185-1999 LTC
:c I T Y 0 F M I A M I 8 E A C H
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
htlp:\\ci,miami-beach. fl. us
L.T.C. No. 185-1999
LETTER TO COMMISSION
September 2, 1999
TO: Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and
Members of the City Commission
FROM: Sergio Rodriguez
City Manager
SUBJECT: Y2K
On August 27, 1999, Mr. Rich Hubbard, a writer for the South Florida Business Journal wrote an
article entitled "State describes Miami Beach as top Y2K offender." A copy of the article is attached
for your perusal. Mr. Hubbard's article is based on a report issued by Team Florida 2000, the State's
official Y2K Task Force formed by Governor Jeb Bush. The executive director of Team Florida
2000 is Mr. Scott McPherson. As you can see from the article, Mr. McPherson is quoted numerous
times. \\!hat is unfortunate, is that Mr. McPherson's comments and assessment of the City of Miami
Beach's Y2K efforts are based on inaccurate information. It should be noted that Team Florida 2000
lists on their webpage City of Miami Beach Y2K information as being accurate as of April 1, 1999.
This is the first error related to this issue because City of Miami Beach staff met with Team Florida
2000 representatives on May 27.
It is apparent that Team Florida 2000 had the time to chat with a reporter, but not the time to ensure,
via a simple telephone call to the City, that the information on their website was updated and
accurate. Mr. McPherson is also quoted in the article as saying, "If we had to put a bulls-eye at
ground zero for our concerns, Miami Beach would be the center." In another quote Mr. McPherson
states, "Miami Beach is the only major entity in Miami-Dade County we are looking at right now."
Articles in other newspapers contradict this last statement. It is disappointing that Team Florida
2000, knowing that the information was not updated, released "old" information to the public dealing
with a subject which could create fear in the community. The City found out on Tuesday, August
31, via the Governor's Office, that Team Florida 2000's website contained old information. The
information was immediately updated. A simple follow-up telephone call would have allowed the
City to clarify any mis-information.
Finally, Mr. McPherson is also quoted as saying: "Miami Beach has issued more party permits for
New Year's Eve than it did for the Super Bowl." This is another example of inaccurate information
in the article. As of August 31, the City has not issued a single permit for New Year's Eve. Only
Mr. McPherson can answer why he made that statement.
F:ICMGRI$ALLIL TC.991Y2K. WPD
";
CURRENT STATUS OF Y2K EFFORTS:
Given the seriousness ofthis issue, I held a meeting yesterday, to review the progress of the City's
Y2K efforts. Attending the meeting besides myself, were Mayra Diaz Buttacavoli, Assistant City
Manager; Matthew Schwartz, Assistant City Manager; Richard Barreto, Police Chief; Tom
Thompson, Assistant Fire Chief; Russell White, Fire Marshal; Patricia Walker, Finance Director;
Nannette Rodriguez, Media Relations Officer; Kay Randall, Director Information Technology; Julio
Grave de Peralta, Director Public Works; Pat Schneider, Police Major; Judy Hoanshelt, Special
Projects Coordinator; Joe Dmytriw, Fire Fighter II; and Robert Parcher, City Clerk.
Kay Randall reported that of the seventeen (17) systems under consideration, a total of 11, which
include all of the "critical" systems and some "non-critical", are Y2K compliant. The remaining six
(6) systems: Utility Billing, Police Records Management, ancillary systems to the City's permitting
system, some of the remaining Desktop computer replacements, upgrades to the Payroll System, and
upgrades to the police property and towing system will be implemented between now and
December, with most of them finished by October. Police, Fire, Public Works, Finance and
Sanitation departments all reported that their departments are prepared to handle Y2K and have
contingency plans for any possible mishap, per my previous directions, and emergency associated
with it. Again, there are no mission-critical systems which will not be Y2K compliant.
The Administration recognizes the critical nature of the Y2K problem and has been making every
effort to ensure that the necessary systems are in place and that the public is properly informed before
the end of the year.
It is extremely unfortunate that a lack of communication by such an important group as Team Florida
2000 has potentially created a problem for the City of Miami Beach. The Administration will be in
contact with the Governor's Office to determine why inaccurate information and comments on such
an important subject were allowed to be released.
F:\CMGR\$ALL \L TC. 99\ Y2K. WPD
; J '.
I
State :describes
.. Miaiui Beach. as
. , .
topY2K offender
lfYRJCH JIUlmARD
- - I.. _ . . _.. .' _ __.
' : ::Stafr.Writer
').
";
~~
;J"
If.'
c-'
~~ .. --
t :~l:-:~~Ii:-t1;!~~;-n~~t -mjll~ ,~m{2s
~. . ~R~~.~g PeG~ ;31,. Oce.an -Ptiv~'will
~":shine;;as>:.one 'of.:.th~ world's hottest
J' -.'.'. ...,.,., - , ,~. -.,-. ..'," ...... ". ...... - ," ....,
E~ .;P?dY:"'~PQ#-~ )3uJ 1\1iami l?each'may
-:Sefft.~-,~'te'd.:.stOrYf~ 'page .61
.lir6ve~ . to be an irresponsible host, I
. .aGC6~ding' .to .a state .studYdue out I
tvtonday.' .ih~t'ra#ks the. city as r'
Flbrida~s N 0.. ~. Y2I( Qffe.h~er.
