Shelly Bishop Brings Experience to County Surveyor Position

I am thankful to have been the county surveyor for several terms.  It is a distinguished office that goes back to the first county surveyor in the United States, George Washington.  County surveyors were mainly set up to resolve boundary line disputes between different parties.  Now, the different parties hire their own surveying firms and solve the dispute in court.  So, a lot of counties have abolished the unpaid office of county surveyor.

A county surveyor is a great asset to the county and should be used more.  County surveyors are regulated through the state professional registration.  Surveyors do environmental permitting, erosion control, consulting on road-widening and clarifying boundary issues.  Up here in Fannin County, environmental permitting for erosion control is very important.  If the Environmental Protection Division comes out to a site and finds violations, it is $2,500 per day.  With ten violations, and they do write violations fast, that can be $25,000 a day in fines.  If mud from a construction project gets into a creek, you can bet the EPD is coming.

I hope that the county sees that a county surveyor is good stewardship of the county’s money.  The County Commissioners pay for survey services from other surveyors in the area.  They hire my firm too.  This means the total price includes overhead for my firm.  Asking the County Surveyor first will save money, especially when the county paves roads.  I can give them information about environmental permitting before mud ends up in creeks.

I started surveying because I like to put together different pieces of information about a property. I look at the deed and earlier surveys to figure out the intent of the surveyors.  I am one of the first female surveyors that the state of Georgia certified.  I know Fannin like the back of my hand.  I am glad to give this service back to the community.  Thank you for voting for me to be the Fannin County Surveyor.