SAMSOG BOARD MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, March 22, 2011 State Capitol, , Georgia

PRESENT: Executive Committee : Ed Cowherd, Jim Anderson, and Lonnie Sears. Excused: Dale Yawn and Tren Baker. Absent: Robert Armstrong. Directors : Gary Witherington and Josh Lewis. Excused: Dean Olson, Trent Turk, Phillip O. Brown, Jimmy Green and Teeple Hill. Absent: Cathy Costarides, John Roeser, and Al Vedder. Chapter Representatives : Eddie Davidson proxy for Roger London, Frank Gaddy, Joe Baker, Pat Harris proxy for Stacy Carroll, Phillip Roberts, and Antonio Sample proxy for Robert Brooks. Excused: Tommie Donaldson, Gary Nevill, and Joey Brock. Absent: Alfred Bellew, Craig Brewer, Lane Bishop, Daniel Mahan, Vonny Blanton, and Keith Jones.

With only 11 voting members present, no quorum was declared. A motion was made to conduct the business meeting and defer voting on any issue to an electronic vote. The motion was approved. The meeting began at 10:10 a.m.

First time attendees: Matt Anderson, Jerry Camp, and Kenny Miller.

January 29, 2011 minutes were approved with one addition: Surveyor Jack Busby passed away was added under New Business. Treasurer’s Reports were approved.

Executive Director’s Report : SAMSOG will be participating in the Georgia Municipal Association meeting and not the Association of County Commissioners meeting this year. National Representative’s Report : No report.

STANDING COMMITTEES: Annual Meeting – The 2011 Annual Meeting and Summer Conference will be July 21 st -23 rd , 2011 at the DeSoto Hilton in Savannah and will include golf and a low country boil. Education - Larry Phipps will present 2 programs on Friday (4 pdh each) “Positional Tolerance and the 2011 ACSM ALTA Standards” and “Professional Ethics for the Georgia Surveyor”. Mr. Phipps has offered to facilitate a revenue generating work session with the BOD at no charge. The board members present agreed this was a good opportunity and will meet with Larry prior to the Annual meeting on Saturday morning. Interprofessional Cooperation – No report. Council of Past Presidents – Lonnie Sears asked for Directors and Vice President nominations. Discussion ensued relative to changing Officer terms from 1 to 2 years. Subsequently, committee chairmen would also serve a 2 year term and the position of Vice President would be eliminated. This change would require the bylaws and constitution to be changed which requires a majority vote by the membership. Bobby Shupe, previous Bylaws and Constitution Chairman, will be contacted relative to the process. A suggestion was made to send the bylaws/constitution change ballot with the 2011- 2012 O&D ballot. A motion was made to contact Bobby and begin the process. Legislative Committee – Reported by Steve Neff, Lobbyist and Josh Lewis, Chairman. 4 year Education bill got stuck in Rules Committee. Rep. Earl Eckhart had an issue but Steve Neff and Trent Turk explained SAMSOG’s reasons for the bill and he will not oppose next year; Lane Bishop also spoke to the House Speaker and the bill will be reintroduced by Rep. Alan Powell in 2012. The bill number will not change since 2011 is the first year of a two year session. HB 135 Timber Theft will also be reintroduced next year. Language was added relative to properly marked boundaries. The County Clerks did not drop their Plat Act bill because the legislature was moving slow; County Surveyor bill was also not dropped. BOR Privatization was dropped by the Engineers after meeting opposition from the Secretary of State. The Engineers and Surveyors will work with the BOR to gather data relative to complaints, etc. SAMSOG has fostered a very good relationship with the Engineers and will continue to maintain this relationship while continuing to let them lead the BOR Privatization issue. The state of Florida is looking at deregulating their Land Surveying Board as a cost saving

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SAMSOG BOARD MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia

measure. Ginger was included several articles relative to this issue in the SAMSOG News and Updates eblast. As a boarder state of Florida, Lonnie Sears recommended SAMSOG contact FSLS Director Marilyn Evers offering assistance. Josh Lewis recommended Trent Turk draft a letter if requested by Marilyn. An Ethics bill has been passed requiring any individual whose job requires 10% or more of their time influencing vendor decisions, including county, city, state, and public officials, register as a lobbyist. Any SAMSOG member not clear as whether you are bound by this new law should contact Steve Neff directly. The Home Association of Georgia has recently introduced a health insurance program. The Etowah Chapter will investigate the possibility for SAMSOG. Steve Neff noted HBAG is the first group in the state to get a health insurance approved and it is a very difficult process. Membership and Chapter Development – No report. Public Relations – Lonnie Sears reported Dan Mahan participated in the NSPS sponsored event “Survey USA” Saturday, March 19, 2011 and set up a station in the Chattahoochee National. When Lonnie receives the data, he will submit it to NSPS. Thanks to Robert Armstrong for assisting Dan. Monument Protection/Restoration – No report. State Board of Registration –No report. Survey Standards/State Manual –State Manuals have been reordered and the new ALTA Standards are included as a supplement.

STANDING COMMITTEES: Newsletter – Joe Baker reported a replacement for his father, Tren, needs to be found. Possibilities relative to hiring a part-time individual or appointing a committee to edit newsletter were discussed. Plat & Mapping Contest – Awards were presented at the January and winners are posted on line. Scholarship – Financial Reports attached. Education Fund – In concordance with a motion approved at the January 29, 2011 meeting, commitment forms for the Johnny Gaskins Scholarship were distributed. Joe Baker announced the Etowah Chapter will make a donation and challenged other chapters to do so. Any donations made by a chapter will be matched up to $4,000 (total donations by SAMSOG members, chapters, etc.) by the Education Fund as per the motion at the January 29 th meeting. Website Management – No report. Certified Survey Technician – No report. Trig Star – Deadline to submit test scores is the first week of May. Jim announced there was more participation than in previous years. P.E.E.R . – No report.

Chapter Reports - Appalachia Chapter – Recently elected officers. Chapter’s Survey Project with the Bean Creek Historically Society is almost complete. A seminar is planned June 7, 2011 at North featuring Janice Mitchell with FEMA. Atlanta Chapter – Next meeting has been changed to Tuesday, March 29th at the Hickory House at Northlake. August – no report. Central Chapter –No report. Etowah Chapter – April MTS class (2 hours) has been moved to the Smyrna Community Center. A few spaces are still available. Contact Joe Baker for information. Foothills – No report. Golden Isles – No report. Gwinnett Chapter – No report. Northwest – No report. – Program Chairman J.R. Smith has done a great job. South Central – Planning to host a Fall seminar and begin a chapter project mapping cemeteries. Southern Crescent – No report. Student Chapter – Didn’t get funding to go to the Las Vegas competition this year. SGA established new requirements to access funds and chapter focused on getting the proper paperwork filed. Alumni Day is coming up and chapter plans to be more visible on campus. Chapter – No report.

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SAMSOG BOARD MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia

OLD BUSINESS: Jim Anderson reported an incident with a County Clerk regarding photocopying, reducing, taping, and scanning plats so they “fit” in the county plat book. This of course, diminishes the integrity of the plat. Jim recommended a meeting with the C of C. Steve will contact the Clerk of Courts lobbyist and report back with contacts, meeting schedule and dates.

NEW BUSINESS: None.

Meeting adjourned at 11:40 a.m.

Respectfully submitted by Ginger Walker Approved by Trenholm Baker, Secretary/Treasurer

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