: i;::':',~~~'Yfr:A~d.. t.Q:..PJ~t::,:~:J?PJ.4:~~Y~:!.9t_ .', _' '
'J~:;':i:c.;dN'Ji:;J..';"~-~':-.~ ... "rif;.~("~:'~'''':~~v-;iii!_:: ..,...:.;,:.:ti-4.' ,.-
ti, ~~~~..;.~,..- ~"::'c>~~~l"lcasa ~]:,~~.~f-'\~e.;:b-l.::;..~ "',/._._::
-~~.....~~ =- fJ__._.__.-4...."lbot - ~...___..:...... 4. ~~~.~I~.;...;_..... _'__._
~~~U3[ :7.' ~ ~99
SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS ~CURNAr.
Plf;~
State asks Miami Beach to get its Y2K act together
Contllluod !rom Y2K. p.JQe 1
ground 1.ero for our concerns. l\.liami
Beach would be the center.' said Scm;t
McPher:;on;. executive dirl't."tOr ofTham
Florida 2000. the st.."lte's otlicial ~K
t:lsk force.
Some' expect the so-called
"'fillennium Bug" to bring widesprll:ul
havoc. P<ltenti:u. Y2K roocerns include
di'!'TUOtiOn of electrical power, police
records and dispatchin;r. disr.!ption of
emcr;,'tlnCOj servkes; and loss of utilities
billing, ta." records :md cllunicipnl pay-
roll records.
Governments and companies
throuo;hou~ the world have been ro.cing
to prevent this potential c:lt;1..o;trophe.
l'vIiami Beach otficials say they have
successfully joined this~obal etfor'_
TI1ey deny the city t:lL-es Y2K compli.
unCll problems.
"We're nght on schedule for getting
things accomplished.. said K:1y
R.:mdall. IT director tor ~'Iia:ni Bench,
.We have t=t dates of Oct. 1. Noy. 1
and Dee. 1 1'0; three spedc computer
svstelD:l. We feci we WtU be in compti.
~co jor tho Year 2000,"
P'..is boss. Bob P::u'dlcr. interim direc-
tor of t.'1e city's Information T.~hnolo!;y
DeplU'tment, also c""pressed optimism.
"We don't anticipate un}" Y:::.K prob-
lems, rfyou have electricity. you should
Soulh Beach oxpecls to party Oec. 31.
be OK.' hes:1id. "We11 h.:1ve a rea~-tion
team in the event there are problems.'
State of confusion
~rcPhcr:mn says he c..ods puzzled by
Mi.;ul1.i Beach officials' reaction.
-:\Uamj Be::lch is still on critical con-
cern st.'\tus: McPherson -'laid.
Rmdall says the city ~ not been
contacted by the ta~k force. But
~IcPhorson notes that the st."lto went
out of its way to communicate with
Miami Beach.
"m ~by; the governor 5ent a lottcr to
everv elected.officjal in Florida. with a
copy' to every city mana!;:l?r. town clerk
and town administrntor: he said.
"}Iiami Beach has filled that out.
Mi:un.i Be::lc:h received 3. c:ill from the
Auditor G.meral's Office. and the
Auditor Gener.!I's Office conducted a
follow-up inter:iew aD site regarding
Miami Beach's Y2K effort. They
answered some of the questions,'
Last month. McPherson said. he sent
"'-Iiami Beach a memo thnt he charnc.
terized as .probnbly the most infamous
letter to be circulated around this state
in ':Clll'S. ~
in it. he wrote that Mjomi Beach's
Y2K "red flags" included less than 70
percent compliance by April 1; Y2K
eITorts schedul~'<i for fourr.h qum"ter
implementation: and no contingency
plan in place.
This could spell trouble on an other.
wise especially festive New '.tear's Eve.
.~rill.e.nnll1m ~-cichr.ltions will be uur
ne:rt look,' ~rcPherson said. He noted
that Team Florid::l :::000 representa-
tives "will bll goiD!r to :'vfiami Beach.'
":'liami Beach: he said. "h:JS iilSUt.'<l
more party permits for New Year's Eve
than it c1id tor the Super Bowl:'
Lonely at the top
The city ~tands tlut in it.~ 1:1c!< rn pre-
v<,ntive C::U'C. }[cPhcrson ';""lid. '}Iian
Bcach is the only mnjlJr entil;-; I
;\uami-Dade Count"J we aro lllokin" "
n!;ht now:
On its Web site, :'\liami Bllnch iS1!u(~
a C:lUse for some conce.rrt. "Many olde
computer systems ~tore the' 'year' po
tion of a date in only two digit.~... it S<lV~
"The problem is thn: tbCSll ''Ystl~I"n,
consldur the )''!:IT '00 to mean WOO
and have no way to represent the V<,al'
:lOOO. UnJortunntely. the city lit' }IInnll
Beach has a number of;such systems ir.
oper:ltion. .
Fonned two years ago. Team
Florida 2000 tirst ai III cd tll fix th,~
state's m.i.-;sion-(:riti~.,j computer S\'5.
tems. ft later eX!landed its elforts" tn
include the st:lte's nlm-mission criti.
~.1l computer ';ystel1".s.
By the end of February, the ta~k
force rep()~.cd th:lt 99 percent of the
state:i .l:l:! mi.:lsion critical systems had
been fLxed.
But at its \vcb site. the t:!sk f.)rcc
warns: "This "<lot! tl.l\VS is tempered b\,
the reali7_"ltion that we do not have ~
clear picture of the st.,te ot: florida',;
[ucnl Itovcrnment.s. school districts.
and c~nstitut'ional lImcers SUt:h as
sheriffil. county c!l!rks. t~~'\: collectors
and !:ho like," ~