Exhibit 2.02
OPERATING AGREEMENT
OF
PEAK ASPHALT, L.L.C.
THIS OPERATING AGREEMENT OF PEAK ASPHALT, L.L.C. (this
"Agreement"), is
made and entered into this 22nd day of
December, 2004, to be effective as of the
1st day of May, 2004, by and between CROWN
ENERGY CORPORATION, a Utah
corporation ("Crown"), and PEAK HOLDING,
LLC, an Idaho limited liability company
("Holding") (collectively referred to
herein as the "Members").
Recitals
A. The parties desire to engage in the business of acquiring,
holding,
managing, and operating asphalt terminals,
asphalt blending and modification
equipment, and asphalt emulsion
manufacturing equipment, and the asphalt
marketing and distribution business
(collectively the "Business").
B. On or about April 19, 2004, Articles of Organization were filed
with
the Division of Corporations and Commercial
Code of the Department of Commerce,
State of Utah, to form Peak Asphalt, L.L.C.
(the "Company").
C. [It is the intent of the parties that the Members will share in
the
cost and expense of the Operations of the
Business and in improvements to the
Business in proportion with their Ownership
Percentages and will receive an
increase in each such party's Capital
Account (as defined below).]
D. The parties hereto desire to provide for the regulation and
management of the affairs of the
Company.
Agreement
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants set forth herein, and for other
good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereby
agree as follows:
Article I
Defined Terms
When used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
meanings set forth below:
1.1 "Act" shall mean the Utah Revised Limited Liability Company
Act, as
amended or revised from time to time.
1.2 "Additional Capital Contribution" shall have the meaning set
forth
in Section 3.2.
1.3 "Additional Opportunity" shall have the meaning set forth
in
Section 6.9.
1.4 "Affiliate" of a Person shall mean a Person, directly or
indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, controlling, controlled by, or
under common control with the Person in
question. The term "control," as used in
the immediately preceding sentence, means,
respecting a Person that is a
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corporation, the right to exercise,
directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the
voting rights attributable to the shares of
the controlled corporation, and,
respecting a Person that is not a
corporation, the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause
the direction of the management or
policies of the controlled Person.
1.5 "Agreement" shall mean this Agreement as originally executed
and as
amended from time to time. Words such as
"herein," "hereinafter," "hereof,"
"hereto," "hereby," and "hereunder," when
used with reference to this Agreement,
refer to this Agreement as a whole, unless
the context otherwise requires.
1.6 "Available Cash" of the Company shall mean all cash funds of
the
Company on hand from time to time
(including cash funds obtained as
contributions to the capital of the Company
by the Members, loans to the
Company, and net proceeds from Capital
Transactions, but excluding cash funds
obtained from Terminating Transactions)
after (a) payment of all expenses of the
Company as of such time, including all
costs, expenses, or charges respecting
the ownership, operation, development,
maintenance, and upkeep of the Company
Property, including ad valorem taxes, debt
amortization (including interest
payments), advertising expenses,
professional fees, wages, and utility costs,
(b) provision for payment of all
outstanding and unpaid current obligations of
the Company as of such time, and (c)
provision for an adequate working capital
reserve as determined by the Management
Committee to be reasonably necessary for
Operations of the Business of the
Company.
1.7 "Business" shall have the meaning set forth in Recital A
above.
1.8 "Capital Account" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
3.4(a).
1.9 "Capital Transaction" shall mean a transaction (a) pursuant
to
which the Company borrows funds, (b)
pursuant to which part of the assets of the
Company are sold, condemned, exchanged,
abandoned, or otherwise disposed of, (c)
pursuant to which insurance proceeds or
other damages are recovered by the
Company in respect of a capital asset of
the Company (and, not for such items as
Business interruption or similar items), or
(d) that, in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles,
is otherwise considered capital in
nature.
1.10 "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended
(or any corresponding provision or
provisions of succeeding law).
1.11 "Company" shall mean the limited liability company
operated
pursuant to the terms hereof for the
limited purposes and scope set forth
herein.
1.12 "Contract Interest Rate" shall mean the prime rate, calculated
per
annum, plus one percent (1%), as quoted in
the Wall Street Journal calculated
the first day of each calendar quarter for
that quarter as quoted in the Wall
Street Journal on that day.
