Roleigh Martin has posted a special message on Westergaard today. I believe this is the finest overall assessment and recommendation list I have seen to date, all in one White Paper, if you will. There is something here for everyone, and some may wish to print it out if you know someone in business or government who is lagging in their efforts. It's a long read, but worth every minute you spend on it.

www.y2ktimebomb.com/Tip/Lord/rmart9926.htm

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), June 28, 1999

Answers

Gordon,

Good job finding Roleigh Martin's open letter to the governor. For those pressed for time, the executive summary begins at this link:

http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/Tip/Lord/rmart9926.htm#Summary

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), June 28, 1999.

Not for nuthin, but seems a little on the long side to me. Besides I don't think this is new information to Jesse the Body Politic Minnesota.

The local and state governments have been working on serious contingency plans for some time now. Check out Chuck Lanza's Y2K template for county governments to follow on the same Wgard site. He talks pretty openly about civil chaos and emergency operations. Hell, they already have hot spots designated for law enforcement etc.

I commend Roleigh for trying to get Jesse moving, but my guess is that things are already humming behind the scenes in the Land O Lakes.

-- Jim Smith (cyberax@ix.netcom.com), June 28, 1999.

Thanks Gordon. To Jim Smith, I've worked with the Minnesota legislators and leaders on Y2K. I was one of the initiating forces who got the legislature involved in the picture to begin with--I testified to the legislative committee at their first hearing on core infrastructures and Y2k last May 1998. I've corresponded with Jim Close, MN's Y2K Project Office Director, and the three outstanding items I listed are not being addressed currently by the state. I provide the URL for Close's response to me. It looks to me like you did not read the letter. I've taken time off from work to attend nearly every MN legislative committee hearing on Y2K and have heard from all of the departments and their monthly presentations to the legislature on y2K. I am well aware of where Minnesota has gone (I cite the recently past MN House Bill for instance). I also show you the behind the scenes effort to tone the Y2K message down in Minnesota too in the letter. They have intentionally made sure that Jesse's advisor all have institutional handcuffs on their Y2K advice. Read the letter and you'll see the behind the scenes stuff going on there.

Minnesota (and some other states) have done a very good job, but my letter argues, with indepth research, that there are three major areas being ignored by every one of the 50 states that I can see so far. Let me know if any of the 50 states are addressing the three items I mentioned (I can think of one exception which I list--Georgia deals with the third issue I mentioned).

Jim, do you live in the Twin Cities? Perhaps we ought to get together for a working breakfast and trade notes. My home phone number is 612-933-3092 (email: marti124@tc.umn.edu).

Roleigh Martin

-- Roleigh Martin (marti124@tc.umn.edu), June 28, 1999.

P.S. Jim Smith, I forgot to add. Chuck Lanza emailed me this morning indicating he liked the paper very much and was sharing with the governor's staff in Florida whom he is meeting with later this week. I definitely have material in that writeup that adds to the excellent work being done by Chuck.

-- Roleigh Martin (marti124@tc.umn.edu), June 28, 1999.

Roleigh - great article. I can think of one way one of the topice - chemical plants - is being addressed. Unfortunately it is in a way that will likely make the situation much much worse.

Senate passes bill to restrict access to chemical database

or, sam e article, direct link

But until it is closed down, here is a site where you can check to find out what chemical plants are near you, and what they produce:

Scorecard

Visit it SOON.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), June 29, 1999.

Mr. Martin, Let me add my thanks for all of the hard work that surely went into your letter and research.

Would you please keep us informed here about any responses from the Minnesota or other state governments. And, if you have the time, do you have any thoughts on the recent front page Washington Post article about the District of Columbias lack of readiness.

Thanks again.

-----Alexi

-- Alexi (Alexi@not-in-the-dark.com), June 29, 1999.