Quarterly Board Meeting - 9:30 am - April 16, 2025

North Carolina Board for Licensing of Geologists 

Minutes 

     April 16, 2025

NC State University Club • Raleigh, NC 

Call To Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:47 am by Board chair Richard Spruill. Dr. Spruill read the conflict of interest statement and noted that he would be recusing himself on a complaint matter to be discussed later. 

Other Board members present were Steve Stadelman, Dennis LaPoint, Dwain Veach, and Emily Klein. Also present were Board counsel Philip Reynolds, executive director Barbara Geiger, and Board staff Jenna Miller. 

Approval of Meeting Minutes 

The minutes of the January 22, 2025 Board meeting were presented, with minor edits recommended. Motion was made by Steve Stadelman to approve the minutes as amended. The motion was seconded by Dennis LaPoint and unanimously carried. 

Financial Report 

Barbara Geiger presented the Third Quarter Profit and Loss Statement and Third Quarter Balance Sheet, noting that most of the income for the fiscal year will come in the fourth quarter as license renewals are received. There was a brief discussion about corporate licensing fees as set by NCGS § 55B, the Professional Corporation Act. Changes in cost of living were also discussed, and a motion was made by Dennis LaPoint to add a three percent cost of living increase to the Board’s annual management fee, effective May 1, 2025. The motion was seconded by Emily Klein and unanimously carried. There being no further discussion, motion was made by Dennis LaPoint to accept the financial report. The motion was seconded by Emily Klein and unanimously carried. 

Administrative Report 

Jenna Miller reported that there were presently 1170 active individual licensees and 219 active corporate licenses. It was also reported that 48 exam candidates had taken Part 1 of the March 2025 ASBOG, and 19 candidates had taken Part 2. The Board was reminded that its current contract with Certemy will end in March of 2026, and Board staff has been looking into options for a new license management system. 

Legal Report 

Phillip Reynolds noted that Assistant Attorney General Brian McGinn will be taking over as Board counsel. Mr. McGinn previously worked with the Board from 1994 to 2000. Current legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly was discussed, including Senate Bill 451, which would reduce continuing education requirements for many occupational licensing boards, including the NCBLG, by 50 percent. House Bill 763, the Neighboring State License Recognition Act, which would require that state licensing Boards allow licensure pathways to professionals moving into North Carolina from neighboring states. It was noted that this bill, if passed, would likely not require any changes to the Board’s current rules, but this should be taken into consideration during the rules review process. 

It was noted that Board staff prepared a memorandum for Drew Thomas of the Virginia Geologists Working group, in Virginia seeking to have geology licensure passed into law, as opposed to its current certification program. The group alled on neighboring states for examples of licensure issues affecting public health, safety, and welfare. 

Also discussed was a memorandum prepared for the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, regarding the Boards response to the Disaster Recovery Act of 2024 (S.L. 2024-53, Part IV-E). The Act, in part, called on occupational licensing boards to consider the impacts of Hurricane Helene on licensees and applicants in their ability to complete continuing education and other tasks necessary for maintaining licensure. 

Mr. Reynolds discussed next steps in the required review of existing rules, noting that the rules must be re-adopted by July 1, 2027. The Board was advised that this process would present an opportunity for amendment of the current rules. 

CE Report 

Steve Stadelman reported that the CE Committee had reviewed three applications for CE approval. One activity was approved as requested, one activity was approved for partial credit, and one activity was denied, as the content was not technical or geological. Motion was made by Dennis LaPoint to approve the CE Report as presented. The motion was seconded by Emily Klein and unanimously carried. 

ASBOG® 

Dennis LaPoint reported that he attended the Spring 2025 COE workshop held in Roanoke, Virginia, April 10-12, which was well attended, with approximately 50 Subject Matter Experts participating. He informed the Board that the Fall 2025 Annual Meeting and COE Workshop would be long-time ASBOG® psychometrician Jack Warner’s final meeting, as Jack will be retiring. Richard Spruill thanked Dr. LaPoint for representing the Board in Roanoke, and noted that he was very interested in attending the fall meeting. 

Old Business 

The matter of licensure amongst academic geologists in North Carolina was discussed. Richard Spruill reminded the Board that he will be reaching out to state colleges to identify points of contact with geology faculty. 

Motion was made by Steve Stadelman to move to closed session for application review and to discuss confidential complaint matters, in accordance with NC GS § 143-318.11(6). The motion was seconded by Dennis LaPoint and unanimously carried. 

Motion was made by Steve Stadelman to return to open session. The motion was seconded by Dwain Veach and unanimously carried. There being no further discussion, motion was made by Dennis LaPoint to adjourn the meeting at 1:03 pm. The motion was seconded by Emily Klein and unanimously carried. 

Respectfully submitted: 

Steve Stadelman 

Secretary-Treasurer