Page 7 - ESS Summer 2023

By: Aaron Blaisdell and James Wengler

HIGHLIGHTS FROM BRPELS MEETING MINUTES

Extractions from the board packet and minutes of the Feb- Disciplinary Open Case Status:
ruary 23, 2023 Meeting of the Washington State Board of
Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
at the The Heathman Lodge, Vancouver, Washington
Mr. Blaisdell asked what further action we may take against
non-compliant respondents, in reference to Mr. Hawkins
who is currently on compliance monitoring. Mr. Blaisdell
suggested connecting with county prosecutor groups/
meetings where the board could engage with them to dis-
cuss the gravity of unlicensed practice.
Compliance Report Mr. Peden reported there are current-
ly 2 individuals on compliance monitoring (Ryan Hawkins
and Kent Huxel). Mr. Hawkins has not responded to multi-
ple emails about his proposed payment plan and is out of Abbreviated Minutes of the March 23, 2023 Meeting in
compliance with his board order and will be turned over Olympia, Washington
to collections. Staff is working on obtaining a contract with
a collection agency. Mr. Huxel requested the final cease & Re: BRPELS/WA DNR Discussion
desist order be vacated. The board denied that request.
Respondent filed a Notice of Appeal to Snohomish Coun- Discussion of WAC 332-130-110 Reporting Require-
ty Superior Court. Notice sent to AAG. Our AAG is filing a ments: To discuss possible amendments
motion to dismiss his appeal.
Mr. Wengler opened discussion about possible ways to
Law Enforcement Action for Unlicensed Practice Staff meet make changes so we could come up with a timeline or pos-
with our AAG and found we would need to file a com- sible way to make PLS’s keep their field notes/ printable
plaint with the local law enforcement agency where the electronic meta data (WAC 332-130-080) so Board inves-
unlicensed activity or fraud occurred. It would then be up tigators and Case Managers could check traverse closures
to that law enforcement agency to investigate and take to (WAC -332- 130-090). It has been determined that there is
their prosecution for action. As part of the complaint we no RCW or WAC to require a PLS to keep this information
file, we would include all evidence from our investigation. after the survey is recorded. Even though most surveyors
make a statement on their maps that this has been done,
Mr. Peden, Mr. Wengler, and Mr. Blaisdell to be named we are finding out in our investigations very few do so.
NCEES funded delegates for the 2023 NCEES Annual There was much discussion on the topic and Mr. Wengler
Meeting in August. offered to draft up some language and give a sketch on
how he does it. DNR agreed to review his example.
Statistical Data:
The group discussed if it is necessary to require a record of
Applications received: (12/1/2022 – 2/12/2023) survey per WAC 332-130-110 in the final reporting require-
Total: 570 Corp/LLC: 30 EIT: 124 LSIT: 15 ments for the “Destruction and Replacement of a Monu-
ment Permit”. DNR offered to do more research on the sub-
PE: 333 By Exam: 125 By Comity: 208 ject and report back at a later Survey Committee Meeting.
PLS: 12 By Exam: 8 By Comity: 4
Review WAC 196-29 Professional Practices to discuss
New licenses issued: Possible Amendments.
LSIT: 1 PLS: in between exams – next exam 3/24/23
Mr. Blaisdell and Mr. Wengler brought up a short discus-
Total active licenses in WA: sion on who could monument boundary lines when each
PE: 27,327 SE: 1,795 PLS: 1,030 Corp/LLC: 1,514 end point has been set by a PLS. It was determined that this
issue would be brought up at a later date. DNR also agreed
On-Site Wastewater: 315 to do more research on this issue. n

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