Dear FSMS Members,

I am excited to share some significant updates and events that will shape our journey forward. With great anticipation, we look towards the annual FSMS Strategic Planning Meeting scheduled to take place in Gainesville on April 11-12, 2024. Following this crucial session, we will convene for the Quarterly Board Meeting. Click here for hotel information and reservations with our group rate. 

March also marks a special occasion for our profession as we celebrate National Surveyor’s Week from March 17th to March 23rd, culminating in Global Surveyors' Day on March 21st. These observances provide us with an opportunity to reflect on the importance of our work and the invaluable contributions of surveyors worldwide. Email your proclamations to [email protected] for them to be featured in The Florida Surveyor.

I would like to take a moment to discuss three of the thirteen seminars that will be offered this year at the Annual conference, July 24-27. To my knowledge, this will be the first year that other professionals can attend and be a part of our conference, as well as receive continuing education credit.

The Riparian Rights Surveying Seminar will be moderated by Richard P. Green, Esq. with Lewis, Longman, & Walker, P.A. with a panel consisting of Andrew J. Baumann, Esq., James C. Weed, PLS, George “Chappy” Young, Jr, PSM, Richard Malloy, PSM, and Scott Woolam, PSM. It has been twenty years since a Riparian Seminar has been provided, and it is long overdue. The waterways and coastlines are being cut up into smaller pieces and riparian rights have become a big issue.

The Role of Title in the Government Land Acquisition Due Diligence Process Seminar will be taught by Wendi McAleese. She will, among other things, cover the products that are available to you as surveyors. Knowing what to ask for his half the battle. We must know the history of property to provide them with a map that reflects all their rights.

The Surveying the Infrastructure GIS Seminar will be moderated by Richard Allen, PSM, CFM. This panel of eight will have top GIS professionals and top Surveyors in the Field of GIS. Prior to the panel discussion will be two mini-seminars - CAD vs GIS, & Intro to the “Parcel Fabric” taught by Frank Conkling PSM, GISP and Successful Project Integration of Survey & GIS taught by Richard Pryce, RLS, PSM. You will have an opportunity to pick their brains on Surveying the framework of GIS. This will be a very interesting seminar. For years we have said that GIS stands for “Get it surveyed.” I think the time has come for us to take this very seriously and partner with GIS instead of pushing them away. Their potential as a client is huge. We can provide the quality and accuracy to make them more successful. One of our jobs is to “make our clients look good” and to do that we need to step up to the plate and provide them with the expertise they need to provide their clients with a quality job.

Lastly, thank you all for your unwavering dedication to the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society. Your contributions are invaluable, and together, we will continue to chart a course towards a brighter future.

Respectfully submitted.

Howard J. Ehmke