Exhibit 10.4
LETTER AGREEMENT
September 14, 2006
Energy Transfer Partners,
L.P.
8801 South Yale Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74137
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is hereby made to
(i) that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement (the
“CCE Acquisition Agreement” ), dated as of
September 14, 2006, by and among Energy Transfer Partners,
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ( “ETP” ),
EFS-PA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (
“EFS-PA” ), CDPQ Investments (U.S.) Inc., a
Delaware corporation, Lake Bluff Inc., a Delaware corporation,
Merrill Lynch Ventures, L.P. 2001, a Delaware limited partnership,
and Kings Road Holdings I LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, and (ii) that certain Redemption Agreement (the
“Redemption Agreement” ), dated as of
September 14, 2006, by and between CCE Holdings, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company ( “CCE
Holdings” ), and ETP. Capitalized terms used herein but
not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the
Redemption Agreement.
Upon the closing of the transactions
contemplated by the CCE Acquisition Agreement, CCE Acquisition LLC,
a Delaware limited liability company ( “CCE
Acquisition” ), and CCEA Corp., a Delaware corporation
(“ CCEA ”), which are wholly owned subsidiaries
of Southern Union Company ( “Southern Union” ),
and ETP will own all of the membership interests in CCE Holdings.
This letter is to set forth the understanding between Southern
Union and ETP as to certain matters pertaining to the ownership and
operation of CCE Holdings.
1. Waiver of Right of First
Refusal. Promptly following the execution and delivery of this
letter agreement, Southern Union will cause CCE Acquisition and
CCEA to execute and deliver to ETP a waiver of their rights under
Section 8.4 of the Amended and Restated Limited Liability
Company Agreement, dated as of November 5, 2004, as amended,
of CCE Holdings, related to the transfer of Class B Membership
Interests pursuant to the CCE Acquisition Agreement.
2. Actions Upon Closing of CCE
Acquisition Agreement. Upon the closing of the transactions
contemplated by the CCE Acquisition Agreement:
(a) Southern Union will cause CCE
Acquisition and CCEA to enter into, and ETP will enter into, that
certain Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company
Agreement of CCE Holdings in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
A .
(b) The parties hereto will cause
CCE Holdings, and Southern Union will cause its indirect, wholly
owned subsidiary, SU Pipeline Management LP, to enter into that
certain Amended and Restated Administrative Services Agreement in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit B ; and
Energy Transfer Partners,
L.P.
September 14, 2006
Page 2
(c) The Transfer Restriction
Agreement dated as of November 4, 2004 given by Southern Union
in favor of EFS-PA automatically shall terminate.
3. Actions Upon Termination of
Redemption Agreement. If the transactions contemplated by the
CCE Acquisition Agreement have been consummated but the
transactions contemplated by the Redemption Agreement have not been
consummated and the Redemption Agreement has been terminated,
(i) Southern Union will cause CCE Acquisition and CCEA to, and
ETP shall, enter into that certain Third Amended and Restated
Limited Liability Company Agreement of CCE Holdings in
substantially the form attached hereto an Exhibit C , with
such changes thereto as mutually agreed by the parties hereto as a
result of negotiations in good faith with respect to any such
changes, it being understood that the intent of the Third Amended
and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of CCE Holdings is
to provide ETP with the risks and rewards (including the profits
and losses and cash flow) of Transwestern Pipeline Company, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“Transwestern”),
and to provide Southern Union with the risks and rewards (including
the profits and losses and cash flow) of CrossCountry Citrus, LLC,
a Delaware limited liability company (“CC Citrus”), and
its subsidiaries; (ii) the parties hereto will negotiate in
good faith to enter into arrangements mutually satisfactory to such
parties that are similar to those contained in the term sheet for a
Transition Services Agreement set forth on Exhibit B to the
Redemption Agreement and/or the Amended and Restated Administrative
Services Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B and that
will enable ETP to exercise effective management and control over
the business and affairs of Transwestern in conjunction with
services provided by CCE Holdings and its affiliates and that will
enable Southern Union to exercise effective management and control
over the business and affairs of CC Citrus, (iii) Southern
Union will take all necessary action to cause Transwestern Holding
Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“TW
Holdings”), to repay all of its outstanding indebtedness
within 60 days following the termination of the Redemption
Agreement (without transferring or encumbering its equity interests
in, or assets of, Transwestern and without the use of any
borrowings, financial support or guaranties from Transwestern),
(iv) the parties hereto will cooperate to facilitate the
refinancing by TPC of the Existing TPC Debt to the extent such debt
would become due and payable as a result of the transactions
contemplated by the CCE Acquisition Agreement or the Redemption
Agreement, after taking into account any consents or waivers
previously obtained by TPC, and in connection therewith, ETP will
use its commercially reasonable best efforts to make available a
bridge loan or other replacement financing to the extent necessary
for TPC to avoid an acceleration of the payment of such debt, with
all costs of such refinancing (including legal fees) to be borne by
TPC, (v) Southern Union will cause CCE Holdings to pay to ETP
an amount equal to the Cash Redemption Amount (as such term is
defined in the Redemption Agreement) determined on the basis that
the “Closing Date” for
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.
