Hotel

Perdido Beach Resort
27200 Perdido Beach Blvd
Orange Beach, AL 36561
(251) 981-9811

July 1-3, 2024

Room Block

ASPLS has contracted room rates beginning at $319 per night. Book your rooms early for the best options. 

Update April 12, 2024: Our room block is nearly sold out, so the hotel is requesting you call your reservation in: The number is 251-981-9811. Give the reservation agent the group code 20280.

Click this link to view room availability (limited to the nights of July 1, 2 and 3):

https://perdidobeachresort.book.pegsbe.com/promo?propertyCode=1888&accessCode=20280

Registration

Members $425 (or $125 per session)

Non-Members $525 (or $145 per session)

All posted rates are early registration discounts, and will increase after May 1, 2024. If you are registering for 3 or fewer sessions, you will save money by registering under the Individual session event option.

Schedule

Monday, July 1, 2024

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: ASPLS Board Meeting

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Exhibitors Set Up

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

7:00 AM: Registration, Exhibits, Breakfast

8:00 AM – 11:30 AM Session 1A “The Art of Land Surveying as a Team” – Panel (3.5 PDH)

8:00 AM – 11:30 AM Session 1B “Easements” part 1 – Thomas Brooks (3.5 PDH)

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Lunch

12:30 PM – 4:00 PM Session 2A “Effective Marketing Professional Services” (3.5 PDH)

12:30 PM – 4:00 PM Session 2B “Easements” part 2 – Thomas Brooks (3.5 PDH)

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Committee Meetings (1 PDH) 

8:00 PM Free ice cream for families

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

7:00 AM: Registration, Exhibits, Breakfast

7:30 AM – 11:30 AM Session 3A “Standards of Practice: How I Do It” – Kevin Hinkle/Jason Bailey (4.0 PDH)

8:00 AM – 11:30 AM Session 3B “Field Maintenance” – Bucky Lawley (3.5 PDH)

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Lunch

12:30 PM – 4:00 PM Session 4A “Insurance Tips + Ethics” – Ron Simpson/Kevin Hinkle (3.5 PDH)

12:30 PM – 4:00 PM Session 4B “Safety” – Thomas Brooks (3.5 PDH)

Registration 

Full registration: Available to members and non-members. Discounted early registration through May 1, 2024 Online Registration; Print Registration.

Individual session registration: Best for those that only want to attend THREE OR FEWER sessions.  Discounted early registration through May 1, 2024 Online Registration; Print Registration.

Exhibitor Registration: A limited number of table top exhibits are available to companies to display products and services for land surveyors and engineers. A table with one attendee is $600 for members; $650 for non-members.  Additional attendees are $300 per person. Register online or see Print Registration.

ASPLS Cancellation Fees: On or before June 21: $25. June 22 or after: No refunds.

Session Descriptions and Speaker Bios

Session 1A: The Art of Land Surveying "Bringing Common Sense to Accepting or Setting Survey Corners"

This seminar will attempt to present the case for the “Art of Land Surveying”, based on long standing principles of the rights of the entryman and case law. Where the entryman is occupying property based on the good faith effort of the original surveyor, that used different standards and technology to locate the property description on the surface of our earth. My belief is much of this information may come as a surprise to many recently licensed surveyors’ that only studied the science of surveying. Many older surveyors had a mentor that taught us as apprentices the Art of Surveying. This system is for the most part lacking today which has resulted in the multiple corner dilemma and many court cases that should never happen. As Paul Harvey said many times this is the “Rest of the Story”. Topics Covered: Understanding the Accuracy of the Original Surveys; Recognizing Evidence; Searching the Paper Trail; When Can I Accept the Original Corner?; When is it OK to Set a New Corner?; Accepting the Fact that the Record Distances will Never Fit Perfectly; The New Standard of Proof Outline in Chapter XI of 2009 BLM Manual; Did I provide a Product that will Keep me out of Court; Did I Serve my Client and His Neighbor Professionally?

Speakers: Milton Denny & Kevin Hinkle

Milton E. Denny is a registered surveyor in six states, and a veteran of land surveying, aerial mapping and GIS. His special interest has always been in project development and management of firms. He is a past president of the Alabama Society of Professional Land Surveyors, a Fellow in the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and served for many years on the Board of Direction. Mr. Denny is the author of many manuals dealing with surveying, mapping and GIS. He is a nationally known speaker and lecturer on these subjects and wrote a column called “The Business Side” for a trade magazine for many years. He was instrumental in the starting of a new member organization in the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping called the “Geographic and Land Information Society”.

