2014 Fall Edition - Tennessee Association of Professional Surveyors

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T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E T E N N E S S E E A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R O F E S S I O N A L S U R V E Y O R S
YOU ARE THE EXPERT…
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Inside This Issue
TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORS
FALL 2014
Tennessee Association
of Professional Surveyors
607 W. Due West Avenue, Suite 96
Madison, TN 37115
615-860-9311
Fax: 615-860-7177
E-mail tapsinc_@bellsouth.net
www.taps-inc.com
THE TENNESSEE SURVEYOR is published
four times a year: January, April, July and
October, by the Tennessee Association of
Professional Surveyors (TAPS). Opinions
expressed by individual authors are not
necessarily endorsed by the officers or Board
of TAPS or the editors of this publication. Articles may be reprinted with due credit given
to the author unless otherwise indicated at
the beginning or end of the article.
ADDRESS CHANGES AND
GENERAL BUSINESS
All notification for editorial matters, changes
of address, membership inquiries and general TAPS business correspondence should be
directed to Lori Medley, Executive Secretary,
at the above address.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF MATERIAL
The Tennessee Surveyor welcomes contributions of articles and comments for publication. The editors would appreciate submittals to be typewritten, double spaced, and
preferably only seven paragraphs long (each
paragraph should have a maximum of five or
six sentences). The editors of The Tennessee
Surveyor reserve the right to edit (after author
notification) each article.
DEADLINES
Advertising and article copy deadlines are
December 15, March 15, June 15 and September 15.
From the President...........................................................................................................................................................3
Outgoing President’s Report: State of the Association........................................................................................5
Top Gun Award................................................................................................................................................................5
Coming Events..................................................................................................................................................................5
2014/2015 TAPS Board of Directors.........................................................................................................................7
TAPS 47th Annual Conference and Exhibition.................................................................................................... 10
New Members............................................................................................................................................................... 10
Surveyors Historical Society Rendezvous 2014: A Report.............................................................................. 12
ETSU Surveying and Mapping Science Welcomes New Dean Dr. Dennis Depew.................................. 14
Advertisers
Crow Friedman Group................................................................................................................................................ 15
Earl Dudley, Inc..................................................................................................................................................................4
Hayes Instrument Co.................................................................................................................................................... 13
Holman’s USA................................................................................................................................................................. 11
Niles Surveying Co., Inc..................................................................................................................................................5
Precision Products....................................................................................................................................................... 8, 9
That CAD Girl...................................................................................................................................................................6
Business Members
Crow Friedman Group........................................................................................................................ 800-595-6526
Holmans USA.......................................................................................................................................... 505-550-8928
Precision Products................................................................................................................................. 502-572-7747
Smart Vent............................................................................................................................................... 877-441-8368
Trimble..................................................................................................................................................... 303-635-8419
More information available at www.taps-inc.com Business Member link
2014 Executive Committee
President
President-Elect
VP/Conference Chair 2015
Secretary/Treasurer
Past President
Andrew Stokes - Clarksburg
Jimmy Cleveland - Brighton
Aaron Sams - Strawberry Plains
Brennon Garrett - Gatlinburg
Jimmy Cleveland - Brighton
andrew@stokessurveying.com
jimmy@tpls.us
mrsurveyor@gmail.com
thelandsurveyors@gmail.com
jimmy@tpls.us
ADVERTISING POLICY
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The Tennessee Association of Professional Surveyors (TAPS) is dedicated to
preserve and promote the education and advancement of the profession.
2
From the President
BY ANDREW STOKES
W
hat’s your favorite automobile? Are you a Ford or a Chevy
past few months, I have seen at least
person? Do you prefer Dodge or one of those foreign
a few short videos prepared by uninmodels? Which brand of equipment do you trust? Do you like
formed people trying to advise their
Sokkia or Nikon or Topcon? When you sit down at the restaurant,
viewers on methods to avoid a survey.
would you prefer a Coca-Cola product or Pepsi? These prodI believe it is time that we organize an
ucts and many others, too many to mention, are all vying for your
effort to combat this message with a
preference and your dollars. They each have unique qualities that
campaign of positive and informative messages to demonstrate
suit your needs, but they also spend incredible amounts of money
the benefits of a survey and cause the public to see the truth.
trying to get your attention and draw you in as a customer.
