It sucks that they didn't answer his questions.
> Keith has a response
I think it must be just dawning on Keith that the BLM generates far more questions than answers. After a lifetime of dedicated service he may be having difficulty dealing with that.
Boundary surveying is frequently more about managing risk and dealing with personalities than it is about applying strict rules. That's something that government is not good at.
Haven't always been a big fan of MLB's, but the man could always turn a phrase. From Keith's RPLS thread:
"Keith- the horse you are beating has long since gone to the taxidermist."
Don
I think that this response is the correct one;
“However, differences in professional opinions are justifiable if the official survey conforms to the Manual and is legally defensible.”
You cannot make a rule that is going to cover every instance. You can only do your professional best and make damn sure you can defend your decisions.
didn't click the link
but from the responses here...it seems like his long awaited reply for his letter about the most important topic of surveying history was a
'Pffft" letter from the BLM.
It would do a lot of good and make a world of difference if the BLM while doing what they refer to as a "Dependent Resurvey" would actually do a Dependent Resurvey by using all of the local evidence available, including accepting corners of common report. Any mess the BLM often leave behind them after completing their Dependent Resurveys should be considered criminal and subject to severe legal consequences by those who directed and accepted the results. Without accountability little will change or any problems they create ever admitted to.
jud
I thought his letter to the BLM was well written.
The response from the BLM just reminded me of an old Firesign Theater sketch from the '70's about the New Model Government. Oh well.
> It would do a lot of good ... if the BLM .... would actually do a Dependent Resurvey by using all of the local evidence available, including accepting corners of common report....
If they used local CFEDS surveyors to do them, that would likely be what they would get.
A large part of our population today have trouble dealing with anyone who calls a spade a spade, that includes some on this board. Then there are those who, for whatever reason have on numerous occasions used that part of Kieth's character as a tool to bait him into a response that gets him banned. Were justice the intent, the ones instigating that, should be the ones condemned and banned. Don't always agree with him and sometimes he causes some anger but he is also is a man strong enough to say what he means and defend it with wisdom, he also holds strong values that are worthy of my respect. We probably would not socialize much were we closer together but I still like the guy and have found out that what he says was worth saying.
jud
> .....Then there are those who, for whatever reason have on numerous occasions used that part of Kieth's character as a tool to bait him into a response that gets him banned. Were justice the intent, the ones instigating that, should be the ones condemned and banned.
I agree with all you said, and Keith has some good convictions and loves surveying. He tells it like he sees it. However, he baits/baited as many as baited him.
Isn't blaming everyone else for him getting banned like a guy with anger management issues saying 'she made me do it'? I mean Keith is a grown boy. He needs/needed to control some of his outbursts.
Having said that, don't get me wrong. I liked him too. I just think he needed to learn to control himself on this forum better. Wendell had to do what he saw fit to deal with these issues.
Just some of my thoughts.
> A large part of our population today have trouble dealing with anyone who calls a spade a spade, that includes some on this board. Then there are those who, for whatever reason have on numerous occasions used that part of Kieth's character as a tool to bait him into a response that gets him banned. Were justice the intent, the ones instigating that, should be the ones condemned and banned. Don't always agree with him and sometimes he causes some anger but he is also is a man strong enough to say what he means and defend it with wisdom, he also holds strong values that are worthy of my respect. We probably would not socialize much were we closer together but I still like the guy and have found out that what he says was worth saying.
> jud
[sarcasm]Keith's banned "cuz the intigators baited him"?[/sarcasm]:-P
Uh huh. Weren't you just typing something about "accountability"?
Carry on.
Sure did. Must have missed point about who should have been held accountable.
jud
I don't think you and Keith are too far off. All Keith was looking for was a statement from the BLM explaining that the mathematical center of the section isn't always the legal center of the center, and the same for 1/16th corners, etc.
It appears from his letter than he recently testified on behalf on a surveyor who was brought before the Utah BOR for accepting PLSS monuments that varied too far from their mathematically perfect solutions. So, it seems that Keith is actually defending surveyors who use their professional judgement, as opposed to the one-size-fits-all approach. Hopefully, Keith will let us know how the Utah BOR rules. If the BLM took Keith's advice, and cleared up the confusion, it might avoid surveyors in the future putting their license at risk for holding monuments over measurements.
It wasn't the Utah licensing board, it was the Idaho board. They issued their decision/opinion last spring, and currently we are expecting the decision from the district court later this month (the licensing boards opinion was appealed).
When the case is finally done (barring appeal to the Idaho supreme court) there will be plenty to be revealed and discussed.
Maybe the BLM has more important work to do.
It is important for the BLM to understand and practice according to their own manual. It must be embarrassing to have one of your own call you out. I'm sure in today's govt it would be disciplinary action if a current employee were to do so.
well, I am as big a survey nerd as the next guy, but I have to say, this looks to me like somebody feels they are being disrespected and is having a hissy fit over it.
I'm curious to know just how many survey projects across the country are having the same problems?
When state boards (pl) start insisting that the bogus theory is the correct way to survey and pointing to the manual isn't it time for the custodian of the manual to give an opinion? Or are the inmates running the asylum?
...and FLA is one of the states where the bogus theory is practiced by the BLM. "From this cor. (the bogus cor.) a conc post, 5 ins sq., firmly set, projecting 1 in. above the ground, with aluminum cap mkd. PROPERTY CORNER CENTER SEC 8-14-24 REG PUB SUR NO 1577 1969, bears N 15 06 W, 70.7 ft. dist"