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 The Nation's First Published Online
Part Two: Task Force Directors are marked with an * We received no responses from the states not listed.
* Sanbornton, Bruce Kneuer
East Brunswick, James Ranish Millington, Tom Behr
Ithica, Bill Dewey Rockland County, Janet Weber
Blowing Rock, Robert Roskin
Glenpool, Sherril Lowe
Ashland/Medford, Liza Christian Ashland, Sugeet Corvallis, Ellen M. O'Shea Phoenix, Willa Johnson * Portland, Michael Dowd
Beaver County, Susan Minarik
* Nashville, Nell Levin
Burnet, Jim Andrews Nacogdoches, Dusty Rhodes Nacogdoches, Reynolds Griffith San Antonio, Edward Valence Jr. San Antonio, Gavin Nichols
Salt Lake City, Laurene West
Halifax, Stephanie Jo Kent Readsboro, Robert Riversong
Willis, Tricia Anderson
Arlington, Pamela Rutledge Bainbridge Island, Neva Welton Seattle, Mary Anderson Spokane, Robert Theobald Spokane, Judy Laddon Spokane, Lois Irwin
Oregon Go to: |
Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota| Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wasington D.C. | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | Misc. Go To:
New Hampshire
Bruce
Kneuer Community organizer, ordinary citizen, public speaker eMail: bruckne@hotmail.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: a) increased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Citizens understand emergency preparedness and react well to seeing Y2K as "enhanced" emergency services planning. We are ready to rise to the challenge that you have presented, namely, that it is the state and local governments which pose the greatest risk.
New Jersey James
Ranish Community organizer, ordinary citizen, maintainer of a website. eMail: y2kok@aol.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) about the same 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: b) stayed about the same 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well
Tom
Behr Community organizer. eMail: ethomasb@aol.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: a) increased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? 1. Stop pretending that preparedness at the local level will "cause" panic, runs on the banks, food hoarding, etc, or that preparedness is somehow "unpatriotic" or unrealistic. In fact, a prepared community will have done the things necessary to support OEM/FEMA responses as an disaster relief professional will tell you. Since there is a glut of conflicting misinformation out there already about Y2K, the ONLY solution is clear and constandt communications - Chuck Lanza and the Miami/Dade people offer a solid rational and useful model - and they certainly know about disasters, natural or man-made. 2. Tell the truth. Trust the people with the truth. 3. Have someone check Greenspan's medication.
New York
Bill
Dewey Community organizer, ordinary citizen, business person, maintainer of a website, public speaker -- actively studying and speaking to local groups. Also selling preparedness items via Dewey (Y2K) Research Center. eMail: wdewey@4drc.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Most people think either that Y2K is a non-problem, or that the government will take care of me. How do we get the truth to them when the government adds so much spin to the message, and the press reports no problem in the headlines, then in fine print later on suggests the truth of potential serious consequences?
Janet
Weber Community organizer, ordinary citizen. eMail: krobothweb@aol.com,
rocklandy2k@egroupscom Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better: We only started in February of '99, but have gotten some press/local TV coverage c) worse: In some cases its worse: local government is just beginning to wake up. We think because The New York times publishes "all clear" test results of SOME companies, no one is concerned. Local press did some coverage, but NO-ONE is conveying the BIG GLOBAL picture. Our very local papers refuse to print meeting notices -- only bake-sale crap! We notify a dozen civic groups and NO ONE COMES! Word of mouth, missionary-style, seems to be the only way to break the trance folks are in. Some churches are now joining us, but only if pastor is awake. 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: a) increased somwhat: We've met some other folks but numbers are still very small -- initial enthusaism, but active folks even dissappear. The overall resistance/denial/apathy of the general public is daunting -- and depressing. 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead: But they are awakening VERY slowly -- they still don't get the big picture. 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? YES! The local citizen is NOT being given any publicity or information as to Y2K compliancy status/contingency planning unless they come to a meeting -- and turn-out for this is almost zero. There needs to be a strong clear public-relations blitz that people need to have personal responsibility to prepare their OWN HOME for Y2K. This way emergency services won't be strained. THE INFO NEEDS TO BE OFFICIAL -- like Red Cross on TV -- people IGNORE grassroot groups aiming for public awareness: IF THE MAYOR DON"T SAY IT, IT AIN'T REAL. People who don't have computers think they won't be affected!!! They think their lives CANNOT be changed by something abstract and "overseas," or some authority "will take care of it." They blame the government, yet they expect the government to handle it! P.S. We just held a county-wide Chamber of Commerce meeting -- with official invitations from the County Tourism , faxes to all colleges, civic groups, newspaper notices -- and only ONE person came -- TOTALLY DISMAL! Business leaders are not even interested!