September 14, 2006
Page 3
purposes of the determination of the
Cash Redemption Amount is the date of the termination of the
Redemption Agreement, and (vi) the parties hereto will follow
the procedures specified in Section 2.4 of the Redemption
Agreement to determine the Post-Closing Adjustment Amount,
substituting Southern Union for CCE Holdings, and if the
Post-Closing Adjustment Amount is positive, then ETP will pay to
Southern Union the Post-Closing Adjustment Amount or, if the
Post-Closing Adjustment Amount is negative, then Southern Union
will pay to ETP the absolute value of the Post-Closing Adjustment,
in each case in accordance with the procedures specified in
Section 2.4(c) of the Redemption Agreement, substituting
Southern Union for CCE Holdings.
4. Confidential Project
Information. Upon the closing of the transactions contemplated
by the Redemption Agreement and for a period of three and one-half
years thereafter, Southern Union shall, and shall cause its
Affiliates to: (i) maintain the confidentiality of any
proprietary business information of TPC relating to the economic
terms and conditions of the TPC Expansion Projects (the “
Project Information ”); provided, however, that such
confidentiality obligation shall not apply in the event such
Project Information is or becomes generally available to the
public, and (ii) not use such Project Information in a manner
intended to be detrimental to TPC’s pursuit of the TPC
Expansion Projects or otherwise take any action to oppose or
challenge the TPC Expansion Projects.
5. Termination of Confidentiality
Agreement. Upon the closing of the transaction contemplated by
the Redemption Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement, dated
July 25, 2006, between ETP and Southern Union, shall
terminate.
[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE
INTENTIONALLY IS LEFT BLANK.]
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P.
September 14 , 2006
Page 4
Please signify your acceptance of
and agreement with the foregoing by executing one copy of this
letter where indicated below.
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Sincerely
yours,
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SOUTHERN
UNION COMPANY
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By:
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/s/ Robert O. Bond
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Name:
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Robert O.
Bond
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Title:
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Senior Vice
President, Pipeline Operations
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Accepted and agreed to as of
September , 2006.
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ENERGY
TRANSFER PARTNERS, L.P.
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By:
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Energy Transfer Partners GP, L.P., its general partner
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By:
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Energy Transfer
Partners, L.L.C., its general partner
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By:
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/s/ Kelcy Warren
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Name:
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Kelcy
Warren
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Title:
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Co-Chief
Executive Officer
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Exhibit A
SECOND AMENDED AND
RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
AGREEMENT
OF
CCE HOLDINGS, LLC
dated as of
,
2006
SECOND AMENDED AND
RESTATED
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
AGREEMENT
OF
CCE HOLDINGS, LLC
This Second Amended and Restated
Limited Liability Company Agreement of CCE Holdings, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (the “ Company
”), is entered into as of this
day of
,
2006, by and between Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership, CCE Acquisition, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company, and CCEA Corp., a Delaware
corporation.
W I T N E S S E T
H:
WHEREAS, the Certificate of
Formation of the Company was filed with the Secretary of State of
Delaware on May 14, 2004, in accordance with the Delaware
Limited Liability Company Act;
WHEREAS, the parties hereto are the
sole members of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire
to amend and restate the limited liability company agreement of the
Company as set forth herein in order to provide for the manner in
which the Company shall be governed and operated subsequent to the
date hereof; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises hereof, and of the mutual covenants and agreements
contained herein, the receipt, adequacy and sufficiency of which
are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as
follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Defined Terms . The
following terms have the meanings hereinafter indicated whenever
used in this Agreement with initial capital letters:
“ Accepting Member
” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 5.1(b)(i) .
