the bridge and saw the deceased lying face down on the sand bar Wow - be careful when and where you look when surveying! You might be in for the shock of your lifetime!
One bit of good surveying news going forward is that I have asked both PennDOT and the County to install and place township/borough/county municipal boundary marker signs on their bridges at the actual boundary line locations with all new Lehigh River Bridge replacement projects Best of all, they have readily consented and have since then installed Municipal Boundary Line Marker Signs on the last four Lehigh Bridge replacements since 2000
On November 15, many of the PSLS Past Presidents gathered for a virtual meeting to discuss important PSLS topics One major discussion was how to get more people involved in PSLS leadership positions Here is a compilation of messages from PSLS Past Presidents on the value of being a leader in the Society We are grateful for all the tremendous leaders that have served PSLS!
Hello, my name is Brent L Birth, P L S , Past President of PSLS, 2011 First, I want to thank the Society for allowing me to lead and represent them as a State Director, Officer on the Executive Committee, and as NSPS Director for Pennsylvania for the years which led to a federal working group member position But that’s to follow later
As a boy and a young man growing up my parents always told me, “If you want input on organizations, clubs, or committees – GET INVOLVED!” Actually, it was more like, “Don’t complain about things, get involved and make a difference ” So, not that I complained about things, I always wanted to be involved with issues I cared about, although in hindsight, I overtaxed myself at times The Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors was and still is one of those groups I wanted to insert myself into One, to learn and educate myself, two, to meet and discuss issues with people of like minds, and finally to lead, direct, and guide a profession with other leaders My first encounter with the PSLS was attending a chapter meeting in 1978 while working for a local surveyor between my years from graduating high school and first year of college I got to know some great people and most of them are still around and not just older, but much wiser and willing to share their knowledge with other surveyors However, I didn’t start getting really involved until the mid-1990s when I came off a hiatus of being a forester and back into surveying. Eventually after a few years of being a chapter officer, I accepted the nomination and received the privilege and honor of representing the Northeast Chapter as a State Director. Over the years I held positions of leadership at my local church, scouts, and coached some teenage sports. So, I thought I was somewhat prepared for this new position.
During those years as State Director, I enjoyed the camaraderie of other Directors, learned from their experiences and yes, heard some heated debates and head butting.Eventually there was the opportunity to join the Executive Committee as Secretary, which I again thought I was prepared for.I thought this would lead to more opportunities not only for myself but for other colleagues and peers through fighting for the profession and encouraging others to stay engaged. I can honestly say I can go almost anywhere in the state and know other surveyors and talk about past meetings and what they are going through in their areas, obstacles they run into, and obstacles they have overcome and are willing to share with others
As previously stated, this also led to becoming a National Society of Professional Surveyors Director representing Pennsylvania and getting to know a whole new crowd and new experiences This was so great! I made friends with quite a few people from states like Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin, and even Hawaii While at an NSPS meeting our Federal Lobbyist, J B Byrd, asked the Board if there was anyone who had some communication background as well as mapping and GPS who would be interested in filling a seat on a federal task force committee I thought to myself, “He is talking to me,” since I had worked for a cable company and new some engineering of coax systems and a little about fiber, as well as I had consulted for the fourth largest cable company at the time up and down the east coast The position was for a seat on a newly created task force for the USDA and FCC from the Farm Bill which was called Precision Agriculture and Rural Broadband I had the support from two Congressmen from Pennsylvania and one from another state Although I didn’t make it on the overall task force, I was called upon to be on one of four working groups The one I was on is called Mapping and Data Analysis Little did I know this was one of the groups that did most of the work behind the scenes and have been injecting the idea that the mapping needed to be accurate and overseen by licensed professionals as well as being able to get USGS representatives present for the 3DEP initiative that aligns with ideas of what our group was tasked with I am currently in my second two-year term This is just one of my experiences of starting out by just getting involved in a PSLS chapter and with the support of my colleagues, turning into something that we all can be proud of - the honor of having one of our own on a federal task force working group
In closing, I speak to many young surveyors (and older ones too) encouraging them to GET INVOLVED. By doing so, you are not only constantly improving your own abilities, but you can have the pleasure and honor to represent our profession. We can and will go far together!