North Carolina
Robert
Roskin Publisher, maintainer of a website, public speaker. eMail: roskind@y2kvideos.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: c) slacked off or gotten worse 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? This story will evetually play itself out and then there will be no trust in anything the federal government says. They have entered a slippery slope by deciding to hide any real possible problems from the public. Their concerns are understandable. Their lack of faith in the American citizen is not.
Oklahoma
Sherril
Lowe Community organizer, maintainer of a website, programmer. eMail: sheri33@swbell.net Mailing Address: 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? We have a state senator willing to meet with us this month, which is nice, but we have had no response from the local government.
Oregon
Liza
Christian eMail: countdown@rv-y2k.org Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse: While some new interest and "behind the scenes" efforts are coming to the fore, the overall sense is that for the amount of energy, attention and effort given to this, most people are still asleep, disinterested, or think Y2k is basically a non-event, or something we will weather rather quickly and with little downside. 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased (wafted and waned) 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well: Moved ahead, but I don't know if I would say "well." There have been some significant mental changes and some effort is being made at the county level with a Y2K/emergency publication (no known distribution channel or quantity has been firmed up). Smaller, more rural areas seem to be expressing more interest than Medford proper (the largest population base in Jackson County); they have also started their own community groups. Ashland, where I live seems to be the most thoughtful overall, but still, no mandated leadership -- just wanderings. People have been lulled back to sleep because of most if not all infrastructure has promoted the "no problem - we'll be okay" stance. Josephine County (Grants Pass and surrounding area) have begun to develop more cooperation with gov 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Most assuredly! Government must step up to the plate and provide the type of leadership the country needs and requires -- not just for a multi-emergency situation which Y2K could usher in, but leadership to motivate and equip PEOPLE to take initiative and action to help themselves in ANY emergency. I am convinced that the only way for people to survive a serious Y2K scenario is to establish block emergency groups with established leadership who are trained (even minimally) in first aid and CPR. Neighborhoods should have practiced an evacuation plan; all homes should be trained for at least a 72-hour plan and have a 72-hour kit in place; practice emergency drills at least once a month between now and 2000. Based on my experience, unless government sounds the alarm, I think Y2K preparation will still be perceived as a big yawn on the bulk of the populus. People who have not suffered in a crisis situation are not thinking "insurance!" and they are still trapped into thinking that the Red Cross, the National Guard and whomever else, will come to their aid/rescue. Click here for an overview of Y2K efforts underway in the Ashland/Medford area.
Sugeet Community organizer, ordinary citizen, maintainer of a website, public speaker, list owner of Ashlandy2k@mind.net. eMail: sugeet@mind.net Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Without strong local and national leadership in preparedness, nothing is going to happen until something happens -- and then it could be too late.
Ellen M.
O'Shea Community organizer, maintainer of a website, public speaker, member of the Benton County Emergency Management Council. eMail: osheae@peak.org Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased: Both Corvallis and Salem held large events to educate the public and very few people showed up. We did lots of advertising. Both events were held in April of this year. 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? There are so many people trying to sell their hype about Y2K to make a buck or sell their brand of fear for religious or political reasons that people are confused and turned off. We also have alot of computer geeks trying to sell fear so people will buy their services. We have tried to tell people that we don't know what will happen, but the outcome will be based on the proper attitude of cooperation and being prepared like any other emergency. We also tell people that they do not need to spend alot of money or buy fancy stuff to be prepared. It's going to be hard to reach people from now on. No one believes or they believe the hand of GOD is coming down on us and we need to get ready for the end. STRANGE!
