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  • 03 Aug 2019 11:40 AM | PLSO Office (Administrator)
    Oregon Surveyor Wins NSPS Award Again!

    Congratulations to Greg Crites for winning Best Editorial from NSPS for the second year in a row! This year's entry was from Volume 41, No. 5. Click here to check it out!

    As a reminder, Greg would like to find an Assistant Editor for the magazine so that when he is ready to step down in the next year or two, the transition is seamless.

    Below is the current job description for the EDITOR position.

    Editor Job Description

    • Review/revise submissions for publication including checking of spelling, grammar and punctuation
    • Review Executive Secretary and Chair’s letter, similar to above
    • Submit Editor's letter
    • Correspondence with Executive Secretary/Chair regarding content
    • Determine article suitability in consultation with editorial committee (when necessary)
    • Consult with authors regarding clarifications/edits 
    • Fact/reference checking for content accuracy, as needed
    • Submission of articles to publisher
    • Review/edit proofs produced by publisher for layout, content and style
    • Correspond w/editor-publisher regarding revisions
    • Approve final proof prior to publication in consult w/Executive Secretary/Chair
    • Suggest article topic ideas to appropriate writers if needed

    Greg has noted that his involvement as Editor requires no more than four hours per issue.  It would also be helpful if the person who expresses interest in shadowing his position has Adobe Acrobat Professional or Bluebeam review software (or suitable equivalent).  As he's now retired, he no longer has access to this, or any other .pdf file editor. 

    Please email Aimee McAuliffe at execdirector@plso.org for more information.


  • 20 May 2019 11:01 AM | PLSO Office (Administrator)



    In Loving Memory of PLSO Founding Lifetime Member

    Clair Ernest Pense

    December 21, 1927 - May 7, 2019



    Clair Ernest Pense was born at home on Dec. 21, 1927 in Bonesteele,S.D. to parents, Charles Abraham Pense and Grace Elizabeth Pinkham Pense, and passed away at his home in Gresham, Ore. on May 7, 2019.

    His wife of over 50 years, Violet Naomi Pense; and daughter, Virginia Rae Pearce preceded him in death. He is survived by children, Cynthia June Reynolds (Bob) and Dr. Stanley Clair Pense (Sharon); 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren.

    Pense graduated from Gresham High School in 1945 and proudly served as a Submariner in World War II and the Korean War. He later attended Multnomah College (later merged with University of Portland) and attended Portland State. He served as Multnomah County Surveyor in the 1960's and later became a Land Surveyor in private practice until retirement.

    He was actively involved in his community on many levels. Pense was a founder, past president and Lifetime Charter Member of the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon, a director of the Convention of the American Congress of Surveying and Mapping, a past president of the Engineering Architect Council of Oregon, a school board member for the Centennial School District and a board member for Mt. Hood Community College and adviser for their Civil Engineering Technology Committee. He was part of the American Legion and a designer of Heroes Memorial Park at Main St. Park in Gresham, Ore.

    Pense was also keenly interested in politics as a proponent of things that promoted ethical and moral practices according to the U.S. Constitution. He would continually submit letters to public officials including our Presidents advocating that the laws were for the people and of the people, sealing the back of his letters with "In God We Trust." He served mankind well, being interested in others and loving his family and friends. He was forever teaching his great-grandchildren and very patiently learning from them as well. In fact, he was a friend wherever he went….he just loved people.

    In his retirement he enjoyed working with the Submariner Veterans Group and Willamette National Cemetery. His love of country was very passionate. His sense of humor was a treasure to all and is carried on through his family through the many stories and jokes he told.

    His family has said how proud they are of their father and grandfather, who lived knowing that his life was in his Heavenly Father's hands and are at peace knowing he is with their mother and grandmother, and most of all with His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    There will be a Celebration of Life service at 1 p.m., June 1, 2019, at Pleasant Home Community Church, 32120 Dodge Park Blvd., Gresham. A burial service will be held at 11 a.m., May 31, 2019, Willamette National Cemetery.