1.13 "Delinquent Member" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
3.3.
1.14 "Fiscal Year" of the Company shall mean the calendar year.
1.15 "Indemnified Parties" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
6.5.
1.16 "Management Committee" shall mean the Persons designated
pursuant
to Section 5.3 to manage and operate the
Business of the Company.
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1.17 "Members" shall mean the parties to this Agreement and such
other
Persons that are admitted to the Company as
additional or substituted Members.
Reference to a "Member" shall mean any one
of the Members.
1.18 "Net Income or Loss" of the Company for any Fiscal Year
(or
portion thereof) shall mean the excess or
deficit, as the case may be, of (a)
the gross income of the Company derived
from Operations as calculated under
federal income tax accounting principles
for such Fiscal Year over (b) all items
of expense incurred by the Company
respecting Operations during such Fiscal Year
that are allowable as deductions under
federal income tax accounting principles
and depreciation, cost recovery, or other
amortization deduction allowable to
the Company for federal income tax purposes
respecting any Company asset for
such Fiscal Year. The Management Committee
shall use its best efforts in all
events, unless otherwise agreed to by the
Manager designated by Crown, to
maximize the income of the Company at all
times during which the promissory note
of the Company to Crown and its affiliates
in the principal amount of $7,500,000
is outstanding.
1.19 "Non-Defaulting
Member' shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.3.
1.20 "Operating Budget" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
7.4.
1.21 "Operating Line" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7.1.
1.22 "Operations" shall mean all revenue-producing activities of
the
Company other than activities relating to
Capital Transactions, including, but
not limited to, (a) the ownership of the
Property, (b) the purchase of raw
materials (i.e. asphalt, blend stock,
extender oils, chemicals, emulsifiers,
polymers, etc.), (c) the storage of raw
materials as inventory, (d) the
blending, mixing, and milling of raw
materials through equipment at the Property
into finished asphalt and/or emulsion
products, (e) the sale of finished asphalt
and emulsion products, (f) the management
and accounting of sales, expenses, and
costs related to the Business.
1.23 "Ownership Percentage" means, respecting each Member, the
product
of 100%, multiplied by a fraction, the
numerator of which shall be the number of
Units held by such Member and the
denominator of which shall be the total number
of Units outstanding at that time.
1.24 "Person" shall mean any individual, partnership,
corporation,
trust, or other entity or association.
1.25 "Property" shall mean the property, equipment, and terminals
being
acquired from Crown or its Affiliates, as
more particularly described in Exhibit
1 attached hereto and incorporated herein
by this reference, together with such
other property, equipment, terminals,
buildings, fixtures, improvements, and
certain items of personal property that
from time-to-time are acquired by the
Company.
1.26 "Regulations" shall mean the regulations promulgated by the
United
States Department of the Treasury pursuant
to and in respect of provisions of
the Code. All references herein to sections
of the Regulations shall include any
corresponding provision or provisions of
succeeding, similar, substitute
proposed, or final Regulations.
1.26 "Tax-Matters Member" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section
5.12.
1.27 "Terminating Transaction" shall mean a sale, condemnation,
exchange, or other disposition, whether by
foreclosure, abandonment, or
otherwise, of all or substantially all of
the then-remaining assets of the
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Company that is entered into in connection
with the dissolution, termination,
and winding up of the Company or that will
result in the dissolution of the
Company.
1.28 "Unit" shall mean an interest in the Company consisting of
the
rights, covenants, and responsibilities
more particularly set forth herein.
Article II
General Provisions
2.1 Formation of the Company. The Members previously formed the
Company
as a limited liability company pursuant to
the provisions of the Act by filing
Articles of Organization with the Division
of Corporations and Commercial Code
of the Department of Commerce, State of
Utah, and hereby adopt this Agreement to
provide for the regulation and management
of the affairs of the Company.
2.2 Name. The Business of the Company shall be conducted under the
name
"Peak Asphalt, L.L.C." or such other name
that the Management Committee may
select.
