Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ncees Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears NCEES Western Zone briefing; votes to back MBA representation and instructs delegates to advocate in New Orleans
Summary
A visiting NCEES Western Zone vice president briefed the board on national exam development, volunteer and advocacy roles, and upcoming meetings; the board voted to instruct its two delegates to support placing a member-board administrator (MBA) seat on the NCEES board of directors and to move the idea if no other state brings it forward.
The board received an in-person briefing from Aaron Blaisdell, Western Zone vice president for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), on the organization’s structure, volunteer-driven exam development and advocacy work, and timelines for annual and zone meetings.
Blaisdell described NCEES as a volunteer-led organization of member licensing boards that develops and administers engineering and surveying examinations and provides member services such as records and credential evaluations. He highlighted the role of zone meetings and committees in vetting motions before the annual council, and said NCEES’s headquarters and staff support exam development and member services. Blaisdell encouraged board members to participate in committees and exam development work and noted a planned new Public Land Survey System (PLSS) exam slated for October 2027.
The briefing preceded an extended discussion and a formal motion about NCEES governance. Board member Betsy moved, and Desiree Haggard seconded, that the board provide guidance to its two NCEES-funded delegates to advocate for adding a member-board administrator (MBA) seat to the NCEES board of directors and to encourage any other state to move the motion; the motion was amended to direct the board’s delegates to introduce the motion themselves if no other member board brings it forward. The board adopted the amended motion by roll-call vote.
Several board members spoke in favor of the change during the discussion, saying MBAs work full time with licensing and enforcement processes and that adding an MBA to NCEES’s board would help ensure day-to-day administrative perspectives inform governance. Board member Carl (Emeritus) summarized recent NCEES work on structural exam policy and said he will continue on the structural task force; he also reported being invited to NCEES work groups and receiving a president’s award.
Public commenters and representatives from the California Land Surveyors Association spoke in support of the motion. The board’s roll-call vote on the MBA motion recorded the following responses: President Martinez — Yes; Vice President Ruffino — Yes; Dr. Amistad — Yes; Dr. Asghari — Yes; Miss D'Antonio — Yes; Miss Haggard — Yes; Mr. Hallinan — Yes; Mr. Hartley — Yes; Miss Matheson — Yes; Mr. Villegas — Yes; Miss Wong — Yes. The chair announced the motion carried.
During the same meeting the board also approved its May 29, 2025 meeting minutes. That vote recorded two abstentions (Hallinan and Hartley); all other members present voted yes.
