mh/yr2000.pr        97-219                Contact:  David Weaver, 301-217-6530 or
                                           Steve Davis, 301-596-0534
 
 TECHNOLOGY OFFICIALS RANK
 SPENDING PRIORITIES FOR
 YEAR 2000 COMPUTER PROBLEM;
 DUNCAN SUBMITS SPENDING REQUEST    For Immediate Release:  July 3, 1997
 
 
      Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan has sent an emergency
 supplemental funding request of $9.5 million to the County Council to begin addressing
 priority Year 2000 computer problems.  The request -- which would allocate money to
 Montgomery College ($2,428,000), Montgomery County Public Schools ($3,250.00) and
 County Government ($3,839,720 -- will be used to remedy  the calendar glitch on major
 computer systems for each agency.
      The more than 80 computer systems within the three entities that need immediate
 attention were ranked by officials with the Year 2000 Project Office, the Office of
 Management and Budget, and the Interagency Technology Policy Coordination Committee
 Year 2000 Subcommittee.  Systems requiring immediate attention include the County's
 Emergency 911 Computer-Aided-Dispatch Center, MCPS' Financial Information and Student
 Information Systems, and Montgomery College's Information and Academic Computing
 systems.  Personal computers received the lowest priority ranking.
      "Unfortunately, we need to spend all of the money now that was allocated for the
 current fiscal year to begin repair of these systems," said Duncan.  "In addition, I will most 
                                   -more-
 
 YEAR 2000 FUNDING REQUEST                    2-2-2-2
 
 likely be sending over to the Council another emergency funding request in the fall that will
 be equal to or even more than this request.  Obviously, the magnitude of this problem
 underscores the need to hold off funding the Property Tax Credit legislation and other worthy
 programs until we have a total picture of where we are at with this problem."
      According to the latest budget analysis, the multi-year funding needed for the Year
 2000 problem is projected at costing more than $44 million.
                                    # # #
 Emergency Supplemental Appropriation Memorandum enclosed
 Copies of agency budget recommendations available from Public Information Office
       
 
 

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