August 2025
Shawn MacMenamin,
LSPS President
PRESIDENTIAL PRIVILEGE
Dear LSPS Members,
I hope everyone has had a relaxing summer. I’ve been talking to others in survey, and it feels like it has been a very busy and productive time. I hope that it continues into the fall. The latest update from the LSPS board is that Mrs. Liz and her husband have consolidated years of LSPS stuff and moved our offices to a new location. I want to thank her and Kevin for their hard work on this project. Hopefully, we will enjoy many years in this new location.
I want to send out our collective thoughts and prayers to Mr. Willfred “Will” Fontenot’s family. In his passing, we lost a great man and a great advocate for our profession.
There are a few things that I plan to work on during my term as board president. First, I’d like to continue to address our Standards of Practice. This is something I feel should be reviewed for modernization every few years to make sure we stay current with the practice of survey. Most of the procedural things we do in our day-to-day operations evolve, and we need to make sure our Standards of Practice stay current. Also, I would like to focus on working with our legislative committee and our LAPELS board members to try to update the definition of survey using NCEES model law as a guideline.
The thing that I am most adamant about getting done later this year is to start requiring caps on all property corners that we SET. In doing research, Louisiana is the only state in the southeast where caps are not required. In other states, finding caps with proper identification on them has allowed me to collaborate with other surveyors when I have had questions with tough boundaries. I know this is a polarizing issue. I am open to discussing this at length. I have been using them for a while now and I’m proud to own the corners I have set. If you would like to reach out to me to discuss this, feel free to contact me.
I will be attending some of the district meetings to further this discussion.
Please contact me or your District Chairman with any ideas or questions you may have. Thank you for this honor and privilege.
Sincerely,
Shawn MacMenamin
(225)278-8227(C)
shawn@gulfsouthls.com
In Memoriam...
Wilfred “Will” Fontenot
July 21, 1944 – August 20, 2025
Wilfred “Will” J. Fontenot, beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, and Friend, passed away on August 20, 2025 at the age of 81. He was born in Ville Platte, Louisiana on July 21, 1944 and has been a resident of Walker, La since 1973.
Will was a true leader in the surveying profession with 57 years of experience at Forte & Tablada, Alvin Fairburn & Assoc. and Alex Theriot Jr. & Assoc. He was twice appointed to the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board. Will passionately shared the wisdom of his profession on high school and college campuses, encouraging a new generation of students to pursue a career in land surveying.
During his free time, he enjoyed being outside tending to his garden or hunting. In his later years, he became a passionate traveler. He loved going to new places and experiencing different cultures. He even found the time to mentor many young people in land surveying. Will exemplified a life of love, mentorship, and passion. He will be dearly missed by all those who knew him.
Will is survived by his loving wife of 15 years, Jacki Fontenot; daughter, Kellie Fontenot; sons, Michael Fontenot (Aimee) and David Fontenot (Michelle); step daughters Lisa Clary and Leigh Coots; grandchildren, Colin Fontenot, Kaitlyn Borne (Jordan), Davis Fontenot (Joylin), Michael Fontenot II, Chloe Fontenot, Noah Fontenot, and Isabel Fontenot; great-grandchildren, Olivia Borne and a Babygirl Fontenot on the way; brother, Lionel Fontenot, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Cynthia Fontenot; parents, Melton & Anna Belle Fontenot, and brother, Wayne Fontenot.
Serving as pallbearers will be Davis Fontenot, Michael Fontenot II, Noah Fontenot, Aaron Ellis, Derek Ellis, Issac Bozarth. Honorary pallbearers are Colin Fontenot, Glenn Martin, Jimmy Chustz, Stan Ard, and Jordan Borne.
Services will take place at Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs on Friday August 29, 2025 with visitation from 6:00 PM-9:00 PM. Visitation will continue on Saturday August 30, 2025 from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM and service beginning at 12:00 PM. Burial will immediately follow in Walker Baptist Church Cemetery.
LOUISIANA 811
Click below to access a document that outlines the Pre-Design Ticket process now available through Louisiana 811, which allows surveyors and designers to access underground utility and facility information during the early planning stages of a project.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Your generous contribution is needed to support the following funds:
1.The Education Foundation, grants scholarships while providing guidance by assisting worthy students to obtain instruction and training in land surveying and higher education.
