Wetlands and Waters of the US - 1273

10/14/2016 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Presenter: Jenny Blair, C.W.B., Senior Environmental Scientist for Bowman Consulting

This course will provide an overview of the methods and concepts for determining wetlands and waters of the US under the current regulations, discuss potential changes to those regulations, and how wetlands and waters of the US applies to ALTA Survey Table A #19 - Location of wetland areas as delineated by appropriate authorities.

Jenny Blair, C.W.B., currently serves as a project manager and senior environmental scientist with Bowman Consulting  She is registered as a Certified Wildlife Biologist® by The Wildlife Society. Her principal fields of training and experience are environmental planning and permitting of terrestrial and wetland ecosystems. She specializes in endangered species surveys, assessments and permitting, Corp’s permitting assessments, delineations and compliance, habitat and biological assessments, GIS mapping and analysis, land and wildlife management, conservation baselines and monitoring, and agency consultations.

How Can Drones Transform Surveying? - 1272

10/14/2016 8:00 AM - 12:15 PM

Presenter: Frank Willis, PhD, PLS, PE in Civil and Environmental Engineering

The course consists of flying a drone to collect photogrammetric data and returning to the classroom to process the data using two types of software. The advantages, disadvantages of drones, and how drones will affect the surveying profession will be discussed and demonstrated real-time in class. If weather conditions prevent flight, a previous flight will be downloaded and processed in class using three techniques. See for yourself if drones are right for you.

Frank Willis is a PLS, PE in Civil Engineering, PE in Environmental Engineering and Professional Geoscientist. He holds a BS in Civil Engineering, BS in Biology, Master of Engineering and PhD in Engineering and Applied Sciences. Mr. Willis owned Willis Engineering, Inc. from 1980. The company provided civil infrastructure design and land surveying. He had between 1 and 4 survey crews that did mostly boundary work.  Mr. Willis sold the company to a national firm in 2004. Most of Mr. Willis’ time now is spent in forensic engineering and forensic surveying.

Three New Ways to Find Trouble - 1228

10/14/2016 8:00 AM - 12:15 PM

Presenter: Kristopher Kline, PLS, author, President of 2Point, Inc

This class focuses on: (1) Lands protected by the Public Trust Doctrine; (2) In-depth discussion of Easements and the Doctrine of Merger; and, (3) Slander of Title. These issues have recently come home to roost at the doorsteps of some unhappy land surveyors. A major segment on Severance v. Patterson and the Open Beaches laws that are all specific to Texas will also be included. That fight has been in the Texas courts for over 70 years now!

Kristopher M. Kline, president of 2Point, Inc., became licensed in North Carolina in 1991. In 2001, Kris began offering continuing education courses in North Carolina on legal aspects of retracement. In August 2013, Kris published his first book “Rooted in Stone: the Development of Adverse Possession in 20 Eastern States and the District of Columbia.” His second book was published in 2015, “Riparian Boundaries and Rights of Navigation” which includes extensive discussion of the many definitions of the term “navigable.”

Bulletproofing Your Surveys - 1279

10/15/2016 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM

Presenter: Joe Paiva, PhD, Principal & CEO of GeoLearn, LLC

Whether facing a potential lawsuit, an expert witness engagement or a close examination of your work by a client or some other interested party, surveyors often get into trouble by not planning their work well enough. Or they create problems for themselves by not communicating effectively about what they’ve done in court testimony, a conference with stakeholders, on their plats or in reports or other documents. This course provides some information on how to “stay ahead of the curve” to avoid negative conclusions about your work.

Joe Paiva, PhD is Principal & CEO of GeoLearn, LLC an online education company serving the geospatial community. He currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor at State Technical College of Missouri and has held this position at Texas A&M - CC in the past.

Controlling Scope Creep - 1277

10/15/2016 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Presenter: Bill Beardslee, PE, PLS, PP, Past NJSPLS President, 2006 NJSPLS Surveyor of the Year

Scope creep on a significant project is inevitable, however it can be used to the surveyor’s benefit. The key is to know methods to anticipate and control the events which occur during the project. 

Bill Beardslee is a licensed Professional Land Surveyor, Engineer and Planner with over 45 years experience in the field of land development. He is known for his excellent presentation and writing capabilities, along with being one of the leading technical experts on land development in the engineering and surveying arena. He has written a series of articles on “Preparation and Presentation” for the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors’ award winning magazine “The Coordinate.” Bill is a past president of  NJSPLS and that society’s 2006 “Surveyor of the Year.”

Abstract & Research: Skills for the Hunt #1274 - 4hr Rules

10/15/2016 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Joe Breaux, RPLS with TxDOT and Joe Webber, RPLS with McGray & McGray Land Surveyors, Inc.

Research is always the first step to performing a boundary survey. Often what starts out as a short walk through the county clerk’s office can quickly seem like a scavenger hunt around the world. This course equips attendees with the skills for the hunt for necessary information, and insures that attendees leave with the ability to: recognize where records research is addressed in the Board Rules and know the Rules; identify common terms related to records research; identify resources for research for the various types of surveys; recognize the critical elements of a deed and identify different types of conveyances; utilize pertinent information to prepare a working sketch; and analyze information to determine if research is adequate and meets the minimum standards in the Rules.

**4 CEU applicable to Rules hours**

Joe Breaux, RPLS serves as a District Survey Coordinator for TxDOT and Joe Webber, RPLS is a Senior Project Manager for McGray & McGray Land Surveyors, Inc. in Austin, Texas.

Wars Between the States - 1282

10/15/2016 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Kristopher Kline, PLS, author, President of 2Point, Inc.

This class focuses primarily on U.S. Supreme Court decisions dealing with boundary disputes between states. Specific topics will include riparian state boundary lines Railroad disputes at the state and federal level, and application of acquiescence to state and municipal boundary disputes.

Kristopher M. Kline, president of 2Point, Inc., became licensed in North Carolina in 1991. In 2001, Kris began offering continuing education courses in North Carolina on legal aspects of retracement. In August 2013, Kris published his first book “Rooted in Stone: the Development of Adverse Possession in 20 Eastern States and the District of Columbia.” His second book was published in 2015, “Riparian Boundaries and Rights of Navigation” which includes extensive discussion of the many definitions of the term “navigable.”

Re-engineering Surveyors and Their Business - 1280

10/15/2016 1:30 PM - 5:45 PM

Presenter: Joe Paiva, PhD, Principal & CEO of GeoLearn, LLC