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CITY OF ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA <br />NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS <br />DECEMBER 31, 2017 <br />41 <br />NOTE 1: SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES – CONTINUED <br />N.Capital Assets <br />Capital assets, which include property, plant, equipment, and infrastructure assets (e.g., roads, bridges, sidewalks, and <br />similar items), are reported in the applicable governmental or business-type activities columns in the government-wide <br />financial statements. Capital assets are defined by the government as assets with an initial, individual cost of more than <br />$10,000 and an estimated useful life in excess of two years. Such assets are recorded at historical cost or estimated <br />historical cost if purchased or constructed. The costs of normal maintenance and repairs that do not add to the value of <br />the asset or materially extend assets lives are not capitalized. Donated capital assets are recorded at acquisition value at <br />the date of donation. <br />With the initial capitalization of general infrastructure assets (i.e., those reported by governmental activities), the City <br />chose to include all such items regardless of their acquisition date. The City was able to obtain historical costs for the <br />initial reporting of these assets through public works project records. Major expenditures for improvements or capital <br />asset projects are capitalized as projects are constructed. Interest incurred during the construction phase of capital assets <br />of business-type activities is included as part of the capitalized value of the assets constructed, net of interest earned on <br />the invested proceeds over the same period. <br />Property, plant, and equipment of the City, as well as the component units, are depreciated using the straight line method <br />over the following estimated useful lives: <br />Assets Years <br />Buildings and improvements 10 - 40 <br />Other park improvements 10 - 20 <br />Machinery and equipment 3 - 20 <br />Public domain infrastructure 15 - 50 <br />System infrastructure 4 – 50 <br />O.Deferred Outflows/Inflows of Resources <br />In addition to assets, the statement of financial position will sometimes report a separate section for deferred outflows of <br />resources. This separate financial statement element, deferred outflows of resources, represents a consumption of net <br />position that applies to a future period(s) and so will not be recognized as an outflow of resources (expense/expenditure) <br />until then. The City only has two items that qualify for reporting in this category. A deferred charge on refunding, <br />reported in the government-wide and proprietary funds statement of net position, results from the difference in the <br />carrying value of refunded debt and its reacquisition price. This amount is deferred and amortized over the shorter of the <br />life of the refunded or refunding debt. Deferred pension resources, reported only in the statements of net position, result <br />from actuarial calculations and current year pension contributions made subsequent to the measurement date. <br />In addition to liabilities, the statement of financial position and fund financial statements will sometimes report a <br />separate section for deferred inflows of resources. This separate financial statement element, deferred inflows of <br />resources, represents an acquisition of net position that applies to a future period(s) and so will not be recognized as an <br />inflow of resources (revenue) until that time. The City has only two types of items that qualify for reporting in this <br />category. Accordingly, unavailable revenue is reported only in the governmental funds balance sheet. The governmental <br />funds report unavailable revenues from three sources: property taxes, special assessments and other. These amounts are <br />deferred and recognized as an inflow of resources in the period that the amounts become available. Furthermore, the City <br />has one additional item which qualifies for reporting in this category on the statements of net position. The item, <br />deferred pension resources, is reported only in the statements of net position and results from actuarial calculations <br />involving net differences between projected and actuarial earnings on plan investments and changes in proportions.