2.The Every Member Campaign (EMC), which began in 2006, was created solely for the purpose of supporting the Geomatics Program at Nicholls State University.
3.The Disaster Fund, which stands ready to give relief when disaster hits our area.
4.The Legislative Fund, allowing us to be ready to address legislation affecting our Surveying Profession.
Click here for DONATION OPPORTUNITIES
Or find the link at the top of our home page at www.lsps.net
LSPS DISTRICT INFORMATION
District 1
John Teegarden
jteegarden@ascellc.com
District 2
Derek Martin
dmartin@apexsurveyllc.com
District 3
Devon Richard
drichardsurveying@gmail.com
District 4
Jason Tuggle
Jason_tuggle@hotmail.com
District 5
Joey Riggin
jriggin@lazenbyengr.com
District 6
Derek Wheat
derek.wheat@yahoo.com
District 7
Jules Toups
jules.toups@la.gov
District 8
Matt Phillips
matt@lodestone.biz
District 9
Cory MacMenamin
cmacmenamin@ddgpc.com
District Announcements:
DISTRICT 7 - Jules Toups, Chairman
A meeting was held on June 26th at Walk-Ons in Lake Charles, LA. Election of officers was held, and the results are as follows: Chairman: Jules Toups, Vice Chairman: Garry Johnson, Secretary: Brennan Marque. The next scheduled meeting will be August 28th.
NICHOLLS GEOMATICS PROGRAM UPDATE
August 2025
By: Dr. Esra Tekdal-Yilmaz
Greetings from Nicholls Geomatics Program.
The Geomatics program has been awarded a $10,000 prize from the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) as part of the 2025 Surveying Education Award. We're honored to be recognized for our commitment to advancing surveying education and licensure.
Dr. John Dennis joined the Nicholls State Geomatics program.
My single-author publication “Index of Learning Styles to Assess Learning Style of Undergraduate Surveying Engineering/Geomatics Students” will be published in the November 2025 issue of the Surveying and Land Information Science Journal.
The Contractor’s Educational Trust Fund (CETF) donated $50,000 to our program.
Reese Toups, junior in Geomatics Program receiving the Francis H. Moffitt Memorial Scholarship
At Geo Week 2025 held in February Denver, CO, Dr. Balaji was a speaker for a panel discussion regarding "Working Together to Put the Modernized National Spatial Reference System into Practice."
Reese Toups, a junior in the Geomatics Program, is the recipient of the Francis H. Moffitt Memorial Scholarship. The purpose of the award is to encourage undergraduate college students to pursue a course of study in surveying and photogrammetry, leading to a career in the geospatial mapping profession. The award consists of a certificate, a cash award of $9,000, and a one-year membership extension in ASPRS. The ASPRS Award presentations took place at Geo Week 2025.
The 2025 Gulf South Region Annual Business Meeting & Geospatial Conference was held in Austin, Texas, in March. Dr. Patrick and Dr. Balaji Ramachandran, along with students, attended. Research assistants Reese Toups, Samuel Landry and Kaleb Breaux presented their poster titled Digitalization of Historical Servitude Plats suing GIS to Enhance Gas Servitude Management in Terrebonne Parish” at the conference and was placed second in the undergraduate category.
Dr. Patrick and I, along with 16 geomatics students, attended the 64th Annual Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors (LSPS) Convention. April 9th -111h 2025. Golden Nugget Casino & Hotel, Lake Charles. LA.
The Red River Desk and Derrick Club awarded 3 geomatics students, Jake Chauvin, Reece Toups, and London Tardiff, a $3,500 scholarship each. The Red River Desk and Derrick Club in Shreveport focuses on supporting individuals in the energy, oil, and gas industries. The club provides networking, education, and professional development opportunities for its members, ranging from engineers and geologists to administrative and support personnel. Each year, the club awards scholarships to Louisiana college students pursuing a degree in the oil and gas industry. In recent years, the club has expanded the scholarship criteria to include engineering fields that may not be directly related to the oil and gas industry.
Dr. Balaji Ramachandran was awarded the LA Board of Regents Enhancement Grant. “LEQSF (2025-26)-ENH-DE-10 Improving Capabilities for Imaging the Louisiana Coast”(PI) Departmental Comprehensive Enhancement, Board of Regents (BoR) Support Fund Enhancement – Engineering A ($58,000 – $50,000 BoR + 8,000 Nicholls ITS Tech fee match) 2025-2026. (Co-PI’s LaFleur and Yilmaz).