Here are the five most important qualities of good leaders which I found online, and I agree with A few of my comments are noted as well
They are self-aware and prioritize personal development
Know your limitations and address continuously
Know your expectations and address continuously
They focus on developing others. ...
Know how to encourage others
At appropriate times, suggest where help may exist for their growth
They encourage strategic thinking, innovation, and action
Strive to stay in the forefront of objectives
Be certain to follow up so that it is known that you are paying attention to efforts being made
They are ethical and civic-minded. ...
Leading by example is of utmost importance
They practice effective cross-cultural communication
Offset your own weaknesses by utilizing the help of others
When I was first asked to serve on the PSLS State Board, I was truly apprehensive with a major reason being that I felt unqualified as a leader. Little did I know how much I would grow over those years, especially with my anxiety about speaking in public Those years proved to be a cornerstone for my appreciation of the profession and to strive to help preserve our profession, who we are and what we do
If you are asked to serve, step up to the plate because whoever is asking you to be a leader in PSLS sees something in you, knowing that you will succeed.
When you become a Professional Land Surveyor it is the result of hard work and endless hours of studying However, what is ahead of you may even be harder work and countless number of hours, thoughts, and ideas leading to what you will do Should I stay at my present work location, start my own business, etc ?
One idea that may be the last thing you may think about is becoming a member of the PSLS, as it was with me Finally joining and becoming active in the PSLS, many years ago, was one of the better decisions I have made in my entire career
By becoming a member and attending the meetings, I was able to talk to other surveyors like myself and get valuable information and ideas about the equipment they were using, projects they were working on, and how they handled various situations that I had yet to encounter in my surveying life
These fellow PSLS members were a vast wealth of information that I could tap into and use just by making a phone call or stopping in at their office and sitting down and having a professional conversation. I have made lifelong friendships all over the Commonwealth through PSLS.
The mentoring that was given to me and that I in turn was able to give to fellow surveyors at all levels in their careers has been a valuable learning and teaching lesson
YOU SHOULD JOIN THE PSLS. IT WILL BE ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS YOU WILL EVER MAKE! I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET MORE INVOLVED WITH PSLS AND BECOME A LEADER IN THE SOCIETY!
When the average surveyor is asked to do some marketing, the blank stare is followed by an empathetic NO! Little do they realize how much marketing they perform in their everyday routine whether it is talking to an adjoiner walking by a job site to relaying a favorite survey story to the game day friends at the local watering hole
Marketing serves two purposes. It serves as a building block for your career as well as the obvious growth of the company you represent.
I began my survey career in 1970 deciding that I loved working with math outside as opposed to sitting in front of a desk In 1975, I changed employers The owner of the later firm happened to be the President of the Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors After working for him for a year or two, I decided (or he decided for me) to join the organization too, as he always said, “Give back to your profession ” If you think things need to be changed, become the stimulus for that change.
Several years later I became Secretary for the PSLS chapter I belonged to During this time, I was becoming acquainted with many of the surveyors in Southeastern Pennsylvania Downsizing of the company forced them to let me go in 1980 By that time, my PSLS connections proved their worthiness in finding a new job
In that same timeframe in my career, I became a State Director for our PSLS chapter Once again, I broadened my scope of survey friends to incorporate all of Pennsylvania As technology advanced, the contacts increased geographically such that calls came from all areas of the state for projects in my area Attending the state Surveyors’ Conference, almost non-stop since 1977, also broadened my contacts statewide
While serving as State Director and attending PSLS Board of Directors' meetings, I was made aware of the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) NSPS is the national society that represents all surveyors in their educational, legislative, and public relation needs At the time I joined, a governor chosen from each state represented that state at national meetings NSPS offered many national programs One of these programs was Trig-Star, a trigonometry competition offered to high schoolers to introduce them to surveying and offer prize money and scholarships. I became the Pennsylvania Trig-Star Program Chair in 2004.