2.3 Purposes and Scope. Subject to the provisions of this
Agreement,
the Company is formed to acquire, hold,
manage, and operate asphalt receiving,
processing, storage, blending,
manufacturing, distribution, and handling
facilities along with related Business
activities; to acquire the asphalt assets
and Business from Crown's subsidiaries,
which assets and Business will
constitute the Property; to engage in any
activity necessary or convenient to
accomplish its purposes and operate its
Business as set forth herein as the
Members may from time-to-time determine;
and to exercise all powers permitted
thereby. This Agreement does not and shall
not be construed to govern any
business relationships between the parties
other than those specified in this
Agreement.
2.4 Articles of Organization. The Members further agree and
obligate
themselves to execute, acknowledge, file,
record, and/or publish, as necessary,
such amendments to the Articles of
Organization as may be required by the terms
hereof or by law and such other
certificates and documents as may be appropriate
to comply with the requirements of law for
the continuation, preservation,
and/or operation of the Company as a
limited liability company. Any amendment to
the Articles of Organization shall require
the written consent of Members
holding in the aggregate at least 67% of
the outstanding Units entitled to vote.
2.5 Fictitious Name. Concurrently with the execution of this
Agreement,
the Company shall make any filings or
disclosures required by the laws of the
state of Utah respecting its use of a
fictitious name, if any.
2.6 Ownership. The interest of each Member in the Company shall
be
personal property for all purposes. All
property and interests in property, real
or personal, owned by the Company shall be
deemed owned by the Company as an
entity, and no Member, individually, shall
have any ownership in any property or
interest in property owned by the Company
except as a Member in the Company.
Each of the Members irrevocably waives,
during the term of the Company and
during any period of its liquidation
following any dissolution, any right that
such Member may have to maintain any action
for partition respecting any of the
assets of the Company.
2.7 No Individual Authority. Except as otherwise specifically
provided
in this Agreement, no Member, acting alone,
shall have any authority to act for,
or to undertake or assume any obligation,
debt, duty, or responsibility on
behalf of, any other Member or the
Company.
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2.8 Designated Office. The designated office of the Company shall
be at
1710 West 2600 South, Woods Cross, Utah
84087, or at such other or additional
place or places as the Management Committee
shall reasonably determine.
2.9 Term of the Company. The term of the Company shall continue
until
terminated pursuant to the provisions of
this Agreement or such other date as
the Members shall select in accordance with
the provisions of Section 9.2
2.10 Registered Agent. The registered agent of the Company shall be
Jay
Mealey whose office address is 1710 West
2600 South, Woods Cross, Utah 84087.
2.11 Registered Office. The registered office of the Company shall
be
1710 West 2600 South, Woods Cross, Utah
84087.
Article III
Capital Contributions
3.1 Initial Capital Contributions; Units. In connection with
the
formation of the Company, each Member has
performed valuable services for or on
behalf of the Company, or will perform such
valuable services in the future, for
which each such Member shall have a profits
interest in the Company by virtue of
the Units credited to such Members as set
forth opposite such Members' names set
forth below:
Units
Name
Held
----------------------------------------- ------------
Peak Holding, LLC
5,100
Crown Energy Corporation
4,900
-----------
Total
10,000
===========
The Units credited to each Member shall
reflect the interest of the Members in
the future profits of the Company and shall
not otherwise affect their
respective capital interests.
3.2 Additional Contributions. The Management Committee shall have
the
right to call for additional contributions
by the Members to the capital of the
Company ("Additional Capital
Contributions"), pro rata in accordance with the
Members' respective Ownership Percentages,
and subject to the provisions of
Section 5.8. In the event of a call for
Additional Capital Contributions, the
Management Committee shall deliver to the
Members a Notice of Additional Capital
Contributions at least 30 days prior to the
date such Additional Capital
Contributions are required. The Notice of
Additional Capital Contributions shall
include the amount each Member is required
to contribute. The Members shall make
such Additional Capital Contributions to
the Company in good funds on the date
set forth in the Notice of Additional
Capital Contributions. Any Additional
Capital Contributions of a Member shall
increase the Member's Capital Account,
but, as long as such contributions are made
in proportion to the Members'
respective Ownership Percentages, shall not
result in an increase in the number
of Units held by the Members or a change in
the Ownership Percentages of the
Members.