“ Act ” shall
mean the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, at Del. Code Ann.,
Title 6, Section 18-101, et seq ., as
amended.
“ Adjusted Capital
Account ” shall mean, with respect to any Member, the
balance in such Member’s Capital Account as of the end of the
relevant Fiscal Year, after giving effect to the following
adjustments:
(a) Crediting to such Capital
Account any amounts that such Member is obligated to restore
pursuant to this Agreement or is deemed to be obligated to restore
pursuant to Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(b)(3),
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c), 1.704-2(g)(1) and 1.704-2(i)(5);
and
(b) Debiting to such Capital Account
the items described in Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)
(d)(4), (5) and (6).
The foregoing definition of
“Adjusted Capital Account” is intended to comply with
the provisions of Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)
(d) and shall be interpreted consistently
therewith.
“ Adjusted Capital Account
Deficit ” shall mean, with respect to any Member, the
deficit balance, if any, in such Member’s Adjusted Capital
Account.
“ Administrative Services
Agreement ” shall mean the Amended and Restated
Administrative Services Agreement substantially in the form of
Exhibit C or in such other form as shall be approved by the
Executive Committee.
“ Administrative Services
Provider ” shall mean the Person that from time to time
shall be a party to the Administrative Services Agreement with the
Company.
“ Affiliate ”
shall mean, with respect to a Person, another Person that directly
or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control
with such first Person. For purposes of this definition,
“control” (including, with correlative meanings, the
terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and
“under common control with”), as applied to any Person,
means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to vote
a majority of the securities having voting power for the election
of directors of such Person or otherwise to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of that Person, whether
through ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
“ Aggregate Percentage
Interest ” shall mean, with respect to each Member, its
proportionate interest, expressed as a percentage, in the residual
Profits, Losses and distributions of the Company to which the
Members are entitled. The Aggregate Percentage Interests of the
Members are set forth on Exhibit A .
“ Agreement ”
shall mean this Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company
Agreement, including all exhibits and schedules attached hereto, as
amended, modified or otherwise supplemented, from time to
time.
“ Asset Value ”
shall mean, with respect to any asset of the Company (other than
cash), the adjusted basis of such asset as of the relevant date for
federal income tax purposes, except as follows:
(a) the initial Asset Value of any
asset (other than cash) contributed by a Member to the Company
shall be the fair market value of such asset (as determined by the
Members) at the time of contribution;
(b) the Asset Values of all Company
assets (including intangible assets such as goodwill) shall be
adjusted to equal their respective fair market values as of the
following times:
(i) the acquisition of an additional
interest in the Company by any new or existing Member in exchange
for a Capital Contribution;
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(ii) the distribution by the Company
to a Member of an amount of money or Company property as
consideration for an interest in the Company; or
(iii) the liquidation of the Company
within the meaning of Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g);
(c) the Asset Value of any Company
asset distributed in kind to any Member shall be adjusted to equal
the gross fair market value of such asset on the date of
distribution, as determined by the Members;
(d) the Asset Values of any Company
assets shall be increased (or decreased) to reflect any adjustments
to the adjusted basis of such assets pursuant to Code
Section 734(b) or Code Section 743(b), but only to the
extent that such adjustments are taken into account in determining
Capital Accounts pursuant to Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m); provided that Asset
Values shall not be adjusted pursuant to Code Section 743(b)
to the extent that the Members make a corresponding adjustment
under subparagraph (b)(ii); and
(e) if the Asset Value of an asset
has been determined or adjusted pursuant to subsection (a),
(b) or (d) above, such Asset Value shall thereafter be
adjusted by the Depreciation taken into account with respect to
such asset for purposes of computing Profits and Losses and other
items allocated pursuant to Article VII.
The foregoing definition of
“Asset Value” is intended to comply with the provisions
of Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv) and shall be
interpreted and applied consistently therewith.
