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6th Annual
Education Conference
February 7-9, Hilton Garden Inn Tampa East/Brandon
10309 Highland Manor Drive, Tampa
813.626.6700 • www.tampaeastbrandon.gardeninn.com
Click here to register online.
THURSDAY, February 7
Minimum Technical Standards (6 hours)
This course relates to the "practice of surveying and mapping" as defined in Chapter 472 F.S. in that it instructs and informs the attendee regarding minimum technical standards (MTS) as set forth in Florida Administrative Code 61G17-6. The public must be able to rely on the survey product produced by a surveyor and mapper. In meeting this objective, surveyors and mappers must achieve minimum standards of accuracy, completeness and quality. The course includes instructions on the practical application of MTS in meeting that objective.
Instructor B. Gregory Rieth, P.S.M. began his career in the surveying profession in 1976 in Corning, New York. After nine years of surveying in New York, He moved to Southwest Florida where he obtained his Florida Professional Surveyor and Mapper license in 1994, and his Certified Floodplain Managers designation in 2007. He worked for three firms: DMK Group, Inc., Bishop & Associates, and Landry & Esber before arriving at his present firm Strayer Surveying & Mapping, Inc. in 1996. He is currently Senior Vice President with Strayer and has been managing the Port Charlotte, Florida office since November 1999. Mr. Rieth has over 31 years of surveying experience in boundary, topographic, construction, ALTA/ACSM, engineering design, mortgage and floodplain surveying. He also has an extensive background in business and project management. Greg has held several positions at the Chapter level of FSMS. He was treasurer of the Manasota Chapter from 1998-2000, President-Elect 2000-2001, and President 2001-2002. He became District 5 Director in 2002 and is the current State Vice President of the Florida Surveying & Mapping Society.
Instructor Robert B. Strayer, Jr., P.S.M., is a Florida Professional Surveyor and Mapper with over 26 years experience in land surveying. He attended school at Manatee Community College, and the University of Florida. He is president of Strayer Surveying & Mapping, Inc. in Venice and Pt. Charlotte, Florida. Mr. Strayer has extensive surveying experience in boundary, topographic, ALTA/ACSM, construction, engineering design, floodplain, mortgage, and other specific purpose surveys. Mr. Strayer has presented survey topics over the years to such groups as Venice High School, Sarasota County Home Builders Assoc., Venice Area Chamber of Commerce, Venice Area Board of Realtors, Venice/Englewood WCR, and local Real Estate offices. Bob has been a member of FSMS since 1989 and has held several officers positions. He was Manasota Chapter Vice President in 1997, Chapter President in 1998, District 5 Director 1999-2002, and State Secretary 2002-2003.
Letter of Map Amendment/Letter of Map Revision (6 hours)
This course will focus on understanding and preparing LOMA and LOMR-F applications. It will include observing the history of the NFIP and the process of obtaining Letter of Map Changes. The student will obtain a basic understanding of the NFIP, how maps are changed and how to properly and effectively apply for map changes.
Instructor R. Thomas Snow P.S.M., is a Florida Professional Surveyor and Mapper with over 17 years of surveying experience. Tom received an Associate of Science Degree from Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida in 1992 and became a Florida Professional Surveyor and Mapper in 1996. In June of 2000 Tom received his license in Georgia. Tom has a wide range of surveying experience including Boundary and Topographic Surveys, Construction Layout, Sectional Surveys, Right of Way Surveys, GPS Surveying and GIS Mapping. With his interest in education, Tom taught at Valencia Community College from 1997 to 2001 as an Adjunct Instructor in the Surveying and Mapping Program. He has taught at the Seminole Community College from May 2001 to the present and is an instructor for Continuing Education Seminars for the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society (FSMS).
GIS For Surveyors-Organizing Your Survey Data (3 hours)
This course will acquaint the student with ways to use GIS to research project locations and catalog past projects. The use of ArcGIS will be discussed as well as what research information is available to you. The course will explain how GIS works, show what types of information is available and how that information can be used to aid research projects. Ultimately, it should encourage more surveyors to get involved with using ArcGIS.
