April, 2003

LOST MONUMENTS:
March has become a sad time for IPLSA. On Friday, March 7 we received a call from Wesley J. Meyers that John M. Neary, Jr., PLS 2318 of the East Central Chapter had passed away after a short battle with brain cancer. John had registered for the conference in December and in early February informed us that he would not be able to attend the conference. He said that he hoped to see us at the 2004 conference. John called or faxed me frequently concerning land surveying issues. I will miss his input on maters of IPLSA. On Monday, March 10 we received an e-mail from Gary Kolba that Richard C. Field, PLS #1974 had passed away. Mr. Field was from Elmhurst, Illinois and was not a current member of IPLSA. Later that morning we received a call from Shawn VanKampen telling us that Bill Hanna, PLS 1941 had passed away on March 9 while vacationing in Florida. Bill had been awarded an IPLSA Life Membership several years ago for his work in the profession. He was also involved in local government as an elected official.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS:
On behalf of IPLSA I would like to welcome all of the new members. I hope as these new members attend chapter meetings everyone will make them feel welcome. As a new member I encourage you to get involved with the activities of IPLSA.

2003 ANNUAL IPLSA CONFERENCE REPORT:
The 46th Annual IPLSA Conference was the biggest that we have ever had. I could tell by the registrations that we were going to have a large attendance but I never thought we would end up with 1,040 registrations. This included attendees, exhibitors, speakers and Saturday’s one-day registrations. I want to thank the staff at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for providing great service and quality accommodations for such a large group. The East Central Chapter came up with an outstanding program. I believe everything went off without a hitch. I also want to thank the members of the SIUC Student Chapter for their help throughout the conference. We could not have done it without them.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT….. CONTINUING EDUCATION..... WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
I believe the professional development hour tracking system went well. IPLSA will keep the yellow copy of the Certificate of Completion Form in the state office for 5 years. There are some changes that we will be discussing with the IPLSA Executive Committee and Official Board of Directions. It should be the goal of IPLSA at the annual conference to provide the most PDH’s in the shortest amount of time for the lowest possible cost. We will keep this in mind as the National Trail Chapter drafts a program for 2004.

FUTURE CONFERENCE PLANNING:
We have already met with the Crowne Plaza Hotel staff about planning for the 2004 Conference, which will be held Wednesday, February 18–21, 2004. The hotel will be giving us more sleeping rooms in our block at the Crowne Plaza and the Holiday Inn Express. With the additional rooms we hope to fit everyone in the two hotels. One problem we had was with one of the session rooms. We had to use Plaza A, B, and C, which had columns throughout the room that interfered in seeing the presentations. To fix this problem we may have a split lunch on Thursday and Friday. One half of the attendees would go to lunch from 11:30 to 12:30 and the other half would go from 12:30 to 1:30. If we do this we would use 2 of the four ballrooms and the other two ballrooms could be used for sessions. This would also mean that we would not have a lunch speaker.

2003 LEGISLATIVE REPORT:
There have been 2,011 Senate Bills and 3,722 House Bills introduced so far into the Illinois General Assembly since January 1st. IPLSA Legislative Chairman Dick Rawlings, Malinda and I have read the synopsis of each of the bills. Currently we are watching the following legislation. The bold type indicates the current status.

NOTE: All of the following legislation and its status can be found at www.legis.state.il.us.

SB0157 and HB0494 – Amends the Plat Act. A county may require a surveyor to provide geodetic survey horizontal control values for a minimum of 2 opposing corners of the subdivision that are permanently monumented. Horizontal control values must be provided in the Illinois State Plane Coordinate System in the zone as defined by each county and referenced on the plat. Each county may specify levels of positional accuracy for the horizontal control values of the subdivision corners to be measured by the surveyor. The county may also require vertical control values referenced to a statewide datum for a minimum of 2 opposing corners of the subdivision that are permanently monumented. The bill also added language to paragraph 1, 2, 8, and 9, of part (b) of the exemptions. IPLSA was opposed to the original bill and asked that both bills be amended. Amendment #1 passed both in the Senate and the House, changed the levels of positional accuracy for the horizontal control values of the subdivision corners to be measured by the surveyor; State Standards when developed shall determine those levels of accuracy. The amendment also struck out the proposed additions to paragraph 1, 2, 8, and 9, of part (b) of the exemptions. Both bills passed their respective committee and are moving through the legislative process. One of the bills will be held at some point and only one will become law.

SB0171 and HB0526 – Would allow part of the recording filing fee to defray the cost of providing electronic access to the county’s GIS records. Both bills passed their respective committees and are moving through the legislative process. One of the bills will be held at some point and only one will become law.

SB0719, SB0720, SB0721, and SB0722 – Were introduced by Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. The bills are known as “shell bills” because there is no language in the bills at this time. We are trying to find out why Senator Jones introduced them. I talked to a Senate staff person about these bills and she told me that they were introduce in case they were needed. They probably will not be used.