“ Bankruptcy Event
” shall be deemed to occur with respect to any Person if
(a) such Person shall institute a voluntary case seeking
liquidation or reorganization under Bankruptcy Law, or shall
consent to the institution of an involuntary case thereunder
against it; (b) such Person shall file a petition or consent
or shall otherwise institute any similar proceeding under any other
applicable Federal or state law, or shall consent thereto;
(c) such Person shall apply for, or by consent there shall be
an appointment of, a receiver, liquidator, sequestrator, trustee or
other officer with similar powers for itself or any substantial
part of its assets; (d) such Person shall make an assignment
for the benefit of its creditors; (e) such Person shall admit
in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they become
due; (f) an involuntary case shall be commenced seeking
liquidation or reorganization of such Person under Bankruptcy Law
or any similar proceedings shall be commenced against such Person
under any other applicable Federal or state law and (i) the
petition commencing the involuntary case is not dismissed within 60
days of its filing, (ii) an interim trustee is appointed to
take possession of all or a portion of the property, and/or to
operate all or any part of the business of such Person and such
appointment is not vacated within 60 days, or (iii) an order
for relief shall have been issued or entered therein; (g) a
decree or order of a court having jurisdiction in the premises for
the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, sequestrator, trustee or
other officer having similar powers of such Person or all or a part
of its property shall have been entered; or (h) any other
similar relief shall be granted against such Person under any
applicable Federal or state law.
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“ Bankruptcy Law
” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state
law for the relief of debtors.
“ Business Day ”
shall mean any day that is neither a Saturday nor a Sunday nor a
legal holiday on which commercial banking institutions are
authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to be
closed in the States of New York or Texas.
“ Capital Account
” shall mean, with respect to any Member (and without
duplication), the Capital Account maintained for such Member in
accordance with the following provisions:
(a) From time to time, the Capital
Account of each Member shall be increased by (i) the amount of
any cash contributed by the Member to the Company, (ii) the
Asset Value (as determined by the Members) of any property
contributed by the Member to the Company (net of liabilities that
the Company is deemed to have assumed or taken subject to, under
and pursuant to Section 752 of the Code), and
(iii) allocations to the Member of Profit (or items thereof)
and other income and gain pursuant to Section 7.1 ,
including income and gain exempt from tax, and income and gain
described in Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g), but
excluding items of income and gain described in Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(i).
(b) The Capital Account of each
Member shall be decreased by (i) the amount of any cash
distributed to such Member, (ii) the Asset Value (as
determined by the Members) of any property distributed to such
Member (net of any liabilities that such Member is deemed to have
assumed or taken subject to, under and pursuant to Section 752
of the Code), (iii) allocations to the Member of expenditures
described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code, and
(iv) allocations to the Member of Loss (or items thereof) and
other loss and deductions pursuant to Section 7.1 ,
including loss and deduction described in Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g), but excluding items described in
clause (iii) above, tax items of loss and deduction described
in Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(i), and items of
deduction described in Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(iii).
(c) A single Capital Account shall
be maintained for each Member, which Capital Account shall reflect
all allocations, distributions, or other adjustments required by
this definition with respect to the Membership Interest owned by
such Member.
(d) Upon any transfer of all or part
of a Membership Interest as permitted by this Agreement, the
Capital Account (or portion thereof) of the transferor that is
attributable to the transferred interest (or portion thereof) shall
carry over to the transferee as prescribed by Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(l).
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this definition, it is the intention of the Members
that the Capital Accounts of the Members be maintained strictly in
accordance with the capital account maintenance requirements of
Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv), and that such Capital
Accounts be adjusted to the extent required by the provisions of
such Regulations or any successor provisions thereto.
“ Capital Contribution
” shall mean the total amount of money and the net fair
market value of property (as determined by the Executive Committee)
contributed by each Member to the Company pursuant to this
Agreement.
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“ Cash Flow ”
shall mean, with respect to any period, all cash received by the
Company (other than from the liquidation of any assets pursuant to
Article X ) plus all cash withdrawn from reserves (as
determined to be appropriate by the Executive Committee or, if the
Executive Committee does not approve the amount of such reserves,
no withdrawal from reserves will be made for such period),
less (a) all operating expenses of the Company
(including amounts payable under the Administrative Services
Agreement but excluding capital expenditures), (b) any amounts
withheld by the Company in accordance with Section 6.2
, (c) additions to reserves made during such period (as
determined to be appropriate by the Executive Committee or, if the
Executive Committee does not approve the amount of such reserves,
no addition to reserves will be made for such period) and
(d) all payments of interest and scheduled principal in
respect of Indebtedness of the Company.