3.3 Failure To Contribute.
(a) If a Member fails to contribute by the time required all
or any portion of an Additional Capital Contribution that such
Member
(the "Delinquent Member") is required to make as provided in
this
Agreement, the Company, at the direction of the other Member
(the
"Non-Defaulting Member"), or the Non-Defaulting Member, may, on
notice
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to the Delinquent Member, deliver to the Company the amount of
the
Delinquent Member's Additional Capital Contribution not paid by
the
Delinquent Member. Such payment shall be, at the option of the
Company
or the Non-Defaulting Member making payment, as the case may be,
either
in the form of a loan to the Delinquent Member or a contribution to
the
capital of the Company. The Company or the Non-Defaulting Member,
as
the case may be, may plead for relief under one or more of such
remedies in any arbitration or judicial proceeding; provided,
however,
to the extent the Company or the Non-Defaulting Member exercises
one of
such remedies as to all or a portion of the Additional Capital
Contribution that is in default and receives the payment,
adjustment,
or other relief provided for in connection with such remedy,
the
Delinquent Member shall not be liable in any event for more than
the
obligation that is owed.
(i) If the Non-Defaulting Member advances the
Delinquent Member's Additional Capital Contribution that is in
default as a loan, such loan will be made under the following
the provisions:
(1) the principal balance of the loan and
all accrued unpaid interest thereon shall be due and
payable in whole on the tenth day after written
demand therefore by the Non-Defaulting Member to the
Delinquent Member, provided, however, that the demand
for payment of such loan may not be made until after
the date that is six months after the date such loan
is made;
(2) the amount loaned shall bear interest at
the Contract Interest Rate plus 5% from the day that
the advance is deemed made until the date that the
loan, together with all interest accrued on it, is
repaid to the Non-Defaulting Member;
(3) all distributions from the Company that
otherwise would be made to the Delinquent Member
(whether before or after dissolution of the Company
and whether before or after demand for payment is
made pursuant to the immediately preceding subsection
(1)) instead shall be paid to the Non-Defaulting
Member until the loan and all interest accrued on it
have been paid in full to the Non-Defaulting Member
(with payments being applied first to accrued and
unpaid interest and then to principal); and
(4) the payment of the loan and interest
accrued on it shall be secured by a security interest
in the Delinquent Member's membership interest.
(ii) A contribution made to the Company and
designated as a capital contribution by the Non-Defaulting
Member shall be credited to the Capital Account of the
Non-Defaulting Member making the contribution. The Ownership
Percentage of the Delinquent Member shall be reduced by the
number of percentage points determined by the following
formula:
Unpaid Additional Capital Contribution of Delinquent Member
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total Capital Contributions by All Members
(iii) For purposes of this Section 3.3, "Total
Capital Contributions by All Members" means the aggregate
capital contributions of the Members (including the capital
contribution made by the Non-Defaulting Member pursuant to
this Section 3.3 on its own behalf and on behalf of the
Delinquent Member) since inception of the Company.
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(iv) The Ownership Percentage of the Non-Defaulting
Member that makes the contribution shall be increased by the
same number of percentage points equal to the reduction in the
Ownership Percentage of the Delinquent Member. Appropriate
adjustments shall be made in the Capital Accounts of the
Members to reflect actual cash contributions.
(b)
Each Member grants to the Company, and to the
Non-Defaulting Member with respect to any loans made by the
Non-Defaulting Member to that Member as a Delinquent Member
pursuant to
Section 3.3, as security, for the payment of all Additional
Capital
Contributions that Member has agreed to make and the payment of
all
loans and interest accrued on them made by the Non-Defaulting
Member to
that Member as a Delinquent Member pursuant to Section 3.3, a
security
interest in and a general lien on all of its interest in the
Company
and the proceeds thereof, all under the Uniform Commercial Code
of
Utah. On any default in the payment of an Additional Capital
Contribution or in the payment of such a loan or interest accrued
on
it, the Company or the Non-Defaulting Member, as applicable, is
entitled to all the rights and remedies of a secured party under
the
Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Utah with respect to
the
security interest granted in this Section 3.3. Each Member
shall
execute and deliver to the Company and the other Members all
financing
statements and other instruments that the Company or the
Non-Defaulting
Member, as applicable, may request to effectuate and carry out
the
preceding provisions of this Section 3.3. At the option of the
Company
or a Non-Defaulting Member, this Agreement or a carbon,
photographic,
or other copy hereof may serve as a financing statement.
