I am currently researching the role of the County Surveyor in Arkansas, but was also interested in feedback from across the country on this board. So if you have the time please respond to some or all of the following questions:
- Does the office of the County Surveyor exist in your state? (Please mention what state)
- If so, is it an elected or appointed position?
- What role - if any - does the office play in county government?
- Do you have a state association of County Surveyors?
- Are you a member of the National Association of County Surveyors?
Thank you for your time and I appreciate your feedback!
Michael,
In California it exists, statutorily within the Government Code.
It is an elective position unless appointive by County Ordinance. Currently, only one County is elective (not mine).
The position is that of a County Officer, in that it is at-will.
There is a Committee of the County Engineers Association of California for County Surveyors.
I am not a member of NACS.
Hi Michael, I am in Idaho. Ada County, the capital of Idaho is Boise, where I am located. Also largest concentration of population in state. It is an appointed position by the county commissioners. I am a member of the Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors and also of member of the National Association of County Surveyors (NACS). We have an active part of the government, planning and zoning, flood issues and other projects approved and authorized by the commissioners. There are 44 counties in Idaho, about 4 of them have appointed full time surveyors and others are contract based. Thanks, Jerry.
I should hasten to add that, in California, the County Surveyor reviews all subdivision maps for compliance with the Subdivision Map Act, reviews all Records of Survey for compliance with the Professional Land Surveyors' Act, files Corner Records, indexes all the above, prepares or approves descriptions for right of way acquisitions, approves descriptions for annexations, and responds to inquiries relating to County maintained property. The CS is the designated responsible official for the preservation of existing control monuments for the establishment of property lines within public rights of way. When litigation ensues with the County as a party, the CS provides expert testimony, although that quite often is through Declarations during the pre trial motions.
Michael Daniels, post: 426820, member: 11731 wrote: I am currently researching the role of the County Surveyor in Arkansas, but was also interested in feedback from across the country on this board. So if you have the time please respond to some or all of the following questions:
- Does the office of the County Surveyor exist in your state? (Please mention what state)
- If so, is it an elected or appointed position?
- What role - if any - does the office play in county government?
- Do you have a state association of County Surveyors?
- Are you a member of the National Association of County Surveyors?
Thank you for your time and I appreciate your feedback!
I am the "Elected" County Surveyor in Fayette County, Kentucky (Lexington). About the only benefits I get are people thinking I will come out and survey their property for free....sarcasm off...this is my second term and they have been trying to have a state association for awhile now...some county surveyor's in Kentucky have an office in their respected County court house....I do not have that privilege...
Michael Daniels, post: 426820, member: 11731 wrote: I am currently researching the role of the County Surveyor in Arkansas, but was also interested in feedback from across the country on this board. So if you have the time please respond to some or all of the following questions:
- Does the office of the County Surveyor exist in your state? (Please mention what state)
No. Virginia
No, nh, maine and vermont
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Oregon has County Surveyors. Some are elected, some are appointed. County option. Either way the person must be licensed and resident in the county to qualify. There have been times in a couple of counties were they have been unable to find a person so qualified.
In the more populous counties they have budgets and staff, some more, some less. Some less populated counties have no funding whatever.
They have an organization called "OACES". Google it.
So it is a full time job?
For the populous Counties in California, yes. Supported by fees for map review and processing, supplemented by General Fund.
In Louisiana from what I know, the answer is no.
But I have seen plats from about 90-100 years or so, that were done by a surveyor who signed "Parish Surveyor" under his signature. I asked someone about this once and I was told that back then there was a Parish Surveyor and Engineers too. Sometimes they were the same. I can think of two gentlemen that has this designation on their plats. I was also told that the original ordinances creating these positions may be still on the books but no one is interested in reviving them.
I know that Orleans Parish (New Orleans) had Parish/City Surveyors in the 19th century. There is no such office now.
rberry5886, post: 426840, member: 232 wrote: I am the "Elected" County Surveyor in Fayette County, Kentucky (Lexington). About the only benefits I get are people thinking I will come out and survey their property for free....sarcasm off...this is my second term and they have been trying to have a state association for awhile now...some county surveyor's in Kentucky have an office in their respected County court house....I do not have that privilege...
Ok it's time for the big question?
Since your elected, how much was it to run a campaign as far as financing?
Did you have media ads? Did you have lawn signs? How many?
Or did you just qualify and have your name/party affiliation on the ballot.
I guess this is all public record.
Washington state
Of all the counties in the state, less than half are represented by county surveyors.
There is no state requirement for a county surveyor, so duties and responsibilities are as varied as the counties, unlike the county engineer.
