File Ref. #159
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CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH
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CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA 33139
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
TELEPHONE: (305) 673-7010
FAX: (305) 673-7782
September 2, 1999
Mr. Scott McPherson
Executive Director
Team Florida 2000
Department of Management Services
Capital Circle Office Complex, Bldg 4050
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Dear Mr. McPherson:
Team Florida 2000 is commended for the task to provide the most current Y2K readiness information
from cities, counties, other local agencies, and specific private entities that provide public safety
services. And, that is why I am very disturbed on how the State of Florida's Team Florida 2000 has
acted on the dissemination of information about Y2K readiness. The information released recently
on the City of Miami Beach is inaccurate and misleading to the public.
We first learned of this report and our designation as a "Local Government of Critical Concern"
through an article in the South Florida Business Journal, dated Friday, August 27,1999. It is
disturbing to learn of your assessment of our City through the media, and not from your office.
In the article, you are quoted giving some damaging and inaccurate statements to the reporter. The
statement attributed to you says that "Miami Beach is the only major entity in Miami-Dade County
we are looking at right now." This appears to be incorrect based on other newspaper reports (since
we were not given the courtesy of receiving the findings of this report beforehand), in that Miami
Beach is not the only city in Miami-Dade County on your critical concern list. This is interesting since
no one has contacted us regarding this critical watch. The article goes on to say: "Miami Beach has
issued more party permits for New Year's Eve than it did for the Super Bowl." The fact is that the
City does not issue permits for events being held in private property, and, to this date, has not issued
a single special event permit for Millennium celebrations on public property, I find your statement,
"if we had to put a bull's-eye at ground zero for our concerns, Miami Beach would be the center,"
not only inaccurate and misleading but highly inflammatory and irresponsible. All of the City's critical
systems are Y2K compliant.
We have a responsibility to the public, not only to protect it, but also to provide accurate and
up-to-date information, while not creating unnecessary fear and anxiety. All this could have been
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avoided if you would had spent the same time that you did talking to the reporters in making a
telephone call to us.
After actually reading the most recent report on your website, we learned that the report on-line has
outdated (April 1, 1999) information. Again, it is your task to "to provide the most current Y2K
readiness information from cities," especially since there was a meeting with your staff and the
Information Technology Director Kay Randall and City Clerk Bob Parcher on May 27, 1999. There
is obviously a communications gap between your office and mine. No one adequately notified us of
the proper method of updating information.
To avoid any miscommunications in the future, please note, as you were previously advised, that the
City's Y2K contact is Kay Randall, Information Technology Director. Please direct all
communications to him. He can be reached at 305-673-7040.
Let me reassure you that the City of Miami Beach will be ready for the Year 2000. We expect the
State to follow through responsibly in conveying this information to the public.
SR:rr
c: Bob Parcher, City Clerk
Kay Randall, Information Technology Director
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c',::',? 2 1999
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MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO: ALL PERSONNEL
FROM: ChiefB~eto V
DATE: 911199
SUBJECT: Y2k IssueslMillennium
Recently, an article in the Miami Herald indicated that the City of Miami Beach as well
as the Police Department were on a "critical concern list" for the State of Florida.
According to the State, this "critical list" was comprised of government agencies who
were not 70% compliant by April 1999 regarding Y2K issues. In the article, our
Information Technology Department acknowledged that the City had 16 computer
systems throughout the City that needed to be upgraded. Of these systems, the Police
Department had 3 major concerns: Computer Aided Dispatch System, 911 phone system
and the Records Management System.
As you are aware, we have been updating everyone via the Official Bulletin and through
the FOP, as to our status on every one of these systems. The Computer Aided Dispatch
system went "live" in the beginning of May and we have as of this last weekend
completed the project on the implementation of our new 911 phone system. In
November, our final version of the Records Management System (RMS) will be
implemented and training will begin. Those affected personnel involved in the RMS are
presently looking at the software package for revisions and additions to the final product.
Our Operations Plan (Millennium Celebration PlanlY2K Disruption Plan) for the
department has been in draft for several months and will be completed by the end of this
week. This final plan has been as a result of copious meetings within the Department as
well as with other police departments and government entities. In addition, suggestions
and comments from the FOP and personnel throughout the Department were incorporated
into this finished product.
The Police Department is scheduled to receive 37 computers to replace those computers
that are not year 2000 compliant. The first 14 of the 37 computers will be received this
Friday and subsequently connected to our network by Information Technology. The
remaining computers will arrive thereafter.
The outstanding computer systems (utility billing, payroll, permitting systems and
desktop office automation systems) which have not been upgraded at this time are
scheduled for completion by December by Information Technology. Although these
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systems are important to the overall readiness of the City's Y2K plan, they have no direct
impact on the safety of the residents of the City nor the officers working on the street.
In regards to the Payroll system, the Finance Department has assured us that there will be
no delays in paycheck distribution at the end of the year.
The Department has worked diligently to prepare for the millennium and we are satisfied
with our progress regarding our state of readiness. The completion of our main systems
has provided us time to eliminate any last minute bugs and concentrate on our ancillary
systems.
RRB/PS
c: Sergio Rodriguez
Nannette Rodriguez