F PROF O ESS TY IO Summer 2021 Volume 29 • Number 3 IE N C A O L S S A U T R O V S E E Y N O N R I S M 1953 Minnesota Surveyor | Summer 2021 1 Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors an affiliate of NATIONAL SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORS AMERICAN CONGRESS ON SURVEYING AND MAPPING MINNESOTA SURVEYOR Minnesota Surveyor is the official publication of the Minnesota Advertise in the Society of Professional Surveyors. It is published quarterly and sent to members and similar organizations on a complimentary basis. Minnesota Surveyor! Material published is copyrighted but may be reprinted without permission as long as credit is given to the MSPS Minnesota Surveyor. More than 600 members of the surveying community in All material must be submitted by the deadline noted for each issue, Minnesota read the award-winning Minnesota Surveyor and should be directed to: magazine . Advertising in the magazine is a great way to reach that audience! Our online publication allows you to EDITORS link from your ad to your website . John Freemyer Roderick Squires 2021 ADVERTISING RATES: 1/3 page ©2021 MSPS (4 5”. wide x 4 75”. high) . $120 00. Articles and columns appearing in this publication do not necessarily 1/2 page reflect the viewpoints of MSPS or the Minnesota Surveyor staff, but (7 5”. wide x 5” high) . $160 00. are published as a service to MSPS members, the general public and for the betterment of the surveying profession. No responsibility is Full page assumed for errors, misquotes, or deletions in content. (7 5”. wide x 10” high) . $300 00. Inside Front Cover (7 5”. wide x 5 .25” high) . $410 00. MSPS 2021 OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS President . Preston Dowell President-Elect . Chad Conner SUSTAINING MEMBERS Receive a 20% Discount! Past President . Pat Veraguth Secretary . Julie Groetsch Treasurer . Mark Severtson NSPS Governor . Marcus Hampton Contact the MSPS Office,info @mnsurveyor.com for more information . Send ads via email, preferably in high-resolution pdf Director . Amanda Brustad format and in color, to [email protected] . Director . Tim Holperin Director . Denny Honsa Director . Kory Thurnau Director . Jesse Zeig Minnesota Surveyor | Summer 2021 3 Index From the President, Preston Dowell ...................................................5 From the NSPS Director, Marcus Hampton .........................................6 Call For Next Events Committee Chair ..............................................7 Surveying Education at Dunwoody College of Technology ...............7 Footsteps …. The Land Ordinance of 1785. ........................................8 Legal Description Interpretation A Brief Examination of Minnesota Case Law ............................................................................................24 Firm Member Directory .....................................................................28 Sustaining Members ..........................................................................29 Peter W. Blethen, LS, Memorial Scholarship .....................................30 Minnesota Surveyor Upcoming Content Deadlines Issue Due Date Publication Date Fall 2021 October 1, 2021 October 2021 Winter 2021-22 January 1, 2022 January 2022 Spring 2022 April 1, 2022 April 2022 Summer 2022 July 1, 2022 July 2022 Minnesota Surveyor | Summer 2021 4 From the President Preston Dowell Does this sound familiar? Question from a well-meaning friend: So, are you staying busy? Answer from a land surveyor: I have work coming out of my ears, I am three weeks behind and I haven’t seen my kid's baseball game in a month. Is there anything important we need to talk about because I’m too busy to breathe. When the COVID pandemic hit last year, we all thought surveying would be the first thing to go. But instead low interest rates, the great relocation and people paying more attention to where their neighbor’s dog goes to the bathroom has caused the surveying industry to go bananas. I have no scientific data here, but I also think it has led to a lot of burnout in our industry. The American Psychological Association has some tips on managing stress: • Track your stressors • Learn how to relax • Develop healthy responses • Talk to your supervisor • Establish boundaries • Get some support • Take time to recharge It’s easier said than done, but I find taking time to relax and recharge to be an extremely effective way to manage my stress. 