January 30, 1999 Meeting Synopsis

Old Business

1. Legislative
Update: Legislation is the same as last year with new bill #. They include the:

• Statute of Repose
• Civil Justice Tort Reform
• Crumbling Schools Initiatives
• Qualification Based Selection of Professional Design Services
• Good Samaritan for Design Professionals
• Wick's Law

New legislation will deal with the International Building Code for New York State

2. Lobby Day:
The new ASLA brochure and Landscape Architectural Magazine will be the promotional material included in Lobby Day packets. Other material will include Chapter newsletter, the Council's bill position papers, and the bill agenda for the Joint Coalition.

Possible items to be addressed during Lobby Day either by the Joint Coalition or individual organizations include the items listed above and:

• Green Buildings: it is a building oriented bill, does not affect LA's.
• Continuing Education Credits: Architect's have introduced a bill requiring individuals renewing their license to have participated in continuing education. This bill does not affect the LA's at this time. The Council has approached both Chapter's regarding the Council's taking a proactive role rather than a reactive role in a continuing education bill for LA's. They responded favorably. The Council is currently gathering information from CLARB, National ASLA, and AIA on continuing education credit legislation. Major issue for New York is the utilization of a national organization, such as CLARB, for administration and organization of CEU courses.
• Forms of Business Practice (Corp. Practice) Thorny issue, Engineers going on their own again with this item. Engineers want to allow 'non-design' professionals to hold equity in professional corporations. They are recommending 40% non-professional ownership and allowance for right of inheritance. Other states have non-professional ownership around 15%. Office of the Professions is looking into the matter. NYS/AIA is putting together a matrix on corporate ownership. NYS/AIA is looking at not opening it up blindly, no position to date. Corporate practice is closely aligned with design build practice.

3. The Flyer:

Second mailing to mayors and town supervisors scheduled for February. Kim Mathews is to plan and develop a third mailing.

4. WEB Page (NYSCLA.org):

Items to be posted to the WEB page:

• Meeting agenda and the highlights of meeting.
• Lobby Day information. This will be the AIA update adjusted for NYSCLA
• The Flyer. This needs to be a pdf file for downloading.
• Links on the WEB page include: AIA, ASLA National and Chapters, CLARB (CLARB.org), The LA schools of NY (City College, Cornell, ESF), NYS Education Dept., and NYS Offices
  (Governor, Senate, Assembly).
• E-mail capabilities are being set up.

5. NYSCLA Archives:

Currently the Council's files and Upstate Chapter files are being housed together. The filing is being broken down chronologically. This will be cumbersome to us when searching for legislative and licensing information. The Council feels they need to have an index of the material. At the June meeting we will have an extended day to catalog and organize the Council's archives. We will provide for a second filing cabinet if necessary for archival storage at Moon Library, SUNY-ESF.

6. International Building Code:

Continue monitoring to make sure wording is acceptable to LA's.

7. SED Publications:

Robert Lavery, SED contact, thanked us for our work but had no comments. Work continues on updating SED Publications to be inclusive of Landscape Architect's work. SEQRA regulations do not mention LA's. LA's should be added to SEQRA regs.

8. Regent's Conference on the Professions:

Conversation dominated by health related professions. The conference is a time for the Regents to hear opinions for developing future legislation.

1. Board Members:

New York Chapter has lost their representative, Michael Koontz. They are now down to 4 board positions. Pam will contact Downstate regarding filling the position.

2. Model Law for Licensing:

Currently under development between CLARB and National ASLA. Barbara has received copies of letters from Suffolk and Westchester Counties regarding the interpretation by local officials on the extent that LA's should be allowed to practice. These letters were sent to Rich Hawks and Bill Martin. To date there has been no comment.

The model law will not meet everyone's needs. There will be some boilerplate requirements and
guidelines for other areas. The parameters of our services should be handled with International Building Code and training of building inspectors.

3. Continuing Education:

Work continues on gathering material from CLARB, National ASLA, and other various states and organizations. Refer to Lobby Day section under Old Business for additional information.

4. CLARB:

CLARB is reaching out to students on licensure. They are encouraging State Board members to attend the LA schools.

5. Hudson River Heritage Council:

Barbara writing the Governor on our behalf.

6. 100 Year Anniversary Celebration:

Local LA's are working on Washington Park in Albany as part of the 100 parks program. Anniversary celebration events should be added to our WEB page calendar.

7. Adjournment:

Next meeting 10 April 1999, 10am.

The schedule for 1999 is:
27 April 1999, Lobby Day ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TO ATTEND.
26 June 1999 and 23 October 1999