Are we still going?
Andy, it looks like we need to help the Geologists, the Landscape Architects!
Mark,
You really do need to be a member. FSMS is always protecting your profession but it is not easy or cheap and we need every Surveyor in Florida to be members. There are strength in numbers and we can carry a louder voice with politicians with large membership. Please join now, it will be a great investment in your future.
R. Thomas Snow
FSMS Vice-President
Great letter.
Bravo!!!
I take it you're not making the trip to Tallahassee now?
I'm still on the fence... got a few calls and emails out to test the waters about if it would be worth it. If we are already off the bill, would we be able to do anything? Have you heard anything else?
Yes I have, in fact:
"GREAT news!
BUT....... but HB135 (adding price to CCNA) is still in play. Last reading was March 8. While we are all fired up and mobilized, let's kill that as well."
Sorry, but I just do not see the fsms as a benefit to the profession. Other than organize golf outings and sell CEU courses and semiars of course. If you were to be a true benefit to the professions you would not be a commercial venture but rather actually trying to benefit all of us, not just your members.
This whole affair has pointed out two big things to me. One, as a society your only real concern were you paying members. You made no other effort that I saw to inform us non-members. In a situation like this, we all mattered equally whether we paid dues or not.
Secondly, it was my impression that this bill caught you flat footed given the fact that we found out about it last Monday and other professions on the hit list seemed to have know about it for some time. So much for your legislative efforts. If you did know and elected not to inform us, you should all be hung by your private parts.
I have to admit I let my membership expire when the economy crashed, so I really have to right to lecture, but with that said, my money is on the FSMS lobbiest and FSMS leadership when it came to getting us off the bill. They worked relentlessly until they got someone to listen. I felt ignored in the attempts I made. And remember, they did do this on behalf of all surveyors, not just paying members. Whether you were on or off their email list, we just caught a big break due to their hard work.
I second Tom's advise! Join FSMS now, Mark!
Are we still going?
This is great news, but it all points to a basic problem that all surveyors in every state need to address. Why was this ever considered as a good idea by anyone?
Some here say it's the Republicans fault. That's garbage. This is not a political issue, it is an "image issue". What does the general public really think you do? What actual skills do they think you actually have?
In the old days a Surveyor's License was handed out like an extra cookie when you got your PE ticket in most states. (Well, I did take that one semester class in surveying in college so I guess I deserve that stamp too.)
How many of you posted on other sites about this issue? What was the general response? I posted on a site known to be one of the better AutoCad discussion groups around. It is inhabited by mainly civil engineering types with the occasional odd architect thrown in for good measure. The majority response was "What good is that seal anyway? It means nothing. Most of the companies just hire field guys that are drunks and drug users anyway. They don't actually do anything anyway." Nice image we portray.
All of you here have studied and worked hard to get where you are today, but what good is that if the public sees us in that light? Like I said, politics has nothing to do with it, it's how the public sees us and that is our fault.
Nothing will really change until the surveying community does something about that image. Why is it that the public sees us that way, yet the GIS guys are Gurus? What is the differance?
What are we willing to do to fix this problem? From what I have read here, if you are a surveyor in Florida, you need to support FSMS 100%. Get on that bandwagon and push them to speak for you. Loudly and with great gusto!!
Our profession is under attack and if we all sit back another bill like this one will raise its ugly head. And next time it will pass.
Yea, they can get you some great tee times!
Are we still going?
> Andy, it looks like we need to help the Geologists, the Landscape Architects!
No, I think they have been removed as well.. just got off the phone with my attorney. He said it would be highly irregular for the committee to revert to full document AND vote on it in the same meeting.
I am calling off my trip... but will remain vigilant!
F.Y.I.
A letter was sent out yesterday to all certified Land Surveyors and all survey related businesses in the State. You should be seeing one very soon.
Also a F.S.M.S. representative has been to every single workshop the committee had and spoke at each one without even a hint that we would be left in.
I found out this data today when I had lunch with one of our representatives.
We are not copied on every single e-mail or discussion that takes place by the F.S.M.S.
The defeat of this proposed bill is probably the biggest victory for any of us or of all the Survey related organizations in the State.
Just thought you might like to know.
Thanks Mongo, is there any information as to why the legislators decided to remove us?
I still am not sure. It is hard to believe that such an ill advised bill lasted as long as it did. Will post if I hear.
> I still am not sure. It is hard to believe that such an ill advised bill lasted as long as it did. Will post if I hear.
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