Once again, my survey contacts expanded As Trig-Star Chair, I attended national program meetings The impracticality of sending both a governor and a Program Chair to national meetings led to my taking over both positions - thanks to the generosity of the governor at that time Since that time, I have been blessed with good surveyor friends from across the country, and they keep growing! In 2015, I became the national NSPS Treasurer. I have been in that position to the present day.
My roots as a fledgling member of PSLS in 1977 have not been forgotten, although my involvement has not been where I would like it to be I have stayed involved by lecturing at the state Surveyors’ Conference
As NSPS Treasurer I realize that my everyday activities and responsibilities affect every surveyor in the country. My only regret is that I cannot meet every one of you, and make you realize it is your turn to step up. Make an impact on surveying. Get involved now. Have a say in your profession It is a great time to be a surveyor!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Dave Sebastian I am a Professional Land Surveyor, licensed in Pennsylvania and West Virginia I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with my wife, Jess, and my two sons Landon (3) and Declan (9 months). I grew up in Locust Gap, Pennsylvania, which is a very small town about an hour north of Harrisburg I work at Civil and Environmental Consultants, Inc in their Monroeville, Pennsylvania office as a Project Manager
What is the most unique project you have worked on,
The most unique project that I’ve worked on would be a steel mill expansion. I consider this the most unique project due to the different types of surveying that were required to be performed. The project started as a topographic, utility and boundary survey. This alone was quite the task since many of the utilities on the site were installed over 100 years ago, and there are very little, if any, documentation pertaining to the location of the utilities This led into providing the location of the existing aerial crane girder, which was a very complex task that included traversing into the third floor of the building to where we had a crew member tied off, working at heights, to obtain the locations of the rails This information was used in the design of the proposed extension of girder that was to be installed at a 90-degree angle to the existing for the crane to traverse through the building expansion area. Once the girder locations were completed, we were asked to provide third party checks for the construction of the anchor bolts and bolt patterns that were installed to support the new construction all while obtaining aerial photos via drone for construction progress reports
Did you have a mentor, if so, how did it affect your career?
The first job I had surveying was providing summer help to Mike Brinkash, who is the owner of Brinkash and Associates I would consider Mike Brinkash and Bob O’Neill, who was a fellow employee, to be my mentors Mike and Bob helped to shape my career as they taught me the foundations of surveying I remember asking what a hundredth was my first week of work From running a traverse and level loop to residential surveying or construction staking, they took the time to ensure that I was learning. After three years of schooling for accounting, I made the decision that surveying was the right career for me and had the difficult conversation with my parents about transferring schools to obtain a degree in Surveying Technology at Penn College It wasn’t difficult because they didn’t want me to go to school for surveying, rather, they weren’t thrilled about having completed three years already to up and leave for a program that was completely different
The best advice I can give to a young surveyor would be to pay attention to the people that have been around for a while, and make sure you’re keeping up with technology! While technology is making collecting data easier, there are still a lot of tips, tricks and learned knowledge that technology will never be able to replace
If you were reincarnated as a famous landmark, what would it be and why? I’m leading a very busy life that includes having two children, a wife, a full-time job, and a small business of my own If I were to be reincarnated as a famous monument it would have to be the Four Corners Having the ability to be in four places at once would be ideal!
A funny story regarding surveying that is comical to most people, outside of myself, happened recently. I was walking through very thick briars and laurel patches when I had to field a phone call. When I finished the call, I had placed my phone in the top pocket of my vest, where my field book usually occupies I had been bending and twisting to avoid the briars in order to make my way through the thick brush when I noticed a turtle, and I wanted to take a picture of it for my son I reached for my phone and noticed that it was not in my vest where I had placed it I searched for my phone for a few hours and tried everything possible including calling the provider from my co-worker’s phone without luck of recovering it. I made the mistake when I got home of letting my son know that I had lost my phone in the woods. Because he is aware of this, he asks me multiple times a day: “Daddy, how could you lose your phone in the woods?” or, “There are woods over there, maybe your phone is over there??” His innocent commentary and questioning make everyone in my family find this comical
Last issue I shared with you the various mushrooms I’ve found in the woods while surveying. The topic wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t discuss the best way to prepare them. Keep in mind that mushrooms are sponges and will soak up or take on the flavor of your ingredients. Be cautious when experimenting with flavors and seasoning.I tried sautéing Pheasant Back mushrooms in white wine and grabbed an open bottle I had in the refrigerator.It ruined the whole batch.