3.4 Capital Accounts.
(a) A separate "Capital Account" (herein so called) shall be
maintained for each Member in accordance with the capital
accounting
rules of Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv) of the Regulations. Each
Member
shall have only one Capital Account, regardless of the number
or
classes of Units in the Company owned by such Member and regardless
of
the time or manner in which such Units were acquired by such
Member.
Pursuant to the basic rules of Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv) of the
Regulations, the balance of each Member's Capital Account shall
be:
(i) credited with: (1) the amount of money
contributed by such Member to the Company and the fair market
value of any Property contributed by such Member to the
Company (net of liabilities secured by such Property that the
Company assumes or takes subject to); (2) except as provided
below, the amount of taxable income or gain allocated to such
Member; and (3) such Member's pro rata share of any tax-exempt
income or gain of the Company; and
(ii) debited with: (1) the amount of money (excluding
guaranteed payments) and the agreed fair market value of any
Property distributed to such Member (net of liabilities
secured by such Property that the Member assumes or takes
subject to); (2) except as provided below, the amount of
taxable loss and deductions (or items thereof) allocated to
such Member; and (3) such Member's pro rata share of any
expenditures of the Company described in Section 705(a)(2)(B)
of the Code (or expenditures that are so treated under Section
1.704-(b) of the Regulations); and
(iii) otherwise adjusted in accordance with the other
capital account maintenance rules of Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)
of the Regulations.
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In addition, if
Property is distributed in kind by the Company, the
Capital Accounts of the Members shall be adjusted to reflect the
manner
in which the unrealized income, gain, loss, and deduction inherent
in
such Property (that has not already been reflected in the
Members'
Capital Accounts) would be allocated to the Members if there were
a
taxable disposition of such Property for its agreed fair market
value
on the date of distribution.
(b)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Property is contributed
to the Company by a Member, the Company shall thereafter compute
gain,
loss, and depreciation in respect of the contributed Property
separately for book and tax purposes as required by Sections
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv), 1.704-1(b)(4)(i), and 1.704-(b)(4)(iii) of
the
Regulations. Such items so computed for book purposes shall be
allocated among the Members in the manner provided in Article IV
below
and shall be reflected in the Members' Capital Accounts by
appropriate
increases or decreases thereto as required by Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(b) of the Regulations. Such items so allocated
for
tax purposes shall not be reflected in the Members' Capital
Accounts.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is the intention of the
Members that their Capital Accounts in the Company be
maintained
strictly in accordance with the capital account maintenance
requirements of Section 1.704-1(b) of the Regulations, and that
their
Capital Accounts be adjusted to the extent required by the
provisions
of such Regulations or any successor provisions thereto.
(d) A loan
by a Member to the Company shall not be considered
a contribution of money to the capital of the Company, and the
balance
of such Member's Capital Account shall not be increased by the
amount
so loaned, unless such loan is determined by the Internal
Revenue
Service in a final administrative proceeding to be a capital
contribution by such Member. No repayment of principal or interest
on
any such loan, reimbursement made to a Member respecting advances
or
other payments made by such Member on behalf of the Company, or
payments of fees to a Member or its Affiliates that are made by
the
Company shall be considered a return of capital or in any manner
affect
the balance of such Member's Capital Account.
(e) Except as otherwise provided herein or by the Act, no
Member having a negative balance in its Capital Account shall have
any
obligation to the Company or any other Member to restore its
Capital
Account to zero. A deficit Capital Account of a Member shall not
be
deemed to be a liability of such Member or an asset or Property of
the
Company.
3.5 Return of Capital. Except to the extent provided in Article
IV
below, no Member shall have the right to
demand or receive the return of such
Member's capital contributions to the
Company.
3.6 No Interest on Capital Contributions. Except as otherwise
provided
herein, no Member shall receive any
interest on such Member's capital
contributions to the Company or such
Member's Capital Account, notwithstanding
any disproportion therein as between the
Members.
