A VERY SMALL GROUP OF US HERE IN PACIFICA ARE TRYING TO AWAKEN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO THE STRONG POSSIBITY THAT WE MAY HAVE SOME PROBLEMS COME THE END OF THE YEAR.ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS HOLD TOWN MEETINGS SO THAT LOCAL INHABITANTS CAN ASK QUESTIONS OF REPS. OF LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES SUCH AS WATER, GAS, ELECTRICITY ETC.(THE CITY COUNCIL IS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN PUTTING THESE TOGETHER) DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW THESE MEETINGS SHOULD BE RUN? WE'VE ALSO THOUGHT OF BRINGING TOGETHER LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS - COUNCIL REPS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, LIONS CLUB, MOOSE LODGE TO SEE IF THEY'RE WILLING TO ALERT THEIR 'CONGREGATIONS' TO THE Y2K ISSUE. ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? ONE OF OUR GROUP HAS GOOD CONTACTS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, ONE HAS GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE LOCAL PAPER, AND THE LOCAL POLICE CHIEF IS WILLING TO WORK WITH US. BUT HE'S BUSY AND HARD TO GET HOLD OF.YOU SENT US A COPY OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PACKAGE, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS EXCELLENT. CAN WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM? HOW MUCH WOULD 1,000 COST? ALSO, DO YOU HAVE VIDEOS WE COULD BORROW TO SHOW ON LOCAL ACCESS TV? AND DO YOU HAVE A PROCEDURE YOU CAN RECOMMEND FOR RELIABLY SURVEYING THE Y2K COMPLIANCY OF LOCAL ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES? WE'VE WRITTEN TO THE PACIFICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUT ARE SCEPTICAL OF THEIR WISHING TO GET INTO THIS. WE'RE NEAR OVERWHELM. VIRTUALLY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE HERE TO INFORM/PREPARE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT. WE REALIZE THAT IT TAKES TIME FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT Y2K TO BE NUDGED INTO PONDERING IT AND TAKING ACTION. WE ARE, BY THE WAY, TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSED BY YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. MUTAHAR WILLIAMS ON BEHALF OF PACIFICA 20000

-- Mutahar Williams (mutahar@jps.net), September 02, 1999

Answers

Hello again Mutahar, Lot's of good questions. Let me first note that Contra Costa 2000, in conjunction with the City of Concord, is hosting a table at the upcoming Art and Wine Festival in Concord this weekend. If you could send a representative to that event, I could meet with them and give you a range of support materials. I will be there personally from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. We are handing out materials created by the City of Concord, along with our own preparedness materials.

Regarding meetings. I have heard from a number of groups nationwide that the best format for meetings is the following. A panel of: City Officials, Bank execs., representatives from the Utilities, Office of Emergency Preparedness staff, and clergy. When conducting the meetings try to ensure that you have a hand in controlling and facilitating the meetings. Limit each speaker to a brief 5 - 10 minute overview of their position on Y2K and the state of preparedness of their institution. Then go into a Question and Answer period involving the audience. It is good to "seed" the audience with people who have some carefully crafted questions in advance. This way you will ensure that you get key answers to important questions. You may want to have a prepared "close" for the meeting that presents your groups balanced perspective on the Y2K issue. You mentioned a friend who had good ties with the City Council. This is your leverage point. The most effective way to get to City officials seems to be through their friends and peers. Have your friend take the City Official out for coffee or lunch and deliver a prepared profile of the concerns of the local citizens. You might suggest that your City Officials contact the City of Concord in order to get some guidance on the level and degree of involvement that Concord has taken on this issue. I can tell you that it is quite impressive. The City of Concord is sponsoring its second all day festival on Y2K called "Info 2000". We will have representatives from the utilities, the State of California, Emergency Services, Hospitals etc.

A good contact in Concord would be Pam Muse at (925) 671-3172. She is coordinating much of the City of Concord's efforts.

Regarding community assesment:

Following is important information about a Y2K assessment tool from the Center for Y2K & Society that can help your community prepare for the year 2000 -- the Y2K Community Report Card .

I hope this information helps. Let me know if you would like to have someone meet up with me this weekend at our table. Also, I travel to Half Moon Bay every Wednesday, perhaps we could meet up and I could share some materials with you. I currently have three Y2K videos that I would be happy to share with you.

Talk soon - Daren Henderson

-- Daren Henderson (TryChange@aol.com), September 02, 1999.