Kansas Professional Engineer
eNews
December 2007, Issue
4
In this Issue:
GRC
RECOMMENDS POLICY UPDATES
The KSPE Government Relations Committee (GRC)
met on November 6th at the Society office to discuss emerging
legislative issues and develop policy recommendations in advance of the 2008
legislative session. The following draft minutes have been submitted by
Committee Chairman Mike Lackey:
Government Relations Committee Meeting
Minutes of November 6, 2007
The meeting took place at the KSPE state office
at 1:00 PM.
Attendance: Mike Lackey, PE, Chairman
Ron Gaches, KSPE Executive
Director
Wade Culwell, PE, Topeka
Chapter
Brian Armstrong, PE, Topeka
Chapter
Steve Bachenberg, PE,
Eastern Chapter
Karla Waters, PE, Smoky
Valley Chapter
Ron Gaches reviewed a list of ten issues he
believed that the Committee should discuss.
Background was given on each issue. The issues
were then thoroughly discussed and a recommendation was formed as listed
below.
1) Competitive Salaries for Government Engineers
Ron Gaches will make slight revisions in
existing policy statement to update it.
2) Transportation Funding
Ron Gaches will reword existing policy to update
it and to indicate support for a new program following the present one.
3) Infrastructure Maintenance
Two of the initial issues outlined by Ron were
deferred maintenance by the regent’s institutions and reservoir water
storage. After much discussion, it was decided to recommend a new
comprehensive infrastructure maintenance policy which covered all capital
infrastructure assets. Ron will draft it.
4) Board of Technical Professions
The “Eldon Ray” issue which came up during the
last legislative session was discussed. After much discussion, it was
decided that no policy was needed for KSPE to support licensing laws and
that a better method was needed to handle this subject. Education of
Legislators, Board of Technical Professions response and actions were
considered. It was decided that that Mike Lackey will address this issue
with the KSPE Board.
5) Math and Science Education
The committee decided it needed more information
on current efforts and more background on this issue. Ron will email
resource material to the committee.
6) Graduated Drivers License
KSPE supported this issue in last years
Legislature with blessing of the KSPE Board. It was decided that we should
continue but should have a written policy that Ron will draft.
7) Licensing of Home Inspectors
The issue came up last session and Ron was able
to get PE’s exempted. It was decided that we did not need a policy as this
was considered business as usual in protecting our field of work.
8) NCEES Proposal on Future Licensing
The NCEES proposal to require a degree plus 30
hours or a graduate degree as a requirement for future licensing and whether
the state Board should adopt it generated a long discussion. After many
questions, it was decided that we needed more information before we could
make a recommendation. Ron will send more information.
9) State Energy Policy
The ongoing controversy on the Sunflower power
plant permit was discussed which lead to a discussion on the lack of policy
in other energy areas. It was decided that Ron will draft an all
encompassing policy statement including conservation, renewable sources and
the need to base decisions on scientific, fact based data.
A brief discussion was held on the current
actions of KDOT in declassifying engineering positions in order to pay
competitive salaries. Under current civil service restrictions, it is about
their only relief. It was decided that a close monitoring of the activity
should be done to insure that it is not abused by selecting non engineers
for engineering positions as has been done in other states.
The committee discussed that more members were
needed to take part in our meetings and that we should meet more often.
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NSPE MEMBERSHIP INVESTMENT
by Jerry Younger, P.E., KDOT
It’s that time of the year again when I receive
the familiar envelop from NSPE asking me to shell out $300± for another year
of NSPE/KSPE membership. Like all KDOT employees that $300 ultimately comes
out of my disposable income, money I could spend elsewhere on normal
household expenses, or just having fun. So, before writing that check, I, in
typical engineer fashion, always spend some time reflecting on the “return”
I’ve received from my previous annual membership “investments.”
I’ve had the fortune of being part of past KSPE
leadership groups, so I’ve seen the efforts KSPE has taken to better serve
the professional needs of KDOT engineers. Let me give you a handful of
examples:
-
Based on my experience, KDOT has always been
able to count on KSPE’s support in pursuing initiatives to establish and
maintain competitive salaries for our engineering staff. Granted, KDOT
engineering salaries have lost ground in today’s market, but due in
no part to lack of support from KSPE. In fact, KSPE leadership has
been quick to provide testimonials stating that it is crucial that KDOT
engineering salaries be set at a level that provides a realistic
opportunity to recruit and maintain a high quality engineering staff.
That support means even more when you consider that by making KDOT more
competitive, others in the profession will have an even tougher time
filling their staffing needs. Think about that.
-
Over the last couple of years, KSPE has
partnered with KDOT and focused portions of their conferences and
training towards needs identified by KDOT. A review of the 2007 KSPE
Annual Conference agenda shows presentations related to developing
project management skills – a need that KDOT identified within our
agency.
-
There is an unlimited opportunity to network
with other KSPE members. Those sorts of contacts and relationships are
invaluable whether you are looking for help in resolving a project
related issue or pursuing your own personal career opportunities.
So, in reflecting back on what KSPE has done for
the profession as a whole, and more specifically, for me and my staff at KDOT,
I believe $300 is a good investment. For those who draw a different
conclusion I know Ron Gaches, KSPE Executive Vice President, would like to
hear what service KSPE could provide that would make membership more
appealing to KDOT engineers. He can be reached at
rong@gbbaks.com or 785.233.2121.