Dr. Balaji, At the State of the Coast 2025
At the State of the Coast 2025 held in New Orleans, LA, Dr. Balaji was a speaker for a panel discussion regarding “A Bird's Eye View: Education and Development of Geoinformatics in Coastal Louisiana.” The session focused on: As an area experiencing dramatic geographic changes, Coastal Louisiana benefits from the educational development and implementation of Geoinformatics (Geographic information systems (GIS), Aerial Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing (RS), Uncrewed Aerial Systems(UAS), Digital Twins, Geodesy, and Surveying) based programs. A combination of educators, graduates/students and industry professionals make up a cross-sectional panel of the people and programs on the leading edge of Coastal Geoinformatics in Southeast Louisiana. The panel focused on the main question of how we can develop a deeper understanding of geographic changes and analysis in Coastal Louisiana and build a workforce to meet the needs of a changing climate. The panel discussed educational opportunities by highlighting various types of programs available, industry-partnered internship opportunities, student-centered service learning projects, the impact educational programs are having on the coastal field, and why building capacity for geoinformatics is an asset for the future of our coast.
Four Nicholls students presented results of their undergraduate research projects in Baton Rouge at the inaugural Posters at the Capitol event on June 9. Poster presentations were delivered on the second floor of the state capitol during the Legislative Session, and students shared results with legislators and other visitors. Students from public and private universities across Louisiana participated in the first-time event. Posters at the Capitol is produced by the Louisiana Undergraduate Research Association, a nonprofit organization designed to promote and support undergraduate student research and creative projects.
Samuel Landry, “Utilizing GeoAI for Rapid and Accurate Damage Assessment.”
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
By: Harper Duncan & Associates, LLC
Legislative Session Wrap-Up
As the 2025 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session has concluded, here’s a rundown of bills impacting the land surveying profession and if they passed or failed:
HB 312 by Rep. Gadberry - Passed: Reinforces Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) by prohibiting the use of price only as a criterion in selecting architects, engineers, and land surveyors on state or locally funded projects. The bill passed both chambers and was signed into law.
HB 446 by Rep. Spell - Passed: Clarifies that subdivision plat decisions by planning commissions are legislative actions. It limits judicial review to the administrative record and only in cases of arbitrary or capricious decisions. This streamlines the subdivision approval process and reduces litigation risks.
HB 528 by Rep. Bourriaque - Passed: Reorganizes the Department of Transportation & Development (DOTD), creating an Office of Transformation, an Office of Project Delivery, and nine district offices. This is designed to improve efficiency in project management and operations within DOTD.
HB 603 by Rep. McMakin - Failed: Modifies board appointments, changing from mandatory selection from a list to allowing recommendations, granting the governor more latitude in appointments to licensing boards, including LAPELS.
SB 35 by Sen. Price - Passed: Reorganizes legal servitudes in statutory law, separating utility and right-of-way provisions for land locked estates.
SB 126 by Sen. Kleinpeter - Passed: Requires high-resolution digital mapping of public school buildings for emergency response. While not explicitly calling for surveyors, this presents opportunities for firms skilled in precise mapping and GIS documentation.
National Legislative Trends Relevant to LSPS
Expanded Use of QBS Across Professional Services
States are increasingly banning cost as a selection factor in awarding professional service contracts, similar to what HB 312 achieves here. This shift recognizes expertise and qualifications as essential for quality outcomes.Digital Infrastructure Mapping Mandates
Legislative requirements for detailed facility and infrastructure mapping, often for public safety or utility management, are becoming more common. SB 126’s mapping mandate aligns with this wider trend, emphasizing a growing intersection between surveyors and digital GIS platforms.Renewable Energy & Land Use Regulation
As solar and wind development accelerate nationwide, many states are enacting siting, permitting, and environmental compliance laws. Solar facility planning framework reflects this broader push, creating new demand for site surveys and regulatory oversight.
JOIN LSPS:
The Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors is organized to enhance the Surveying Profession. Our goal is to carry out our mission by maintaining high technical and cultural standards in our field, working with educational institutions for the maintenance of high standards of education in Land Surveying, requiring a high standard of ethical practice by our members, and encouraging the personal and professional development of young Land Surveyors.
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