http://www.modbee.com/metro/story/0,1113,122351,00.html

Monday, December 20, 1999

Livingston Has Y2K Update, But NO TIME

By PATTY GUERRA, BEE STAFF WRITER, (Published: Sunday, December 19, 1999)

LIVINGSTON -- An update for the city's accounting software that will make it function in the new year arrived this week. But whether it will work remains to be seen.

"It's just a big, major issue," said Christina Smith, Livingston's finance director/assistant city manager. "We can't just stop everything to see if it works."

Officials have known for some time that the city's accounting software is not Y2K-complaint, meaning it won't recognize the 2000 date and won't function Jan. 1. An update was supposed to be installed in May, but the manufacturer, MCS Spectrum, didn't get it delivered until October. And then it didn't work.

Smith sent the city's data to MCS Spectrum in Niagara Falls, N.Y. The data was converted and a new system returned to the city Tuesday.

So far, the update seems to be functioning, but with the rest of the department's end-of-the-year activities, there hasn't been time to test it thoroughly.

"The last week in December, we have to do payroll, utility billing and warrants (checks for city expenses)," Smith said. "The problem is the time."

A couple of glitches have been discovered, but the software is faring better than it did in October.

"We've got a couple of calls in to (MCS)," Smith said. "At this early stage, I really can't even answer (if it will work)."

Earlier this month, the city authorized Smith to start looking for a new accounting software system, which could cost as much as $100,000.

Smith told the council she had "lost faith" in MCS Spectrum after repeated promises to fix the problem and wants to change companies even if the software is successfully updated.

MCS Spectrum officials did not return a call for comment.

If the update works, Smith will have time to shop around for the best system. If not, it will be a quicker process, with finance employees writing out checks and bills by hand in the meantime.

Smith said she hopes that if a problem with the software does crop up, it's something that can be resolved quickly and over the phone.

Waiting for a service call from Niagara Falls could take longer than the city has.

-- oops (bye@bye.gov), December 20, 1999

Answers

Too late, too late, close the shutters and wail, for it is now too late for the world.

-- too late (too late@too late.too late), December 20, 1999.

"Y2K I presume..."

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), December 20, 1999.

Look you knuckleheads, You don't even know where the hell livingston is....so before you go around thinking this proves anything let me tell you...I grew up 10 miles from there and believe me this is a small piece-of-shit town and nobody cares if it lives or dies...so they have to write checks by hand, so what! they only write 20 a month anyway...you guys need to get a life!

-- who cares (....@....), December 20, 1999.

whew! da screamin hollerin pollies just can't handle the irrefutable facts when the truth comes out.

Don't need no stinkin accounting or money or paychecks or functioning city anyhow

-- cut the chaff (only@need.water.oops), December 20, 1999.

Look here cut the chaff...I am not a polly by any means...I just want some realistic assesments from you idiots..Livingston is a PIECE OF SHIT TOWN!!!!!! pop.4000 It doesn't matter. How about some real news about real problems?? By the way cut the chaff, GO TO HELL!!!!

-- who cares (....@....), December 20, 1999.

confronted with some facts, the pollies scream "it doesn't matter!"

still don't know a real problem or real news even when it bites, poor pollies

who cares gots a bad case of the "locals" locos

-- har (har@har.har), December 20, 1999.

Boy, the polly goes crackers!

-- Anna (anna32@aol.com), December 20, 1999.

Did who cares learn his multiplication tables?

-- cut the chaff (only@need.water.oops), December 20, 1999.

Yes, only 4,000 and they dont matter. Who cares if half dont get paid? Who cares if their kids go hungry. The teachers in Philly didnt get paid for 3 mos, could still be not getting paid, and no handwritten checks were issued. Why?

Its this kind of 'who cares' attitude that worries me, that blatant disrespect for others and ' if it doesnt affect me directly, it doesnt matter'. It's naive, and narrow-minded, not to mention childish. Everyone matters. Kids matter. People keeping their homes matters. When the time comes for someone to help you, and it will, hope and pray that you arent turned away, because you dont matter to them.

-- See (you should@care.com), December 20, 1999.

Each one that "doesn't matter," that is tossed aside in the garbage heap of human flotsam, becomes another rabid scavenger in the Mad Max twisting of society. Doesn't take long, either. How many days does a meal matter to you? Shelter?

-- better policy (to@care.uphold), December 20, 1999.

Hey, Livingston is important. It's the home of Foster Farms Chicken and Gallo grapes!!!

-- No Polly (nopolly@hotmail.com), December 20, 1999.

all human beings are important...bet you would think it mattered if you lived there. Gish!

-- More Dinty Moore (dac@ccrtc.com), December 20, 1999.

I took it to be Livingston, NJ, and, yes, I know the town.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 20, 1999.

-- who cares,

Read this article, then tell us how the small towns, or "toes and heels of America", can be cut off without lasting effect.

http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0021lN

-- read this (and.@weep.com), December 20, 1999.

Mara,

FYI, This article is from the Modesto Bee, and the town is Livingston, California, in the Central Valley.

-- No Polly (nopolly@hotmail.com), December 20, 1999.

I bet those 4000 people matter to themselves. Don't they?

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.