Has anyone else noticed that the dynamic of the typical survey operation has changed? I have operated as a one-man shop for the last 10 years and have found the hard work liberating. Primarily because it has given me the latitude to stay flexible in a hostile economy. The other reason is I do not have to rely on a technician to collect data for me. Don't get me wrong; I working in an engineering firm with lots of crews and I was their manager. However to be honest I really had no idea what they were doing or how well they weren't doing it. I did catch one party chief: while working in Kansas; sitting in the truck playing on his playstation and small TV while his crew was in the snow staking power poles. On another occasion I was asked to fire a young man who apparently could not keep his urine clean. My point is this type of stuff was daily. I was spending hours managing people and clients and very little time supervising the data. It was impossible.
What I see now is more RLS partychiefs and one-man crews. Plus more and more one-man operations. Even the engineering firms have realized that it is more cost effective to sub-contract their surveying tasks rather than maintain survey operations in house. I think this is a positive move. It will be uncomfortable but it is in the right direction. With the RLS being more hands on; there is better decision making in the field. An added bonus of course is the experience.
I am hoping this progression will calm the competitive nature and begin to embrace a cooperative nature. We should act as colleagues not enemies. Its hard but it is possible.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
It has Been Awhile...
If anyone out there has actually bothered to follow my posting you'd notice right off I got a little inconsistent. Well lets just say that 2015 has not been a banner year for me. It started really badly. Then in May I was medevac'd to Flagstaff for an emergency surgery that basically gutted me like a fish. Spent all of July recovering and finally got to get to work in August full speed. Without going into a lot of detail; take care of your gastro-intestinal health. Long story short; I lost June and July. August picked up and September October have been the best in years. Enough catch up here is the meat of the post.
2 weeks ago an attorney here in the White Mountains called me. He was in a bind. A colleague had been hired to do an ALTA survey in a nearby town. the week of delivery he backed out. Attorney calls and says can you do it? What will charge and how much to expedite? Game on... So I do my homework and go to the field.
In this particular community there is a guy whom is not licensed but finds RLS's to seal his work. We all know him and we know the RLS numbers he uses. Well, adjacent to the property I am surveying I find yellow plastic caps with the RLS typical of the rubber stamp activity. No Record of Survey on file at the court house and no rhyme or reason to there placement. So I track down the name behind the number and contact him. When I call him he is surprised that I had found his caps. He had no record of any of the technician's work in the area. Caught way off guard he asks me to see my data and he'd get back to me. 24 hours later he does and admits he's got a real problem. Now at this point I am thinking I can serve him up to the BTR. However I decide to help him. So I meet with the landowners and explain why the monuments are no good. The RLS agrees and askes me to pull them. I let him know that the only way to make it right is to redo the survey he didn't do and correct the monuments and file a Record of Survey. He asks me if I would do the field work for him and I agreed. So I move his monuments with the consent of the land owners. He prepares a plat and records it and I finish my ALTA with no encumbrances. So here is the takeaway from all this:
1. If you are rubber stamping for a guy in a different part of the state; you have know way of knowing how many quicky surveys he's doing for cash with your caps.
2. the monuments are there and whether or not the RLS knew about them doesn't matter because he is still responsible for them.
3. Never should a registrant give his caps to somebody to use; especially when the guy the RLS is stamping for can't be trusted.
4. Collaboration between professionals can reach a consensus that benefits the landowners and fixes the erroneous survey.
This could have been really bad. So a word to the wise. Rubbers tamping for someone acting as a para-professional is a big mistake and should never happen. The offending technician will walk. However one of the parties involved was a relative and was not happy to hear that family had done him that way. Its a small world. Especially here in the Hinterlands.
2 weeks ago an attorney here in the White Mountains called me. He was in a bind. A colleague had been hired to do an ALTA survey in a nearby town. the week of delivery he backed out. Attorney calls and says can you do it? What will charge and how much to expedite? Game on... So I do my homework and go to the field.
In this particular community there is a guy whom is not licensed but finds RLS's to seal his work. We all know him and we know the RLS numbers he uses. Well, adjacent to the property I am surveying I find yellow plastic caps with the RLS typical of the rubber stamp activity. No Record of Survey on file at the court house and no rhyme or reason to there placement. So I track down the name behind the number and contact him. When I call him he is surprised that I had found his caps. He had no record of any of the technician's work in the area. Caught way off guard he asks me to see my data and he'd get back to me. 24 hours later he does and admits he's got a real problem. Now at this point I am thinking I can serve him up to the BTR. However I decide to help him. So I meet with the landowners and explain why the monuments are no good. The RLS agrees and askes me to pull them. I let him know that the only way to make it right is to redo the survey he didn't do and correct the monuments and file a Record of Survey. He asks me if I would do the field work for him and I agreed. So I move his monuments with the consent of the land owners. He prepares a plat and records it and I finish my ALTA with no encumbrances. So here is the takeaway from all this:
1. If you are rubber stamping for a guy in a different part of the state; you have know way of knowing how many quicky surveys he's doing for cash with your caps.
