The two recent columns by Lucas and Denny [POB May 2011] are spot on. Thank you for keeping the chorus going. This subject is, in my opinion, the most important conversation we can have at this time in our profession. As a county surveyor, I have the opportunity to look through the window at all of the practicing surveyors in my county. The issues described by Lucas and Denny are really happening. I am excited to see this subject make its way to the forefront.

-- Mike Jackson, via email



It’s a classic case of normalcy bias. When the affidavit in lieu of survey came along, everyone in surveying said, “The title industry is our friend and would never do that to us,” and did nothing. The practice of eliminating the surveyor spread like a wildfire or virulent disease until municipalities (in our area) stopped requiring new surveys for building permits, but the surveyors again said, “NO they wouldn’t do that,” and did nothing. Now the regulators are taking notice that surveyors just don’t care about their profession and aren’t interested in preserving it, and they figure it can just dry up and blow away. We are starting to take notice, but now the patient’s condition is terminal and the wildfire burned everything up. I figure that 85 percent of our market is gone, probably for good. And I’m worried it is too late to do anything about it.

-- Mike Vanderwalker, PLS, via email



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