“ CCE ” shall
mean CCE Acquisition, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company,
and any of its Affiliates that are Members.
“ Certificate ”
shall mean the Certificate of Formation of the Company.
“ Citrus Corp. ”
shall mean Citrus Corp., a Delaware corporation.
“ Class A Executive
Committee Member ” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 4.1(c) .
“ Class A Member
” shall mean each Person listed on Exhibit A hereto
and indicated as such, its respective permitted successors and
assigns, and any other Person that is hereafter admitted as a
Class A Member pursuant to Article VIII .
“ Class A Membership
Interest ” shall mean a Class A Member’s
entire interest in the Company including such Class A
Member’s right to share in the Profits and Losses and
distributions of the Company, and the Class A Member’s
right to vote or consent to, or otherwise participate in, any
decision or action of or by the Class A Members granted
pursuant to this Agreement or the Act.
“ Class A Percentage
Interest ” shall mean a Class A Member’s
proportionate interest, expressed as a percentage, in the residual
Profits, Losses, and distributions of the Company to which the
Class A Members are entitled. The Class A Percentage
Interests of the Class A Members are set forth on Exhibit
A.
“ Class A Prohibited
Transferee ” shall mean any Persons designated on
Exhibit B as a Class A Prohibited Transferee and any
Affiliate or successor thereof.
“ Class B Executive
Committee Member ” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 4.1(c).
“ Class B Member
” shall mean each Person listed on Exhibit A hereto
and indicated as such, its respective permitted successors and
assigns, and any other Person that is hereafter admitted as a Class
B Member pursuant to Article VIII .
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“ Class B Membership
Interest ” shall mean a Class B Member’s entire
interest in the Company including such Class B Member’s right
to share in the Profits and Losses and distributions of the
Company, and the Class B Member’s right to vote or consent
to, or otherwise participate in, any decision or action of or by
the Class B Members granted pursuant to this Agreement or the
Act.
“ Class B Percentage
Interest ” shall mean a Class B Member’s
proportionate interest, expressed as a percentage, in the residual
Profits, Losses, and distributions of the Company to which the
Class B Members are entitled. The Class B Percentage Interests of
the Class B Members are set forth on Exhibit A .
“ Class B Prohibited
Transferee ” shall mean any Persons designated on
Exhibit B as a Class B Prohibited Transferee and any
Affiliate or successor thereof.
“ Code ” shall
mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, and any successor statutory provisions.
“ Company ” shall
have the meaning assigned thereto in the preamble to this
Agreement.
“ Company Minimum Gain
” shall mean the amount determined in accordance with
Regulations Section 1.704-2(d) by (a) computing with
respect to each Nonrecourse Liability of the Company the amount of
income or gain, if any, that would be realized by the Company if it
disposed of the property securing such Nonrecourse Liability in
full satisfaction thereof, and (b) aggregating all separate
amounts so computed.
“ Company Subsidiaries
” shall mean CrossCountry, CrossCountry Alaska, LLC,
CrossCountry Energy Services, LLC, Transwestern Holding Company,
LLC, Transwestern and CrossCountry Citrus, LLC; provided ,
however , that none of the foregoing shall be considered a
“Company Subsidiary” at such time as the Company shall
have disposed of its ownership interests therein.
“ Contribution Offer
Expiration Date ” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 5.1(b)(i) .
“ Contribution Offer
Notice ” shall have the meaning specified in Section
5.1(b)(i) .
“ CrossCountry ”
shall mean CrossCountry Energy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company.
“ Credit Facilities
” shall mean such loan agreements and instruments to which
the Company or any Company Subsidiary shall be a party from time to
time.
“ Depreciation ”
shall mean, for each Fiscal Year or part thereof, an amount equal
to the depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction
allowable for federal income tax purposes with respect to an asset
for such Fiscal Year or part thereof, except that if the Asset
Value of an asset differs from its adjusted basis for federal
income tax purposes at the beginning of such Fiscal Year, the
depreciation, amortization or other cost recovery deduction for
such Fiscal Year or part thereof shall be an amount which bears the
same ratio to such Asset Value as
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the federal income tax depreciation,
amortization or other cost recovery deduction for such Fiscal Year
or part thereof bears to such adjusted tax basis. If such asset has
a zero adjusted tax basis, the depreciation, amortization or other
cost recovery deduction for each Fiscal Year shall be determined
under a method selected by the Members.
