GPS Makes Everyone a Surveyor

That's the claim made by John Boney, a retired engineer and city councilman in Butler Alabama, who surveyed a cemetery in Butler  after the city was quoted a price of $30000 by a licensed Land Surveyor.  Boney, who is not a professional surveyor received a letter of reprimand from the Alabama State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and land Surveyors.  He made the statement that::

"PVC pipe made everyone a plumber," he said. "The wire welder made everybody a welder. GPS made everyone a surveyor."

The incident led to him contacting two Senators who  are preparing a new bill to be introduced in the Alabama Senate would allow anyone to practice Land Surveying in rural areas of 5000 residents or less, after working for a land surveyor for eight years and providing letters of recommendation.  The letters need not be written by other land surveyors.

Peter Olivero, a licensed surveyor based in Mobile, said that's the equivalent of licensing someone after "three buddies" write on his behalf.

Naturally the State Board is opposing the bill,   And even at the risk of appearing to be doing it solely for self preservation, so should we.