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<br />CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA <br />NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS <br />DECEMBER 31, 1998 <br /> <br />SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - CONTINUED <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Special Assessments <br /> <br />.1 <br />I <br /> <br />Note 1: <br /> <br />Special assessments represent the financing for public improvements paid for by benefiting property owners. <br />These assessments are recorded as receivable upon certification to the County. Special assessments are <br />recognized as revenue when they are received in cash or within 60 days after year end. All special assessments <br />receivable are offset by a deferred revenue liability. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Receivables and Payables <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Transactions between funds that are representative of lendinglborrowing arrangements outstanding at the end of <br />the fiscal year are referred to as either "interfund receivables/payables" (i.e., the current portion of interfund <br />loans) or "advances to/from other funds" (i.e., the non-current portion of interfund loans). All other outstanding <br />balances between funds are reported as "due to/from other funds". <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Inventories and Prepaid ItemsIDeferred Charges <br /> <br />The inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Certain payments to vendors reflect costs applicable to future accounting periods and are recorded as prepaid <br />items or deferred charges. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Fixed Assets <br /> <br />Fixed assets used in governmental fund types of the City are recorded in the general fixed assets account group <br />at cost or estimated historical cost if purchased or constructed. Donated fixed assets are recorded at their <br />estimated fair value at the date of donation. Assets in the general fixed assets account group are not depreciated. <br />Interest incurred during construction is not capitalized on general fixed assets. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Public domain (infrastructure) general fixed assets (e.g., roads, bridges, sidewalks and other assets that are <br />immovable and of value only to the City) are not capitalized. <br /> <br />.1 <br />I <br /> <br />The cost of normal maintenance and repairs that do not add to the value of the asset or materially extend assets' <br />lives are not included in the general fixed assets group or capitalized in the proprietary funds. <br /> <br />Property, plant and equipment in the proprietary funds of the City are recorded at cost. Property, plant and I <br />equipment donated to these proprietary fund type operations are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date <br />of donation. <br /> <br />Major outlays for capital assets and improvements are capitalized in proprietary funds as projects are I <br />constructed. Interest incurred during the construction phase of proprietary fund fixed assets is reflected in the <br />capitalized value of the asset constructed, net of interest earned on the invested proceeds over the same period. <br /> <br />Property, plant and equipment are depreciated in the proprietary funds of the City using the straight-line method I <br />over the following estimated useful lives: <br /> <br />Assets <br /> <br />Estimated <br />Useful Lives <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Furniture and equipment <br />Sewer and collection system <br />Water distribution system <br /> <br />5 - 10 years <br />80 years <br />100 years <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br />.1 <br /> <br />-13- <br /> <br />I <br />