“ EBITDA ” shall
mean for any period the consolidated net income of the Company
determined in accordance with GAAP plus (a) its
reported interest expense, plus (b) its reported income
tax expense, plus (c) the amount it reported as
depreciation of assets, plus (d) the amount it reported
as the amortization of intangibles, plus (e) 50% of
Citrus Corp.’s reported interest expense, plus
(f) 50% of the amount Citrus Corp. reported as income tax
expense, plus (g) 50% of the amount Citrus Corp.
reported as depreciation of assets, plus (g) 50% of the
amount Citrus Corp. reported as the amortization of intangibles, in
each case as determined in accordance with GAAP.
“ ERISA ” shall
mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated there
under.
“
ETP ” shall mean Energy Transfer Partners,
L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and any of its Affiliates
that are Members.
“ Exchange Act ”
shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
“ Executive Committee
” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 4.1(a) .
“ Executive Committee
Members ” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 4.1(a) .
“ Fiscal Year ”
shall mean the taxable year of the Company, which initially shall
be the calendar year.
“ GAAP ” shall
mean United States generally accepted accounting principles
consistently applied.
“ Governmental
Authority ” shall mean any court, tribunal, agency,
commission, official or other instrumentality of the United States
or any state or political subdivision thereof.
“ Indebtedness ”
shall mean, with respect to any Person, (A) all obligations
for borrowed money of the such Person, (B) all obligations for
the deferred purchase or acquisition price of property or services,
other than trade accounts payable (other than for borrowed money)
arising, and accrued expenses incurred, in the ordinary course of
business so long as such trade accounts payable are payable within
90 days of the date the respective goods are delivered or the
respective services are rendered, (C) the capitalized amount
(determined in accordance with GAAP) of all obligations such Person
is required to pay or other amounts under any lease of (or other
arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property,
or a combination thereof, which obligations are required to be
classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet
of such Person under GAAP, (D) all obligations for borrowed
money secured by any lien upon or in any property owed by such
Person whether or not such Person has assumed or become liable for
the payment of such obligations for borrowed money and (E) all
obligations of the type described in any of clauses
(A) through (D) above which are guaranteed, directly or
indirectly, or endorsed (otherwise than for collection or deposit
in the ordinary course of business) or discounted with recourse by
such Person.
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“ Liquidating Trustee
” shall have the meaning specified in the Act.
“ Managing Member
” shall mean the Member designated pursuant to
Section 4.3 .
“ Material Regulatory
Filing ” shall mean any filing with any Governmental
Authority which, if determined adversely to the Company, would have
a material adverse effect on the business, assets or financial
condition of the Company.
“ Member Nonrecourse
Debt ” shall mean debt of the Company determined in
accordance with the principles of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
“ Member Nonrecourse
Deductions ” shall mean any and all items of loss,
deduction or expenditure (described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of
the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(2), are attributable to a Member
Nonrecourse Debt.
“ Members ” shall
mean each of the Persons set forth on Exhibit A and any
other Person that hereafter is admitted as a Member pursuant to
Article VIII .
“ Membership Interest
” and “ Membership Interests ” shall mean,
individually the Class A Membership Interest or the Class B
Membership Interest and, collectively, the Class A Membership
Interests and the Class B Membership Interests, as the context
requires.
“ Minimum Gain Attributable
to Member Nonrecourse Debt ” shall mean that amount
determined in accordance with the principles of Regulations
Sections 1.704-2(i)(3), (4) and (5).
“ Nonrecourse
Deductions ” shall mean that amount determined in
accordance with Regulations Section 1.704-2(b)(1).
“ Nonrecourse Liability
” shall mean any liability of the Company treated as a
nonrecourse liability under Regulations
Section 1.704-2(b)(3).
“ Person ” shall
mean any individual, partnership, limited liability company,
corporation, trust or other entity.