2. the monuments are there and whether or not the RLS knew about them doesn't matter because he is still responsible for them.
3. Never should a registrant give his caps to somebody to use; especially when the guy the RLS is stamping for can't be trusted.
4. Collaboration between professionals can reach a consensus that benefits the landowners and fixes the erroneous survey.
This could have been really bad. So a word to the wise. Rubbers tamping for someone acting as a para-professional is a big mistake and should never happen. The offending technician will walk. However one of the parties involved was a relative and was not happy to hear that family had done him that way. Its a small world. Especially here in the Hinterlands.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
More on Standard of Care versus Minimum Standards
Life is funny. I had no sooner certified the vote the APLS membership took on our recommended changes to the existing Minimum Standards; when I got home my inbox was full of correspondence from NM surveyors talking about their minimum standards.
Personally however you may feel about ours take a look at the level of detail that are in NM's. They go to great strides to define everything under the sun specifically. So recently I have been involved in discussions relating to Standard of Care.
Arizona sort of addresses Standard of Care this way:
R4-30-301 A.A.C. 6. A registrant shall apply the technical knowledge and skill that would be applied by other qualified registrants who practice the same profession in the same area and at the same time.
However the statement "in the same area" seems to undo the intent of this paragraph. Reason being that if a group of surveyors all trained the same way all be it incorrectly could in fact set the bar for the entire profession in that area no matter how horrific. However that is a double edged sword. Because if one of these guys come to an area where the Standard of Care set by the Locals is a lot higher then they can be subject BTR action.
The BTR is not real quick to use this tool and that is a real shame. because it is a heavey hammer to swing.
Personally however you may feel about ours take a look at the level of detail that are in NM's. They go to great strides to define everything under the sun specifically. So recently I have been involved in discussions relating to Standard of Care.
Arizona sort of addresses Standard of Care this way:
R4-30-301 A.A.C. 6. A registrant shall apply the technical knowledge and skill that would be applied by other qualified registrants who practice the same profession in the same area and at the same time.
However the statement "in the same area" seems to undo the intent of this paragraph. Reason being that if a group of surveyors all trained the same way all be it incorrectly could in fact set the bar for the entire profession in that area no matter how horrific. However that is a double edged sword. Because if one of these guys come to an area where the Standard of Care set by the Locals is a lot higher then they can be subject BTR action.
The BTR is not real quick to use this tool and that is a real shame. because it is a heavey hammer to swing.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Using Geographic Measurement Management
Last night I had the opportunity to sit down with the Saguaro Chapter of APLS. I was asked to give a practical presentation on the use of Geographic Measurement Management (GMM) this is a free software available at
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/wginstall.zip
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/WGVDD.pdf
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/WGTechRef.pdf
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/WGUserGuide.pdf
If other chapters or groups are interested in having me do a tutorial let me know. I honestly beleive this software is the best for calculating and refining search areas for PLSS monumentation.
So here are the links for the downloads. I have the data files for Arizona and New Mexico but collectively these files are almost 5 GIG. I need to figure out where I can host the data files. I am thinking the APLS website. Don't know yet. Stay tuned.
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/wginstall.zip
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/WGVDD.pdf
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/WGTechRef.pdf
http://web.nmsu.edu/~kwurm/software/wg/WGUserGuide.pdf
If other chapters or groups are interested in having me do a tutorial let me know. I honestly beleive this software is the best for calculating and refining search areas for PLSS monumentation.
So here are the links for the downloads. I have the data files for Arizona and New Mexico but collectively these files are almost 5 GIG. I need to figure out where I can host the data files. I am thinking the APLS website. Don't know yet. Stay tuned.
Monday, April 20, 2015
More than measurements
Today was supposed to be a quiet day. I had a couple of little jobs that needed me to come by and visit. The first one was rather simple. Found the corners verified them with the other control and flagged them up for a fence.
Then a client sends me this.....
So then pull this ROS....
And Compare it to this Deed.....
Conclusion. The County has no idea what they are talking about. Does this happen anywhere else?
