With early voting started this week and the May primary less than a month away, contested candidates were asked to respond to three questions.
These responses are from Republican candidates for county surveyor James Moyer and Ryan Prince. Candidates were asked to limit their responses to about 200 words or less per question.
1. To be registered as a professional land surveyor in the state of Indiana, you must graduate from an approved land surveyor curriculum and complete eight years of combined education and experience. How does this requirement pertain to you and how would it affect you as a county surveyor?
Moyer: The requirements to be a processional land surveyor are not the same to be an elected county surveyor. Per Indiana Code, the requirements to hold the office of county surveyor is to be a resident of the county and when elected, complete 24 hours of continuing education within two years.
I have a degree in engineering and have worked for seven different licensed surveyors spanning over 25 years. By organizing the office and reassigning duties, this will result in the elimination of the outgoing surveyor’s position, freeing up approximately $120,000 in salary/benefits. I can use that budget item to hire or contract with licensed surveyors or civil engineers on an as-needed basis to satisfy any requirement, saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars.
A full-time registered surveyor is not needed in most day-to-day duties of the office. It will continue to be my highest priority to see that taxpayer’s money is used in the most responsible way possible as I did in my past elected positions. I feel it’s a conflict of interest to be a county surveyor and have a private surveying business. My focus will be 100% on county business at all times.
Prince: As a professional land surveyor, it means a great deal to me. I have the educational requirements from my bachelor’s degree and 27 semester credit hours in college level surveying courses. Together with my experience from working under a licensed surveyor in Kosciusko County for the past 10 years.
As a professional surveyor, I also must complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education requirements for the biennial renewal of my license. If I were to be elected to become the next county surveyor, I would continue to expand my education and experience.
2. What is the most important function of the county surveyor and why are you the best candidate to do that function?
Moyer: Although all functions of the office are important, the most important is drainage and water quality.
The surveyor is responsible to the county drainage board to oversee construction and maintenance of the 1,000 miles of county-regulated drains and ditches. We prepare detailed plans and estimates for work and then as directed by the drainage board, purchase materials, let bids and hire contractors.
The surveyor also studies and advises the drainage board on establishing, raising or eliminating tax rates for the maintenance of county regulated drains. This also includes monitoring a brush control spray and mowing program, which under my administration will be reorganized to be more efficient and cost effective.
I work on a daily basis with property owners and excavators and know what their concerns are. I will work with the Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District, The Watershed Foundation, the St. Joe River Basin Commission and various city and town authorities to share resources and information to reduce flooding, improve water quality and reduce erosion throughout Kosciusko County. I have been working with these groups on a regular basis addressing concerns, sharing ideas and as the county surveyor I can put them in to action.
Prince: It’s my opinion that the regulated drains and section corner work are the most important. The section corners are tied to every deed, parcel and plat in the county. Having an accurate section corner location is extremely important to the start of every landowner’s property description in the county.
In Kosciusko County there are 1,000 miles of county regulated drains. I am the best candidate because I am the only licensed professional running. I have 10 years of experience working as a private surveyor in and around Kosciusko County that has given me the experience and education to be able to fulfill the requirements of county surveyor.
3. Explain why voters should choose you as the next county surveyor.
Moyer: As a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County, I’m the only candidate running for office that has experience with government budgets, tax rates and working with the drainage board. I work with local property owners daily and know the drainage issues they are dealing with and have worked side by side with the excavators who work for the county.
I’m the only candidate that has 40 years of experience in surveying and excavation. I worked for one of the largest surveying companies in northern Indiana as a crew chief and for 20 years at a local excavating company. I worked for the last three elected county surveyors and for the last eight years as the assistant county surveyor where I am in charge of the county section corners along with working on drainage issues. I’m the only candidate that can hit the ground running first day in office.
I’m extremely organized and know how to assign and prioritize projects. I can save taxpayers money by hiring or contracting on an as-needed basis. I will continue the committed practice that the surveyor’s office has always had, and that is listening to and assisting any person who comes in, any way possible.
Prince: As the only licensed professional surveyor running, I will save taxpayers money by not having to hire a professional surveyor/engineer to fulfill the statutory responsibilities required to perform the role.
Without a surveyor in the office, all surveying work would have to be outsourced to a surveyor or engineer. According to data and information supplied by the current licensed county surveyor, “in the past 12 months, the taxpayers of Kosciusko County saved nearly $150,000 in surveying and engineering fees on county regulated drain maintenance and reconstruction projects due to not needing to outsource those services to private firms. All work was performed by the current licensed county surveyor or under his direct supervision. The cost of that outsourcing would come directly from the farmers and residential landowners through their drainage assessments. The current drainage assessment rates would likely need to be increased to absorb that cost. The additional annual cost of outsourcing the survey work on 5% of the section corners (minimum as required by law) would be approximately $550 per corner or a total of $68,750 annually, if the county surveyor was not licensed.”
For the past 64 years (since the 1960 election) the voters of Kosciusko County have realized the money saved and the services provided by electing a licensed professional surveyor as their county surveyor. I would be honored to be Kosciusko County's next county surveyor.