HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-12-13 City Council (28)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES
DATE:DECEMBER 13, 1999 CMR: 452:99
SUBJECT: YEAR 2000 TRANSITION PLAN STATUS REPORT
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On February 8, April 12, and August 9, 1999, staff provided Council with information on
the status of the City’s Year 2000 (Y2K) efforts (CMRs 127:99, 205:99, and 343:99
respectively). This report builds on information presented in the earlier reports, including
the progress and activities undertaken since August 9, 1999 to prepare the City’s
computer hardware and software for Y2K and to communicate with the public regarding
the City’s Y2K planning efforts. This report constitutes a Y2K readiness disclosure
within the meaning of the YEAR 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act, P.L.
105-127.
DISCUSSION
As outlined in previous status reports, the City’s Y2K Transition Plan consists of three
phases: 1) assessment, testing, and remediation of the City’s central computer system
hardware and software; 2) assessment, testing and remediation of departmental computer
system hardware, software and electronic devices; and 3) community awareness and
preparation. The purpose of the Y2K Transition Plan is to provide the necessary
technical solutions and community partnerships so that the City is able to make the Y2K
transition successfully.
Phase I - Central Computer Systems
The City’s centralized computer hardware and software comprise the most critical areas
of concern. Staff prioritized these systems into two categories: mission-critical and
secondary systems. Mission-critical systems are systems that affect public safety and
delivery of utilities, such as Emergency 911, the Utilities dispatching and electric
distribution systems, traffic signal system monitoring, and monitoring of the water/gas
storm systems. Secondary systems are those systems essential to City business
operations.
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All mission-critical systems have been tested, vendor certified, remediated or replaced.
The City has achieved 100 percent compliance for its mission critical systems. Testing
and remediation of secondary systems is nearly complete with one outstanding system,
the payroll/human resources position control system, to be tested and remediated, if
necessary, in December. The position control system is not mission-critical and manual
contingency plans are in place.
Phase II - Departmental Computer Systems and Technology
Based on the inventory of non-centralized computer applications and equipment, all
departmental computer systems and technology that have a significant role in City
operations have been replaced or remediated or have contingency plans in place.
Phase III- Communi~ Awareness and Preparation
Phase III of the Y2K Transition Plan involves creating public awareness of issues related
to Y2K compliance and mitigating potential problems that could affect Palo Alto
residents. The Y2K Interdepartmental Committee, composed of staff from all City
departments and the City Auditor’s Office, has been working on an awareness program,
including the Mayor’s meeting, neighborhood association meetings, the distribution of
Y2K information flyers, utility bill inserts regarding Y2K, the creation of a Y2K website,
and development of a contingency plan for December 31, 1999. Each of these items is
discussed in more detail below.
Mayor’s Meeting: To kick-off the City’s Y2K public outreach efforts, a Mayor’s
meeting with residents was held at Mitchell Park on Saturday, April 17, 1999. The
meeting was well attended, and a Y2K brochure was available at the meeting for
distribution. In addition to the Mayor, City Manager and appropriate City staff, the
meeting was attended by over 20 citizens.
Y2K Brochure: The Y2K brochure includes an explanation of Y2K, what the City is
doing to address the issue, how residents might be affected, what residents can do to
prepare and how to get additional information. The brochure, which emphasizes what
residents can do to prepare for the Year 2000, is available at all City departments and
facilities, including the libraries, and has been distributed to businesses and citizens upon
request. The brochure has been well received.
Y2K Utility Bill Insert and Announcements: A utility bill insert regarding Y2K was
mailed to 26,000 utility customers in July 1999. Limited to one page, the insert is an
abbreviated version of the Y2K brochure. In addition, a brief announcement telling
residents how to get information on Y2K was included on the Utilities and Community
Announcement page of the utility bills in June 1999.
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Y2K Website: This link to Palo Alto residents and other Internet-enabled citizens
continues to provide a critical resource in the public communication/outreach effort. The
website has been up and running since early February and includes the following
information: 1) what the City is doing to prepare for Y2K; 2) the current status of City
software applications; 3) what individuals can do to .prepare; 4) commonly asked
questions about Y2K ; 5) whom to contact regarding Y2K; and 6) a collection of related
Y2K web sites. The website was most recently updated in December with information
pertaining to the City Y2K emergency preparation discussed in CMR:400:99. Visits to
the website have diminished considerably from an average of 60 hits per day in August to
9 hits per day in October.
Y2K Business Presentations: Staff has conducted several Y2K presentations to
businesses, including .the Downtown Marketing Committee of the Chamber of
Commerce, Lockeed-Martin and two presentations to Hewlett Packard. Response has
been very positive and has resulted in repeated requests for presentations and copies of
the Y2K brochure. A presentation was also given to the Purchasing Officers Association
of Santa Clara County.
Neighborhood Meetings: Neighborhood associations were contacted to inform residents
that staff is available to make presentations on Y2K and disaster preparedness. As a
result of this, City staff has held six community meetings to provide information to
residents on Y2K. Through the remainder of the year, a Y2K drop-in center is open at
the Office of Emergency Services at Mitchell Park. The center provides Y2K
information to citizens during the hours of 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday.
Emergency Operations Center: City staff conducted two tests at the Emergency
Operations Center (EOC). During these tests all critical systems operated successfully.
Staff will continue training at the EOC in December to improve the communication
processes between staff.
December 31, 1999: The Emergency Operations Center Y2K Contingency Plan was
presented to Council in October (CMR:400:99). The plan outlines staff activation and
preparedness at the EOC on December 31, 1999.
PREPARED BY: David Ramberg, Senior Financial Analyst
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DEPARTMENT HEAD APPROVAL:
Director, Admin’strative Services
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
Assistant City Manager
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