There are many technical and legislative issues that TAPS con We, as professional surveyors, are not marketing a product
tinues to handle to protect our profession and encourage the best
but a very skilled and very beneficial service to the public. While
of our members. I am not asking that we take any focus away from
our airwaves are flooded with commercials urging the public to
these tasks. The work of our organization is varied and important
buy the latest product or upgrade to the latest device, I spend a
at every level. I am only asking that we pledge as a group to dedgood portion of my week on the phone
icate as much time as possible to reach
explaining the benefits of a good surout to the public and improve our image.
We, as professional surveyors,
vey and defending the expense as a
I am thankful to be a part of our organizaare not marketing a product
worthwhile investment. We work in an
tion and honored to be allowed to serve
ancient profession and our commodity
this year in the position of President. I
but a very skilled and very
is of the highest benefit to the public.
am grateful for all the hard work and
We all have limited resources of money
beneficial service to the public. dedication that has been given to our
and time, but we can’t afford to miss an
profession in past years. That hard work
opportunity to work on our public image
and dedication continues to be given at
and show that we provide a service that should be desired rather
present and is certain to continue by the next generation of prothan avoided. A great deal of progress has been made over the
fessionals becoming active in local chapters and our state board.
years to prove our worth. There have been a number of successes
There is not a finer group of professionals in all the 50 states. I am
that we can be proud of for our profession. However, I am conproud to be a Tennessee surveyor and I am ready for everyone on
cerned that there are still too many groups and individuals trying
the street to know and understand why. Throughout my year of
to avoid our services because of misinformation or plain old lack
service, I am calling on each of you to work together to find ways
of understanding.
to promote our profession and reach the public with the message
We don’t have the budget of Ford Motor Co., Coca-Cola or
that they need a survey. It is my belief that we can see the day
even Topcon for marketing. Fortunately, though, we do have each
that the majority of the public will desire to have their property
other. TAPS as an organization, especially with our national partprofessionally surveyed rather than passing along a “bounded by”
nership with NSPS, has a unique ability to reach out to our comdescription just to avoid having to deal with one of us or pay us
munities and neighbors with an informative and positive campaign
what we’re worth. We all know that a survey is worth every penny.
on behalf of professional surveying services. We live in a day and
Let’s do all we can to convey that truth to our neighbors.
time where a YouTube video can be viewed by millions of peo I am the only surveyor in my office. My time is as limited as
ple without costing a dime to produce or distribute. Facebook
most of yours. I know how precious every minute is and how necposts can be shared by a network of friends that can quickly touch
essary every project is to the bottom line. I will do all I can with
thousands of people without requiring very much time or effort
my time and resources to serve our organization. If there’s ever
to prepare and distribute. These methods certainly don’t comanything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
pare to the type of ad campaigns by the above mentioned name
Together, I know we can continue the best of our traditions and
brands. However, with the right talent, good timing and group
move us successfully into the future. l
effort of our members we can make a real impact on the feelings
and thoughts of Tennessee citizens towards our profession. In the
You are the expert…spread the word!
3
OUTGOING PRESIDENT’S REPORT
State of the Association
W
BY JIMMY CLEVELAND
here has the time gone? It seems like it was just yesterday
that we were sitting here and were being installed as the
2013-2014 TAPS Board of Directors.
This past year has proved to be a challenging one. This year’s
legislative session was the busiest I have seen in my 13 years of
being involved with TAPS. We as an organization have faced many
issues, and I believe we are in a better position overall.
As we wrap up this year and move into the next year, I would
like to leave you with a few thoughts. A few of the issues last year
caused much passionate debate. A great deal of time and effort
went into dealing with these issues, and many things came to my
attention during this year.
I encourage every member of the Board of Directors to read
the Constitution and By-Laws between now and the January
meeting. These documents are the guidelines by which our organization operates. A working knowledge of these documents will
help our Board operate efficiently. I also encourage open dialog
between the Chapters, Directors at Large, and the Executive Com-
mittee. With email, text messaging,
etc., we can work together to inform
each other and address issues that
arise.
