(Sorry for cross posting. But if you haven't seen this read on - and close your GIS office in Florida. )<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Keith Weber</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:webekeit@isu.edu">webekeit@isu.edu</a>></span><br>
Date: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 1:52 PM<br>Subject: [Gisusers] GIS and Surveying in Florida<br>To: <a href="mailto:gisusers@mm.isu.edu">gisusers@mm.isu.edu</a><br><br><br><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt">Subject: Florida Board's decision</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:11.0pt">I wanted to let those of you who have expressed an interest in this case that the Florida Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers gave me their verbal answer at today's hearing, although the written order will not be out for a few weeks. I had expected that they would either refuse to answer the question or find that everything was surveying. They did both during a hearing that was mostly a series of personal attacks on me with little time spent on the actual issue.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:11.0pt">The technical answer is that they rejected the petition because the answer was so obvious as to not present a controversy. The short real answer is that the Board eliminated the GIS profession in Florida today. They put the bright line defining the limits of licensed practice of surveying and mapping at the far edge, saying that no one except a licensed surveyor or someone under the direct charge of a licensed surveyor can compile any spatial data or produce any map. There are no exceptions based on scale, accuracy requirement, geographic extent, subject, public/private distinction, internal/external distinction, or historical precedence. Everything is a survey and must meet the technical requirements of a survey, as defined in administrative rules. Everything.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:11.0pt">I specifically asked about a number of common practices by non-surveyors, such as using GPS units to compile utility inventory data, tracing the apparent outline of features visible in an orthophotograph, and deriving features from LiDAR data using software. I even went to my old standby, law enforcement using transits and photogrammetry to document crash and crime scenes. All were judged to require a license. I also asked about geographers drawing maps, and, and again, the answer was no, only surveyors can draw maps. In response to my testimony that I use GIS to create maps, the Board directed that I be charged with the unlicensed practice of surveying. They also directed that I stop using the ASPRS Certified Mapping Scientist credential, as it was judged as misleading people into believing that I held a surveying license due to the presence of the word "Mapping" in the title. My use of this credential will also be part of the unlicensed practice charge, as will my preparation of the LiDAR RFP, as only someone qualified to do the work can prepare a procurement for it. The only thing they said I could do is design databases and software. Anything related to spatial data itself required a surveying license.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:11.0pt">The longer answer is that the stage has been set for a legislative approach to the problem. By finding my activities as an employee of the City of Ocoee to constitute the unlicensed practice of surveying, they are also exposing the City to such a charge and resulting fines. This now moves the issue into the realm of the City having to defend the charges. I spent the afternoon with the City Attorney, City Engineer, Assistant City Manager, and certain well-placed political folks. My complaints regarding the unlicensed practice by others will be filed soon. A more detailed article will be written once we get the transcript.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:11.0pt">As you may know, I have resigned from the URISA Policy Committee in order to avoid any possibility of your being judge as co-conspirators. So, if you want to do something soon, it will need to be on your own initiative. BTW, the CCNA reform legislation to add best-value procurement is in bills in both house of the Florida Legislature. We will likely use those as vehicles to make clarifications regarding the scope of surveying and mapping.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size:11.0pt">Al Butler</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">505 E Esther St</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Orlando, FL 32806</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt">407-376-3258</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:blue"><a href="mailto:abutler@mpzero.com" target="_blank">abutler@mpzero.com</a></span></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> <br>
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<br></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Daniel P. Ames, Ph.D. PE<br>Associate Professor, Geosciences<br>Idaho State University - Idaho Falls<br><a href="mailto:amesdani@isu.edu" target="_blank">amesdani@isu.edu</a><br><a href="http://geology.isu.edu" target="_blank">geology.isu.edu</a><br>
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