Instructor Mike Whitling, P.S.M., is the County Surveyor for Miami-Dade County and has been employed in surveying for Miami-Dade County for 37 years. He holds degrees in Land Surveying and Civil Engineering from Miami-Dade College and has been a licensed Surveyor since 1989. Mr. Whitling is currently the Immediate Past-President of FSMS. Prior to his present position he served as Vice-President for three years, Director for 8 years and twice served as President of the Miami-Dade County Chapter of The Florida Surveying and Mapping Society. Mr. Whitling teaches Surveying and Autocad for Surveyors at the University of Miami, Florida International University, and Miami-Dade College. He has been a technical instructor for Florida Surveying and Mapping Society for many years. Mr. Whitling is also certified as an instructor of insurance education in the area of Surveying Legal Descriptions. He has written many articles for The Florida Surveyor which have been published in other State Association publications as well. He has received the following awards: Jim Bennett Board Member of the Year, Professional Development of the Year, Perry C. McGriff Outstanding Professional Award for Civic Contribution, and H. O. Peters Surveyor of the Year.
Land and Boundary Information Systems (3 hours)
This Course will acquaint the student with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Land Boundary Information System (LABINS) website. Emphasis will be on the general content, maneuvering, answering specific questions and data available. After an overview of the program contents the audience will be encouraged to ask questions about the program. It is the intent of the instructors to use this time to assist the user to be more comfortable in the obtaining and use of the data available on LABINS. When the user/student is aware of proper procedures in obtaining data from LABINS he will be more apt to profit from its use. The program has from its inception been geared to providing data to the land surveyor and continues to add data sets that will enable him/her to better serve the client.
Instructor W. Lamar Evers, P.L.S, is a Professional Land surveyor registered in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and North Carolina. He is employed by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, Division of State Lands, Bureau of Survey and Mapping as the Mean High Water (MHW) and LABINS Program Manager.
He is a Life Member of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society (FSMS), a member of the Alabama Society of Professional Land Surveyors, Mississippi Association of Professional Surveyors, Surveying and Mapping Society of Georgia, Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors, American Association for Geodetic Surveying, American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and a Fellow Member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors. He has served as Vice President, President-Elect, President and Immediate Past President of FSMS. As NSPS Governor for FSMS, he served as Secretary and Chairman of the NSPS Board of Governors and the NSPS Area 4 Director. He has served on the Department of Natural Resources Public Land Survey Advisory Board, Edison Community College Technical Advisory Committee and currently serves on the Troy University Geomatics Advisory Board.
FRIDAY, February 8
Florida Statutes Chapter 177, Part 1, Platting (6 hours)
This course will focus on Florida Statutes Chapter 177, Part I, Platting. Plat Law was enacted in the legislature in 1971 and has been amended on several occasions since then. A major rewrite to the Law was effective in July 1998, with some minor modifications in 1999. This seminar will cover those sets of changes, along with a review of the long standing requirements set forth in the Law. Course topics will include plat law history, plat law revisions, the law and its practical application, setting of lot corners, Attorney General's opinions and the development of a checklist.
Instructor: Patricia "Gail" Oliver, P.S.M. is a Professional Surveyor and Mapper licensed to practice in the State of Florida. She has over 26 years of experience. In March 1979, after graduating from the First Coast Technical Institute with a Diploma in Drafting and Design - Cartography, she began her career with The Deltona Corporation at their St. Augustine Shores Development. Since that time she worked for Charles Bassett & Associates, Inc. and Crosscheck, Inc., both located in Jacksonville, Florida where she had the opportunity to participate in some high profile projects with groundbreaking technology and approaches. Gail has extensive experience in most aspects of surveying, including Boundary, Platting, Topographic, Mean High Water, Rights-of-Way, Hydrographic, and Geodetic Surveys.
Currently serving as County Surveyor for St. Johns County, Florida, Gail oversees the GIS and Survey Divisions. Gail is a former member of the Florida Board of Surveyors and Mappers, an emeritus member of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), a past president of the National Association of County Surveyors, a member of the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), and the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society (FSMS). Recently Gail obtained her certification as a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) and is now a member of the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
Introduction to GIS (6 hours)
This course relates to the "Practice of surveying and mapping" as defined in Chapter 472 F.S. in that it instructs and informs the attendee regarding the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems. The course will focus on the fundamentals and implementation of GIS within small to medium size surveying companies both internally and as a service for their clients. The instructor will present basic information on the science and analysis behind the technology and observations on becoming involved in GIS projects.
Instructor Frank Conkling is a licensed Professional Surveyor and Mapper in the State of Florida since 1984. Mr. Conkling has been mapping since 1974 and has been involved in GIS for over 20 of those years. He worked for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur, (a large landowner in Florida) for 24 years and served as their Land Information Officer and GIS administrator before his departure in 1998. His firm, Panda Consulting, was formed that year to assist its clients in efficiently implementing and integrating GIS technology into their corporate and organizational culture. Mr. Conkling has taught Surveying and Mapping at Palm Beach Community College, is a member of ESRI's Authorized Training Program and is well known throughout the Southeast United States for his many GIS training classes and workshops. Mr. Conkling is a member of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society (FSMS), Florida Association of Cadastral Mappers (FACM) and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM).