The position is appointed, I know of no elected surveyor positions in the state. Washington state Does have a state surveyor organization, and I am a member of the NSPS as well as the national county surveyors.
In my county, the office of the county surveyor exists under the umbrella of public works, and I operate closely with the county engineer, the construction manager, the director of public works and the floodplain manager. My duties encompass legal boundary work, county construction projects, county control networks, and plat review and document research.
Hopefully this is of some help.
No longer a county surveyor position in my home county of Harrison in Texas. There are others that I know of around the state including the county to the south of Harrison. I presume they are transitioning out
Robert Hill, post: 426851, member: 378 wrote: Ok it's time for the big question?
Since your elected, how much was it to run a campaign as far as financing?
Did you have media ads? Did you have lawn signs? How many?
Or did you just qualify and have your name/party affiliation on the ballot.
I guess this is all public record.
Ok, two minute google and found out that you ran unopposed. So did some other offices like magistrates etc. You received 5k+ votes. Interesting that about 100k voted so 95k abstained in the County Surveyor ballot.
So I guess that you just filed.
Ah Isn't America great! And this was in 2014!
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I am proudly serving as the elected county surveyor in a small county in Colorado. Currently, the position is only funded for the purpose of filing "land survey plats", so there really is no funding, but I do various jobs as requested by the county, on an hourly rate basis - similar to current market rate - about $175 per hour.
- the position of county surveyor is required by Constitution (over half the counties ignore this requirement, even though there are qualified surveyors available in every county).
- I am not a member of the National Association of County Surveyors.
- I am a member of the Colorado Association of County Surveyors.
- There are many POSSIBLE duties listed in the statutes. However, everything a county surveyor does must be authorized by the board of county commissioners, and this requirement effectively nullifies most of the county surveyors in the state.
- I did enjoy a fully funded salary authorized by my commissioners for 20 years, where in my opinion, the office was utilized effectively, for the benefit of the public and the profession, as it should be I would say that one of the most significant duties was to check and review all subdivision plats for math and statute compliance.
- I have served 16 county commissioners - but I would describe 3 or 4 of them as openly hostile to me and my position. Unfortunately, there was a 2 year period where all three sat on the same board, and we cordially agreed to put me on "as needed" basis, instead of salary, a few years ago. Most county commissioners eliminate all funding for county surveyors to "save taxpayer money", while hiring low bid surveyors to provide far less public service for far more taxpayer money. When the county commissioners MANAGE, OR MICROMANAGE the profession of surveying, you get both widespread neglect, and very inefficient service.
- I am convinced that our founding fathers had a fine vision when they enacted the very concept of private and government surveyors working together. Our society takes this vision completely for granted.
- The average county employee has no idea what surveyors do, and think very little of their county surveyor.
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In Oregon it's probably around 40% appointed and 60% elected. Oregon has 36 counties and in some of the rural areas there may be one surveyor holding down the part-time job for a couple of counties. More as a labor of love than a way to make a living. More populous counties will have a fully staffed office.
Duties mandated by state law include-
Review surveys submitted for filing by land surveyors.
File and index surveys in the public survey records;
Maintain the public survey records and provide research tools to view and provide copies of these public records;
Review and approve land divisions (partition, condominium and subdivision plats);
File and index same in the public survey records;
Restore and maintain Public Land Survey corners;
I'm a member of both the Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon and the Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors. I'm not a member of the National Association of County Surveyors.
I serve as the appointed County Surveyor in a small Idaho County. Most of the time I review Plats for compliance with code but occasionally get to dive into some dun questions on rights-of-way. Not a member of any County Surveyors org but i am a member of PLSO and NSPS.
Robert Hill, post: 426879, member: 378 wrote: Ok, two minute google and found out that you ran unopposed. So did some other offices like magistrates etc. You received 5k+ votes. Interesting that about 100k voted so 95k abstained in the County Surveyor ballot.
So I guess that you just filed.
Ah Isn't America great! And this was in 2014!
That was my second term...50,667 votes and I ran unopposed in 2010 also....Daniel Boone was the first County Surveyor here, and Squire Boone was County Surveyor some time after.....All that you need here to run for County Surveyor is a Survey License and $50.00..
rberry5886, post: 426914, member: 232 wrote: That was my second term...50,667 votes and I ran unopposed in 2010 also....Daniel Boone was the first County Surveyor here, and Squire Boone was County Surveyor some time after.....All that you need here to run for County Surveyor is a Survey License and $50.00..
Cool
So you get to wear a coonskin hat?
That sounds like it is worth getting involved in politics.