I ask each of you to help remind
our members that while we may have to agree to disagree on
particular issues, we are all professionals, and we need to look at
the good of the profession as a whole. I honestly believe that we
can reach compromises, and we can accomplish more working
together than we can working against one another.
Serving as your president this past year has been an honor and
a privilege. I have been afforded the opportunity to represent
this organization in many different capacities, and I have tried my
very best to do so in a professional manner. No decision I have
made as president has been taken lightly, and I have tried my very
best to fulfill the duties of this position to the best of my ability.
I thank each and every one of you for your service and dedication to this organization. l
Top Gun Award
Board of Directors/Orientation Meeting
Coming Events
January 10, 2015
The Guest House Inn Opryland • Nashville, TN
Middle East Shootout
TAPS 47th Annual Conference and Exhibition
March 12-14, 2015
Embassy Suites • Murfreesboro, TN
Tennessee Association of
Professional Surveyors
is now on Facebook!
"Like" us!
Stephen Ward
Ward Land Surveying
Knoxville, TN
5
2014/2015 TAPS Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Andrew Stokes
PRESIDENT ELECT
Jimmy Cleveland
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Brennon Garrett
VICE PRESIDENT
Aaron Sams
PAST PRESIDENT
Jimmy Cleveland
DAL WEST
Vacant
DAL EAST
Benny Moorman
DAL MIDDLE
Mike Roberts
Outgoing President Jimmy
Cleveland passes the gavel
to Incoming President
Andrew Stokes.
DAL OUT OF STATE
Mike Frye
DIRECTORS NE
Brian Bartlett
Jerry Taylor
DIRECTORS ME
Stephen Ward
Danny Worley
DIRECTORS SE
Scott Carter
Don Vanhook
DIRECTORS UC
Bart Lay
Mike Stump
DIRECTORS SM
Doug Vaught
Mike Dial
DIRECTORS M
Jeff Clark
Jackie Dillehay
DIRECTORS W
Brent Dean
Henry Willliams
DIRECTORS NW
Craig Barron
Bob Nichols
DIRECTORS SW
Lynn Spencer
Jack McAdoo
Swearing in of
incoming board
Jimmy Cleveland
receives recognition
for a job well done.
7
TAPS 47th Annual Conference
and Exhibition
T
BY AARON SAMS, TAPS CONFERENCE CHAIR
his upcoming year’s TAPS Conference is geared towards meet We are attempting this year to
ing everyone’s expectations for an amazing conference. The
have three routes or paths for the
original idea for the conference is to consider everyone’s interests
conference which will allow for a
from historical to modern surveying topics. To accomplish this,
“choose your own adventure” for
we are attempting this year to have three routes or paths for the
your conference. The conference will include topics which
conference which will allow for a “choose your own adventure”
will allow for an individual with historic surveying interests
for your conference. The conference will include topics which
to engage in topics related to history, while also allowing
will allow for an individual with historic surveying interests to
for another attendee to participate in a topic related to the
engage in topics related to history, while also allowing for another
future of surveying. attendee to participate in a topic related to the future of surveyThe 2015 TAPS conference will be an exciting one, where suring. TAPS takes everyone’s opinion into
veyors across the state and other states
consideration for topics, along with concan meet to fellowship with one another
MARK YOUR CALENDARS to discuss project woes and successes.
sideration for suggested improvements
for the conference as a whole.
TAPS is eager and excited this year
“Choose Your Own Path”
This 2015 TAPS conference will once
to pursue every attendee’s interests in
March 12-14, 2015
again be held at the luxurious Embassy
contributing to the Political Action ComSuites in Murfreesboro, TN. The conmittee. This year’s PAC will once again
Embassy Suites
ference center for Embassy Suites has
engage everyone to urge contributing to
Murfreesboro, TN
well accommodated TAPS and the size
the PAC fund by offering a drawing for an
of TAPS for a number of years now. This
exceptional array of door prizes! The PAC
conference hotel offers a comfortable,
this past year along with the TAPS lobbyist
enjoyable, and convenient place for getting all the continuing eduhas done an absolutely amazing job greasing the interworkings
cation credit hours you need.
of the political scene; they are to be congratulated for a job well
This year’s conference will have vendors from all your favorite
done.