My favorite way to prepare both the Coral and the Cauliflower mushroom is to dredge them in egg and pan fry them Leave the mushrooms dry, don’t wash them or soak them in water Brush off any dirt with a mushroom brush Whisk eggs and add seasoning to taste I like Greek seasoning Cook on medium to low heat in oil or butter
Morels are made for deep frying I soak these mushrooms in cold water and store them in the refrigerator until I’m ready to cook them, a day or two at most Drain and pat dry before cooking They’re hollow inside so I split these ones in half, long ways Dredge in egg, then in seasoned flour and drop in a fryer basket Ideally you want to heat the oil to 400°, but many deep fryers for home use don’t go that high Fry until golden brown Allow the oil temperature to rise back up before frying the next batch.
I like to sauté Chanterelles Again, don’t wash them, simply brush off any dirt Sauté onions in olive oil. Once the onions start to soften, or. turn translucent, add fresh garlic, salt & pepper, and cook for a minute or two. Add mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes or so.
We would love for you to share your recipes with us at psls@psls.org.
2ND
LEAGUE
We are in the second round of the playoffs! Below are the teams going head to head in the PLS Foundation Fantasy Football League.
Winner's Bracket Urban Bourbon (Logan Sayre) vs. Philly Philly Spellmania (Dave Spellman)
Legion of Doom (Richard Shewman) vs Ghost Riders (Katherine Shewman)
Winner's Consolation Game Control Pnt FT Warren, NJ (John Lynch, George Phillippi) vs Palmyra Panthers (Crystal Thomas)
Consolation Games Urban Terrain Yutes (Derek Horneman) vs. King Henry's Surveyors (Chris Miller)
Markets
Markets: Stocks kicked off the week by closing lower for the fourth straight trading session, as investors continue to face the possibility that a recession is on the horizon. Amazon’s share price hit its lowest level since March 2020, erasing all the gains it made during the pandemic when it suddenly became just about everyone’s only shopping option. The e-commerce giant’s stock has fallen ~50% this year.
Random Headlines:
World's Tallest Dog. Winners of the 2022 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition Best Boardwalks in America
Pennsylvania brewers took home two medals at the Great American Beer Festival Philadelphia's New Ridge Brewing in Roxborough and Pittsburgh's Grist House 20 New(ish) Christmas albums that are actually pretty good Cats Have Attachment Styles Just Like Babies and Dogs, New Study Finds
While a $16 salad is never justified, it may be a little more understandable right now Veggie prices in the US have surged 38% in November alone, and are up more than 80% on an annual basis, per a new Labor Department report The reason? There hasn’t been enough water to grow vegetables due to the megadrought out West States such as California and Arizona have had their water allotment restricted as authorities try to keep the Colorado River from drying up even further
We’ll give you a few famous streets from certain US cities, and you have to name the cities. 1. 2.
Frenchmen Street, Magazine Street, St. Charles Avenue 300 N, 800 S, North Temple Street Michigan Avenue, Lake Shore Drive, Logan Boulevard Newbury Street, Beacon Street, Commonwealth Avenue Broad Street, Walnut Street, Spruce Street
PELE
The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.
The Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors is excited to debut its new website and membership portal. Our goal is to provide you with a personal profile to simplify and streamline your member experience to increase user engagement and satisfaction, save you time, and ultimately grow the organization
There are several new and exciting features within your new member portal, most notable is the ability to store PDH certificates. To set up your new member profile, please click on the URL below to login. If you are unsure of your new username and password please call the PSLS office Do not create a duplicate account
Member Login: https://psls.site-ym.com/login.aspx You may save this link in your web browser favorites for future reference!
