Minnesota DNR investigates computer 'glitch'

From KSTP.com

Minnesota DNR investigates computer ‘glitch’; online boat registrations under review

Updated: December 08, 2019 10:41 PM

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS it has a minor computer “glitch” in its online boat registration system and is reviewing all early online renewal purchases to make sure they can fix any problems which might exist.

John Melchert told KSTP he renewed his boat registration Dec. 2, prior to the year-end deadline, and realized he only received a two-year license when it should have been the state-mandated three-year registration.

“There are so many questions and so many things about it,” Melchert said. “I have developed computer software for many years and there is a big hole here.”

Melchert said, as a computer software professional, it is his opinion there are more people out there, besides him, who’ve most likely registered their watercraft through the DNR’s early, online renewal system and have probably experienced the same thing.

“I am absolutely convinced there are many, many people out there in this situation,” said Melchert. “I know they’ve said I am the first one to bring this to their attention, but that doesn’t mean there are not other people who’ve registered early and got two years instead of three.”

The DNR told KSTP it did not have anyone available to do an on-camera interview, but in a written statement the DNR did acknowledge they had a glitch in the system and were reviewing all early, online registrations.

The DNR statement, through a spokesperson, said, in part, “The online system is designed to prevent people from renewing early. It is programmed to deliver an ERROR message with instructions to renew after the new year. Customers should not be able to bypass the ERROR message.

“However, our investigation found the ERROR message may not have come up in this instance. Our vendor is correcting that right now.

“We (the DNR) double-checked the system and found that all renewals since 12-5-19, with current year expiration, are renewing correctly. We also are running a report of everyone who renewed early and will send new decals to those who need them.”

If you’ve paid your watercraft registration online already, and you received a two-year license instead of the three-year renewal, you should contact the DNR so the department can fix the problem.

My boat tabs say “19”. Should I have received a notice to renew by now? I can never remember how the system works.

This is not a new problem!
Same thing happened to me a couple of years ago. When I questioned the license office they said there was nothing they could do because I was renewing too early and most people don’t do it until after New Years. I ended up eating the extra cost

Dennis Williams wrote:

My boat tabs say “19”. Should I have received a notice to renew by now? I can never remember how the system works.

Dennis, your watercraft is registration is good until Dec 31, 2019. If you intend to use your boat in 2020 you will need a renewal and a new sticker posted on the hull of your boat.

Anyone have issues with the damn things actually sticking or it writing peeling off.

Dennis Williams wrote:

My boat tabs say “19”. Should I have received a notice to renew by now? I can never remember how the system works.

I don’t recall either. My tabs are also 2019. Will be getting new tabs here in Dec before year end. I typically go directly to the main DNR office here in downtown St Paul. Never have purchased on-line.

-J.

Smoker wrote:

This is not a new problem!
Same thing happened to me a couple of years ago. When I questioned the license office they said there was nothing they could do because I was renewing too early and most people don’t do it until after New Years. I ended up eating the extra cost

Are you talking about your local license office or the DNR office? I wouldn’t think your local license center would be able to do anything. You’d have to talk to the DNR directly.

FYI, my tabs expired 12/31/2019. I did get the renewal notice in the mail about a week ago. Will be headed over to the DNR this week.

-J.

Jon Jordan wrote:

FYI, my tabs expired 12/31/2019. I did get the renewal notice in the mail about a week ago.

Same here. Got the notices the last week of December.

It sounds like the issue is was with anyone who had a boat license that expired in 2019 and tried to renew before the 2019 license expired on 12/31?

One thing that I find interesting is that when these software errors are exposed, the individual agencies like the DPs, DNR, DOH, etc are always left on their own to explain them. Where’s the giant centralized IT department called MNIT that’s supposed to be the one efficiently and effectively managing our state’s technology?

Why are the agencies always left holding the IT bag when the whole reason for creating the MNIT agency was to be handling state IT more effectively than the agencies could?

Grouse

Jon Jordan wrote:

my tabs expired 12/31/2019. I did get the renewal notice in the mail about a week ago

Same here. I guess it is a good thing that I have not got to it yet.