equipment providers. Vendors will have and demonstrate the
We urge everyone to once again participate in attending the
latest innovations in surveying equipment, software and gadgets.
full conference; we will be enticing you with an exciting giveaway
New robotic instruments will be available to look over and to
to all the early full conference attendees. This makes for an interdemonstrate. Also, a multitude of vendors providing informaesting conference and was started about four years ago with the
tion for all your business and surveying needs will be present to
giveaway of a four-wheeler. This upcoming year we are going to
answer any questions about products, services, insurance and
change it up just a little bit by offering something different. This
equipment.
should be an exciting time for everyone to attend the TAPS conference, as well as getting involved with TAPS. l
Welcome New Members
Make A Donation
Joseph Ahler
Trevor Gorman
Tonya Howington
Dennis McClure
Travis Robertson
Bryan Sauceman
Wes Shanks
Mark Young
Make check payable to the
Land Surveyors PAC
to the
TAPS Land Surveyors
Political Action Committee
Spring Hill, TN
Whites Creek, TN
Chattanooga, TN
Dandridge, TN
Knoxville, TN
Mt. Carmel, TN
Mail to:
TAPS
607 W. Due West Ave., Suite 96
Madison, TN 37115
Cookeville, TN
Maryville, TN
10
Surveyors Historical Society
Rendezvous 2014: A Report
BY C. BARTON CRATTIE, LS, CFM, CHAIRMAN TAPS HISTORICAL COMMITTEE
1795
A treaty between the new United States and Spain
was signed resolving, among other things, the
boundary between the two countries. You see, Spain owned what
is now Florida. President Washington appointed the rock star surveyor, Andrew Ellicott, to run the line (on behalf of the U.S.) along
the 31st parallel of latitude from the Mississippi River at the west
to the Atlantic Ocean at the east.
the biographer of Andrew Ellicott, Dr.
William Morton, MD, JD (Georgia). Dr.
Morton cited little known facts garnered through his extensive travels not just in the U.S. but in many
European cities conducting first source research for his upcoming
book about Ellicott’s survey of the 31st parallel.
The next day found the
group deep in the heart of the
deltas of five major rivers, the
Blakely Conference Center. All
were surprised when Ellicott
burst into the room flailing a
party member with his cane
for being accused of mutiny on
the survey (a true occurrence). Ellicott (Milton Denny-Alabama)
then explained the hardships, both physical and emotional, while
spending nearly six years away from his family. He left a pregnant
wife and lost an infant child while surveying. Dr. Larry Crowley, PE
(Alabama) then gave a thoughtful
presentation on the nuts and
bolts of running the line. Denny
then returned to explain the art
of finding mounds. During the
course of the survey, a mound
estimated to be about 10 feet
in diameter and 5 feet in height
was erected approximately at
every mile. Denny and Crowley, through Auburn University,
along with numbers of volunteers over the years, have located
the remains of many of these mounds, many of the 200-year-old
relics still marking boundaries between neighbors, counties and
states. While out in the delta, we were all shown some southern
hospitality with a spread of catfish, hushpuppies and fixings by the
local Alabama surveyor’s association. Rendezvous always have the
greatest food.
Following Civil War and swamp tours, the group returned to
the Admiral Semmes (Captain, CSS Alabama) Hotel for the annual
Rendezvous Banquet, this year being a Mardi Gras affair. A fellow
with a trumpet and one
with a saxophone and two
more, one on drums and
one with a tuba, within 15
minutes had this stodgy
old bunch of historians
marching all over two
2014
Surveyors from across the country rendezvoused
in Mobile, Alabama to study and celebrate Ellicott’s
remarkable achievement of running a line some 600 miles mostly
through low-lying swampy terrain constantly threatened while
encroaching upon a native peoples’ private property. Mobile
is a great place for a meeting, just up the road from Biloxi and
casinos, yet right in the heart of purportedly the second largest
and most diverse
ecosystem in the
country. Mobile
held the first
Mardi Gras, many
years before New
Orleans. And
then, the first day
of our study was
aboard the WW
II battleship USS
Alabama in Mobile Bay, about the most unique venue for a meeting I’ve ever attended.
