WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Opening General Session                  1.5 pdh Video Recording - General Sessions & Breakout 1 All Day

Trent Keenan, President and Founder, Diamondback Land Surveying/ West Coast Get Kids Into Survey -  "Mapping the Path for the Next Generation".  Participants in this session will gain invaluable insights into the evolving field of land surveying and the strategies essential for nurturing and involving the upcoming generation in the field of land surveying. We will discuss the Get Kids Into Survey initiative and all the outreach possibilities currently available. We will take a look at what programs are available to help train the next generation of land surveyors. By the end of the session, attendees will be inspired to take an active role in shaping the future of land surveying through mentorship and collaborative efforts. Video Recording

Download>> ISPLS -Mapping the Path- Outreach Presentation 2024.pdf

10:00 am-11:30 am             General Session                                  1.5 pdh  

Trent Keenan, President and Founder, Diamondback Land Surveying/ West Coast Get Kids Into Survey - "Roundtable: Public Awareness/ Outreach/Workforce Development".  This roundtable discussion promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of how the land surveying community can proactively address its most pressing challenges. It is an opportunity to shape the future of the profession and ensure its relevance and vitality for years to come.

Download>> ISPLS - Round Table 2024.pdf

10:00 am-11:30 am             General Session                                  1.5 pdh  

Trent Keenan, President and Founder, Diamondback Land Surveying/ West Coast Get Kids Into Survey - "Roundtable: Public Awareness/ Outreach/Workforce Development".  This roundtable discussion promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of how the land surveying community can proactively address its most pressing challenges. It is an opportunity to shape the future of the profession and ensure its relevance and vitality for years to come.

1:30 pm-3:00 pm                  Breakouts                                                                

     1.  Mitch Duryea, PLS, Duryea & Associates      1.5 pdh
          "Business Part A".  The professional land surveyor is well trained, educated and experienced in the technical aspects of our profession. How to be a business owner is not often included in his technical training or education. Running a business requires a different skill set that is usually learned through experience and typically not formal training or education. While most professional surveyors work in small organizations, the experience running a business is limited. Most learn through trial and error. Mr. Duryea is one of these typical surveyors. In this presentation, he will share his experiences in his on-going 30 plus year learning process of running a successful surveying and mapping firm.

Using the analogy that a “Business is Like a Bus”, Mr. Duryea will share lessons learned in running a small surveying and mapping business. The section “What Type of Bus do you Have” will address the difference between a business compared to being self-employed in addition to a brief discussion different type of business structures. The second section, “Where is Your Bus Going” will address the basic business principles of the Mission Statement and the Business / Marketing Plan. Section three, “Do You Have the Right People on the Bus” will discuss recruiting and retaining good employees and the role of consultants that are necessary for successful businesses. Section four “Are the Right People in the Right Seats” will look at staff utilization by skill sets and abilities. The final section, “When to Get Off the Bus” will introduce the topic of exit strategies for the owner.

Download>> Mitch Duryea - Session 1 - YOUR BUSINESS IS LIKE A BUS.pdf

     2.  Bob Green, Frontier Precision             1.5 pdh
"Survey Ground Control".   This session will focus on various survey workflows to establish both project control and aerial ground control for traditional and drone sensor technology. We will discuss techniques such as static analysis, PPK, RTK and Precise Point Positioning solutions such as RTX. The presentation will review legacy control methodology coupled with space-based correction services of today and tomorrow. The session will also include a section on accuracy vs precision and their effects on various statistical reporting metadata.     

Download>> ISPLS Ground Control Techniques.pdf                   

3:30 pm-5:00 pm                  Breakouts                                                                
     1.  Mitch Duryea, PLS, Duryea & Associates        1.5 pdh Video Recording
  "Boundary Cases".  Most Land Surveyors are well versed in the basis of Boundary Control & Legal Principles based on various books and publications like written Curtis Brown and others.  This session will look at some special case boundary and easement issues that require advanced applications of those principles.  Case studies from over 30 years of experience will be presented.

