Just visited the TBPLS website. Perhaps I'm behind the curve on this and everyone else already knows this, but I just saw a clarification on the home page that proposals, advertisements (including phone book listings), letterhead and plats must include the firm number.
We no longer have any rules about precision, but be sure to put your silly firm number on the plat so the world knows you really can do surveying. Bureaucrats.
Yup. The precision rule has set us back to the stone age. However, our firm number has been on our letterhead and plats since December of last year.
Don't need a firm number if you go by the name on your stamp.
0.02
In that case, I will change my name to Shield Engineering Company. But you can call me Mr. Shield E. Company. Or Mr. Company.
Not sure if the engineers have to do the same thing, but some multi-discipline companies are gonna have some interesting letterhead.
I wonder if there is a rule on minimum font size.
good point, Mr. Harris.
Dad renamed the company from J.D. Billings Land Surveying to Billings Surveying and Mapping when I became registered. I guess the "Billings" just isn't good enough.
PLEASE READ THE BOARD SITE...and the now ADOPTED RULES!!!
As a member of the Capital Area Chapter 13 Executive Committee, I was in attendance when Mr. Tony Estrada, Executive Director, visited our Chapter Luncheon back on 14 August. He discussed the proposed rules (now adopted 28 August) concerning the Firm Number. He explained ANY form of offering surveying services (check Board Rule definitions) would require the FIRM #. When another attendee offered under her breath "what about survey monument caps", I asked Tony in a louder voice. He stated "YES".
However, after he and Garey Gilley discussed the matter further, it was decided if your phone number is visible, then so shall your firm number.
That includes the survey drawing/final plat; BUSINESS CARDS; business e-mails; side of your survey chariot - if you have a logo/phone number; website, etc.
I just penned my Firm # on the back of my business cards, and I do not have a website, or signage on my survey wagon.
He mentioned also, that in the past, the Board has been a little lenient in pursuing remedies to the rule infractions. That will no longer be the case, since the rules are the rules.
Don't flame the messenger, I am just relaying what I was told.
See you in Arlington for the TSPS Convention. Look me up!
> We no longer have any rules about precision, but be sure to put your silly firm number on the plat ....
Hmmm...so what about precision on the firm number. Can it be to only 2 or 3 places?....LOL
PLEASE READ THE BOARD SITE...and the now ADOPTED RULES!!!
So just to confirm, John Law's interpretation of the rule is that the firm number is not required on my extra-double fancy plastic two-bit rebar caps?
our number is 10030900. I don't know if that's precise, but it's awfully digity.
PLEASE READ THE BOARD SITE...and the now ADOPTED RULES!!!
sounds like the "rules are the rules" are being made up on the effing fly.
After they discussed it, they decided...?!?
Not flaming you. It just blows the mind that we have serious problems in the profession, but this will be what nabs more surveyors than any other rule - because it will be extremely easy to enforce - just look in the phone book.
So you say the other guy didn't set any monuments? Well that can't really be proven.
But the Ba$+^rd didn't put his firm number on his invoice? He's gonna burn.
PLEASE READ THE BOARD SITE...and the now ADOPTED RULES!!!
Won't there be a traveling board meeting at the TSPS Convention in Arlington? I think it is open to the public even if you aren't attending the Convention. Of course, the plans for revising the rules have been on file at the Board's Field Office on Alpha Centauri for close to a century. For heaven's sake, it's only four light years away, you know. I'm sorry, but if you can't be bothered to take an interest in government affairs, that's your own problem. Energize the demolition beam. I don't know, apathetic bloody planet, I've no sympathy at all.
Think I might have started quoting Hitchhiker's Guide.
PLEASE READ THE BOARD SITE...and the now ADOPTED RULES!!!
good one Andy!
TBPLS meeting on 31 October, 1:30 - 4:00 pm @ Convention
(insert Halloween joke here)
From the TBPLS front page...get it HOT off the presses
Clarification of New Board Rule:
Use of Firm Registration Number
Many of you have asked for clarification regarding rule 661.57(1), “a firm shall not offer land surveying services to the public unless the offer of services contains the Firm Registration Certificate number.” Let’s look at the definition “offer of surveying services”, rule 663(8), which reads, “any form of advertisement for land surveying services, including but not limited to verbal offer, hard copy, electronic web site, telephone listing, written proposal or other marketing materials.”
The places the Board expects to find your Firm Registration Certification number includes:
1) Your web site
2) The telephone listing (or yellow page advertisement)
3) Your letterhead
What about your vehicles? The intent was not to have you put your registration number on your vehicle, though the rule does state “any form of advertisement for land surveying services” and if you are using the side of your truck as a billboard, then it follows that your registration number should appear there as well.
What about gimme caps, shirts or pens? Here again, the intent is that you would not have to list your firm registration number on these items. While they might be considered marketing tools, the Board also wants to be reasonable.
Aside from rules 661.3(8) and 661.57, 663.19(d) also requires that your firm registration number appear on the survey drawing, though this is not from an advertising stand-point.
Remember, if you wonder an item needs your firm registration number, consider if it is seen by the public as an offer of surveying services. If so, then it should have your firm registration number on it.
If you recently purchased letterhead or business cards, the Board does not expect for you to replace those items. You can add your firm registration number to these items by penning
So what is the point of having your number on advertisement anyway? The Board’s role, in addition to examining, licensing and disciplining licensees, is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. By displaying your number on those things that impart an offer of surveying services to the public, it implies that you have the State’s approval to conduct business as a professional land surveyor.
PLEASE READ THE BOARD SITE...and the now ADOPTED RULES!!!
However, after he and Garey Gilley discussed the matter further, it was decided if your phone number is visible, then so shall your firm number.
Actually, that was a statement made by another Chapter member at the Executive Committee mtg. held 04 Sept. in reference to additional "clarification" on the rule. That was not a quote from Tony Estrada or Garey Gilley
This is past the point of stupid.
Has there been a training seminar in the past few years that has taught these licensing boards how to implement idiotic rules and laws? The must have been, how else could these supposedly intelligent, educated, experienced "professionals" come up with such ridiculous ideas?
Good grief.
“any form of advertisement for land surveying services, including but not limited to verbal offer, hard copy, electronic web site, telephone listing, written proposal or other marketing materials.”
What?????? Are you freaking kidding me?????? Are they really saying that you can no longer tell someone what your profession is without reciting your firm number? Maybe if you tattooed it on your forehead you would be covered....................
When are we gonna take back our profession??
From the TBPLS front page...get it HOT off the presses
> What about gimme caps, shirts or pens? Here again, the intent is that you would not have to list your firm registration number on these items. While they might be considered marketing tools, the Board also wants to be reasonable.
>
...
> If you recently purchased letterhead or business cards, the Board does not expect for you to replace those items. You can add your firm registration number to these items by penning
>
Some years ago our board also made some significant rules revisions. Among the things they said was something like .... you will monument all corners ... followed by ... where you do not monument a corner instead you will....
In a seminar taught by one of the board members I objected when he explained that ...the board wants to be reasonable.
I'm sorry, the time to be reasonable is when you are writing the rules not later when you selectively decide through some sort of magic what you meant the rule to say. If the rule does not cover caps, shirts or pens, why not say in plain language exactly what the rule does cover? If you know what you meant to say, why didn't you say that in the first place?
In closing let me say I put my Firm number in on all maps, all legal descriptions, all official reports, probably most every place the TX board wants their people to put their firm number. It is a legitimate way to help the board protect the public by making sure they can trace the information back to the responsible firm. But come on guys, someone has to be better at writing the rules. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Larry P