In the Officer’s Wardroom, Mike and Ann Besch (Ohio) began
by telling the story of the many flags that have flown over Mobile,
beginning with the natives, then the
Spanish, French, British, Confederates
and finally, the United States. Each
had its own surveying, title and land
records systems. Bart Crattie (Tennessee) then presented a non-surveying
topic but one related to local history.
The Confederate ship CSS Alabama, a
commerce raider, was at the center of
one of the first international arbitrations
that resulted in the chambers where the
Geneva Convention was signed, being
renamed the Salon d’Alabama. Archeologist/Surveyor Greg Spies
(Alabama) spoke on colonial title and the Ellicott stone’s role in
the Public Land Surveys of Alabama. Roffie Burt (Mississippi)
detailed some of the more technical aspects of the Ellicott survey.
The day was wrapped up with an eye-opening talk presented by
continued on p. 14
12
Rendezvous, cont. from p. 12
floors of the hotel dancing and clapping hands to the strains of “Oh When the Saints Go Marchin’ In.” It’s
hard to look foolish when everyone around you is playing the fool.
Ellicott set only one stone (known) on the line. It still resides just north of Mobile and was used to triangulate across the extensive river deltas earlier mentioned. Traversing was out of the question. It was
later used as a basis point for the Mobile meridian as part of the
U.S. rectangular survey for the State of Alabama. Two busloads of
folks traveled out to visit the 1799 stone, still intact, while Spies and
Denny presented the specifics behind the stone’s existence. The
stone, a little worse for wear having been the victim of timbering,
now is enclosed within a metal decorative fence beneath an open
canopy. Afterward, a small group of us traveled east and located
the remains of the first mound into Florida from Alabama, near Florida’s northwest corner in a river.
As usual, it was a fantastic and, in all ways, important meeting recognizing Andrew Ellicott for
his monumental task completing the survey of the international boundary between Spain and
the United States. Make plans next fall to travel to Bellingham, Washington. We’ll be looking at
another international boundary, the one between our friends Canada and our great land. l
ETSU Surveying and Mapping Science Welcomes
New Dean Dr. Dennis Depew
E
ast Tennessee State University’s Surveying and Mapping Science Advisory Committee met recently to welcome Dr. Dennis Depew as the new
dean of the College of Business and Technology.
During the meeting, Depew received donations to assist the surveying
and mapping program. The gifts included $5,000 from the Tennessee Surveying Education Foundation presented by Jeff Miller; $3,000 from the Virginia Surveyors Foundation offered by David Ingram; $1,000 presented by
John Sehl, president of the Virginia Association of Surveyors; and $500 by
Jessica Nash, president of the Western Chapter of the Virginia Association
of Surveyors.
Also in attendance were Curt Sumner, executive director of the National
Society of Professional Surveyors, and Galyon Northcutt and Timothy Lingerfelt of the Tennessee Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors.
For further information, contact Jerry Taylor, coordinator of the ETSU
Surveying and Mapping Science program, at 423-439-7701 or taylorjd@
etsu.edu. l
Jeff Miller and Dean Depew
Contribute
George Crouch/Harry Fulton/TAPS Scholarship Fund
Make check payable to the Crouch/Fulton/TAPS Surveying Scholarship Fund.
Note which account you want to contribute to: Endowment or Operating.
Mail to ETSU, PO Box 70721, Johnson City, TN 37614
Tennessee Surveying Education Foundation, Inc.
Make check payable to the Tennessee Surveying Education Foundation.
Mail to Jeff Miller, Miller Land Surveying, 905 Tusculum Blvd., Greeneville, TN 37745
14
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ES
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OF PROF
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Tennessee Association of
Professional Surveyors
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Nashville, TN
Permit No. 3149
607 W. Due West Avenue, Suite 96
Madison, TN 37115-4420
615-860-9311
Fax: 615-860-7177
E-mail: tapsinc_@bellsouth.net
www.taps-inc.com
1968
Sustaining Member – National Society of Professional Surveyors
www.nspsmo.org
Affiliate – American Congress on Surveying and Mapping
www.acsm.net
Lifetime Member – Surveyors Historical Society
www.surveyorshistoricalsociety.com
Tennessee Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors
www.state.tn/us.commerce/boards/surveyors
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