Download>> Mitch Duryea - Sesssion 2 - Boundary Surveys - Hatch Road.pdf

Mitch Duryea - Sesssion 2 - Boundary Surveys - Ritzville.pdf

Mitch Duryea - Sesssion 2 - Boundary Surveys -KFC and Wendys.pdf

     2.  Brian Anderson, Assurance Risk Managers        1.5 pdh   Video Recording
  "Insurance for Surveyors".  An introduction to the various insurance policies & coverages, and why you may need them

Downloads>> NSPS Complete Packet WRITEABLE.pdf
land surveying insurance program.pdf

EandO coverage.pdf

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29

8:00 am-9:30 am                 General Session 1.5 pdh Video Recording - All Morning

Mitch Duryea, PLS, Duryea & Associates - "The Art of Writing Legal Descriptions".  Surveying has been defined as a “Science, Technology and Art”. The Professional Land Surveyor is often asked to provide legal descriptions as a part of their projects. And while there are not many texts on the subject, there are some basic principles of right ways and wrong ways along with our company policies. This course, “The Art of Writing Legal Descriptions” will be a discussion-based course with examples of good, bad & ugly legal descriptions. Focus will be on proper wording required to convey the clear intent of the parties without introducing ambiguities. The workbook, Writing Legal Descriptions, written by Mr. Duryea will be used through this class. This booklet will be available for purchase for $25. All proceeds from sale of the booklet will be donated to the Idaho State University Geomatics program.   

Download>> Mitch Duryea - Session 3 - WRITING LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS.pdf                       

10:00 am-12:00 pm             General Session       2 pdh   
Mitch Duryea, PLS, Duryea & Associates - "The Art of Writing Legal Descriptions" (continued)

12:00 pm-1:30 pm                Lunch Sponsored by Frontier 1 pdh Precision “General Overview – DOPL Updates and ZBR” – Facilitated by ISPLS President Aaron Ballard, with Jessica Spoja, DOPL.  This presentation will be informational only, without Q&A.         

Video Recording - DOPL Update and Water Boundaries Breakouts

1:30 pm-3:00 pm                  Breakouts                                                                
          1.  Evan Page & Brian Portwood, Bonneville Power 1.5 pdh
Administration - "Water Boundaries - Pt. 1".  Thorough coverage of the basic principles one will need to know for water boundaries questions likely to be included on the PLS exam, and of the underlying concepts that these principles are built on.  Provides lists and tables as study aids for examinees.  Outline is included on Speaker Bios page.      

Download>> Water Boundaries ID - 2024.pdf      

          2.  Jim Reinbold, Carlson Software  -  1.5 pdh    Video Recording

"Advanced Carlson Topics with Q&A".  This class is targeted for more experienced CAD users. The presentation and discussion of new features and less known features that will allow users to leverage new tools to improve efficiency.

Handouts will be printed lists of 2024 improvements, Sharing Data presentation PowerPoint, Data sets and steps used for the Lesser-Known commands. Data sets will be provided on USB drives or download link.       

Download>> Sharing Data.pdf         

3:30 pm-5:00 pm                  Breakouts 

            1.  Evan Page, James A. Sewell & Associates & Brian 1.5 pdh 
Portwood, Bonneville Power Administration - "Water
Boundaries - Pt. 2"            

          2.  Jim Reinbold, Carlson Software  - 1.5 pdh "Advanced  Carlson Topics with Q&A"     

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

8:00 am-10:30 am               General Session   2 pdh

Mitch Duryea, PLS, Duryea & Associates -  "Professional and Business Ethics".  In the session “Your Business is like a Bus”, we discussed some of the mechanics of running a successful business. In this session, Mr. Duryea will present the challenge of running a business professionally and personally ethically. Topics to be presented include how to deal with clients, staff, third party consultants, Public Agencies, the Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, the Public and the often forgotten, ourselves. Topics will include Contract basics, employment agreements, and State Laws. 

Download>> Mitch Duryea - Session 4 - Professional and Business Ethics.pdf