NEBRASKA CITY – Otoe County commissioners appointed Dan Thomson of Palmyra as county surveyor to fill the unexpired term of Dave Schmitz, who opened Schmitz Land Surveying in Nebraska City in 1994.

Thomson, a senior surveyor and technical expert with Olsson, has met with Schmitz and recently attended Otoe County Planning and Zoning meetings.

Thomson earned his associate degree from Southeast Community College and told commissioners he has extensive experience in topographic and boundary surveys.

He said he has experience in preparing subdivision plat maps and has worked on land title surveys for commercial developments, including apartment buildings and shopping centers.

He has experience in Otoe County helping OPPD re-mount government section corners and worked on the Apostle Island boundary survey on wooded ground on the shore of Lake Superior.

He was also involved in the Fourth Corso project from Sixth to First Street, which required determining property lines between the Kearney Addition and the South Nebraska City Addition.

Beginning in 1990, state law provides for an election of the county surveyor on a full or part-time basis.