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STRATEGIC PLANNING UPDATE
Work continues on the KSPE
Strategic Planning process begun in August. Former KSPE President Greg
Weatherd, P.E. of the Eastern Chapter has assembled a task force to work on
updating Mission and Vision statements for review by the KSPE State Board of
Directors on Friday, December 7. At that same meeting, the Board will
review Goal and Objective Statements prepared by KSPE Executive Committee
member Glenn Knak P.E. and Smoky Valley Chapter member John Ourada, P.E.
Outcomes of the Board discussion on December 7 will be forwarded to all KSPE
Chapters for review and input.
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GET READY FOR
2008 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Do you know your state representative and
senator? The closing weeks of 2007 provide most legislators with several
opportunities to meet their constituents at local area meetings. Your local
Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, school districts , many civic clubs and
other groups host meetings with their legislators prior to the start of the
legislative session. They offer a great opportunity to hear from your
legislators and introduce yourself.
Developing a personal relationship with your
legislators before the start of the session will greatly improve your
ability to communicate with them during the session. Legislators are always
much more likely to return a call or read a letter from a constituent they
know than from someone who is a stranger.
You can learn the name of your state
representative and senator by going to
http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/vote/ and entering your home address in
the address blank.
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NOMINATIONS DUE SOON FOR NSPE
AWARDS PROGRAMS
Various NSPE Awards Program nominations are
coming due in early 2008, including NSPE Award, Distinguished Service Award
and Young Engineer of the Year Award. Most notable is the recognition for
NSPE Fellow. The deadline for KSPE Chapters to nominate members for any of
the current NSPE Awards is Friday, 11, 2008. KSPE Awards Committee and
Fellow Review Task Force will review the nominations and make
recommendations to the full KSPE Board in time for nominations to be
forwarded to NSPE no later than the January 31st deadlines
(February 1st for Fellow recognition).
For detailed information about all of the NSPE
Awards programs go to …
http://www.nspe.org/awards/ab1-awhome.asp
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 EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
by Ron Gaches, J.D.
Year End is Just the Beginning
The end of the year is usually a time to reflect
on the successes and challenges of the past 12 months and get recharged for
the exciting times ahead. Frankly, there’s no time for any of that this
year. KSPE is in the midst of its most significant strategic planning
effort since the late 1990’s. Task teams have been meeting and sacred cows
have been challenged, all with an overriding goal of better serving our
members and keeping your Society relevant to the evolving needs of
Professional Engineers in all disciplines. Your State Board is addressing
these issues and others even as this KPE issue is being distributed.
KSPE is NOT a technical society. Rather, it is
a Professional Society dedicated to serving those who provide licensed
engineering services … Professional Engineers and Engineer Interns.
The primary mission of a technical society is to
keep its members current with the evolving trends within their areas of
technical expertise. They perform a valuable service ensuring Professional
Engineers are fully qualified to perform services with state-of-the-art
expertise in their area of work.
Your professional society fulfills an entirely
different function. The updated Vision and Mission statements under current
review by the Board make the Society’s broader function clear.
Vision Statement (draft): KSPE is the recognized
voice for the licensed Professional Engineer with respect to the Kansas
Legislature and public policy.
Mission Statement (draft): KSPE is dedicated to
promoting, protecting and advocating for the success, integrity and ethics
of the licensed Professional Engineer and Engineer Intern by delivering
professional development products and services, encouraging licensure, and
advocating legislation and public policy for the betterment of the human
welfare and the profession.
Said another way, your technical society helps
with your work, while KSPE helps with your professional career and role in
society. For Professional Engineers to remain relevant in modern society,
you need a strong and effective professional society.
In my view, KSPE has fallen short in that
assignment and Professional Engineers have been communicating that fact with
their feet. KSPE membership is at a low mark. Reading the recent survey
comments from current members is informative. Members want better meetings,
more communications and more assistance with professional development. And,
they expect their State Society and its members to proactively advocate for
their interests with the Kansas Legislature and other policy makers.
We’re taking several actions to immediately
respond to those needs, the most important of which is the strategic
planning process currently underway. After all, if you don’t plan to
succeed, you won’t.
Other recent actions include initiating
quarterly meetings with the chairman of the Kansas State Board of Technical
Professions to discuss current legislative issues and emerging policy issues
before the Board. In addition, special emphasis has been given to
strengthening our grassroots advocacy capacity during fall chapter meetings
attended by KSPE President Chris Price and myself. Over the next few months
you’ll see additional improvements in our communications efforts and support
for chapter activities.
In a classic “which comes
first dilemma” we are faced with trying to improve our performance before
future membership growth increases our financial resources. Your state
leadership and staff won’t be able to do it alone, but the stakes for
inaction are significant. Legislators are challenging the fundamental
premise of requiring licensed professions to design public buildings.
Commissioners in most rural counties ignore the state law requiring them to
have a county engineer, and some counties are even lax in requiring design
work be performed by licensed professionals. The current comprehensive
transportation plan is lapsing and our state buildings are poorly
maintained.
Your technical societies
are not addressing these concerns. Your professional society has been and
will continue to do so.
So catch your breath over the holidays and have
a great 2008!
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Have a Safe and Happy Holiday from the KSPE
Staff.
Ron, Brandy, Dale, Christi and Kelli |
