Winter 2007

IPLSA 51^ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATE

Last minute preparations are being made by the Chicago Chapter and the IPLSA office for the IPLSA 51^st Annual Conference, scheduled for February 20–23, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Illinois.  We hope to see you there!

Exhibitor’s Technical Sessions: Several exhibitors asked if we would allow them to have a private room during the conference to host a technical session on a one-on-one basis. We implemented six 90 minute time frames per their request.  Please note the session topics and times when you pick up your conference registration.

DECEMBER IPLSA BOARD OF DIRECTIONS MEETING CANCELLED

The IPLSA Official Board of Directions meeting scheduled for Saturday, December 1^st was cancelled due to bad weather. Because of several important agenda items that needed to be approved a packet of information and a ballot was sent to each chapter delegate.  Delegates were asked to review the information and vote to approve or not-approve the issue. 

The following agenda items were approved by the Delegates

1.       Approve minutes of 9/1/07 Official Board of Directions         

2.       Receive the Treasurer’s Report                                          

3.       Approve Chapter Quarterly Report                                      

4.       Receive the Executive Directors Report                              

5.       Approval IPLSA Life Membership Award to Michael Kaminski, PLS  

6.       Approve State Boundary Seminar - IPLSA & ISPLS (Indiana) Co-hosting seminar in June of 2008       

7.       Approve 2008 IPLSA Budget                                             

8.       Approve donation of $25,000 to the National Museum of Surveying, Inc.        

9.       Approve nomination of Timothy C. Alverson, PLS 3004, be sent to Governor’s office to be named to the IDFPR Land Surveying Licensing Board            

10.   Approve IPLSA official slate of candidates to be placed on the ballot for 2008 IPLSA Executive Committee

IPLSA 2008 Official Slate of Candidates

(Watch for official ballot in the mail)

President                     Carol Sweet-Johnson, PLS – Northeast Chapter

President-Elect                        Gale E. Hake, PLS – Little Egyptian Chapter

Secretary/Treasurer     Michael D. Bytner, PLS – Northeast Chapter

                                    Andrew Canopy, PLS – Heart of Illinois Chapter

Director 2-year term     Donald Groesser, PLS – Northeast Chapter

(2 to be elected)                 Ross Koch, PLS – Southwest Chapter

WE WELCOME A COLUMN BY DR. WAYNE C. TEMPLE, HONORARY IPLSA MEMBER

As editor of the Illinois Surveyor, I welcome a column, which was written and submitted by Dr. Wayne C. Temple the Chief Deputy Director of the Illinois State Archives in Springfield. Many of the original documents concerning the State of Illinois are housed in the archives including the Original Federal Township Plats and Field Notes.  Before these plats were available on the internet a call to “Doc” was the only way to obtain the information.  Dr. Temple was presented an IPLSA Honorary Membership several years ago.

HEIGHT MODERNIZATION AND SINGLE ZONE PROJECTION PROGRAMS

Information on an Illinois Height Modernization and Single Zone Projection Programs can be found by going to our home page.  Members are encouraged to review the information and discuss it at their respective chapter members. IPLSA, working with other professional and governmental organizations encouraged U. S. Congressman Tim Johnson (R-15) of Urbana to introduce legislation to a Height Modernization Program for Illinois.

GEOCACHING IS “CATCHING” ON

Are you into Geocaching?  If not you better get with it!  IPLSA Geocaching Committee Chairman Tom Hagensee and his committee will be working on establishing Geocaching sites all around Illinois.  The plan is to have at least one site in each Chapter.  These sites can be a great way to educate the public of the land surveying profession.  If you are into Geocaching and would like to help establish and maintain a site in your chapter, please get in touch with Tom or your chapter committee member.

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 16, 2008 – 1-day seminar Monuments & Lines of Possession, presented by Knud Hermansen at the Northfield Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield.  Watch for mailing.

June 6 – 7, 2008 – The Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association and the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors will present a 12.0 PDH seminar about the establishment and maintenance of the common Stateline north of the Wabash River.  The seminar will be held in the restored Marshall Illinois Opera House (two exists west of Terre Haute, IN).  Hotel accommodations will be in Terre Haute. Watch for mailing.

October 3, 2008 – 1-day seminar in conjunction with the Surveying with Abraham Lincoln at New Salem State Historic Site. Topic to be announced.  Seminar may be held in Springfield. Watch for mailing

October 4–5, 2008 – Surveying with Abraham Lincoln at New Salem State Historic Site, Petersburg, IL.

BEGINNING SURVEYING COURSE TO BE OFFERED

An agreement has been reached between IPLSA, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Joliet Junior College that will allow the continuance of the SIUC 24-hour weekend land surveying course at Joliet Junior College.  This will be the 12^th year that Assistant Professor Roy R. Frank, Jr., PLS will be teaching the course. The course is offered one weekend per month for each month except for December.  The weekend course allows working people to receive the 24-hours of land surveying after receiving their baccalaureate degree. The course will begin in June on 2008.  Contact Professor Roy R. Frank, Jr. at frank@ce.siu.edu

DIRECTOR SELECTED for the NATIONAL MUSEUM of SURVEYING

The National Museum of Surveying (NMoS) announces that William Snyder has been selected for the position of Director of the Museum.  NMoS Board President David Lee Ingram made the announcement in a press release which was sent to the major land surveying publications and the editors of the State association/society newsletters.

William comes to us from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and assumed his duties as of January 7, 2008.  William’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Architecture from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Fine Arts in Museum Studies from Southern Illinois University.

After spending four years in the field of Architecture in the late 80’s, William found his true calling in the museum field.  He has held numerous positions at several museums including the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, the Louisville Science Center, and the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio.  While working on his Master’s Degree he was the Assistant Curator of Collections, Assistants Development Officer, and Curator of Exhibits at the University Museum at Southern Illinois University.  With the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum, he assumed the duties Assistant Director of Museum Programs and Registrar and was very quickly promoted to Director of Museum Programs and Senior Curator.

With this diverse background William is the ideal person to lead the National Museum of Surveying through its formative years and into the future.