Executive Service Residency Requirement Emergency Declaration Resolution of 1998
PR 12-1049

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A PROPOSED RESOLUTION IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979, to authorize waiver of the residency requirement for the Chief Technology Officer.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the "Executive Service Residency Requirement Emergency Declaration Resolution of 1998".

Sec. 2. (a) Known and potentially massive unknown adversities exist in the field of information technology due to the inability of certain programs to recognize the year 2000 (the "Y2K") problem.

(b) Current information indicates that the District government is at a critical stage in attempts to deal with the Y2K problem. Additionally, the District's information technology systems must be upgraded and employees must be trained to utilize the technology in ways that will aid in the transformation of the government and the improvement of service delivery to its customers.

(c) The Y2K problem is national and international in scope and affects nearly every business and industry, every state and local government, including the District government, and the Federal Government.

(d) With the necessity of solving the Y2K problem on such a massive scale, the demand for expertise is very high and the supply is extremely low.

(e) The individual primarily responsible for improving the information technology systems and resolving the Y2K problem for the District government is the Chief Technology Officer.

(f) The position of Chief Technology Officer is an Executive Service position which is currently subject to the residency requirements of the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978, limiting selection for this position to individuals who either are currently District residents or who are willing to become District residents.

(g) At this critical juncture, and with the critical shortage of individuals with necessary skills and expertise, the District government cannot afford to restrict the area of consideration for candidates for this key position.

(h) Unless legislative action to authorize waiver of the residency requirement for this position is taken immediately, the District's efforts to solve the Y2K problems could be in serious Jeopardy.

Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the "Executive Service Residency Requirement Amendment Act of 1998" be adopted after a single reading.

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.