City Agencies Still Struggling With Y2K

Los Angeles city agencies are still struggling to upgrade computers to handle the year 2000 computer problem, with many departments giving themselves a “C” or “D” in grading their preparations, a city report said Wednesday.

The city’s Information Technology Agency gives the city’s overall preparations a “B,” but said some city departments are lagging in efforts to make sure computers can properly read dates and function on Jan. 1, 2000.

“I believe our critical systems will be Y2K compliant and our major operations will be functioning,” said Frank Martinez, the agency’s assistant general manager. “But I believe there is the possibility of some disruptions here and there.”

In a self-evaluation completed two months ago and released Wednesday, the Housing Department and city Employee Relations Board gave themselves a “D” grade for bringing computers into compliance.

Twenty-one agencies, including the Police Department, city treasurer, Fire Department and Information Technology Agency (ITA), gave themselves a “C” grade. ITA operates many of the city government’s computer systems.

Martinez told the council’s Information Technology and General Services Committee on Wednesday that departments have made progress in the ensuing months, but that it’s critical they get full funding to finish the computer upgrades by the end of this year.

Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, the committee’s chairman, was concerned by the report.

“Go up there and correct those folks who are getting Cs and Ds and tell them it’s just not acceptable,” Ridley-Thomas told Martinez.

Upgrades have not yet begun on 20 of the city’s 94 departmental systems, according to a separate report by City Controller Rick Tuttle.

Experts fear that some computers may have problems reading dates after next Jan. 1, forcing the city to launch a massive upgrading program that has cost $27 million to date.

Martinez said he will convey the urgency to the departments, but he said there is no need for panic.