New York State Council of Landscape Architects

 

 

 

                                                AUTUMN MEETING

 

Date: August 23, 2003

Location: NYSCLA Offices-235 Lark Street, Albany

 

Present:        K. Mathews- (President)

                        B. Rodriguez- (NYSCLA Executive Director)

                        E. Olinger-Officer (Treasurer)

                        D. Annese- Downstate

                        N. Bateman- Upstate

                        D. Conklin- Upstate

                        D. McCord-Upstate

                        N. Pouder-Downstate

                                   

Absent:          D. Brackett- Upstate

                        D. Fasser- Upstate

                        R. Hawks- Upstate

                        P. Lester- Officer (Secretary)

                        B. Martin-(Exec. Secretary NYS Board for LA)

                        B. Restaino- Downstate

                        D. Young-Upstate

 

General Business:

 

            Previous Meeting Minutes-for the June 21, 2003 meeting were submitted previously by Interim Secretary N. Bateman; approved by the Board.

            Legislative Issues- submitted in writing and presented by B. Rodriguez; approved by the Board as follows:

            2003 AIA State Conference- an invitation was extended to NYSCLA to attend the annual conference, Oct. 2-4 at the Albany Mariott Hotel. Administration: the management fee for 3^rd quarter was submitted and paid to E. Olinger, Treasurer, and the proposed 2004 budget shows no increase in the contract between NYSCLA and AIANYS. “Landscape Architecture and the Law” was mailed to the Association of Towns and NYS Building Code officials in June. Government Affairs: the Joint Design Professions Meeting will not happen this year, but will try to arrange it for early 2004. Lobby Day 2003 was a success at the State Capitol with NYSCLA’s Legislative Program sent to all Senators, Assemblypersons, and the Governor. April 27 or May 4 are being considered for Lobby Day 2004. NYSCLA may be asked to forward a nomination for a Landscape Architect to be a part of a new NY State Invasive Species Task Force convened by the Governor as part of A6988-A, if signed into law. NYSCLA tracked and requested that the Governor include a Landscape Architect as part of this group. In addition, A8707-A was sent to the Governor in June requiring that picnic tables at public facilities constructed with lumber which is pressure treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) be maintained in a manner to minimize leaching of CCA. We are also hopeful the Governor will sign the Illegal Practice Bill. The Proposed NYSCLA Legislative Agenda for 2004, the 2^nd year of a two-year session, will reflect updates from the 2003 legislative program and include any additional bills if needed prior to Lobby Day 2004. This September when the Legislature reconvenes, the Brownfield tax credit legislation will also be addressed and finalized. Also handed out to the Board was AIANYS’s Summer 2003 News outlining our common program.

            Treasurer’s Report-submitted in writing and presented by E. Olinger;

approved by the Board; overall budget is static; some extra expenses incurred for Lobby Day should be balanced by the end of the year; if not, reserves can be used. A projected draft budget will be developed in December for NYSCLA as well as the Chapter membership.

 

Old Business:

 

            Certificate of Appreciation- was presented to outgoing President D. Conklin in honor of his service and hard work to NYSCLA and the Board over the past few years; the presentation was made by new NYSCLA President K. Mathews; the Board applauded Dale’s generosity and dedication and is thankful to have him remain as a Board Member.

            Landscape Architecture Directory- K. Mathews passed out a sample hard copy of the publication; complimentary copies will be sent with a cover letter to AIA, the State Education Department, City College of New York, SUNY-Syracuse, and Cornell; it is now downloadable on the website and is capable of searches by firm, name, and more; assistance with the Directory updates will be passed on now to another Board Member to be decided at the Jan. ’04 Board Meeting.

            Mandatory Continuing Education (MCEs)- D. McCord reported that Upstate ASLA Secretary Marshall Goff expressed interest in getting updates on this item; new President K. Mathews emphasized that greater outreach and communication between NYSCLA and the Chapters throughout will be a top priority; she also noted that a President’s Council of New York City firm principals was recently established with the intent to promote ASLA membership and fundraise for a new executive director position. Re. MCEs, a letter drafted and signed by then President D. Conklin was mailed to both the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Board (CLARB) and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) to inform them of New York’s intent to lay the groundwork mandating continuing education (CE) for landscape architects. Generally speaking, with respect for adopting a MCE law in New York, both ALSA and CLARB are interested in serving as a potential sponsor or provider of programs, but not the administrator. Administration of such a program is expensive and labor intensive, therefore needing a large financial base of support as seen with the AIA model. In New York, one of the problems stems from the $900 required fee assessed to a CE sponsor, an alternative being to create a process where pre-approved sponsors could have fees waived. The response to our letter from from CLARB recommended we pursue a flexible CE sponsor/administrative model which could easily make the transition to a National system should it become available, and which CLARB is currently working on. ASLA’s response encouraged pursuit of a model different from the architects (AIA) (i.e., more cost effective) since landscape architecture in New York is a smaller profession. All of the complex issues regarding MCEs are being spearheaded by N. Pouder, E. Olinger, D. Annese, and D. McCord for the Board and issues will continue to be fully examined into next year. K. Mathews also recommended we consider meeting with legislators about sponsors and solicit their input; D. Conklin noted that the Engineers and Surveying regulations would be available soon. Overall discussion endorsed a thoughtful, thorough, yet proactive course of action for MCEs, making it a top priority for NYSCLA in the next year or two. Overall goals for NYSCLA will be to have as many pre-approved sponsors as possible. The next step will be to outline what we envision the MCE regulation should contain, begin to develop sponsor requirements and a list of potential sponsors, along with more research on other key issues pertaining to program administration. It is expected that, at a minimum, partnerships with ASLA, CLARB, CCNY, SUNY-Syracuse, and Cornell will be forged to facilitate this goal of mandated MCEs for landscape architects in New York.

            Archives- the archives effort headed up by D. Annese continues; P. Lester will assist with drop off of NYSCLA and Chapter historic info as well as E. Olinger.

 

New Business:

 

            Calendar for 2004- winter meeting set for Jan. 24, 2004; the remainder of the calendar will be decided then. K. Mathews indicated that this is a key meeting and that all members should make an effort to attend.

            Email minutes- To promote communication and outreach to the Chapters, copies of the Board meeting minutes as they become available, will now be emailed to each Chapter’s President, Trustee, and Secretary; proposed by K. Mathews and approved by the Board.

            New Downstate Board Member- will be decided by next meeting.

           

Other Business:

 

            NYSCLA will begin to formalize a legislative tracking list and requested assistance by B. Rodriguez; one issue of concern as noted by N. Pouder is the issue of exclusion of Landscape Architects within local ordinances which keeps resurfacing; we will be considering a proactive strategy promoting inclusion of both professional Landscape Architects and our profession as a whole.

 

There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned; the next meeting (Winter) is set for January 24, 2004 at 10:30 a.m.