    In lieu of flowers, any contributions may be made to: Eagle Fern Camp, Estacada, OR 97023. Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits


  • 13 May 2019 2:01 PM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    2019 OSU Student Appreciation Dinner

    Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon - Willamette Chapter

    Annual Dinner Meeting

     

    When: Thursday, May 30; 5:30 p.m. Check-in; 6 p.m. Dinner 

    Where: The LaSells Stewart Center, Guistina Gallery

    Cost: $55 (free for current students) 

    Please join us for this special evening in honor of surveying and geomatics education.

    We will also celebrate the career of Professor Robert J. Schultz and his legendary service to education and the surveying profession over the last 56 years at Oregon State University. Dr. Ramesh Strestha from the University of Houston and National Center on Airborne Lidar Mapping (and OSU graduate) will be giving the keynote talk, "Life and Legacy of Bob Schultz"

    Click Here to Register

    (https://cce.oregonstate.edu/2019-plso-student-appreciation-dinner-registration)

     

    And from the Dean:

    "I’d like to take a moment to recognize an outstanding educator, Robert “Bob” Schultz, professor emeritus of geomatics, for his extraordinary service to our college, the university, and the people of Oregon. He recently retired after 56 years teaching. The Oregon Beach Bill, which secures public access to our state’s wonderful coastline, wouldn’t have been passed without his work and will remain his defining legacy to the public. Bob is also deeply appreciated on a personal level by those he taught, with many sharing fond memories of his high standards tempered by his willingness to give freely of his time to those who needed it."

  • 18 Mar 2019 7:50 PM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    The Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying will soon be looking to fill both its land surveyor positions on its volunteer board.

    The Governor-appointed Board consists of eleven volunteer members:

    • two members of the general public
    • two professional land surveyors
    • five professional engineers
    • one professional engineer and professional land surveyor
    • one registered photogrammetrist

    PLSO has two members that are interested in these positions, Tim Fassbender and Robert Lennox, who will be seeking the Board's endorsement. If you are also interested in applying for OSBEELS Board Membership and PLSO endorsement, please notify Chairman Shawn Kampmann.

    672.240 State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying; appointment; qualifications; officers. (1) The State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying shall operate as a semi-independent state agency subject to ORS 182.456 to 182.472 for the purpose of carrying out ORS 672.002 to 672.325. The board shall consist of 11 members appointed by the Governor as follows:

          (a) Two members shall be members of the general public.

          (b) Two members shall be registered professional land surveyors.

          (c) Five members shall be registered professional engineers.

          (d) One member shall be registered both as a professional engineer and as a professional land surveyor. However, if a qualified individual is not available, the Governor may appoint either a registered professional engineer or a registered professional land surveyor.

          (e) One member shall be a registered photogrammetrist. However, if a qualified individual is not available, the Governor may appoint either a registered professional engineer or a registered professional land surveyor.

          (2) The Governor shall appoint members to the board so that there is at least one member of the board from each congressional district in this state.

          (3) Each engineer, land surveyor or photogrammetrist member of the board shall have been:

          (a) A resident of this state for at least three years immediately preceding appointment; and

          (b) Practicing as a registered professional engineer, registered professional land surveyor or registered photogrammetrist for at least five years since the date of the individual’s initial registration.

          (4) The board shall elect biennially from among its members a president and vice president for the ensuing biennial term.


    Helpful Links:

    OSBEELS Board

    Apply for Board Membership

    Board & Commissions Page

    PLSO Bylaws Regarding Endorsement



  • 20 Jan 2019 9:32 AM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    PLSO Announces 2018 Award Winners

    Congratulations to our 2018 Award Winners! Your dedication to the professional surveying community is incredibly appreciated and respected throughout the state.


