DATE: December 8, 1998
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT: YEAR 2000 PREPAREDNESS FOR RESIDENTS & BUSINESSES

SUMMARY:
Reference:
With the Year 2000 rapidly approaching, public attention will become increasingly focused on Y2K, and the so-called "Millennium Bug". Although there are many differing views on the scope of the effect Y2K will have on the daily lives of residents, one thing is clear - over the next year we will be inundated with information, both credible and questionable, about the Millennium Bug. Approval of today¢s action will assure that San Diego County residents are provided with the information resources they need to make reasoned decisions for themselves.

Recommendation(s):
SUPERVISOR JACOB
1) Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to convene a Y2K Summit in February 1999 to focus on the impact of Y2K on the residents and businesses of San Diego County.

2) Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to develop a Y2K Residential Consumer Checklist and a Y2K Business Consumer Checklist to aid citizens in determining and preparing for the effects of the Y2K issue on their day-to-day activities.

Fiscal Impact:
There is no direct fiscal impact as a result of this request.

BACKGROUND:
With the Year 2000 rapidly approaching, public attention will become increasingly focused on Y2K, and the so-called "Millennium Bug". Undoubtedly, as more attention is focused on the issue, more questions will arise regarding how Y2K will affect the residents of San Diego County - consumers, seniors, small businesses, financial institutions, the local military community, and municipal governments within the region. Clearly, individuals will need to decide for themselves which steps should be taken to prepare for any risk posed by Y2K issues. As the regional government, San Diego County is in a unique position to assist the public by providing information. This may be accomplished in two ways.

The first is to convene a Y2K Summit in February 1999 to focus on the impacts of Y2K on residents and businesses in San Diego County. The goal of the Summit would be to provide a forum where residents and business-owners can hear first-hand what measures have been taken by the County, as well as other institutions, to assure they are Y2K compliant.

The second way to assist residents is by developing both a Y2K Residential Consumer Checklist and a Y2K Business Consumer Checklist to aid citizens in determining and preparing for the effects of the Y2K bug on their day-to-day activities. The check-lists should contain information about which goods and services will potentially be affected by Y2K. Some examples of residential checklist items relate to banks, utilities, home security systems, personal computers, and timed-sprinkler systems. The checklist would provide an easy reference for consumers who want to prevent Y2K glitches in their daily lives. A similar checklist would be developed for business, but would focus on goods and services typically provided to businesses.

For several years, San Diego County has been working on internal systems to assure the organization is fully prepared to meet the challenges of the new millennium. Residents, too, need to take the initiative in addressing their own concerns. San Diego County government should take an active role in helping to provide the information residents need to make reasoned decisions for themselves.

Respectfully Submitted,

DIANNE JACOB
Supervisor, Second District