EX-99 2 exh.txt Colonial Intermediate High Income Fund 77B Accountants Report on Internal Control [PricewaterhouseCoopers logo] PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 160 Federal Street Boston, MA 02110-9862 Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm To the Trustees and the Shareholders of Colonial Intermediate High Income Fund In planning and performing our audits of the financial statements of Colonial Intermediate High Income Fund (the "Fund") for the year ended November 30, 2004, we considered their internal control, including control activities for safeguarding securities, in order to determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial statements and to comply with the requirements of Form N-SAR, not to provide assurance on internal control. The management of the Fund is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control. In fulfilling this responsibility, estimates and judgments by management are required to assess the expected benefits and related costs of controls. Generally, controls that are relevant to an audit pertain to the entity's objective of preparing financial statements for external purposes that are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Those controls include the safeguarding of assets against unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition. Because of inherent limitations in internal control, errors or fraud may occur and not be detected. Also, projection of any evaluation of internal control to future periods is subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions or that the effectiveness of their design and operation may deteriorate. Our consideration of internal control would not necessarily disclose all matters in internal control that might be material weaknesses under standards established by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A material weakness, for purposes of this report, is a condition in which the design or operation of one or more of the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the risk that misstatements caused by error or fraud in amounts that would be material in relation to the financial statements being audited may occur and not be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course of performing their assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving internal control and its operation, including controls for safeguarding securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined above as of November 30, 2004. This report is intended solely for the information and use of the Board of Trustees, management and the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP January 28, 2005 77D Policies with Respect to Security Investments Effective September 10, 2004, the following disclosure is added to the Fund's annual report: The Fund may purchase derivative instruments, such as futures, options, swap contracts, and inverse floaters, to gain or reduce exposure to particular securities or segments of the bond markets. Derivatives are financial instruments whose values depend on, or are derived from, the value of an underlying security, index or currency. The Fund may use derivatives for both hedging and non-hedging purposes, such as to adjust the Fund's sensitivity to changes in interest rates, or to offset a potential loss in one position by establishing an opposite position. The Fund typically uses derivatives in an effort to achieve more efficiently economic exposures similar to those it could have achieved through the purchase and sale of fixed income securities. Investments in derivatives may be applied toward meeting a requirement to invest in a particular kind of investment if the derivatives have economic characteristics similar to investments of that kind. Derivatives involve special risks and may result in losses. Derivative strategies often involve leverage, which may exaggerate a loss, potentially causing the Fund to lose more money than it would have had it invested in the underlying security. The values of derivatives may move in unexpected ways, especially in unusual market conditions, and may result in increased volatility. The use of derivatives may also cause the Fund to receive taxable income, which could increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders. Other risks arise from the Fund's potential inability to terminate or sell derivative positions. A liquid secondary market may not always exist for the Fund's derivative positions at times when the Fund might wish to terminate or sell such positions. Over-the-counter instruments (investments not traded on an exchange) may be illiquid, and transactions in derivatives traded in the over-the-counter market are subject to the risk that the other party will not meet its obligations. For more information on the risks of derivative strategies, see the Statement of Additional Information. 77E Legal Proceedings Recently, the Fund has been named as a nominal defendant in several derivative actions under Sections 34(b), 36(b) and 48(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, alleging, among other things, that the fees and expenses paid by the Fund are excessive. Cohen v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on August 2, 2004; Osburn v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on August 10, 2004; Slicker v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on August 11, 2004; and Simmonds v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on September 8, 2004. The Fund and the other defendants to these actions, including Columbia Management Advisors, Inc. ("CMA") and various of its affiliates, certain other mutual funds advised by CMA and its affiliates, and various directors of the Fund and such funds, have denied these allegations and are contesting the plaintiffs' claims. Additionally, various civil individual, class and derivative actions have been filed in regard to certain market timing allegations. As of October 31, 2004, we have received the following complaints. (1) George Slaybe et al, Plaintiffs, v. Columbia Management Advisors, Inc., Defendant United States District Court District of Massachusetts Case # 04 10534 PBS (2) David