Willa
Johnson Community organizer, ordinary citizen. eMail: willajv@grrtech.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better: Just started in February and after two months, things seem to be doing better. More interest. 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: b) stayed about the same, as far as Y2K goes. Interest developing because of ANY disaster approach. 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January: Mayor and two council people were at 1st meeting, but none since. 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? You cannot get the average citizen interested because they simply do not believe the government would allow any real problems to develop! That's why we decided upon preparing for any disaster approach, which has been more successful.
Michael
Dowd eMail: MBDowd@bigplanet.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? I can't imagine anything that could make a bigger difference in preparing this nation for Y2K than if there were strong national support for adopting Global Action Plan's household and neighborhood preparedness materials: All Together Now! in cities all over the country. Questions about these materials should be directed to David Gershon or Eve Baer at our home office in Woodstock, NY. eMail: info@globalactionplan.org
Pennsylvania
Susan
K. Minarik Ordinary citizen, public speaker. eMail: sminarik@ccia.com 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Yes. The notion that disruptions will last only three days or, at most, a week, is widely accepted and major organizations are building their contingency plans on this basis. Individuals are unconcerned about the problem, imagining it will be inconvenient for a few days, but then things will begin to get back to normal, as after a major storm. If prolonged or extensive disruptions occur, the human, societal, economic, and political damages resulting from these "three days" and "bad storm" beliefs will be tragic, and quite possibly profound.
Tennessee
Nell
Levin Community organizer, ordinary citizen, maintainer of a website, public speaker. eMail: nellrose@earthlink.net Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Attention from the media has slackened off on Y2K plus there have been soothing statements from local utilities and businesses which put a happy face on Y2K. I recently attended a Y2K seminar in an affluent suburb sponsored by an investment firm which was basically a public relations event with little in-depth discussion. During the Q&A, when I tried to bring up some facts that raised the possibility of some less rosy scenarios, I was abruptly cut off by the moderator. We are meeting with the director of the Office of Emergency Management and the head of Metro information systems who are co-chairs of the mayor's Y2K Steering Committee, formed in late January. So far, the committee has done an assessment of utilities, etc. but there has been no public leadership on Y2K from the mayor of Nashville. We also desperately need real leadership on a national level from Gore and Clinton. This would bolster the credibility of our grassroots efforts. My organization is working on a Town Meeting. We were going to hold it in June but lack of public interest has caused us to bump it back to September. We're concerned that if we invite officials from the electric company, water company, etc., the event will be merely another public relations event and this will deflate our attempt to promote contingency planning and preparedness. We want this meeting to provide real, in-depth information and give people an opportunity to dialogue with officials. We see our role as a citizens' watch dog group. Thus far, we have been operating as a volunteer organization with no funding and a lot of our volunteers have dropped off. We had eight people at our last meeting . Our previous meeting, held in April, attracted 75 people. We recently got a couple of small foundation grants which will keep us going for a short while and which will make it possible for a couple of us to draw part-time salaries. But unless we get additional funding or are able to raise some more money, I think it will be a real challenge to keep this organization going on volunteeer effort alone for the rest of the year.
Texas
Jim
Andrews Community organizer, journalist, maintainer of a website, public speaker. eMail: andrews@tstar.net Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? There appears to be a lacadasical attude by the majority of the community, with a head in the sand attitude.I have invited questions on the website, via email, and head to head, but with little or no response. To be quite frank, my wife and I are conservatively preparing for January, but would not be surprised if there was to be a last minute, "What do we do now?" plea, and I am going to remind them that it's too late to dig the storm cellar when the toronado is coming over the back fence -- and wish them well. I know this reflects a negative attitude, but I have had it "up to here" with the manana attitude of these tunnel visioned folks.I have tried to be a good neighbor and citizen, but procrastination reigns supreme. I will leave the website up, but that's about it. If I can help on the national level, I'll be glad to.
