What's New: President's Report

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PRESIDENT'S REPORT
Paul N. Brown, PS

August, 2010

NSPS Bulletin - ACSM Bulletin

The Executive Director search has been completed with a position offer and acceptance by Julie R. DeBoer of Hastings. Julie will officially begin with MSPS on Monday, August 30th. Julie's diverse background will be an asset to MSPS. Be sure to welcome Julie when you contact the Central Office.

Nomination Committee is seeking names of individuals that would be interested being on the slate for a future board member. If interested please contact Past Presidents Neil Livasy or Craig Amey.

Award Nominations are being sought for the Member of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Surveyor of the Past. It is not too early to begin to think about nominees.

MSPS Website to be updated. The Communications Committee is in the process of sending out Request for Proposals (RFP) to update our website. The current website was created in 2002 and although the site has served us well, technology has advanced far beyond what the current website software and programs are able to deliver to an advancing MSPS.

NSPS Organization Questionnaire last week via email, MSPS forwarded information from NSPS to participate in a questionnaire regarding the withdrawal of NSPS from ACSM. MSPS would like to once again encourage you to participate in this online survey.

The National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) is currently a Member Organization of American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). At NSPS's Annual Meeting held this past April in Phoenix, AZ, NSPS voted to initiate the ACSM mandatory two-year time frame to withdraw from the organization. The withdrawal procedure officially began on April 28, 2010.

There were many issues leading up to this action, and although it may appear drastic at first glance, this procedure is exactly what is needed for NSPS to keep its focus on the problems at hand and the possible fixes needed. A review process is currently underway which hopefully will help create a more responsive and stronger National organization that will offer a better value for membership. We believe that to create a true national surveying organization, it is critical that we obtain input from the community NSPS serves.

In considering the impact of its motion to withdraw as a Member Organization of ACSM, NSPS is hereby requesting the opinions and involvement of all members, non-members, and other interested parties to please participate promptly in a short questionnaire that can be accessed via the link included within this e-mail.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to this short questionnaire.

The NSPS Leadership
Please click on the following link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6XQN89S
NSPS Leadership

2011 Annual Meeting preparations are well underway by the Saginaw Valley Chapter and Annual Meeting Committee. Mark your calendars for February 23-26, 2011 to attend the meeting in Frankenmuth at the Bavarian Inn.

Michigan/Indiana State Line project is currently at a standstill until next year. The fieldwork to date has all been done by volunteers and an enormous amount of hours have been expended. Five counties along the southern tier of the state are involved.

MSPS Reenactors will be at Burt Lake State Park on August 21st and in Grand Rapids on September 17-19. Join them for the day. (And if you let Tamara Amey know you are attending, she will bake your favorite pie over an open fire).

Upcoming Seminars beginning Friday, August 27th, Bits and Bytes with instructor Susan Brink of Montcalm Community College. Learn how to save time and money by being more productive with Microsoft Office. The Fundamentals of Professional Surveying will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 24th and 25th. Complete information is available at http://www.misocprofsurveyors.org/edu_seminar.htm

Congratulations to our newest Life Member, Mark Van Raemdonick, P.S. and also to Brandon Kupitz, student member from Michigan Technological University.