12 years ago I took my first trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and it opened my eyes to how effective relaxation could be. I had no cell phone service, no radio and no way to communicate with the outside world. Of course I fretted about work, family and other responsibilities. After 2 days, I realized that there was nothing I could do except enjoy the moment I was in. Even after paddling and portaging over 50 miles in 5 days I came back to work rejuvenated. No, none of my projects magically got completed while I was gone. I still had to make up the week I missed as well as get my new projects rolling. But I was prepared to take on the challenge with a renewed sense of purpose. I now go into the boundary waters a couple times a year. I consider myself lucky to have a wife and employer that are supportive of my stress reliever. I know it's summer and getting away feels impossible but if you have the opportunity to unplug and leave work behind you for a couple days, take it. I don’t think you’ll regret it. Here’s another idea, the MSPS Summer Meeting is being hosted by Chapter 5 at the Little Crow Golf Resort in Spicer. This meeting is open to all MSPS members and is always a lot of fun. It’s a great way to get to know other MSPS members in a relaxed setting. They are planning a golf outing, boat ride and an evening banquet on Thursday August 19th. On Friday, there will be 3 PDH sessions. So if you can’t take a vacation, maybe you can justify a work trip to get a couple PDHs and catch up with some of your surveying counterparts. Who knows, you may “accidentally” forget your cell phone in the hotel room for a couple hours. Minnesota Surveyor | Summer 2021 5 From the NSPS Director Marcus Hampton NSPS has endorsed the RETAIN Act (S. 2166) introduced last month by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK). Current co-sponsors include Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Jack Reed (D-RI). Please contact both of your U.S. Senators to request co-sponsorship of this legislation which tackles the issue of GPS interference by Ligado (formerly Lightsquared). For more information, click here to watch the training webinar recorded July 13 featuring NSPS Executive Curtis Sumner and Registered Lobbyist John “JB” Byrd. Individual NSPS members, as well as state society staff and leadership should mobilize to support this important legislation. Click here for bullet points for use when you call your U.S. Senators or when sending letters or emails to their offices. Remember to ask for action by your U.S. Senators! “Will you co-sponsor S. 2166?” If needed, you may contact John “JB” Byrd with any questions as you prepare and conduct outreach to U.S. Senators via his email: [email protected] The NSPS Fall Business Meeting will take place September 22-25 at the Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook, IL. A PAC golf outing will be held at the Oak Brook Golf Club on September 22. For more information or to register, visit the NSPS website. For more information about anything NSPS-related, please visit the NSPS website. The website is updated regularly and has a lot of industry-specific content. Anything else, feel free to reach out to me. Respectfully submitted, Marcus Hampton, LS NSPS Governor NSPS OBJECTIVE The objective of this association is to unite all the registered land surveyors in the State of Minnesota, to elevate the standards of the surveying profession in the State of Minnesota; to establish basic minimum requirements for surveys, to assist in promoting legislation and educational programs to improve the professional status of the land surveyor; to work in cooperation with local, county and state governments in our field of endeavor; to uphold a rigid code of ethics and strive to improve our relations with our clients and the public by work with precision and integrity. Minnesota Surveyor | Summer 2021 6 Call For Next Events Committee Chair The MSPS Board of Directors and Events Committee are looking for the next volunteer Events Committee Chair. Role of the Committee and Chair • Establish the planning, financing and administration of the Annual Meeting and present a plan and detailed budget to the Board of Directors prior to preparation of budget. • Select suitable speakers for the Annual Meeting. • Solicit exhibitors and arrange for exhibits (exhibits chair). • Assure that appropriate Society business is conducted at the Annual Meeting, including elections, reports, bylaw amendments and resolutions. • Assist and work closely with the Society's Executive Director, who is assigned the detailed coordination of all Annual Meeting activities, functions and arrangements. • Provide membership with opportunities to study and learn, in a timely way, subjects of interest. • Recommend appropriate topics for workshops/seminars to the Board. • Coordinate agendas, speakers, costs and presentation requirements. • Assist and work closely with the Executive Director, who is assigned the detailed coordination of workshop/seminar facilities planning, mailings, registration, etc. • Advise the Board of Directors of workshop planning with a memo prior to each workshop. • Provide encouragement, education, and information to Survey Technicians interested in becoming a CST. If you are interested in this position please send your inquiry to [email protected] or call the MSPS headquarters at (952) 479-4204. Surveying Education at Dunwoody College of Technology Dunwoody College of Technology is seeking to hire a faculty member to teach in its Surveying and Civil Engineering Technology major program that prepares students for careers in land surveying or civil engineering.