Dusty
Rhodes Community organizer, ordinary citizen, journalist, maintainer of a website. eMail: dusty1@sat.net Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: c) slacked off or gotten worse 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? There seems to be an overall feeling in our area of maybe we should just wait and see what happens as far as I can tell from the responses I get from the newspaper articles I write in the San Augustine Tribune weekly. Also, our group e-mail list has not been near as active as it was when we first started. However the hits on our Y2K in E. Tx. website have slightly increased over the past couple of months. We average 30 to 50 hits per day there. A local buying co-op group is still going strong providing bulk purchases of many preperation items and advice on gardening and other skills we may need to brush up on. They experienced a slight increase in ordering in Feb. this year and are maintaining that level since.
Reynolds
Griffith Community organizer, maintainer of a website, public speaker. eMail: rgriffith@sfasu.edu Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January: Little cooperation from them ever (in contrast to Lufkin, a little South of us, where the city officials have been very forthcoming about what they're doing) 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? We would like to know how to start making progress again.
Edward
Valence Jr. Community organizer, ordinary citizen, business person, public speaker.We are led by 30 Pastors of churches out of 1100 churches in San Antonio. There have been two invitations to all 1100 to attend an orientation; however not more than 200 ever did. eMail: escsa@juno.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: b) about the same 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Our effort is to get agencies and people responsible for contingency planning in our community, to do so in the event Y2K brings problems. We have not had much success in getting the responsible ones to respond. There is an adhoc group initiated in December 1998 to do so; however, it has reverted to expecting individuals to ready their own areas; rather than to cause a coordination and oversight so necessary in community contingency planning.
Gavin
Nichols Community organizer, business person, public speaker, Y2K project manager for H.E. Butt Grocery Company eMail: nichols.gavin@heb.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: a) increased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Since public interest is growing, more information is needed from the federal and state governments. This information needs to be accessible to the general public and not limited to Internet websites and congressional records. I recommend the following: 1. Full page newspaper ads, paid for by the federal government, explaining in brief and simple terms, what the government is doing and what the status and plans are. There should be a series of these ads to address infrastructure, public and private organizations that provide basic services to the public: electric power, natural gas, water, food supply chain (production through retail), telephone. 2. Television and radio public service announcements. Many people do not read the newspaper; most people do watch TV. Make it simple, factual, and believable. Government should pay for these as well. Aim them at a variety of viewing audiences: Saturday morning for kids, sporting events, late night, prime time, soap opera time, etc. 3. The president should devote one or more public broadcasts to this. At least one of his radio chats and one prime time news conference. This should be recorded for future use and to create sound bites. In my opinion, which is shared by many members of the Greater San Antonio Y2K Coalition, the technical issues regarding Y2K (computer code, embedded systems, etc.) are well on their way to being solved and will be solved before the end of the year. Most of us are devoting our time now to continuity planning. The biggest problem that we all face at this point in time is the panic buying and hoarding that will cause a self-fulfilling prophecy. The panic buying and hoarding mentality is caused by a lack of information and even misinformation which is prevalent on the Internet and in literature available in bookstores, especially religious bookstores. We need to start providing good (accurate, factual, and up-to-date) information on which the public can base their decisions. The fear of litigation is a major impediment to good information being available. The Y2K Information and Readiness Disclosure Act was a good first step. We need to figure out a good second step or a reinforcement to the IRDA.
Utah
Laurene
West Community organizer, ordinary citizen, public speaker, National Patient Advocate for 55 million medication dependent americans: I work independently, representing 55 million medication-dependent Americans. Most of my work has been on a national level not at my local community level, however, I do advise the Year 2000 Coordinators within our neighborhood. eMail: llw@integrityonline3.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: b) stayed about the same 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? I am in continual communication with Koskinen and his staff as we are preparing the message that we will give nationally regarding health care. However, for all sectors, as 2000 creeps closer, risks related to Y2K-related failures may increase from original estimates due to the lack of consistent, clear information from reliable leadership and credible messengers.