Article IV
Allocations and Distributions
4.1 Distributions of Available Cash. The Management Committee, in
its
sole discretion, shall determine whether
the Company should distribute its
Available Cash; provided, however, that the
Management Committee shall use its
best efforts to distribute sufficient
Available Cash to allow the Members to
meet their obligations to federal and state
taxing authorities. In the event
that the Management Committee decides that
part or all of the Company's
Available Cash should be distributed to the
Members, such Available Cash shall
be distributed to the Members pro rata in
accordance with their respective
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Ownership Percentages. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the net proceeds of a
Terminating Transaction shall be
distributed in accordance with Section 9.2
hereof.
4.2 Allocations of Income and Loss. Subject to the provision of
Section
4.3, the Company's items of Net Income and
Loss from Operations for each Fiscal
Year and gain and loss realized by the
Company in connection with each Capital
Transaction, after giving effect to all
Capital Account adjustments attributable
to contributions and distributions of money
and Property made during such Fiscal
Year (but excluding income and loss, if
any, that is required to be separately
determined and allocated to the Members for
federal income tax purposes in the
same manner as prescribed under Section
704(c) of the Code), shall be allocated
to the Members, pro rata in accordance with
their respective Ownership
Percentages.
4.3 Limitations and Qualifications Regarding Allocations.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section
4.2, Net Income and Loss for each
Fiscal Year and gain and loss realized by
the Company (or items of income, gain,
loss, deduction, or credit, as the case may
be) shall be allocated in accordance
with the following provisions to the extent
such provisions shall be applicable.
(a) If the allocation of Net Loss (or items thereof) as
provided in Section 4.2 hereof would cause or increase a
deficit
balance in a Member's Capital Account, there shall be allocated to
such
Member only that amount of Net Loss (or items thereof) as will
not
cause or increase a deficit balance in the Member's Capital
Account.
The Net Loss (or items thereof) that would, absent the application
of
the preceding sentence, otherwise be allocated to such Member shall
be
allocated first, to other Members having positive balances in
their
Capital Accounts, in proportion to such positive balances; and
second,
to all the Members in accordance with their respective
Ownership
Percentages. For purposes hereof, each Member's Capital Account
shall
be reduced for the items described in clauses (4), (5), and (6)
of
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d). If any allocation of Net
Loss
(or items thereof) is made under this Section 4.3, any allocation
of
Net Income and gain (including income and gain exempt from tax) of
the
Company allocated thereafter shall first be allocated as necessary
to
offset in reverse order the allocation made pursuant to this
Section
4.3.
(b) If any Member unexpectedly receives any adjustment,
allocation, or distribution described in clauses (4), (5), and (6)
of
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d), such Member shall be
allocated, before any other allocation is made pursuant to Section
4.3,
items of income and gain (including a pro rata portion of each item
of
income, including gross income, and gain for such year) in an
amount
and manner sufficient to eliminate, as quickly as possible, the
deficit
balance,
if any, in such Member's Capital Account (in excess of any
limited dollar amount that such Member is obligated or treated
as
obligated to restore by contribution, within the meaning of
Regulation
Section 1.704-1-(b)(ii)(d)(2)). This provision is intended to be
a
"qualified income offset" within the meaning of Section
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) of the Regulations and should be interpreted
and
implemented as provided therein. Any allocation of income or
gain
pursuant to this section shall be taken into account in
computing
subsequent allocations of income and gain pursuant to Section 4.2
and
this Section 4.3, so that the net amount of all such allocations
to
each Member shall, to the extent possible, be equal to the net
amount
of income and gain that would have been allocated to each
Member
pursuant to Section 4.3 if such unexpected adjustment, allocation,
or
distribution had not occurred.
4.4 Allocation of Income and Loss and Distributions in Respect of
Units
Transferred.
(a) If any Units in the Company are transferred, or are
increased or decreased by reason of the admission of a new Member
or
otherwise, during any
Fiscal Year of the Company, each item of income,
gain, loss, deduction, or credit of the Company for such Fiscal
Year
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shall be assigned pro rata to each day in the particular period of
such
Fiscal Year to which such item is attributable (i.e., the day on
or
during which it is accrued or otherwise incurred) and the amount
of
each such item so assigned to any such day shall be allocated to
the
Members based upon their respective Units in the Company at the
close
of such day. For purposes of accounting convenience and simplicity,
the
Company shall treat a transfer of, or an increase or decrease in,
Units
in the Company that occurs at any time during a semimonthly
period
(commencing with the semimonthly period including the date hereof)
as
having been consummated on the first day of such semimonthly
period,
regardless of when during such semimonthly period such
transfer,
increase, or decrease actually occurs (i.e., sales and
dispositions
made during the first 15 days of any month will be deemed to have
been
made on the first day of the month and sales and dispositions
thereafter will be deemed to have been made on the 16th day of
the
month).