“ Profits ” and
“ Losses ” shall mean, for each Fiscal Year or
other period, an amount equal to the Company’s taxable income
or loss for such Fiscal Year or period, determined in accordance
with Code Section 703(a) (for this purpose, all items of
income, gain, loss, or deduction required to be stated separately
pursuant to Code Section 703(a)(1) shall be included in
taxable income or loss), with the following adjustments:
(a) Any income of the Company that
is exempt from federal income tax and not otherwise taken into
account in computing Profits and Losses shall be added to such
taxable income or loss;
8
(b) Any expenditures of the Company
described in Code Section 705(a)(2)(B) or treated as Code
Section 705(a)(2)(B) expenditures pursuant to Regulations
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(i), and not otherwise taken into
account in computing Profits or Losses, shall be subtracted from
such taxable income or loss;
(c) In the event the Asset Value of
any Company asset is adjusted pursuant to clause (b) or clause
(c) of the definition thereof, the amount of such adjustment
shall be taken into account as gain or loss from the disposition of
such asset for purposes of computing Profits and Losses;
(d) Gain or loss resulting from any
disposition of Company property with respect to which gain or loss
is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by
reference to the Asset Value of the property disposed of,
notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis of such property
differs from its Asset Value;
(e) In lieu of depreciation,
amortization and other cost recovery deductions taken into account
in computing such taxable income or loss, there shall be taken into
account Depreciation for such Fiscal Year or other
period;
(f) To the extent an adjustment to
any adjusted tax basis of any Company asset pursuant to Code
Section 734(b) or Code Section 743(b) is required
pursuant to Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m)(4) to be
taken into account in determining Capital Accounts as a result of a
distribution other than in liquidation of a Member’s
Membership Interest in the Company, the amount of the adjustment
shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases
the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases the
basis of the assets) from the disposition of the asset and shall be
taken into account for purposes of computing Profits and Losses;
and
(g) Any items which are specially
allocated pursuant to Section 7.1(c) shall not be taken
into account in computing Profits and Losses.
“ Prohibited Transferee
” shall mean those Persons set forth on Exhibit B and
any Affiliate or successor thereof.
“ Rate Filing ”
shall mean any application, notice or other submission filed with
or otherwise delivered to any Governmental Authority relating to
the establishment of, or modification or supplement to, the rates,
tariffs or charges for services or commodities provided by any
Company Subsidiary; provided , however , that
“Rate Filing” shall not include any of the foregoing
unless the intended or expected effect thereof is (i) to
increase the revenues of the applicable Company Subsidiary by more
than 10% per annum, (ii) to increase or decrease the
rates chargeable for transportation of natural gas through the
applicable Company Subsidiary’s pipeline facilities by more
than 10%, (iii) the offering by the applicable Company
Subsidiary of a new service or (iv) the expansion or addition
of capacity of, or the increase in the pressure of, the applicable
Company Subsidiary’s pipeline facilities.
“ Redemption Agreement
” shall mean the Redemption Agreement, dated as of
September 14, 2006, between the Company and ETP.
9
“ Regulatory
Allocations ” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.1(c)(vii) .
“ Regulations ”
shall mean any and all temporary and final regulations promulgated
under the Code, as amended from time to time (including
corresponding provisions of succeeding regulations).
“ Securities Act
” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
“ SUG ” shall
mean Southern Union Company, a Delaware corporation.
“ Tax Matters Member
” shall mean the Member designated to serve as such pursuant
to Section 7.5 .
“ Third Party Purchaser
” shall mean any Person (other than a Member or an Affiliate
of a Member) that has expressed an interest to purchase any of the
Class A Membership Interests or Class B Membership
Interests.
“ Third Party Purchaser
Notice ” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 8.2 .
“ Transfer ”
shall mean any, direct or indirect, sale, assignment, gift,
hypothecation, pledge or other disposition, whether voluntary or by
operation of law (including through the state law conversion of the
legal status of a Member), of a Membership Interest or any portion
thereof including as a result of a sale or transfer of the equity
interests in a Member or its direct or indirect parent, but the
term “Transfer” shall not include any sale or transfer
of equity interests in ETP or SUG.
“ Transferee ”
shall mean any Person that receives a Membership Interest as the
result of a Transfer from a Transferring Member.
“ Transferring Member
” shall have the meaning specified in Section 8.2
.
