1999 AGN JAN 19 I24 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF COLTON CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT For Council Meeting of January 19, 1999 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council APPROVAL: Henry T. Garcia, City Manage FROM: Thomas K. Clarke, Utility Director ' SUBJECT: Year 2000 (Y2K) Compliance DATE: January 7, 1999 BACKGROUND As the new millennium approaches, there is a worldwide concern that many computer-based systems will fail to operate properly because of the manner that the computers process data sequentially by time and date. Many computers were designed to recognize dates using only the last two digits of the year. For example, 1951 would be recognized as "51" or 1988 as "88". The problem occurs when operations are dependent on making a calculation subtracting or adding the current date from some other point. The year 2000 will be recognized as "00". For some systems this may be noted as 1900 and in some others as "0" which will not perform functions where data cannot be manipulated when multiplied or divided by zero. It is envisioned that this is where the Y2K problem poses its greatest threat. DISCUSSION / ANALYSIS The sole purpose of the Y2K compliance study is to eliminate (or to the maximum extent possible) any liability claims against the City as a result of the interruption of municipal services. This could be associated with the utility services, public safety served by police and fire, and certain functions in public works, but our efforts to ascertain any noncompliance with Y2K components will not result in assuring the citizens that none of the City's services will be affected. Rather, that the City has undertaken a program to inventory as many of the Y2K sensitive systems within the City and to the best of our knowledge, they will not be impacted when the clocks roll over. This does not provide a guarantee that the City has not missed something that may be effected by the year 2000 and create a problem in some fashion. No entity that I am aware of has yet provided 100% assurance that they are totally Y2K compliant. Many have undertaken a similar approach with which the City of Colton has proceeded. In all cases, it is the attorneys who have promulgated the due diligence procedures to protect the various entities from unnecessary liability. There are many groups promoting the idea that there will be some kind of doomsday as the new millennium begins. Certain sects are encouraging people to stockpile food and necessities, remove money from banks, investments and retirement funds, avoid travel, and prepare for an extended period without some of the conveniences that are often taken for granted. Most experts contend that there are a number of possible scenarios that could occur, that for the most part, they would be minor and inconsequential as to their effect. Page 1 of 2 helm # 24