December 2017

December 1, 2017Michael Schmidt2017, News

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

As I write this note while in the middle of several Chapter activities, please know that your Executive Committee and Conference Planning Committee have been very active and engaged in preparing for what is shaping up to be a banner year for PGASLA in 2018. We’re working hard on behalf of our Chapter – see below for a brief update on several of these initiatives:

Central States Conference: The planning is coming along nicely thus far, with progress being made on multiple fronts:

Conference Website – We have updated the site to reflect the theme of the conference (www.aslacentralstates.org) – and will continue to provide updated information there as things continue to take shape. Thanks Stacy Ernst!
Sponsorships – The sponsorship information and vendor registration packet is being issued this week and we are preparing to begin assigning booths as applications start rolling in later this month. Thanks go out to Steve Winslow for leading this effort – he’ll be busy filling the expo hall over the next several months.
Speakers – Our roster continues to expand, with a nice mixture of national and local interests thus far. While we’ll have the requisite keynote speakers and awards luncheons, we are also planning to provide concurrent educational sessions – giving attendees choices to tailor their conference experience. This includes an LARE Prep session, a SITES Training session, and an optional afternoon Sketch Crawl led by nationally-renowned LA and illustrator Chip Sullivan from Cal Berkeley. Thanks go out to Noel Challis for leading our efforts on this front – please don’t hesitate to send her any suggestions for speakers or content that you’d like considered.
Awards – Historically PGASLA has postponed our own awards gala in the years we’ve hosted the Central States Conference – but not this time! It’s important for our chapter to annually recognize the great work being done by our members, so we are planning the event to utilize the expo hall for our awards gala on Friday evening, April 13, 2018. Is this more work for PGASLA? You bet! But we know it will be worth the effort. Watch out for a call for entries in late-December or early-January for both Central States and PGASLA Awards. Thanks go out to Misty Riley for co-chairing this committee with me – we hope to make it a great event, and a fantastic way to cap off hosting a successful Central States Conference.

In the coming months, our planning committee chairs will need some assistance here and there to get things pulled together – and many hands will make light work. We’ll be putting out a few calls for help with defined activities over the next few months, so please consider volunteering a few hours to help us with the conference. We’re looking forward to getting things done while also having fun!

Advocacy: The State of Missouri continues to show up as a primary target nationally for threats to licensure of Landscape Architects. Brian Roth is leading our Chapter’s efforts to proactively address this issue, and he is working with both ASLA National as well as the St. Louis Chapter to coordinate our efforts to advocate with State Representatives in Jefferson City in early 2018. Brian also led our Chapter’s effort to receive a $4,000 grant from National to assist in these advocacy efforts – nicely done sir! A strong showing of Landscape Architects will be needed to fend off this threat. Tim Herndon is working with Bob Hartnett (MO) and Carisa McMullen (KS) to arrange a program for all PGASLA members to be held on January 16th (11:30am-1:30pm) at the Center for Architecture and Design to bring our Chapter up to speed with things happening in each state, as well as these mounting threats. Thanks to all involved in these efforts.

Chapter Website: We are in the midst of updating our website to provide a fresh new look, and a more streamlined and functional “front door” for PGASLA Chapter events and activities. Hoping to get it completed and ready to go live in early 2018 – stay tuned.

Whew! That is a lot of activity, and there is much more to come. I hope to see many of you on the bowling lanes at our 1st Annual “Spare Time” Challenge for PGASLA Member Firms on Thursday evening, December 7th. We more than doubled our member firm ranks as a result of this fun new event, which is a great way to end 2017. Thanks to all our new and returning member firms!

Have a fantastic Holiday and a Happy New Year!

Wm. Christopher Cline, PLA, ASLA
President, Prairie Gateway Chapter

I hope all of you have great plans to celebrate Christmas and the New Year holidays. This is an exciting time of year to reflect on all that we have professionally and personally accomplished over 2017. I would like to thank everyone in PGASLA who has volunteered time for the planning of events and activities this last year.

As you may know, ASLA is getting ready to unveil the updated ASLA logo and branding document by the end of January 2018. This is exciting news as ASLA member firms will have new criteria on how to use the ASLA brand mark.

Please contact me at dcontag@dlrgroup.com if you have any questions. The following is an update from ASLA:

Executive Offices

Preparations are underway for the 2018 planning meetings with President Greg Miller, FASLA, and President-Elect Shawn Kelly, FASLA. Both will meet with EVP Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, and senior staff to discuss the governance calendar and department goals for the upcoming year.

The ASLA Fund sent out its first ever Giving Tuesday appeal to more than 47,000 members, subscribers and friends of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The appeal asks for charitable contributions to the Campaign for the ASLA Center for Landscape Architecture. To make your own contribution, please click on Giving Tuesday Donation.

Government Affairs

Today, ASLA, the American Institute of Architects, and the National Society of Professional Engineers, joined in sending a letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives expressing concern for the unfair treatment of professional services businesses, including design firms, organized as S Corporations or pass-through businesses in the comprehensive tax reform proposals moving through Congress. If your firm is organized as a pass-through business, use the iAdvocate Network to tell your legislators not to cripple landscape architecture firms with higher, unfair tax burdens.

ASLA has also joined with active transportation and bicycle activists in sending a letter to Senate Finance Committee leaders opposing their proposal to eliminate the $20-per-month bicycle commuter transportation benefit in the U.S. Senate’s comprehensive tax reform proposal.

