PLSS Preservation Committee

Committee Mission: This Committee exists to establish criteria for PLSS Preservation grants, evaluate and prioritize PLSS Preservation grant applications, review grant work, and report grant performance measures with respect to Minnesota Statutes 381.125:

• Subd 1. Grant program. The chief geospatial information officer, through the Geospatial Advisory Council established under section 16E.30, subdivision 8, shall work with the stakeholders licensed as land surveyors under section 326.02, to develop a process for accepting applications from counties for funding for the perpetuation of monuments established by the United States in the public lands survey to mark public land survey corners, as provided in section 381.12, subdivision 2, clause (1). Grants may also be used to update records and data regarding monuments. The chief geospatial information officer must establish criteria for prioritizing applicants when resources available for grants are not sufficient to award grants to all applicants. The criteria must favor providing grants to counties that demonstrate financial need for assistance.


• Subd. 2. Report. By October 1, in each odd-numbered year, the chief information officer must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees in the senate and the house of representatives with jurisdiction over state government and local government. The report must include the following:
1. a summary of the chief information officer activities regarding administration of this grant program for the previous fiscal year, including the amount of money requested and disbursed by county;
2. an assessment of the progress toward completion of necessary monument restoration and certification by county; and
3. a forecast of the amount needed to complete monument recertification in all counties.

Objectives and Deliverables:

• Aid Minnesota Geospatial information Officer (GIO) and the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo) in developing a PLSS Preservation grant program pursuant to 381.125.
• Review grant applications, prioritize and recommend grant recipients to the GIO and MnGeo.
• Review completed projects for compliance with the grant program and assist with creation and/or review of performance measure reports for the legislature.

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Committee Leadership

• Interim Chair: (until MnGeo Survey Coordinator hired) Alison Slaats, MnGeo Director
• Vice-chair: Patrick Veraguth, Geospatial Advisory Council Survey Representative
   

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Committee Membership

• Membership: Anyone interested in being part of this committee is welcome. Please email MnGeo if you are interested.

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Charter, Workplan and More Information

• PLSS Preservation Committee Charter
   
• Workplan TBD  


• More information: Preserving The Public Land Survey System Hub Site

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