(b) Distributions of assets of the Company in respect of Units
in the Company shall be made only to the Persons that, according to
the
books and records of the Company, are the holders of records of
Units
in respect of which such distributions are made on the actual date
of
distribution. Neither the Company nor the Management Committee
shall
incur any liability for making distributions in accordance with
the
provisions of the preceding sentence, whether or not the Company or
the
Management Committee has knowledge or notice of any transfer or
purported transfer of ownership of any Units in the Company.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision above to the contrary, gain
or loss of the Company realized in connection with a sale or
other
disposition of any of the assets of the Company shall be
allocated
solely to the parties owning Units in the Company as of the date
such
sale or other disposition occurs.
Article V
Status of Members and Management of the Company
5.1 Participation in Management. Except as otherwise provided
herein,
the Members shall not participate in the
management or control of the Company's
Business nor shall they transact any
business for the Company, nor shall they
have the power to act for or bind the
Company, said powers being vested solely
and exclusively in the Management
Committee.
5.2 Limited Liability. Except as otherwise provided herein to
the
contrary, the Members shall not be bound
by, or personally liable for, the
expenses, liabilities, or obligations of
the Company, except as provided in the
Act.
5.3 Management. Unless the Articles of Organization have dispensed
with
or limited the authority of the Management
Committee, all power of the Company
shall be exercised by or under the
authority of, and the Business and affairs of
the Company shall be managed under the
direction of, the Management Committee.
The Management Committee shall have
exclusive power and control over the
Business of the Company; only the
Management Committee, or its authorized
representatives, shall have the power to
bind the Company. The initial
Management Committee shall be comprised of
three Persons, two of whom will be
appointed by Holding and one of whom will
be appointed by Crown. Each Person
appointed to the Management Committee shall
act as such until the earliest to
occur of (a) his resignation, withdrawal,
incapacity, removal, or death; or (b)
the dissolution of the Company. A Member
may remove a Person such Member
appointed to the Management Committee at
any time with or without cause.
Management Committee vacancies shall be
filled by the Member that appointed the
member of the Management Committee causing
the vacancy.
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5.4 Officers. The Management Committee will appoint a President
and
Secretary to manage the day-to-day
Operations of the Business and may appoint
additional officers as it deems necessary
or desirable. Holding will appoint the
initial President until his successor is
appointed by the Management Committee.
Crown will appoint the Secretary and his or
her successor until such time as the
Promissory Note payable by the Company to
Crown has been paid in full. The
officers shall report to the Management
Committee.
5.5 Management
Committee, Manner of Acting. At any time more than one
Person is serving on the Management
Committee, the provisions of this Section
5.5 shall apply. As to matters in the
ordinary course of Business and when a
vote of the Management Committee is not
otherwise required, any proper officer
may execute any document or take any action
without a meeting or other consent
of the Management Committee, provided that
such does not contravene the
provisions of this Agreement and otherwise
complies with applicable law. As to
matters not in the ordinary course of
Business or when a vote of Management
Committee is otherwise required, the
following shall apply:
(a) A majority of the Persons appointed to the Management
Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of Business
at
a meeting of the Management Committee unless this Agreement or
the
Articles of Organization require a greater number.
(b) The act of the majority of the Management Committee
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present when the vote
is
taken shall be the act of the Management Committee unless this
Agreement or the Articles of Organization require a greater
percentage.
(c) Unless the Articles of Organization provide otherwise, any
or all Persons appointed to the Management Committee may
participate in
a meeting by, or conduct the meeting through the use of, any means
of
communication by which all Persons participating may
simultaneously
hear each other during the meeting. A Person participating in a
meeting
by this means is deemed to be present in person at the meeting.