Armetta derivatively on behalf of the Columbia Common Stock Fund, Plaintiff, v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation, et al. United States District Court District of Massachusetts Case # 04 10555 MLW (3) Edward I. Segel and Iris Segel derivatively on behalf of Columbia Acorn Fund, Columbia Acorn Trust and the Columbia Funds, Plaintiffs, v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation, et al. United States District Court District of Massachusetts Case # 04-10567MEL (4) Catherine Dukes, Individually and On Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated v. Columbia Funds, et al. United States District Court District of Massachusetts Case # 04-10315-PBS (5) AB Medical Equipment Corp., Individually and On Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation, et al. United States District Court District of Massachusetts Case # 04-10355PBS (6) Karen M. McKenna, Individually and on Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, v. Columbia Funds, et al. United States District Court Southern District of New York Case # 04 CV 1576 (7) Lawrence S. Wick, as custodian for Ryan S. Wick, Andrew T. Wick, and Hayley L. Wick, and Ryan S. Wick, Andrew T. Wick, and Hayley L. Wick individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation, et al. United States District Court District of Massachusetts Case # 04-10408HEL (8) Steven B. Ehrlich, Custodian for Cory Ryan Ehrlich UTMA/Florida, Individually and On Behalf of All Others Similarly Situated v. Columbia Funds, et al. United States District Court District of Massachusetts Case # 04 10405 PBS (9) Harold Beardsley, et al on behalf of Columbia Disciplined Value Fund (the "Columbia Funds") v. FleetBoston Financial Corporation, et al 77Q Exhibits Amended By-Laws Retyped - 10/12/90 Amended 10/12/90 - Sec. 2.5 Amended 12/13/91 - Sec. 8 Amended 10/9/92 - Sec. 11 Amended - 2/16/96: - Section 3.1, paragraph 2 Amended - 4/5/96: - Section 2.1, paragraph 1 Amended - 4/12/00 - Section 2.1, paragraph 1 Amended - 2/13/01 - Section 2.1 Amended - 5/8/01 - Section 2.1 As Amended - 6/20/01 - Article 2.1; Article 4.6 As Amended - 8/11/04 - Article 3.3; Article 4.5; Article 4.8 BY-LAWS OF COLONIAL INTERMEDIATE HIGH INCOME FUND Section 1. Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Principal Office 1.1 Agreement and Declaration of Trust. These By-Laws shall be subject to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as from time to time in effect (the "Declaration of Trust"), of Colonial Intermediate High Income Fund, a Massachusetts business Trust established by the Declaration of Trust (the "Trust"). 1.2 Principal Office of the Trust. The principal office of the Trust shall be located in Boston, Massachusetts. Section 2. Shareholders 2.1 Shareholder Meetings. The annual meeting of the shareholders of the Trust shall be held between April 1 and April 30 in each year, on a date and at a time within that period set by the Trustees; provided, however, that the 2000 annual meeting of shareholders shall be held between September 1, 2001 and October 31, 2001 on a date and time within that period as set by the president, secretary or any vice president of the Trust and further provided, however, that the 2001 annual meeting shall be held between June 1 and July 31, 2001, on a date and time within that period as set by the president, secretary or any vice president of the Trust. The annual meeting of the shareholders of the Trust shall be held between April 1 and May 31 beginning in 2002, on a date and at a time within that period set by the president, secretary or any vice president of the Trust. A special meeting of the shareholders of the Trust may be called at any time by the Trustees, by the president or, if the Trustees and the president shall fail to call any meeting of shareholders for a period of 30 days after written application of one or more shareholders who hold at least 10% of all outstanding shares of the Trust, then such shareholders may call such meeting. Each call of a meeting shall state the place, date, hour and purposes of the meeting. 2.2 Place of Meetings. All meetings of the shareholders shall be held at the principal office of the Trust, or, to the extent permitted by the Declaration of Trust, at such other place within the United States as shall be designated by the Trustees or the president of the Trust. 2.3 Notice of Meetings. A written notice of each meeting of shareholders, stating the place, date and hour and the purposes of the meeting, shall be given at least seven days before the meeting to each shareholder entitled to vote thereat by leaving such notice with him or at his residence or usual place of business or by mailing it, postage prepaid, and addressed to such shareholder at his address as it appears in the records of the Trust. Such notice shall be given by the secretary or an assistant secretary or by an officer designated by the Trustees. No notice of any meeting of shareholders need be given to a shareholder if a written waiver of notice, executed before or after the meeting by such shareholder or his attorney thereunto duly authorized, is filed with the records of the meeting. 2.4 Ballots. No ballot shall be required for any election unless requested by a shareholder present or represented at the meeting and entitled to vote in the election. 