IPLSA Membership Committee Review:
The IPLSA Membership Committee, chaired by IPLSA Director Ted Hartke, is considering a membership category for the National Society of Professional Surveyors Certified Surveyor Technicians. In addition, the committee will be looking at the suspension of the IPLSA by-law that requires previous members who were dropped from the membership to have to pay a 20% reinstatement fee if they would like to return.

Certificate of Corrections – Do We Need a Law?:
A few times a year I get asked, “Does Illinois address how and when Certificates of Corrections can be used?” When I received a request in 2005, I decided to ask Dick Bales, Esq. from the Chicago Title Co. for his input. Dick replied that unfortunately, the use of certificates of corrections is not governed by Illinois statutory law and are interpreted in a myriad of ways. He then went on to provide me with a list of various interpretations.

This subject has been sent to the IPLSA Ethics and Practice committee (E&P), chaired by Wesley J. Meyers, PLS of Champaign. If you would like to offer input on the subject, please contact your E&P Committee Chapter member or IPLSA.

Spot Survey, Foundation Survey, As Build Survey:
These are a few types of surveys that are required by various municipalities in northern Illinois and may be required in other parts of the state as well. The ordinances requiring these surveys also explain how the document must be titled (e.g. Spot Surveys, Foundation Survey or Final As Built Survey).

Although these documents may or may not meet the requirements of a Boundary Survey, each could be mistaken as a Boundary Survey by a person who is not aware of what the document was prepared for. Should IPLSA look into drafting minimum standards for these types of surveys? Or should we work with municipalities to rename what the documents are titled? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE OR IS IT A RETORICAL QUESTION? IF A RESPONSE, WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO?

2010 IPLSA Conference Update:
Members of the IPLSA Two Rivers Chapter met with IPLSA President Gale Hack and Executive Director Bob Church on June 18th to discuss the 2010 IPLSA Annual Conference. Because of the current economic times, it was decided that all aspects of hosting this conference needed to be reviewed and cuts needed to be made to hold down the cost of registration.

Property Fraud Cases – A Solution – Require a Survey?
You may have read or heard of property fraud cases that are popping up around the United States.

One IPLSA member who is also aware of the problem suggested that before a property is sold, it would have to be surveyed. To do this would require legislation and a lot of groundwork with Realtors, the Illinois Municipal League and a majority of State Representatives and State Senators. If you come across any stories referring to property fraud, please send us a copy to info@iplsa.org or let us know how to obtain the story.

New Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Act Passed:
In the Spring Session of the Ninety-sixth General assembly, legislators passed and sent to Governor Pat Quinn a new Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Act. The new act will become law on January 1, 2010 and meet the Sunset requirement - extending the licensing of Professional Land Surveyors another 10 years. To review this new language, please click here. The new language is underlined while the former language is struck through.

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Land Surveyor Complaint Committee Report:
The following report of the IDFPR Land Surveyor Complaint Committee was given at the IDFPR Land Surveyor Licensing Board Friday, June 12, 2009 in the Springfield office.

PLS cases as of April 2009:
Closed = 0, Open = 0, referred to prosecutions = 2, under investigations = 3 and new cases for review = 1.

PLS Cases as of June 2009:
Closed = 0, Open = 1, referred to prosecutions = 0, under investigations = 8 and new cases for review = 6.

It was further reported that the backlog of PLS complaint cases has been brought up to 2007.