Once you have successfully logged in, be sure to change your password and update your profile
If you run into any problems or have any questions, please do not hesitate to email psls@psls.org or call the PSLS office at (717) 442-1946.
Allegheny Heartlands Chapter: Joseph Hood, PLS & James Mostoller, PLS
Bucks Chapter: Robert Snyder, PLS & David Spellman
Delaware Valley Chapter: Jason Bertzos, PLS & Karl Kriegh, PLS
Harrisburg Chapter: John Clark III , PLS & James Hartman, PLS
Laurel Highlands Chapter: Ryan Deglau & Troy Leighty, PLS
Lehigh Valley Chapter: Stephen Ombalski, PLS & Arthur Swallow, PLS
Mid-State Chapter: David Archibald, PLS & Gregory Shufran, PLS
North Central Chapter: K Robert Cunningham, PLS
Northeast Chapter: Glenn Johnson, PLS & Vincent Stranch, PLS
Northwest Chapter: Ryan Courtney, PLS & Allen Yard, PLS
Pocono Chapter: Gregg Davis, PLS & William Senapedis, PLS
Reading Chapter: John Fuehrer, PLS & John Huck, PLS
South Central Chapter: Eric Gladhill, PLS & Timothy Rojahn, PLS
Southwest Chapter: Donald Groesser, PLS & Vincent Paparella, PLS
Susquehanna Chapter: Timothy Wentz, PLS & Robert Weaver, PLS
Terry, McMillen, Jr., PLS, President
Pete Brothers, PLS, President - Elect
Lawrence Leso, PLS, Vice President
Dylan Sites, PLS, Secretary
Richard Shewman, PLS, Treasurer
Amy Hopkins, PLS, Immed. Past President Michael Given, PLS, NSPS Director
Civil Training, LLC
Attn: John Cooke 5300 Wellington Branch Drive, Suite 100 Gainesville, VA 20155 P: 732-859-8353 F: 732-377-5454 john cooke@civiltraining com www civiltraining com
Cooper Aerial Surveys
Attn: Pete Priestner 412 East Street Rd Trevose, PA 19053 P: 800-229-2279 pete@cooperaerial com www cooperaerial com
Keystone Precision Solutions
Attn: George Allport, Jr 1670 East Race Street Allentown, PA 18109 P: 610-266-2699 georgejr@keypre com www keypre com
Klein Agency, LLC
Attn: Mark Amirault PO Box 219 Timonium, MD 21094 P: 410-832-7600 F: 410-832-1849 mamirault@eakagency com www kleinagencyllc com
Porter Consulting Engineers, P.C.
Attn: L. Ashley Porter 552 State Street, Meadville, PA 16335 P: 814-337-4447 aporter@pceengineers com https://www pceengineers com/
Precision Laser & Instrument, Inc.
Attn: Robert J. Barth 85 11th Street Ambridge, PA 15003 P: 724-266-1600 F: 724-266-8161 rjb@laserinst com www laserinst com
Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying, Inc.
Attn: Jason E Chernich, PLS 279 N Zinns Mill Road Lebanon, PA 17042 P: 717-272-7110 jchernich@steckbeck net
Szalankiewicz Engineering
Attn: James Szalankiewicz
PO Box 206 Elderton, PA 15736 P: 724-354-4852 sellc@windstream net
Wetland Studies & Solutions, Inc.
Attn: Eric Calladine 5300 Wellington Branch Dr , Suite 100 Gainesville, VA 20155 P: 703-679-5600 F: 703-697-5601 ecalladine@wetlandstusies com www wetlandstudies com
The Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors (PSLS), a statewide professional organization, exists for the purpose of supporting, improving and enhancing the profession, its members, and the practice of land surveying. PSLS focuses on providing education, legislative involvement, enhancing the public awareness, and the promulgation of the ethics of the profession.