Then a client sends me this.....
So then pull this ROS....
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Utilities With out Easements in a Recorded Subdivision...
Here in the hinterlands we don't get much subdivision work. However when we do it is like christmas. I am in the process of taking large green belt tracts in a subdivision and amending the exiting lots to encompass the area. It has been eye opening to see the number of reviews and meeting requested by the municipality about this. You would think with all the scrutiny that is being laid upon this type of activity little things like making sure the original developer proved easements for sanitary and storm sewer systems that seem to randomly go from here to there with total disregard for the lot layout. Or vice versa.
So here is the situation:
1. drainage study shows an active drainage system running through lots to an impound area.
2. utility plan shows sanitary sewer lines cutting through lots to shorten pipe lengths
3. drainage study and utility plan approved by town.
4. final plat is signed and dedications of utilities and roads are accepted by town.
5. NO ASBUILTS EXIST of utility or sewer systems
6. I am currently asbuilting what I can find.
7. developer #2 buys subdivision and is re-modelling it and amending it again.
At some point I know these systems have to be accounted for. However what I don't know is if My client developer #2 has recourse via a title claim. Since the dedications makes the systems a matter of record. However the dedication also states "as shown hereon". Stay tuned..........
So here is the situation:
1. drainage study shows an active drainage system running through lots to an impound area.
2. utility plan shows sanitary sewer lines cutting through lots to shorten pipe lengths
3. drainage study and utility plan approved by town.
4. final plat is signed and dedications of utilities and roads are accepted by town.
5. NO ASBUILTS EXIST of utility or sewer systems
6. I am currently asbuilting what I can find.
7. developer #2 buys subdivision and is re-modelling it and amending it again.
At some point I know these systems have to be accounted for. However what I don't know is if My client developer #2 has recourse via a title claim. Since the dedications makes the systems a matter of record. However the dedication also states "as shown hereon". Stay tuned..........
Monday, March 2, 2015
It has been awhile
Here are some updates:
On the APLS front - The revisions to the minimum standards were adopted by APLS by a vote of the membership. The Tally was 86 in favor and 50 against. With almost 520 members this is one of the best turn outs for a vote. With the Governor's moratorium on rule making in place APLS will have to just sit on them until the BTR can act on them. The BOD is discussing ways to encourage membership. One that I like was bringing back the 1 year of free membership to new licensees. I am not sure why it was halted but I guess economics had something to do with it. However we will see what the BOD wants to do.
As 2015 takes off lets take a moment to look back at 2013-2014. I was asked what have we done? Well so fare since 2010 (in the last 5 years) APLS has adopted a policy of Continuing Education that is suitable to bring to the BTR. It has been rejected by the BTR; but that doesn't mean it can't be re-introduced. We have adopted a revision to the ABSMS that we can/will introduce to the BTR as soon as the opportunity arises. This represents quite a log jam at the BTR so we shall see how this all plays out.
The next step is the entry standards. The BTR is looking at an omnibus bill to bring the surveying experience/education requirements in line with the engineers. APLS has been asked to look at and make recommendations. So that is what we are doing. Our relationship wit the BTR is an open one and that is good thing. I just hope it can continue.
All that being said we can all relax and enjoy the busy field season we hope to have.
On the APLS front - The revisions to the minimum standards were adopted by APLS by a vote of the membership. The Tally was 86 in favor and 50 against. With almost 520 members this is one of the best turn outs for a vote. With the Governor's moratorium on rule making in place APLS will have to just sit on them until the BTR can act on them. The BOD is discussing ways to encourage membership. One that I like was bringing back the 1 year of free membership to new licensees. I am not sure why it was halted but I guess economics had something to do with it. However we will see what the BOD wants to do.
As 2015 takes off lets take a moment to look back at 2013-2014. I was asked what have we done? Well so fare since 2010 (in the last 5 years) APLS has adopted a policy of Continuing Education that is suitable to bring to the BTR. It has been rejected by the BTR; but that doesn't mean it can't be re-introduced. We have adopted a revision to the ABSMS that we can/will introduce to the BTR as soon as the opportunity arises. This represents quite a log jam at the BTR so we shall see how this all plays out.
The next step is the entry standards. The BTR is looking at an omnibus bill to bring the surveying experience/education requirements in line with the engineers. APLS has been asked to look at and make recommendations. So that is what we are doing. Our relationship wit the BTR is an open one and that is good thing. I just hope it can continue.
All that being said we can all relax and enjoy the busy field season we hope to have.
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