Pretty boring stuff...FWIW.

R.

For Immediate ReleaseContact: Jack GribbenMay 24, 1999(202) 456-7010

WILL YOUR COMMUNITY BE READY FOR THE YEAR 2000? Council Promotes "Y2K Community Conversations" To Help

Service Providers, Citizens Prepare at the Local Level for the Century Date Change

Stressing the importance of preparing at the local level for the transition to the Year 2000 (Y2K), the Presidents Council on Year 2000 Conversion today launched a nation-wide campaign to promote "Y2K Community Conversations" about readiness for the century date change.

With a free toolkit and events held throughout the summer, the Council-led campaign will support and encourage the efforts of government officials, business leaders, and interested citizens to meet the Y2K challenge in communities across the country and to share information about their progress. Y2K Community Conversations, which build on discussions already being held in some areas, give people an opportunity to hear from key service providers on the status of efforts to prepare computers for the date change and the work that remains to be done. The gatherings also enable local citizens to raise concerns they may have about the Y2K problem and work with service providers to identify areas where additional community preparation and planning are needed.

"Our greatest domestic risks for Year 2000-related failures are at the local level," said Council Chair John A. Koskinen. From power and phone companies to banks and water utilities, Americans want to know how the important local services upon which they rely may be affected by computers ability to process the century date change. Y2K Community Conversations can help people better understand the progress that has been made, what the risks are, and what precautions may be appropriate in light of those risks."

The Council is working with the more than 20 major national associations represented on its Senior Advisors Group to encourage local public officials and service providers to lead or participate in Y2K conversations within their own communities. Senior Advisors Group organizations like the American Bankers Association, the American Hospital Association, and the North American Electric Reliability Council have announced their support for the campaign and are asking their members to play an active role in informing citizens about local Y2K readiness. The National Governors Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities and other members of the Councils State and Local Government Working Group have also announced support for the campaign.

Y2K Community Conversations for the summer have already been scheduled for the following communities: Hartford, Connecticut; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Frankfort, Kentucky; Columbus, Ohio; Salt Lake City, Utah; Austin, Texas; Hot Springs, Arkansas; Hampton Roads area, Virginia; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Des Moines, Iowa. Plans are also underway for conversations in St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois.

"In many communities, service providers have been working hard to keep citizens informed of their progress and the work that remains," said Koskinen. "We hope this campaign will support their efforts and encourage others to start talking about the Y2K problem with their customers and constituents, which in some communities will increase the level of effort being devoted to meeting the Y2K challenge."

Koskinen added, "Our goal is not to cheerlead or create a false sense of security. Our goal is for participants to share factual information about whats been done, what remains to be done, and what additional actions a community should take as a result."

To help local leaders organize and promote events focused on local Year 2000 efforts, the Council is making available a free "Y2K Community Conversations" toolkit. The toolkit contains:

a guidebook for putting together a meeting from start to finish  with suggestions for agendas, selecting formats and participants, promoting the meeting, and follow-up;

frequently asked questions about the Y2K problem;

a videotape with introductory remarks from President Clinton; and

a Y2K Community Conversations poster and other promotional materials.

Copies of the toolkit can be ordered though the Councils free information line 1-888-USA-4-Y2K (1-888-872-4925). Local leaders can also call the information line with questions about how to organize and promote Y2K conversations in their communities. A text version of the guidebook is available on the Councils web site at www.y2k.gov.

The President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, established on Feb. 4, 1998, by Executive Order 13073, is responsible for coordinating the Federal Government's efforts to address the Year 2000 problem. The Council's more than 30 member agencies are working to promote action on the problem and to offer support to public and private sector organizations within their policy areas. Visit the Council via the Internet at www.y2k.gov. For consumer information on the Year 2000 problem, call the Councils free information line at 1-888-USA-4Y2K

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), May 24, 1999

Answers

Community Conversations?

*Sigh*

More talking... more inaction.

*Double Sigh*

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 24, 1999.

and as a cheerleader,he's just not that cute,but he is perky

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), May 24, 1999.

The government should mail a copy of the American Red Cross Y2K brochure to every household in the country. That's the least they can do.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), May 24, 1999.

Coming to Austin, the tour is, eh?

I'm generally philosophically opposed to heckling, but here.....

If any public participation is planned, I'll go and report back.

-- Lisa (lisa@work.now), May 24, 1999.

Roland, Diane, Gentle Readers ;-)

Before you blow this off, go take a look at this brand new page on the Y2K.gov site:

http://www.y2k.gov/community/

This is a fairly big deal. They are still referring to the non-prep prep time of 3 days, but at least it gets the issue in the public eye.

Wonder what the video is like?

-- Lewis (aslanshow@yahoo.com), May 24, 1999.

Lewis it looks like a big deal, yes, but I'm disappointed with the "conversations" angle, rather than an up-front preparations approach. What's wrong with urging personal contingency plans?

Feels like a sad, delay tactic, IMHO.

It implies that one will receive "truthful" information if communities hold community conversations. They are already doing that, will little success. Why would this be any different?

Meanwhile, the clock ticks.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 24, 1999.

Lisa -

Having recently attended a "community conversation" with local utilities, banks, and gov't types, my experience is that they control the atmosphere bigtime. Presentations were 20 minutes max, questions had to be written and submitted, and the hosts chose which questions to ask. They did not ask mine.

You probably won't get a chance to heckle. I did however take the opportunity to chat with the presenter outside during the first break (Hour 1 of 3). Asked him my question (about %complete vs. %budget) "offline" that they wouldn't answer in front of the crowd. Very nice guy, "public affairs rep", had no clue why their numbers didn't jibe at all. He said he'd have to look into it.

I thanked him and left - time much better spent with family. As I drove home, it occurred to me that this must be what a "known Y2K troublemaker" does: ask standard-issue project status questions (e.g., "Why does %complete not jibe at all with %budget expended?") that just flabbergast and confuse the presenter. *sigh*

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), May 24, 1999.

(1) Only one meeting for each metropolitan area? Not nearly enough to allow local questions to be asked and concerns raised. (2) Starting this summer? Not soon enough.

As an alternative, Kaua'i, with 45-50,000 residents had a half dozen neighborhood meetings (ending in April).

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), May 24, 1999.

Ok, folks. It's easy enough to secede in the virtual world, but back at the ranch...

Last Thursday, instead of meeting Yourdonites in DC, I drove to Carteret County, North Carolina to meet a new Y2k friend. While there, I listened in on the Community Connections teleconference. The key concern was the inadequacy of the "prepare as for a major storm" analogy. Chuck Lanza was recommending preparations beyond the oft proclaimed 2 to 3 day bump in the road recommendations.

Since signing on to the list serve, I've gotten email connecting me coast to coast. Capers Jones was one of the early responders...

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm surrounded by people living the American Trance. If those folks start paying attention to the President's Council and Community Connections, then we need to be there.

Aloha,

Critt

-- Critt Jarvis (middleground@critt.com), May 24, 1999.

I didn't see Atlanta on that list of cities.

Triage, already?

(Do I have a dark side, or what?)

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), May 24, 1999.