Minnesota Y2K office wins award for cooperation

The cooperation between federal, state and local governments led to the

success of Minnesota's Y2K office and an award it will receive next Friday.

The Minnesota Department of Administration's Year 2000 Project Office will

be awarded the Cooperative Public Service Award from Partnership Minnesota,

a group of federal, state and local government agencies and officials that

work together to improve Minnesota's public services. It recognizes outstanding

examples of innovative government and civic cooperative efforts by all levels

of government.

"Year 2000 was a success because of the collaboration, and that is what

this is really about," said Jim Close, the former manager of the office.

The office met monthly with state businesses, the Information Policy Council

and a body of chief information officers to advise states on technology

issues, the President's Council on Y2K Conversion, and the League of Minnesota

cities.

Through the collaboration, the office created public service announcements,

brochures, Year 2000 readiness information for the Internet and a help line,

among other sources of information for local agencies and citizens.