MTS- A Practical Application or Six Tips That May Help Prevent a Board Appearance (3 hours)
This course relates to the "practice of surveying and mapping" as defined in Chapter 472, Florida Statutes, as the course will discuss and review the MTS rules governing the surveying and mapping profession. The instructor will assist the class in a practical application of MTS, provide a general overview of MTS from an applied order and areas of work product, as well as aid in educating surveyors possible ways to insure proper work from start of a project to its completion.
Instructor Arthur A. Mastronicola, Jr., P.S.M., has over 32 years experience in land surveying. In addition to his responsibilities associated with field crew and office production and operation, Mr. Mastronicola is experienced in project management and review for development clients, civil engineers, Roadway projects, municipalities and private clients. He is currently registered in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Connecticut.
Art is a Past State President of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society and currently serves as the liaison from FSMS to the Florida Board of Surveyors and Mappers. This position allows Art to see many of the items that create the issues that require surveyors to appear before the Board.
Surveying and Mapping Issues - A to Z (3 hours)
This course relates to the "practice of surveying and mapping" as defined in Chapter 472, Florida Statutes, because it is designed to provide insight for the attendees on twenty-six different areas of surveying and mapping and recent developments in those areas. Many surveyors and mappers are specialists in an area without a lot of exposure to recent developments in areas in which they do not practice. This course will provide insight for all surveyors into issues with which they might not otherwise be familiar. In addition, in today's marketplace, surveyors and mappers are greatly impacted by matters affecting the real estate market in general. The course will provide attendees with brief overviews of the controversial topics that impact their profession.
Instructor Claire A. Duchemin is a member of The Florida Bar and has been in the private practice of law for twenty-six years. She earned her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, in 1977 and her law degree, with high honors, in 1980 from Florida State University. For the past twenty years, she has been involved in representing surveyors, mappers, engineers, and other design professionals in a variety of legal matters. She previously served as counsel to the Florida Engineering Society, and for the past ten years has represented the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society. She also taught for two years at the Florida State University College of Law. Ms. Duchemin has been involved in litigation at all levels of the state and federal court systems. She is a certified circuit court mediator in Florida, and she is a member of The Florida Bar and the American Bar Association.
Instructor John N. (Jack) Breed, P.S.M., is the managing principal of Keith and Schnars, P.A. Since 1978, Jack's experience has encompassed all phases of Surveying and Mapping, Environmental Sciences, Land Planning, Site Design and Agency Permitting. As a Senior Project Manager, he has provided complete project services, from planning and design through permitting and construction for commercial and industrial sites, and residential developments. As a Professional Surveyor and Mapper, he has been responsible for route/right-of-way, sectional retracement, boundary, construction, topographic, and geodetic control surveys for electric transmission lines, transportation projects, commercial and residential developments. He also has extensive experience in wetlands delineation, and accident investigation surveys. Jack's expertise in resolution of complex boundary and title problems has established him as an Expert Witness throughout the State of Florida, particularly in eminent domain proceedings. As a Partner and Managing Principal, Jack directs all corporate operations in the Central Florida area, offering Surveying and Mapping, Land Planning, Civil, Environmental, Transportation Engineering, and Geodetic Surveying Services. Jack is a past president of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society and has held numerous other offices within the Society. His other professional affiliations include the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Council; Bartow Chamber of Commerce; Polk County Builder's Association, Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church; and Chairman, Geneva Classical Academy.
SATURDAY, February 9
Florida Laws Affecting Professional Surveyors and Mappers (6 hours)
This course will focus on Florida Laws affecting professional surveyors and mappers. The practice of professional surveying and mapping is subject to many laws and rules. This course will cover Chapter 455 BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, Chapter 472 LAND SURVEYING AND MAPPING, Chapter 177 LAND BOUNDARIES, Chapter 161 BEACH AND SHORE PRESERVATION, Chapter 718 CONDOMINIUMS, and Chapter 95 LIMITATIONS OF ACTIONS; ADVERSE POSSESSION. A review of each law will be done with specific emphasis on the practical application of these laws.