2.5 Proxies. Shareholders entitled to vote may vote either in person or by proxy in writing dated not more than six months before the meeting named therein, which proxies shall be filed with the secretary or other person responsible to record the proceedings of the meeting before being voted. Unless otherwise specifically limited by their terms, such proxies shall entitle the holders thereof to vote at any adjournment of such meeting but shall not be valid after the final adjournment of such meeting. The placing of a shareholder's name on a proxy pursuant to telephonic or electronically transmitted instructions obtained pursuant to procedures reasonably designed to verify that such instruction have been authorized by such shareholder shall constitute execution of such proxy by or on behalf of such shareholder. Section 3. Trustees 3.1 Committees and Advisory Board. The Trustees may appoint from their number an executive committee and other committees. Except as the Trustees may otherwise determine, any such committee may make rules for conduct of its business. The Trustees may appoint an advisory board to consist of not less than two nor more than five members. The members of the advisory board shall be compensated in such manner as the Trustees may determine and shall confer with and advise the Trustees regarding the investments and other affairs of the Trust. Each member of the advisory board shall hold office until the first meeting of the Trustees following the next meeting of the shareholders and until his successor is elected and qualified, or until he sooner dies, resigns, is removed, or becomes disqualified, or until the advisory board is sooner abolished by the Trustees. In addition, the Trustees may appoint a Dividend Committee of not less than three persons, who may (but need not) be Trustees. 3.2 Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held without call or notice at such places and at such times as the Trustees may from time to time determine, provided that notice of the first regular meeting following any such determination shall be given to absent Trustees. 3.3 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Trustees may be held at any time and at any place designated in the call of the meeting, when called by the board chair, the president or the treasurer or by two or more Trustees, sufficient notice thereof being given to each Trustee by the secretary or an assistant secretary or by the board chair, the officer or one of the Trustees calling the meeting. 3.4 Notice. It shall be sufficient notice to a Trustee to send notice by mail at least forty-eight hours or by telegram at least twenty-four hours before the meeting addressed to the Trustee at his or her usual or last known business or residence address or to give notice to him or her in person or by telephone at least twenty-four hours before the meeting. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee if a written waiver of notice, executed by him or her before or after the meeting, is filed with the records of the meeting, or to any Trustee who attends the meeting without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to him or her. Neither notice of a meeting nor a waiver of a notice need specify the purposes of the meeting. 3.5 Quorum. At any meeting of the Trustees one-third of the Trustees then in office shall constitute a quorum; provided, however, a quorum shall not be less than two. Any meeting may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of the votes cast upon the question, whether or not a quorum is present, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. Section 4. Officers and Agents 4.1 Enumeration; Qualification. The officers of the Trust shall be a president, a treasurer, a secretary and such other officers, if any, as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion elect or appoint. The Trust may also have such agents, if any, as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion appoint. Any officer may be but none need be a Trustee or shareholder. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person. 4.2 Powers. Subject to the other provisions of these By-Laws, each officer shall have, in addition to the duties and powers herein and in the Declaration of Trust set forth, such duties and powers as are commonly incident to his or her office as if the Trust were organized as a Massachusetts business corporation and such other duties and powers as the Trustees may from time to time designate, including without limitation the power to make purchases and sales of portfolio securities of the Trust pursuant to recommendations of the Trust's investment adviser in accordance with the policies and objectives of the Trust set forth in its prospectus and with such general or specific instructions as the Trustees may from time to time have issued. 4.3 Election. The president, the treasurer and the secretary shall be elected annually by the Trustees. Other elected officers, if any, may be elected or appointed by the Trustees at said meeting or at any other time. 4.4 Tenure. The president, the treasurer and the secretary shall hold office until their respective successors are chosen and qualified, or in each case until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed or becomes disqualified. Each other officer shall hold office at the pleasure of the Trustees. Each agent shall retain his or her authority at the pleasure of the Trustees. 4.5 President and Vice Presidents. The president shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust. The president shall preside at all meetings of the shareholders at which he or she is present, except as otherwise voted by the Trustees. Any vice president shall have such duties and powers as shall be designated from time to time by the Trustees. 4.6 Treasurer, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. The treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Trust and subject to any arrangement made by the Trustees with a bank or trust company or other organization as custodian or transfer or shareholder services agent, shall be in charge of its valuable papers and shall have such duties and powers as shall be designated from time to time by the Trustees or by the president. Any assistant treasurer shall have such duties and powers as shall be designated from time to time by the Trustees. The controller shall be the officer of the Trust primarily responsible for ensuring all expenditures of the Trust are reasonable and appropriate. The controller shall be responsible for oversight and maintenance of liquidity and leverage facilities available to the Trust and shall have such other duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or the President. The chief accounting officer of the Trust shall be in charge of its books and accounting records. The chief accounting officer shall be responsible for preparation of financial statements of the Trust and shall have such other duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or the President. 