SB0698 – Amends the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Act of 1989. Amends various parts of the definition of land surveying. Ads language that will allow IDPR to have membership in a similar organization to NCEES. Ads that the Licensing Board has final recommendations of disciplinary action based on technical issues. Ads the requirement of at least 8 Licensing Board meetings per year. This bill was heard in committee Wednesday, March 12. IDPR opposed the bill at the committee because of the paragraph concerning disciplinary action by the Director. They agreed to support the bill if we removed this part of the bill. We agreed to remove the paragraph and the bill passed out of committee unanimously. The bill will now go to the floor of the Senate for second reading.

SB1361 – Amends the Highway Code. Changes the word approximate to exact when it comes to locations and widths of right of way for future additions to the state highway system. Also requires the filing of an environmental impact study in the recorders office and provides that, not more than 10 years after a protected corridor is established under this Section, and not later than the expiration of each succeeding 10 year period, the Department shall hold public hearings to discuss the viability and feasibility of the protected corridor. The Department shall give due consideration to the information obtained at the hearing and, if construction of the roadway is no longer feasible, shall abolish the protected corridor. The bill was amended in committee and is proceeding through the legislative process.

HB1168 – Amends the School Code. Annexations of contiguous portion of elementary or high school district. Contiguous means having a common border of not less than 100 linear feet. Defines “specially qualified professional land surveyor” means a professional land surveyor whose credentials include serving
or have served as a paid advisor or consultant to at least 2 of the following: any department, board, commission, authority, or other agency of the State of Illinois. It further provides that this “specially qualified professional land surveyor” can notarize a statement. This bill was opposed by IPLSA and after meeting with Representative Robert S. Molaro (D-Chicago) who sponsored the bill he agreed not to move the bill forward.

HB2299 – Amends the Municipal Code. Whenever the corporate authorities of any municipality, whether incorporated by special act or under any general law, determine that the public interest will be sub served by vacating any street of alley, or part thereof, within their jurisdiction in any incorporated area, they may vacate that street or alley, or part thereof, by an ordinance. Adds the following: The ordinance shall provide the legal description or permanent index number of the particular parcel or parcels of property acquiring title to the vacated property. This bill passed the House Committee and is proceeding through the legislative process.

HB3076 –Amends the Plat Act. The bill would add the following language: The recorder or register of titles shall not record or register a plat unless the plat is accompanied by the certification of the County Clerk required by Section 2.5 of this Act. Section 2.5 would be added with the following language: Sec. 2.5. Certification by the County Clerk. Before a plat is recorded or registered, the plat must be submitted to the County Clerk and the County Clerk must certify that no parcel contained within the plat is divided by any political subdivision or taxing district boundary. This bill was introduced by Representative Dave Winters (R of Shirland, IL) in Winnebago County on behalf of someone in the Winnebago County Clerks Office. IPLSA is opposed to the bill and members of the Winnebago Chapter are meeting with the Clerk’s Office to see why they want this legislation. Representative Winters agreed to hold the bill while meetings take place. This bill was opposed by IPLSA and after meeting with Representative David Winters (R-Shirland) who sponsored the bill he agreed not to move the bill forward.

HB3511 – Amends the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Act of 1989. It removes paying compensation to members of the Land Surveyors Licensing Board for their service as Board members, but continues reimbursement to them for actual travel, incidentals, and expenses necessarily incurred in carrying out their duties as members of the Board. It does provide that members of the Board who experience a significant financial hardship due to loss of income on days of attendance at meetings or while otherwise engaged in the business of the Board may be paid a hardship allowance, as determined by and subject to the approval of the Governor’s Travel Control Board. This bill will probably pass and become law.

LINCOLN STATUE PROJECT UPDATE:
I have raised about 50% of the money needed to complete the full-size Lincoln Surveyor Statue to be placed at Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site located 21 miles north of Springfield. I am personally going to borrow the additional funds that it will take to complete the project. Sculptor John McClarey started on the statue the week of March 3rd and will have the clay model ready to go to the foundry by June 1st. Art Casting of Illinois, which is located in Oregon, Illinois will complete the casting late in September. We are looking at Saturday, October 4th for the unveiling. Mark your calendar now and join us for the unveiling, which will be held in conjunction with a weekend of Surveying with Abraham Lincoln at New Salem. IPLSA members in period costume will depict 1830’s surveying and there will be a static display of surveying equipment. Later in the evening there will be a candle light walk through the park and the cabins will be lit by candles.

2003 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY:
The 2003 IPLSA Membership Directory was handed out to members at the recent conference. If you did not get a directory please request a copy form the IPLSA State Office. The directory went to the printer on February 4, so memberships received after that date, are listed in this newsletter.

UPCOMING IPLSA SEMINARS:
Several IPLSA sponsored seminars have been scheduled for this year. Please watch the newsletter and the IPLSA Website for information. It is the goal of IPLSA to provide at least one spring and one fall seminar each year both in the northern and southern part of the state. See calendar of events in this issue of the Illinois Surveyor.

SIT/PLS REFRESHER COURSE TO BE OFFERED:
Candidates for the October 24 & 25, 2003 exams can take advantage of a refresher course presented by Roy R. Frank, Jr. The 2-day SIT and 2-day PLS refresher course will be offered in Springfield in August. A 1-day refresher course for the Jurisdictional Exam will also be offered. Contact IPLSA for more information. The course is limited to 30 participants.