Recently, the Department of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke proposed fee increases in 17 national parks—increases that could force entrance fees to increase from $25 to $70. ASLA has joined with coalition partners in sending comments to Zinke opposing the fee increases and urging him to support passage of the National Park Service (NPS) Legacy Act, bipartisan legislation that would completely eliminate NPS’s maintenance backlog. After public outcry about the fee increases, NPS has extended the public comment period to December 22. Your voice is needed to tell the administration to keep our national parks affordable for everyone. Also, you can use the iAdvocate Network to urge your legislators to support the National Park Service Legacy Act.
Landscape Architecture Magazine

This week, LAM is finalizing its agreement with JSTOR, the esteemed online library, to have the magazine’s entire archive digitized. The agreement will eventually allow ASLA to make the century-plus archive available to members for free as a member benefit. It will also be available to library users worldwide under the Plants and Society Collection. JSTOR should begin sourcing the original magazines imminently for scanning in their original format. The online archive is expected to become available in 2019. Kudos to Senior Editor Jennifer Reut and CFO Michael O’Brien, Hon. ASLA, for the long and careful parsing of the agreement with ASLA’s legal counsel and JSTOR representatives.

Late in breaking to us, but the annual landscape architecture website rankings tabulated by The Global Grid recently placed LAM at No. 8 among the top 20 landscape sites in the world, up from No. 12 in 2016. ASLA’s website, including The Dirt, comes in at No. 2!
Meetings and Business Operations

Several staff are in Philadelphia this week planning for the ASLA 2018 Annual Meeting and EXPO with a series of meetings and events with teams from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the Marriott Hotel, members of the Pennsylvania/Delaware Chapter, and the Annual Meeting Education Advisory Committee. The annual meeting is scheduled for October 19-22.

The 2017 LAM advertising contracts totaled 98 percent of the budget.

The 2018 EXPO booth sales remain at 67 percent of the floor space being either sold (42 percent) or reserved (25 percent).
Member and Chapter Services

On November 20, CPC Chair Tim Nickerson, ASLA, and Chair-Elect Zak Pierce, ASLA, hosted the annual CPC Orientation webinar with chapter leaders. The orientation covered ASLA governance, strategic objectives, and administrative policies as well as key resources for chapter presidents and other chapter leaders. Leaders can access the presentation on the Chapter Operations Workbook.

Public Relations and Communications

Herter Design Group submitted a revision of the suggested mark, part of the rebrand, based on comments received during presentations to the Board of Trustees and Chapter Presidents’ Council at the annual meeting in Los Angeles. It was discussed and endorsed by the Executive Committee during its conference call and will be implemented in phases beginning January 2018.

A news release was issued and featured in LAND announcing the changes in ASLA officers.

A news release shared the findings of the third-quarter Business Quarterly Survey. Conditions are positive and relatively stable. The release has had several pick-ups among industry press.
A recent interview with Clare Cooper Marcus, noted author and educator, on the healing power of nature was a hit, with nearly 2,000 reads so far.

Education Programs

This week, a reminder was sent to all accredited landscape architecture program chairs, asking them to complete the Program Topic Area and Curriculum Survey by December 8. The data collected will be used to revise the Study Landscape Architecture webpage and inform initiatives specific to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System™ (LA CES™) has 247 active providers offering 1,193. There are six new provider applications pending review.
Professional Practice

On December 12, the Women in Landscape Architecture PPN will host an ASLA Online Learning webinar titled “Creative Goal Setting for Women” presented by Mia Scharphie, Associate ASLA. Mia is the founder of Build Yourself, a career advancement training company that helps women in creative fields move past the obstacles that hold them back in the workplace. The presentation will focus on setting inspiring and motivating career goals, and methods on how to be “creatively strategic” in optimizing the investment of your time.
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LINKS
Decmeber LINKS: Common Ground Education Conference Heartland Green Industry Expo

Join us for the Common Ground Education Conference.

This collaborative expo will be the only place in Kansas and Missouri to see and hear about the latest products and equipment, receive continuing education credits and see nationally renowned speakers on green industry business, turf design build, lawn and ornamental and golf course topics.

We invite you and your colleagues to the biggest event of its kind in the Heartland.

More Details.

Fee – $200 for both days ($120 single day)

December 18th “Business” – 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
December 19th “Design Build” – 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

When Registering for this event choose MAGIC Association to recieve special pricing.

LA’s In The News – PGASLA is looking for information regarding your activity in the community, especially if it is newsworthy. Or perhaps you or your firm have been in the news! Either way, please forward any information to the PGASLA president at president@pgasla.org. We will be happy to send news of your accomplishments to our media contacts.

ASLA Membership – ASLA National is offering a monthly installment option for payments of membership to ASLA. When your membership renewal is due, and if you are interested in this option, please contact the national office to receive details.

Job Opportunities – Click here for current job postings.

PGASLA is on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Land8Lounge. Please join us for local professional and event discussions.

http://www.facebook.com/find-friends/browser/?ref=ler#!/PGASLA

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2475447&trk=hb_side_g

http://land8lounge.com/group/pgaslaprairiegatewaychapterofasla

ASLA Amazon.com Store

ASLA Amazon.com store. Check it out!

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We are always looking for volunteers to help with advocacy, public awareness, and events hosted by the chapter. Volunteering is a fantastic opportunity for you to get involved with your peers and others in the community. Contact the chapter president at president@pgasla.org for more information on upcoming opportunities.

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MEMBER LOGIN
Within the PGASLA website there is a members only area where you can register for events, see the chapter roster and view past history of your attendance at events. To log-in, each member will need to use their ASLA member number and a temporary password (eggplant). Once logged in, members will need to change their password. If you have any questions please contact info@pgasla.org.

December 2017

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