4.7 Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. The secretary shall record all proceedings of the shareholders and the Trustees in books to be kept therefor, which books shall be kept at the principal office of the Trust. In the absence of the secretary from any meeting of shareholders or Trustees, an assistant secretary, or if there be none or he or she is absent, a temporary clerk chosen at the meeting shall record the proceedings thereof in the aforesaid books. 4.8 Board Chair. The Trustees shall annually elect one of their number to serve as their chair. The board chair shall hold such position until his or her successor is chosen and qualified, or until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed or becomes disqualified. The board chair shall hold such position at the pleasure of the Trustees. The board chair shall preside at all meetings of the Trustees at which he or she is present and shall perform any other duties and responsibilities prescribed from time to time by the Trustees. In the absence of the board chair, or in the event that such position is vacant, the Trustees present at any meeting shall designate one of their number to preside at such meeting. The board chair shall not be considered an officer of the Trust. Section 5. Resignations and Removals Any Trustee, officer or advisory board member may resign at any time by delivering his or her resignation in writing to the president, the treasurer or the secretary or to a meeting of the Trustees. The Trustees may remove any officer elected by them with or without cause by the vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust, no Trustee, officer, or advisory board member resigning, and no officer or advisory board member removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period following his or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such removal. Section 6. Vacancies A vacancy in any office may be filled at any time. Each successor shall hold office for the unexpired term, and in the case of the president, the treasurer and the secretary, until his or her successor is chosen and qualified, or in each case until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed or becomes disqualified. Section 7. Shares of Beneficial Interest 7.1 Share Certificates. Each shareholder shall be entitled to a certificate stating the number of shares owned by him or her, in such form as shall be prescribed from time to time by the Trustees. Such certificate shall be signed by the president or a vice president and by the treasurer or an assistant treasurer. Such signatures may be facsimiles if the certificate is signed by a transfer agent or by a registrar, other than a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust. In case any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on such certificate shall have ceased to be such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Trust with the same effect as if he or she were such officer at the time of its issue. In lieu of issuing certificates for shares, the Trustees or the transfer agent may either issue receipts therefor or may keep accounts upon the books of the Trust for the record holders of such shares, who shall in either case be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be the holders of certificates for such shares as if they had accepted such certificates and shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof. 7.2 Loss of Certificates. In the case of the alleged loss or destruction or the mutilation of a share certificate, a duplicate certificate may be issued in place thereof, upon such terms as the Trustees may prescribe. 7.3 Discontinuance of Issuance of Certificates. The Trustees may at any time discontinue the issuance of share certificates and may, by written notice to each shareholder, require the surrender of share certificates to the Trust for cancellation. Such surrender and cancellation shall not affect the ownership of shares in the Trust. Section 8. Record Date and Closing Transfer Books The Trustees may fix in advance a time, which shall not be more than 90 days before the date of any meeting of shareholders or the date for the payment of any dividend or making of any other distribution to shareholders, as the record date for determining the shareholders having the right to notice and to vote at such meeting and any adjournment thereof or the right to receive such dividend or distribution, and in such case only shareholders of record on such record date shall have such right, notwithstanding any transfer of shares on the books of the Trust after the record date; or without fixing such record date the Trustees may for any of such purposes close the transfer books for all or any part of such period. Section 9. Seal The seal of the Trust shall, subject to alteration by the Trustees, consist of a flat-faced circular die with the word "Massachusetts" together with the name of the Trust and the year of its organization, cut or engraved thereon; but, unless otherwise required by the Trustees, the seal shall not be necessary to be placed on, and its absence shall not impair the validity of, any document, instrument or other paper executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Trust. Section 10. Execution of Papers Except as the Trustees may generally or in particular cases authorize the execution thereof in some other manner, all deeds, leases, transfers, contracts, bonds, notes, checks, drafts and other obligations made, accepted or endorsed by the Trust shall be signed, and all transfers of securities standing in the name of the Trust shall be executed, by the president or by one of the vice presidents or by the treasurer or by whomsoever else shall be designated for that purpose by the vote of the Trustees and need not bear the seal of the Trust. Section 11. Fiscal Year Except as from time to time otherwise provided by the Trustees, President, Secretary, Controller or Treasurer the fiscal year of the Trust shall end on October 31. Section 12. Amendments These By-Laws may be amended or repealed, in whole or in part, by a majority of the Trustees then in office at any meeting of the Trustees, or by one or more writings signed by such a majority.