CC Minutes - 06/09/99 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Joint Work Session Board of Commissioners/City Council June 9, 1999 Page 4 Councilor Kelly asked what the City and EWEB were doing to assist the development of neighborhood Year 2000 planning. He asked if the EWEB SCADA system was being adequately tested for Year 2000 readiness. He asked how long would be required for a "manual work around" of a BPA system problem. Mr. Weiler said the City had embarked on a "Community Preparedness - One Household at a Time" program. He reported that the City's Neighborhood Leaders Council had formed a Year 2000 Subcommittee, but that most preparedness programs were involving groups outside its formal associations. Ms. Wright said that the Energy Management and Control System (EMCS) being purchased by EWEB was an upgrade of the one currently in use and had Year 2000 testing built into its development. She said the BPA would not likely be able to estimate a "manual work around" time for problems it might encounter because it had attempted to anticipate all potential Year 2000 difficulties. She said the purpose of the next series of regional tests was to discover if there were any unanticipated problems. Councilor Lee asked what was the most significant Year 2000-related concern faced by EWEB and the City. Commissioner Bishop replied that her biggest concern was public perception of the problem which was not based on reality and an ensuing panic. She said her biggest personal concern was that water service might be interrupted. EWEB Water Division Director Dick Helgeson stated that the EWEB water system was relatively "low-tech" and faced few Year 2000 compatibility issues. He said preparations in his division included devising plans for emergency power generation at the filtration plant and pumping stations. He said preparations were also being made to supply water and power to other non-EWEB critical service areas throughout the City. Mr. Weiler said he believed that if electrical power was not interrupted, all other perceived or real Year 2000-related difficulties would be manageable. Ms. Wright said weather factors might be a complicating factor in Year 2000 difficulties encountered in Eugene. She said system-wide utility failure was unlikely. Councilor Lee said he believed elected officials had an important role to play in dealing with the "emotional factors" of Year 2000 issues. He said he hoped both the City Council and EWEB Board of Commissioners would do all that could be done to provide assurance to citizens.