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Other Items <br /> <br />Elk River Municipal Utilities <br /> March 3, 1998 <br /> Page Four <br /> <br />Year 2000 Issue <br /> <br />The Year 2000 Issue results from a computer's inability to process year-date data accurately beyond the year 1999. <br />Except in recently introduced year 2000 compliant programs, computer programmers consistently have abbreviated <br />dates by eliminating the first two digits of the year, with the assumption that these two digits would always be 19. <br />Thus January 1, 1965 became 01/01/65. Unless corrected, this shortcut is expected to create widespread problems <br />when the clock strikes 12:00:01 a.m. on January 1, 2000. On that date, some computer programs may recognize the <br />date as January 1, 1900, and process data inaccurately or stop processing altogether. <br /> <br />The Year 2000 Issue is likely to affect computer applications before January I, 2000, when systems currently <br />attempt to perform calculations into the year 2000. Furthermore, some software programs use several dates in the <br />year 1999 to mean something other than the date. Examples of such dates are 01/01/99, 09/09/99 and 12/31/99. As <br />systems process information using these dates, they may produce erratic results or stop functioning. <br /> <br />The Year 2000 Issue presents another challenge - the algorithm used in some computers for calculating leap years is <br />unable to detect that the year 2000 is a leap year. Therefore, systems that are not year 2000 compliant may not <br />register the additional day and date calculations may be incorrect. <br /> <br />The Utilities staffhas evaluated year 2000 issues and made necessary changes but will still need to review all <br />information received from new vendors, service providers, bankers, customers and other third-party organizations <br />with whom it exchanges date-dependent information. <br /> <br />This report is intended solely for the use of management, the Commission and others within the Organization. However, this <br />report is a matter of public record and its distribution is not limited. If you have any questions concerning our audit, we <br />would be pleased to discuss them with you. <br /> <br />March 3, 1998 ABDO, ABDO, EICK & MEYERS, LLP <br />Minneapolis, Minnesota Certified Public Accountants <br /> <br /> <br />