Vermont
Stephanie Jo
Kent Community organizer, ordinary citizen, public speaker. I've been using Y2K as the "real life" application issue in various classes I teach -- sociology, ethics, communications. I also have a local email distribution list which hasn't yet become a real organizing tool, although about 30 people receive what I send out (articles, info that seems particularly relevant to our local situation). eMail: steph@sover.net Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse: Lots of organizing energy and public curiousity in January-March has now faded. 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased: This is what it FEELS like, but I don't have concrete data. I also continually have new groups of people to talk with about it, but it's not exactly optional for them, since I assign it as part of classwork. 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: c) slacked off or gotten worse 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? It's almost like we need internal cheerleaders: someone to carry the torch and keep us going in an optimistic, charismatic fashion. People seem to have "burned out." I"ve certainly gone through spells of having little or no energy to keep doing all this "extra" work. I can be a good cheerleader, but I too need support. From whence shall it come? I also think that all of the official concern about panic has served as a disincentive to people who want to be practical but not perceived as "too far out there" or contributing in any way to a climate of fear. I know I struggle with this myself: how do I balance telling people to stock food, and yet, still stay as engaged as possible in whatever economy exists after the toll of the bell? How do I counteract, in practical ways, the accusations of inciting panic and contributing to a social meltdown? It's a dilemma.
Robert
Riversong Community organizer, public speaker, town emergency management director. eMail: R_Riversong@Yahoo.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse: I began public speaking and organizing just last December. Monthly public information meetings were well attended through March, then fell off dramatically. 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? I believe the slackening of interest in Y2K is due to at least three factors: 1. People have reached the saturation point (it's been in the news a long time now); 2. Media, industry and government sources have put such a positive spin on Y2K outcomes that most people are complacent; 3. The weather got nice, and disaster is not what's on peoples' minds. I'm expecting a resurgence in interest and concern as the summer moves into fall, and some measure of panic towards late fall.Until then, let's keep Y2K on the back burner and enjoy the summer -- all, that is, except Koskinen, who needs to drop his whitewash brush and begin to trust the American public with honest and timely information about the calamitous possibilities inherent in the millennial transition.
Virginia
Tricia
Anderson Community organizer (and community builder), ordinary citizen, public speaker,leader of small groups. eMail: loftricia@aol.com 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: b) about the same: The organizing group has slacked up some (snow ya know) 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: a) increased: Community interest has increased some and will increase more as winter is over. 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January: But had developed well September to December 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? The BBC did an interview at our March Y2K meeting and seemed impressed with our progress. Have not seen interview myself.
Washington
Pamela
Rutledge Community organizer, ordinary citizen, business person, co-founder of the Puget Sound Community Self Reliance Cooperative website. eMail: pamela@selfreliant.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better in rural
areas 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: a) increased some 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January in the cities, although our smaller towns seem to be getting more involved 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Our communities have a right to know Y2K is serious. The public should be getting more information from "their" government on practical preparation information. Bringing aboard riot squads and the National Guard is NOT the answer. Organizing our communities and neighborhoods IS THE KEY! People need to know the facts so that we can avoid a fear-based panic situation from developing. FEMA needs to step up to the plate! Then and only then will the local counties, major cities, and communities be able to follow suit. This is necessary in order for us to address the problem, before it is too late! Government, elected officials and FEMA: don't you think you have an obligation to be honest with the American population? ACTION is needed NOW! And for all of the groups out there feeling like the community is apathetic: KEEP TALKING, get to know your neighbors, hold another meeting, hand out fliers in person, find several people who share your same commitment, and work together. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Helen Gabel Community organizer, ordinary citizen. eMail: bj510@scn.org,
pjrsol@rainier.net Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: In January NOTHING had happened in Puget Sound except for Whidbey Island and Olympia. Fledgling groups began in January, but have stalled out in Seattle, although they are very strong and active in rural northern Puget Sound (church-linked, many of them with Joseph Project). Pamela Rutledge is contact person for northern area, and for webside info. I am Seattle resident. 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased: Increased in January, February; decreased since March, at least in Seattle itself. 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: c) slacked off or gotten worse: There were NO relations in January. Began to connect in February, March, April, but in May they've backed off again. 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? We're not sure what the lack of interest is caused by: Kosovo and Littleton taking the headlines? News that our own utility is done with its remediation? General crisis fatigue? But not only are no new people showing, but old regulars are not coming either. At last some good weather after a winter of unceasing rain? We understand that earthquake preparation is a little more active this year than others, but the vast majority of Seattle blocks are not organized for either earthquake or any other disaster, like Y2K. We understand that our city plans a further mailout to the various blockwatches, but no details are yet forthcoming.