    2018 Surveyor of the Year

    Chris Glantz


    Life Membership

    Carl Clinton


    Associate of the Year

    Wes Addington


    Special Member of the Year

    Kelly Miller


    Article of the Year

    "The Lost Surveyor" column by Pat Gaylord

    September/October, July/August, May/June, March/April


    Team Player Award

    Eric Osman


    Bright Idea Award

    Rebranding Task Force


  • 14 Dec 2018 10:19 AM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    Geomatics, Math and Athletics: The Magic Success Mix for Alumna Rhonda Dodge

    Rhonda Dodge

    Name: Rhonda Dodge, Class of 2016, Klamath Falls Campus

    Degree(s): BS Geomatics/Surveying Option and BS Applied Mathematics

    Accomplishments while at Oregon Tech: Only student to ever receive NAIA recognition 6 times, Team captain for Cross Country, Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon Scholarships

    Current job title & place of employment: Oregon Department of Transportation in Salem, OR

    What did you like most about your time at Oregon Tech? I liked the small size and how focused students are on their program.

    What do you like most about your profession? I enjoy being outdoors and the math and problem solving that is involved on a daily basis. It never gets old!

    How long after graduation did it take you to find a job? After I graduated, I was encouraged by one of my professors, Jack Walker, to attend Purdue University’s graduate program in Remote Sensing. It is a 2-year program but I finished in one year while also being a TA in the surveying classes. I got my job at ODOT three months later.

    Did you participate in any intern/externships during your time at Oregon Tech? I spent a summer working at Hawaiian Electric Company in Honolulu.

    How do you feel your time at Oregon Tech prepared you for your current job/continuing studies? All of the hands-on classes at Oregon Tech really prepared me well for my job. At other schools, students learn the theory but at Oregon Tech we were actually working with the instruments starting our first year. The CAD classes were also very important for the work I do, and if I had not had those courses, I wouldn’t know what to do. Employers don’t have time to train employees so my coding classes at Oregon Tech were really important.

    Do you maintain professional relationships with any of your professors? I stay in touch with professors Mason Marker and Jeff Walker. There were only two women in my class of 12 students that graduated together and we all keep in touch and still get together.

    What advice would you give to a current student at Oregon Tech? Spend as much time with your professors outside of class, and during their office hours. They have industry experience and you can learn so much from them, even outside the classroom.


  • 19 Nov 2018 1:17 PM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    January 16-18 s Eugene

    Save money when you sign up for
    Early Bird Registration Discounts by
    December 31st...

    You can pack a lot into three days at the Annual PLSO Conference. Held in Eugene, Jan. 16-18, PLSO offers a diverse seminar schedule for required PDH hours, including nationally recognized speakers and important topics such as water boundaries, boundary evidence, adverse possession, new tax law, QBS, judicial responsibility, drone data collection and more! 

    Conference Highlights




    Discounted Hotel Room Rates Available through January 5!

    • The Hotel Eugene (formerly known as Hilton Eugene)
    66 East 6th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401 / Click for Directions
    • Discounted Rates
    Room reservations are available starting at $134+ for a Standard Room. To receive the discounted rate, call Allie Nutting at 541-342-6651 by January 5, 2019 and tell them you're with PLSO. Check-in time is 4 PM.


    Thank you to the following partners for supporting the PLSO Conference:


         
       


     


           

     

     



     

         



                   


                    

     

     

             



  • 14 Sep 2018 8:26 AM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    CALL FOR PAPERS

    FIG WORKING WEEK 2019

    22-26 April 2019 in Hanoi, Vietnam
    at Vietnam National Convention Center
    www.fig.net/fig2019

    Few countries in the world have had such a rapid development as Vietnam during the last decades. Hanoi, the city where the FIG Working Week 2019 will be held, has grown extremely quickly during the last decades. This urban transition puts intense pressure on keeping the pace with rising demands for transport, infrastructure, social services, housing, environmental controls, data management and public amenities. Further to this development, Vietnam is considered as one of the countries most affected by climate changes. Hanoi is particularly at risk as it is situated in a low-lying area near the mouth of a major and unpredictable river.

    Smart living is a major key to the fight against climate change. Spatial information, big data, surveying, BIM, land administration, real estate management and much more are essential factors in this development. The theme of the Working Week:

    Geospatial information for a smarter life and environmental resilience

    addresses these challenges that are crucial not only in Vietnam but for many all over the world.