(d) A Person who is present at a meeting of the Management
Committee when action is taken is deemed to have assented to the
action
taken unless: (1) he objects at the beginning of the meeting
(or
promptly upon his or her arrival) to holding it or transacting
Business
at the meeting; or (2) his dissent or abstention from the action
taken
is entered in the minutes of the meeting; or (3) he delivers
written
notice of his dissent or abstention to the presiding officer of
the
meeting before its adjournment or to the Company immediately
after
adjournment of the meeting. The right of dissent or abstention is
not
available to a Person who votes in favor of the action taken.
(e) Unless the Articles of Organization provide otherwise, any
action required or permitted to be taken by the Management
Committee at
a meeting may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice,
and
without a vote, if all of the members of the Management Committee
sign
a written consent describing the action taken, and the consents
are
filed with the records of the Company. Action taken by consent
is
effective when the last Person signs the consent, unless the
consent
specifies
a subsequent effective date. A signed consent has the effect
of a meeting vote and may be described as such in any document.
(f) Unless this Agreement or Articles of Organization require
a greater percentage, the Management Committee shall determine
all
matters based upon a majority consent, without regard to their
respective Ownership Percentage, if any. If, at any time, the
Management Committee is deadlocked as to a matter, the matter shall
be
determined by a vote of the Members.
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(g) Unless the Articles of Organization provide for a longer
or shorter period, meetings of the Management Committee must be
preceded by at least two days' notice of the date, time, and place
of
the meeting. The notice need not describe the purpose of the
meeting
unless required by the Articles of Organization or this
Agreement.
5.6 Management Committee; Specific Powers. Except as otherwise
specifically provided in this Agreement,
all matters in connection with the
day-to-day conduct of the Company's
Business and the use or disposition of its
assets shall be decided solely by the
Management Committee, acting through the
officers of the Company. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, the
Management Committee shall have the power
and authority on behalf of the Company
to:
(a) acquire such tangible and intangible personal Property as
may be necessary or desirable to carry on the Business of the
Company;
(b) negotiate, execute, and deliver leases for office space
for the Operations of the Company's Business;
(c) purchase
equipment, supplies, and materials and produce,
manufacture, market, and distribute products as, in their sole
discretion, they shall deem advisable;
(d) employ, terminate the employment of, supervise, and
compensate such Persons as, in its sole discretion and judgment,
it
shall deem advisable for the proper operation and management of
the
Business of the Company;
(e) invest Company funds in interest-bearing accounts,
commercial paper, government securities, certificates of deposit,
or
similar investments;
(f) execute promissory notes, deeds of trust, regulatory
agreements, and all other documents, agreements, or
certifications;
(g) sell, transfer, exchange (whether or not qualifying as a
tax-free exchange under Section 1031 of the Code), assign,
convey,
lease, further encumber, hypothecate, or otherwise dispose of all
or
any part of the assets of the Company in the ordinary course of
the
Business of the Company;
(h) execute and file all reports and maintain all records
required by law or by this Agreement; and
(i) coordinate the management and operation of the Company and
perform other normal Business functions and otherwise operate
and
manage the Business and affairs of the Company in accordance with
and
as limited by this Agreement.
5.7
Delegation by Management Committee. No Person serving on the
Management Committee may delegate (other
than an entity to an authorized
representative) the Person's authority and
power to manage the Business and
affairs of the Company unless (a) the
delegation is in writing, (b) the scope
and duration of the authority delegated is
specified in writing, (c) the Person
retains the power to revoke the delegation
at any time for any or no reason, (d)
the delegation does not include any power
of substitution without the written
consent of the Person, and (e) the
delegation does not cause the Person to cease
to be a manager.
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5.8 Limitation on Powers and Authority of Management Committee.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this
Article V or any other provisions herein,
the Management Committee shall not have the
right or power to do any of the
following without the consent of Members
holding 65% or more of all of the
Ownership Percentage.
(a) do any
act that would make it impossible to carry on the
ordinary Business of the Company;
(b) make a substantial change in the authorized Business of
the Company;
(c) confess a judgment against the Company;
(d) use the Company name, credit, or assets for other than
Company purposes;
(e) do any act in contravention of this Agreement;
(f) amend this Agreement;
(g) commingle the funds of the Company with the funds of any
other Person;
(h) submit any dispute involving the Company to binding
arbitration;
(i) execute or deliver any assignment for the benefit of the
creditors of the Company;
(j