Mary
Anderson Community organizer, ordinary citizen, business person. eMail: Y2K@Synergy-Group-Inc.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: b) about the same (in the major cities) 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? The overwhelming tone of media coverage and communication from public officials has been, "Don't worry, everything will be OK." People are going to sleep! The attitude of withholding information for fear of "creating panic" reveals a condescending, paternalistic attitude. Treat us like adults, for heaven's sake! We, the public, responsibly deal with all sorts of challenges daily in our jobs and families. We can respond constructively when we know the facts! A very valuable resource is being wasted as a result of the lack of leadership about Y2K awareness and preparation, and the all-too-sunny media coverage, namely, the widespread volunteer effort to organize positive community responses to Y2K. We're trying to help you -- why are you and the Administration making our job so difficult? If people tune out and we run out of steam because no one is in the bully pulpit legitimizing our efforts, where is the antidote to the "panic" you so fear going to come from?
Neva
Welton Community organizer. eMail: TNV123@aol.com 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: b) stayed about the same 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? As a group, we have been able to mobilize enough resources to have an organizing body that can in fact educate and support our community on Y2K preparedness. Turnout at bimonthly events is painfully small. The monthly meetings draw in very few new people. Our local city government has yet to make any public statement to the community. We know they are working on contingency planning, we just don't know to what extent. We are in the process of trying to support the city government in going public. Neighborhood groups are forming slowly but surely with the help of our local county department of emergency management. Although Y2K is a focus of the group, we also, like many others, are using Y2K as an opportunity to help our community prepare for natural disasters (such as earthquakes), and to build on the general concept of resilient and sustainable community living. There are a small number of us who make up the pulse of the group. We have not slowed down but we have become more realistic about what we can accomplish. Although community apathy is high, we believe that as the months tick away, people may have a renewed interest in preparing for Y2K. Even though our events are small, our presence is known in the community by virtue of advertising events, meetings and talking to other local organizations and faith groups. When the time comes, people will know who we are and how we can help. Hopefully it will be in enough time for people to prepare sensibly. Most of us are concerned with the lack of straightforward information on Y2K, the "happy face" message form high places, and the lack of serious consideration in certain major infrastructures. We stress preparedness due to the unpredictability of Y2K. We don't feel comfortable publicly sending a doomsday message or the opposite, a no problem message. Like many others, we are using Y2K as an opportunity to build community from the ground up. We have "beyond Y2K" goals. Bainbridge Island Resilient Community Network hopes to carry on the mission of educating, inspiring, organizing and supporting the formulation of small neighborhood groups, not just for emergency preparedness, but for the full potential inherent in neighbors coming together, from sharing resources to impacting local government.
Judy
Laddon Community organizer, ordinary citizen, public speaker. eMail: jgladdon@aol.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: c) worse 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? The lack of public interest in Y2K is distressing to our task force. We hold public meetings and very few people come. One task force member calls this "the Y2K malaise." Spokane's emergency services director said trying to get people interested is like "pushing a string." We urge the nation's leaders to step forward, put a voice to the risks we are facing, and suggest that people make reasonable preparations. Without national leadership or an actual crisis, people will keep sleeping. At the community level, we're finding it is impossible to take the steps we could take right now to minimize potential suffering. The fear among leaders of causing panic might very well end up costing lives. I'm afraid this time next year millions of people will be asking, "Why didn't our leaders tell us about this!?"
