Hope he's serious about the last paragraph....

News Release: Trinity to Host White House Forum on Y2K Issues

For Immediate Release

Presidential Council Selects Trinity College As Host For First 'Community Conversation' on Y2K Issues

HARTFORD, Conn., May 26 - The President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion has selected Trinity College as the host site for its first of a series of town meetings at which citizens, business leaders and government officials will discuss Y2K readiness issues.

The Council on the Year 2000 on Monday revealed the plans for its nationwide campaign known as "Y2K Community Conversations." The council plans to conduct town-meeting style gatherings in hundreds of communities over the next several months.

The event in Hartford will be held June 7 at the Vernon Social Center on the Trinity campus. At the Hartford gathering, interested citizens and local business leaders will meet with local, state and federal government officials to address candidly Hartford-area preparedness for the start of the next century change. The Council on Year 2000 Conversion is now seeking citizens and businesses interested in participating.

"Our greatest domestic risk for Year 2000-related failures is at the local level," said Council Chair John A. Koskinen. "From power and phone companies to banks and water utilities, Americans want to know how the important local services upon which they rely may be affected by computers' ability to process the century change date."

The Council is working with more than 20 major national associations to encourage local public officials and service providers to lead or participate in Y2K conversations within their own communities. The adviser group includes the American Bankers Association, the American Hospital Association, the North American Reliability Council, the National Governors' Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities.

The goal, Koskinen said, "is not to cheerlead or create a false sense of security. Our goal is for participants to share factual information about what's been done, what remains to be done, and what additional actions a community should take as a result."

-xxx-

Contact: Dean Golembeski, Trinity College Public Relations, (860) 297-2143, or dean.golembeski@trincoll.edu

-- NutMeg (gonn@go.toit), May 26, 1999

Answers

My take on the "Community Conversations":

They will trot out the civic leaders; they will trot out the local electric company rep; they will trot out the local phone company rep; they will trot out a rep from the biggest local bank.

They will collectively repeat the mantra, "No problemo."

My read on the intent of these meetings is to present the rosiest local picture possible, with the highest possible local media impact. "Yes," the local emergency management coordinator will say, "We'll have the local Y2K Success Centers prepared and ready to receive you and your family in the event that any serious problems (which we *really* don't expect) arise here locally."

I think Mr. K is going to be surprised by the level of intelligence, research, and thoughtfulness of the questions from the audience (except for the planted shills). And I think at least some of the "community Y2k valium" meetings are going to backfire in Mr. K's face.

Here's a challenge for anyone attending one of these things: do some serious research on the Y2k compliance status of the local government, utilities, and financial institutions. Come up with a list of hard questions, and don't let them off the hook until the questions are answered publicly.

Maybe we should start a thread about the "hard questions" to ask, or maybe even how to conduct the research.

Yourdonite arm bands, anyone??

-- Dan Webster (cantsp@m.me), May 26, 1999.

I bet they make you submit ? in advance!

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), May 26, 1999.

Let's see, June 7, 1999 for the FIRST White House Forum on Y2K Issues. How's that saying go, A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT !!

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), May 26, 1999.

IMO, this is the logical product of the earlier plans to drench the nation with appropriate PR to continue to damp down "panic". Remember, these guys know that the worst of Y2K is UP AHEAD. Everything is geared to reinforce, not alter, the "three days of food" mantra.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), May 26, 1999.

As I noted in another thread, my experience with a recent community conversation (reps from utilities, telcos, city, etc.) was rather unsatisfactory. They completely controlled the question period (in writing and time was kept very short) and my simple question about project status was intentionally not asked (the "keeper of the questions" stated as much).

Go with this in mind: you will in all likelihood not be allowed to publicly ask hard questions. You may, however, have an opportunity to chat with some of the reps "offline" (at a break, f'rinstance), as I did. Should this happen, be polite and understanding, not confrontational. Talk with them, person-to-person. Have your conversation at this level. This was all that I took away from the session, but at least it was not a complete waste of time.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), May 26, 1999.

As stated in an earlier thread ... I see the whole idea of getting people involved at this late date, as another ( Last ?? ) option of Big Government to shunt the blame to the the Little Guy , when everything comes apart in Janruary and February , 2000 . I turned down participation in my local town for just those reasons , when asked , JUST TWO WEEKS AGO , here in CT. Think about it ! There public excuse will be . " We let you handle it in your own towns and cities , and YOU dropped the ball ." Besides, LOW PROFILE is NOT possible , when every local yokel knows YOU were the one on the 2000 committee that " let this happen to us !" Seven months to go . Got mouse traps ? Eagle

-- Hal Walker (e999eagle@freewwweb.com), May 26, 1999.

[added bold emphasis mine]

[snip]

The Council is working with more than 20 major national associations to encourage local public officials and service providers to lead or participate in Y2K conversations within their own communities. The adviser group includes the American Bankers Association, the American Hospital Association, the North American Reliability Council, the National Governors' Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities.

[snip]

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), May 27, 1999.

I think I'll drive up for this. That last paragraph IS interesting. I don't recall Mr. Koskinen saying anything so open-ended before:

"The goal, Koskinen said, "is not to cheerlead or create a false sense of security. Our goal is for participants to share factual information about what's been done, what remains to be done, and what additional actions a community should take as a result."

Sounds like he may have actually heard this week's senate testimony... I'm not yet willing to dismiss federal efforts out of hand. The general effort may be locally hijackable.

The earlier suggestion to collect good questions make sense. State government has been MIA on the preparation issue.

OK. I'll go and try to ask them. List em here or email me.

NutMeg: wear duct tape?

BTW, Kevin, you can view the members of the Senior Advisors Group at:

http://www.y2k.gov/java/saglist.html

These are the 20 industry contacts you referred to.

-- Lewis (aslanshow@yahoo.com), May 27, 1999.

Hal (also Lewis, Nutmeg, Brooks if you're reading this): how about we arrange a little CT and/or CT/NY/NJ Yourdon get-together? Having grown up in CT, I would qualify, I 'spose.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), May 27, 1999.

Sounds good, BD. You carry a pitchfork, I'll get some torches, and we'll meet at the castle, OK? Transplanted nutmegger, eh? As someone once said, CT is a nice place to be from. ;-)

Seriously - I'm game. Can't believe life has come to this, but I have to be sure we can get a babysitter. Haven't heard yet what time of day this shindig is planned for, but maybe we can all grab some dinner someplace.

I'll email you when I get some more info. We can post the plan and maybe a whole mob of unkempt, unruly, well-informed Yourdonians can pack the house.

Boggles the mind, don't it?

Brainstorm: THATS how handle these Community Conversations! Pack the house with GI's and submit huge quantities of intelligent questions. They can't ignore all of them.

Hmmm. Diane, wished you lived closer, but I supect you'll get your chance.

-- Lewis (aslanshow@yahoo.com), May 27, 1999.