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1 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ` <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: October 19, 1999 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Orange County Y2K Preparations <br />DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) FNo <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />IT Compliance Summary Rod Visser, ext 2300; Pam Jones, ext <br />Y2K Essential Services Summary 2650;,. <br />Public Safety lCompliance Summary Jim McGimsey, Y2K Coordinator, ext 3070 <br />Embedded Chips Compliance Summary <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732 -8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968 -4501 <br />Durham 688 -7331 <br />Mebane 336 -227 -2031 <br />PURPOSE: To receive a report. on County preparations to deal with Year 2000 technology <br />challenges. <br />BACKGROUND: Experts believe. that many computer systems will have at least some - <br />difficulties in coping with the challenges presented when the year changes from 1999,to 2000, <br />because of limitations in old computer programming codes. There are concerns that many <br />computer programs and electronic devices with embedded microchips will malfunction because <br />of an.inability to:correctly recognize dates of January 1, 2000 and beyond. At their April. 6, 1.999 <br />meeting, the Board .approved a contract with McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, to provide assistance to <br />County staff in assessing, correcting, and testing the County's preparednessto continue <br />operations in light of these potential problems. <br />At their May 18, 1999 meeting, the Board received a Y2K implementation status report that <br />outlined the County's critical systems. On June 30, the Board received .a report that indicated <br />that Orange County's critical systems are Year 2000 compliant: Work'on other less critical <br />systems has continued over the summer. The focus for the remainder of 1999, is on testing. <br />non- critical systems, expanding the public information component, and: finalizing departmental <br />contingency planning, for continuity of the most important County services; .should <br />circumstances beyond the County's control (e.g. widespread unavailability of electrical power) <br />preclude normal operations and prevent the use of automated systems that the County has <br />rendered Y2K compliant: <br />