    The three conference days will focus on how to deal with these challenges by working towards a smarter life both through the development of smart sustainable cities and the development of rural areas.

    Are you interested in presenting at FIG Working Week? Do you have an inspiring story to tell and interesting findings to present? Please check out the Call for Papers at www.fig.net/fig2019/call.htm.  

    The deadlines are coming up soon:
    Peer review abstracts AND full papers: 1 October 2018
    Non peer review abstracts: 1 November 2018 l non peer review papers: 1 February 2019

    For more information about the conference, please go to www.fig.net/fig2019

    We look forward to receiving your abstract

    Kind regards,
    Ms. Claudia Stormoen
    FIG Event and Support Manager

    International Federation of Surveyors
    Fédération Internationale des Géomčtres
    Internationale Vereiningung der Vermessungsingenieure

    Kalvebod Brygge 31-33
    DK-1780 Copenhagen V
    Tel. + 45 3886 1081
    Direct: + 45 9391 0812
    Claudia.stormoen@fig.net
    www.fig.net


  • 06 Aug 2018 3:49 PM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    Where We Live: The Willamette Stone

    It established the basis for land claims in Oregon and 

    Washington

    By: Ken Boddie   (Click for original article with photos)

        

    PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- One of Oregon's most important historical landmarks is also one of its least known.

    Surrounded by forest, down a tree-lined path in Portland's West Hills, you'll find the Willamette Stone.

    It's the exact spot where the first official government surveys were done, establishing the basis for land claims in Oregon and Washington as settlers flocked to the Oregon territory in the 1850s after the Donation Land Act.

    "And they could say, 'This is the block of land that goes to this family,' and 'This is the block of land that we're going to give to that family for them to start settlement on,' so it made a clear grid-like system that made the whole process easier," Oregon Park Ranger Deb Hill said.

    The project was led by John B. Preston, Oregon's first surveyor general. His crew used solar compasses, from the initial point to establish the Willamette Meridian and the Willamette Baseline.

    The surveyed lines run all the way from Puget Sound to California, from the Pacific Ocean to Idaho -- avoiding the Columbia River and Vancouver Lake.

    Many of the original surveys are still used today.

    Hill told KOIN 6 News, "So it's pretty amazing how accurate they were, given the time and the tools that they had."

    From a wooden stake in 1851, a stone obelisk was installed as the marker in 1885 -- the Willamette Stone. But after constant vandalism, the federal government replaced it with another marker in the 1980s. 

    The Willamette Stone State Park was established in 1945, which is where the Willamette Stone marker can be found. It's located just off Skyline Boulevard in the West Hills. It's one of 37 initial survey points throughout the U.S.

    So, when you take a look at the skylines and neighborhoods for towns in Oregon and Washington, know that it all started with the Willamette Stone.


  • 11 Jul 2018 8:10 AM | PLSO Office (Administrator)

    The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has been providing the Pacific Northwest with clean energy since 1937, and it has been responsible for surveying its infrastructure since inception.  Over the course of our 80 year history, we have been fortunate to preserve cadastral records across our seven state territory.  We are in the process of creating an ArcGIS Online (AGOL) environment where the individual cadastral records are georeferenced and original field notes can be searched.  We now have Idaho, Montana, and Oregon available for research and want to share this information with you!

    The data can be accessed through ArcGIS Online by searching for ‘BPA Cadastral’, then open the ‘APP’ icon at the bottom of the search.  You can also reach the same maps here:

    BPA Cadastral Control - Idaho

    BPA Cadastral Control - Montana

    BPA Cadastral Control - Oregon

    Please note that the location data was pulled mostly from GCDB values and should be used for research purposes only.  There is no warranty that monuments as noted should be held.  Please be sure to perform additional research and utilize this information for its’ historical value in perpetuating evidence.

    We will be periodically adding to the database, with Washington cadastral records to follow.  We continue to survey across BPA’s service area and will update current records at a regular interval, to be determined.  Please share this with others who may benefit as well.


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