Kevin Hinkle has 35 years of surveying experience and is a partner at Montgomery & Hinkle in Tuscaloosa. Currently serving as President of ASPLS, has served on the ASPLS Board for over 8 years, served as Public Relations Committee Chair for 5 years. Licensed in Alabama.

Session 1B and 2B: Right-of-Way and Easement, Finding, Locating and Describing

This course will explore the various types of encumbrances that can be placed on real property in the form of right-of ways or easements. The course will help the surveyor recognize encumbrances both in the written record and by physical evidence on the property. The course will delve into the methods for describing right-of-ways and easements and help the surveyor determine the best method based on the type of right-of-way or easement.

Thomas W. Brooks, Jr, Survey Manager for EnSite USA. He has over 34 years experience as a Professional Land Surveyor (AL #17521). He is also a licensed Surveyor in 18 other states. Thomas is responsible for the routing, detailed mapping, property master development, describing and platting for major transportation pipelines. This responsibility requires a detailed knowledge of how existing rightof-ways, easements and other types of encumbrances impact the placement of new easements. Thomas has taught continuing education courses in Right-of-ways, Standards, Photogrammetry Support, and other topics throughout the Southeast as well as at NSPS National Conferences.

Session 2A: Effective Marketing of Professional Services For Engineers and Surveyors in the 21st Century

This seminar is designed to show you how to improve your marketing and public relations efforts to increase business. Included is information on how to find and win the jobs that will keep your company growing profitably. Also, there is information on writing good proposals and doing great presentations. This seminar will contain examples of marketing materials for you to develop. Part of this presentation will be how to use the internet effectively, including how to design an effect web site. If you plan to be in business in the 21st century, this seminar is a must!

Speaker Milton Denny (bio in Session 1A).

Session 3A: Standards of Practice How I Do It

Looking at the Standards of Practice and incorporating the following more indepth: Deeds – Current deed and past deeds to figure out how the property got to be what it is; Old evidence – new evidence; Pitfalls; Historical Aerial Photos; Displays in CAD. 

Speaker Kevin Hinkle (bio in Session 1A).

Session 3B: Field Maintenance

Increase Accuracy with field maintenance; Tripods; Rods; Prisms; Bipods; Total Stations; Robots; GNSS; Proper calibration for all.

Speaker Charles (Bucky) Lawley is a versatile professional at Transit and Level Clinic, Inc., holding roles in sales, support, service, and as the President of the company. With a diverse skill set, he contributes significantly to the operations and success of surveying professionals especially in regards to their use and maintenance of field equipment.

Session 4A: Insurance Tips + Ethics

The course will explain what is covered by Professional Liability Insurance and how it functions in conjunction with your General Liability Insurance coverage. What major insurance needs are NOT covered by Professional Liability and how a firm needs to plan for risks such as Cyber Liability and Cyber Crime. There will be a discussion on how Design Firms and using basic services contracts can limit the severity and scope of claim. How you need to review client contracts for insurability. Will discuss the role of Limitation of Liability forms. Will discuss other insurance needs of firms such as Workers Compensation, Equipment coverage, Non Owned Auto and other miscellaneous coverages. There will be a discussion of how you need to structure your Professional Liability to handle your eventual retirement. The course will be highly interactive so come with your insurance questions. 

Ron Simpson has worked for Alabama Insurance Exchange since 1978 with an emphasis in handling Design Professional Insurance for Architects, Engineers and Surveyors…as well as other industries. Ron is actively involved with Design Professional Contracts and offers advice to avoid potentially uninsurable contracts. Ron also actively works with clients for other insurance needs such as Property, General Liability, Auto and Cyber Liability exposures. Ron attended the University of Alabama and was actively involved in the Insurance Society while there. Ron lives in Jemison, Alabama.

This session will also provide one hour of Ethics presented by Kevin Hinkle as required for licensed land surveyors every year by law (bio in Session 1A).

Session 4B: Gators and Cell Phones and Snakes - Oh My!

This course will explore the various types of safety issues encountered by surveyors while on the job. It will dispel some of the myths surrounding on the job safety, while presenting some methods to increase work safety. It will work to enforce the idea that everyone should be able to go home at the end of the workday. Outline: Job Safety Analysis; Transportation issues – Automobiles, Boats, ATV’s\UTV’s.;  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); Weather – Heat Stress and Hypothermia; Critters that bite or shoot; Proactive steps.

Speaker Thomas W. Brooks Jr. (bio in Session 1B).