Instructor Robert W. Jackson, Jr., P.S.M., is the Senior Project Manager at Calvin, Giordano & Associates, Inc. He has 40 years of experience in all phases of land surveying. He has been a licensed Surveyor since 1985. He also serves as the City of Weston and the City of West Park FEMA Administrator. Bob is highly active in professional surveying organizations and is currently serving as President Elect of FSMS. He has been an instructor for the Society teaching Florida Laws, a required six-hour course. He has helped organized golf tournaments for the last two years at the Chapter level raising approximately $10,000. Bob introduced Mr. Dwight Foster with Florida Training Services to FSMS which as a result now has vo/tech schools in both in Broward and Palm Beach Counties that further educate our technical personnel. He has been involved in the Planting Seeds Program in Broward County, introducing the students to the world of Geomatics. He has met with most all Law Enforcement in the Southern part of Florida along with the equipment manufacturers attempting to eradicate the theft problem. Prior to CGA, Bob worked for the Florida Department of Transportation as a rodman, instrument man, party chief and head of the Right-of-Way (R/W) Engineering Department Calculation Section. He is the CGA representative for the Broward Area Prestige Club, an organization that helps children and adults in need. He also volunteers at Gilda's Club, an organization for children with cancer and their families.
Instructor David W. Schryver, P.S. M., holds an A.S. Land Surveying degree from Palm Beach Junior College, graduating in 1987. He joined the firm of GCY Inc. in Palm City in 1987 and is currently a Vice President and Stockholder. He received his Professional Surveyor and Mapper license in 1990. He is a member of the Indian River Chapter serving as Secretary in 1990 - 1991, Treasurer 1991- 1992, 1995 - 1996 and 1996 - 1997 and President 1997 - 1998. He served as an FSMS District 3 Director from 1998 - 1999 and 1999 - 2000, from there David has held FSMS offices of Vice President (two terms), President-Elect and served as the 49th President of FSMS. He is a volunteer for the Stuart Police Department and completed the Martin County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program.
Surveying Safety and Wildlife in the Field (6 hours)
This course will focus on everything you have always wanted to know about venomous snakes, snake bite first aid and treatment and stinging creatures. Topics will include snake facts and fiction, snake identification and common sense do's and don'ts when a snake is in your vicinity. The West Nile Virus in mosquitoes will also be discussed as well as poison spider bites, tics (Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) and the treatment of Rabies.
Instructor Maynard H. Cox, "As Seen on National Geographic TV" Poisonous Bites Specialist, should be considered a qualified consultant in the McCullough method of aggressive serum therapy for snake bites. He has been a herpetologist for several years and understands the snake's habits, habitats, body physiology and venom chemistry. Mr. Cox holds an Associate of Science Degree from Florida Junior College of Jacksonville in Medical Laboratory Diagnostic Technology (MLT - state license). In the course of his studies he researched the aggressive serum therapy method of snake bite treatment known as the McCullough Theory. He has been able to combine his two fields of study, herpetology and laboratory technology, to train others in the McCullough Method of snake bite treatment.
Condominiums and Platting (3 hours)
Hear discussion on Chapters 718 and 177, F.S., in this exciting seminar. You'll cover examples of the different condominiums, what is required and what is left to the lawyers and clients. The seminar will also cover the procedure for filing a Condominium with the state and county governments along with a time frame of how this will be accomplished. Learn what documents will be expected and how to not duplicate work, as well as the individual county requirements and how to apply them, and substantial completions and Affidavits. The seminar will also provide examples of plats, the basic requirements, and what should be included on your plat, as well as where to look in your county's regulations in order to present the plat to the governing body for approval. What happens if you discover a mistake? This seminar will also cover what to do if you discover a mistake after the plat has been recorded, affidavits for setting corners and PCPs and bonding.
Instructor Jennie W. Brannon, P.S.M has been a licensed Florida Professional Surveyor and Mapper since 1991. Jennie's father was a Registered Surveyor and Geological Engineer in the states of West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland and Kentucky. She started working for her father in High School and continued after leaving college. She attended Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio and West Virginia University, studying Engineering. Jennie joined WilsonMiller, Inc. in 1996 and performs boundary, topographic and tree surveys, plats, condominium plats and right-of-way control surveys. Jennie is a member of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society, a past president of the Manasota Chapter and a past Director from District 5.
Red Cross - First Aid (3 hours)
This course is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and skills necessary to give care in an emergency, help sustain life and minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness until medical help arrives. It will demonstrate how to care for a muscle, bone or joint injury, how to control bleeding and identify the signals of head, neck and back injuries and how to care for them. It will also demonstrate how to check an unconscious and conscious person for life-threatening and non life-threatening conditions and identify the signs and symptoms of sudden illness, including stroke, diabetic emergency, poisoning and allergic reactions and describe how to care for them.
Instructor will be a Tampa Bay Certified Red Cross Trainer.
Click here to register online.