FARMINGTON—It’s been 65 years since Max Elliott started his career in the Davis County Surveyor’s Office and he’s still going strong. The 89 almost 90 year-old was just reelected as Davis County Surveyor for another three years – so retirement is in the distance.

“Surveying is kind of a unique line of work,” said Elliott. “You’re more outside than inside.”

It was more or less luck that brought him into the field, he said. “I worked under Don Davis then worked under Glenn Austin. When he retired I served the remainder of his term.”

Elliott served as the elected surveyor for eight terms and in 2021 started his ninth term. During that time he had only one challenger for his position. 

“If there was an election and they found out he was running nobody was willing to run against him,” said Administrative Secretary Louise Miller. “Everybody respects him. He knows everything about Davis County. If you ask a question he’ll know where to find the material.”

Max is wonderful to work for, she said. “He lets us do our job but he’s there if needed. I’ll be working on something and he'll ask if I need to sit down or suggest I need time off. He cares about us.”

He treats everyone with respect and kindness, Miller said. “If the public comes in and needs something he’ll give the answer but if he doesn’t know the answer he’ll search until he finds it.”

“I have known and worked with Max for many years,” said Chief Deputy Surveyor, Kyle M. Corbridge. “One day we were surveying in an open field and we were using a 300 foot metal chain to measure distances with. Max took the front end of this metal tape and I held onto the rear end of the chain.”

Corbridge said Max went out about 295 feet from him to set a point in the ground. “I was standing next to an electrical fence the farmer had to keep his livestock in. I was holding onto the reel of this tape secured onto a wooden handle. I somehow ‘accidentally’ made contact with this fence and about 300 feet away I heard a commotion. It took some time before he was able to laugh about that.”

“I’ve seen a lot of changes in 65 years,” said Elliott. “I used to work with steel tapes that were 300 feet long. Now we’ve got global system positioning. It can tell within a dime in an area if it’s done right.” 

There’s satisfaction in keeping the real map (which is the earth itself) in place, said Elliott. “It’s quite a job keeping those points in place with all of the growth.”

Elliott said surveyors are concerned that in a few years there won’t be enough people interested in the field to follow in their footsteps. “Most surveyors are in their 50s, 60s or 70s. I know if they got involved in doing it they’d be excited to come into the profession. I don’t think you can meet anyone who would say they don’t enjoy it.”

“I know him as a man of integrity,” said Corbridge. “As a surveyor he is thorough, ensuring the work is being done in an accurate and precise manner. He has been a great leader, teacher and mentor through his examples and patience.”

“I thoroughly enjoy this profession,” said Elliott. “I got into it and stayed.”