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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-18-1999 - 10bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 18, 1999 Action Agenda Item No. /p_b SUBJECT: Orange County Y2K Implementation Plan DEPARTMENT: County Manager PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1~ No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: None Rod Visser, ext 2300; Pam Jones, ext 2650; Jim McGimsey, Y2K Coordinator, ext 3070 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To receive a report on County preparations to deal with Year 2000 technology challenges BACKGROUND: Experts believe that many computer systems will have at least some difficulties in coping with the challenges presented when the year changes from 1999 to 2000, because of limitations in old computer programming codes. There are concerns that many computer programs and electronic devices with embedded microchips will malfunction because of an inability to correctly recognize dates of January 1, 2000 and beyond. At their Apri16, 1999 meeting, the Board approved a contract with McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, to provide assistance to County staff in assessing, correcting, and testing the County's preparedness to continue operations in light of these potential problems. The County's critical systems, as outlined below, will be repaired as needed, tested, and verified as Y2K compliant by June 21, 1999. Items that fall into the critical system category have been identified by the Y2K sub-committees who have focused on public safety, embedded chips, computer equipment and human services. These have also been confirmed with department heads. Certain critical services cannot be allowed to have a lapse in service for any period of time. The critical services, along with the required support systems have been identified as follows: Emergency Management • 9-1-1 dispatching capabilities • Telephone service, both internal and external Infrastructure services such as water, power, HVAC for the facility Emergency power supplied through an on-site emergency generator Ambulances: All on-board equipment that could include embedded chips; vehicles; and communications equipment (including mobile radios, cell phones, pagers, etc.) Volunteer Fire Departments • Communications equipment • Vehicles Jail • Cell lock system • Communications equipment (including radios, intercoms, prisoner monitoring devices); and infrastructure items such as water, power, HVAC Sheriff s Office • Communications equipment • Vehicles Central Services • Telephone system Sewer • Efland Sewer lift stations and emergency power DSS • Support systems in place to allow adult/child protective services to operate Other functions, while extremely important, are one step down from the level of criticality attached to the above life/safety fiznctions. They will undergo the same level of compliance testing as the aforementioned items, however, their compliance may not be assured until mid-July, 1999. These systems include: DSS Ability to process entitlements Mainframe Software Ensure applications aze compliant to operate the County's business system (e.g. finance, purchasing, payroll,etc.), land records, and tax collections system. Note that most functions in tax collections could be accomplished manually. However, since the time of year the potential computer failures could occur is a high volume period for this activity, automation plays a critical role in the ability to provide the appropriate level of service and to accurately account for collections. Work on other less critical systems will continue over the summer. This fall, the Y2K coordinator will assist County staff in contingency planning for continuity of the most important County services, should circumstances beyond the County's control (e.g. widespread unavailability of electrical power) preclude normal operations and prevent the use of automated systems that the County has rendered Y2K compliant. Extensive documentation of County assessment, repair, testing, and validation efforts to date aze maintained by the Y2K Coordinator and aze available for review at the Boazd's request. Staff members of the County's Y2K Steering Committee and Y2K Coordinator Jim McGimsey will be available at this meeting to respond to any Board questions about the County's Y2K implementation plan. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Funding for most necessary County technology replacements and repairs has already been included in the current CIP and current or previous operating budgets. If additional costs are noted during the completion of the County's Y2K implementation plan, they can be addressed through a Y2K reserve in the 1999-2000 CIP or through other County financial reserves, as the Board decides. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the report for information only.