Robert
Theobald eMail: theobald@iea.com Mailing Address: 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Here's my general sense. People are not concentrating on this issue but there is a high potential for it to blow up in the fall.The most significant statistic, I think, is that over 50% of people say they will take out additional money. This will not work, of course. I'm reminded, a bit, of the time before World War II. People knew it was coming in one sense but we looked away. Radical uncertainty still pervades my thinking.
Lois
Irwin Here in Spokane we have a city-county Y2K task force which is distributing household preparedness information through our Blockwatch system and coordinating public entities. Public interest and even interest among the members on the task force has declined since January but a good amount of coordination and information gathering has occurred. I am with a small neighborhood group which is focussing on block-to-block education around short-term preparedness and longer-term system change possibilities. Our pilot project is in a low-income neighborhood of 20,000 people but other neighborhoods have asked us for our materials and are using them. Our team's involvement on this project includes two of us salaried by Cooperative Extension and Community Colleges (myself), law and justice funding for Community Oriented Police (Blockwatch part-time staff), and primarily residents working on a volunteer basis. I suspect there are many grassroots groups working quietly behind the scenes getting the "real work" done at the same time there are fewer people attending public meetings talking about the situation. The behind the scenes work is quieter and less visible but, hopefully, more productive. eMail: lirwin@btatc.spokane.cc.wa.us Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better: Since January, our effort is going much better. It is methodical and block-by-block and more people are getting involved. However, note that the emphasis is not on Y2K but on community building and general emergency preparedness. 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased (since January) 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January
Washington D.C.
Gordon
Davidson Community organizer, maintainer of a website, public speaker. eMail: cvldc@visonarylead.org Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: b) about the same 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? The effort to reassure the public and prevent "panic" has reduced the public's interest in preparing further for Y2K. This presents a major problem for all community organizing efforts, and is likely to create a situation in the fall when many peope suddenly decide that they had better "do something" and the items they would like to purchase may become difficult or impossible to find. Then, the government will really start to feel the heat. The more we can do to encourage people to prepare now, the better. Panic is an illusion that haunts the minds of planners and managers, but rarely happens, according to a Red Cross study of 300 disasters. So let us provide people with good information, and stop telling people there is "no problem", when in fact anyone in authority cannot make such a statement with any degree of certainty, due to the complexity and interconnectedness of worldwide systems.
Seth
D. Carmichael Community organizer, ordinary citizen, business person, journalist, publisher, maintainer of a website, public speaker. eMail: scarmike@tmn.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: a) better and b) about the same: a), although there is a lot of new energy around the Y2K Youth Action Network and I might say b) 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: b) stayed about the same 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: a) moved ahead well 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? I think they know enough about me. I bother them all the time.
Misc. Caryl
Rose Valentine & Roy Alan Guisinger Heart-to-Heart Community Connections, on the road giving Y2K workshops. Caryl Rose was a Y2K consultant in Portland for a large transportation company. She then became a founding member of the Portland Heart-Centered Y2K Activists Group of 6 core members who sponsored a free city-wide, all-day workshop at the local university for 200 attendees. During this time, Caryl Rose held small public speaking engagements. Since the first of April, Caryl Rose and Roy Alan hit the road to share the Global Action Plan contingency plan with non-pilot cities. Even though the plan is not yet public, information sessions have been held to some degree of interest, with more scheduled over the next 7 weeks. eMail: -yl@msn.com Mailing Address: 1. In general, since January, has your Y2K community organizing work been going: b) about the same 2. Has public interest in Y2K preparedness: c) decreased 3. Have relationships with your local government about Y2K: b) not changed much since January 4. Is there anything else about your Y2K community work that you would like Y2K Czar John Koskinen, national Y2K organizers and/or other local Y2K groups to know? Need to publish critical information (and let us decide what's critical or not) on a website so that the public can go to one main site to read the TRUTH!!! Clinton should hold televised fireside chats with the public on a WEEKLY basis for 2 months. We have to get the public's mind open to the seriousness of the issue and not just on an international level. They have to see that severe domestic problems cannot be held at bay for long.
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Portland,
Oregon