“ Transwestern ”
shall mean Transwestern Pipeline Company, LLC.
1.2 Interpretative Matters .
In this Agreement, unless otherwise specified or where the context
otherwise requires:
(a) the headings of particular
provisions of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and
will not be construed as a part of this Agreement or serve as a
limitation or expansion on the scope of any term or provision of
this Agreement;
(b) the singular shall include the
plural and the plural shall include the singular wherever
appropriate;
(c) words importing any gender shall
include other genders;
(d) the words “include,”
“includes” or “including” shall be deemed
to be followed by the words “without
limitation”;
10
(e) the words “hereof,”
“herein” and “herewith” and words of
similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to
refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
provision of this Agreement;
(f) references to
“Sections”, “Articles”,
“Exhibits” and “Appendices” shall be to
Sections, Articles, Exhibits and Appendices of or to this
Agreement;
(g) references to any Person include
the successors and permitted assigns of such Person;
(h) the use of the words
“or,” “either” and “any” shall
not be exclusive;
(i) wherever a conflict exists
between this Agreement and any other agreement, this Agreement
shall control but solely to the extent of such conflict;
(j) references to any agreement or
contract, unless otherwise stated, are to such agreement or
contract as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in
accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and
(k) the parties hereto have
participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this
Agreement; accordingly, in the event an ambiguity or question of
intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed
as if drafted jointly by the parties hereto, and no presumption or
burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party
hereto by virtue of the authorship of any provisions of this
Agreement.
ARTICLE II.
ORGANIZATIONAL
MATTERS
2.1 Formation . The Company
has been formed and exists for the limited purposes described
herein and shall be governed by and operated in accordance with the
Act. The Members shall execute and the Managing Member shall make,
or cause to be made, all filings required by the Act or other
applicable law with respect to the formation and operation of the
Company.
2.2 Name . The name of the
Company is CCE Holdings, LLC.
2.3 Principal Place of
Business . The principal place of business of the Company shall
be located at 5444 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77056. The Members
may change the principal place of business of the Company at any
time and from time to time.
2.4 Registered Office and
Agent . The registered office of the Company shall be located
at 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
19801 and the registered agent for the Company at such office shall
be The Corporation Trust Company. The Executive Committee may
change the registered office of the Company or the registered agent
for the Company at any time, and from time to time.
2.5 Term . The term of the
Company shall commence upon the filing of the Certificate and shall
continue until dissolved in accordance with Article X or the
Act.
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ARTICLE III.
BUSINESS OF THE
COMPANY
3.1 Purpose . The business of
the Company shall be to, directly and indirectly, own and manage
ownership interests in the Company Subsidiaries, and their
respective assets, and to engage in any business necessary or
incidental thereto.
ARTICLE IV.
MANAGEMENT OF
COMPANY
4.1 Executive Committee
.
(a) Establishment . There is
hereby established a committee of Member representatives (the
“ Executive Committee ”) comprised of natural
Persons (the “ Executive Committee Members ”)
having the authority and duties set forth in this Agreement. Any
decisions to be made by the Executive Committee shall require the
unanimous approval of the Executive Committee Members;
provided , however , that in the case of any action
or decision by the Executive Committee relating to (i) the
commencement of any legal or arbitration proceedings against a
Member or an Affiliate thereof, (ii) entering into any
transaction with a Member or any of its Affiliates of the type
referred to in Section 4.2(g) or (iii) the
enforcement or waiver of any rights of the Company under any
material agreement with a Member or any of its Affiliates, the
Executive Committee Members appointed by the Class of Membership
Interests held by such Member (and respecting which such Member is
entitled to exercise voting rights as provided in
Section 4.2(a)(ii) and Section 4.2(a) (iii)
) shall not participate in any decisions by the Executive Committee
in respect of such matters and such Executive Committee Members
shall be disregard for purposes of this Section 4.1(a)
and Section 4.2(d)(iv) to the extent of any Executive
Committee meetings or decisions relating to any such matters.
Absent authority granted by the Executive Committee, no Member or
Executive Committee Member shall have the power to act for or on
behalf of, or to bind, the Company. At each meeting of the
Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall designate a
person to preside over such meeting.
(b) Powers . The business and
affairs of the Company shall be managed by or under the direction
of the Executive Committee, except as otherwise expressly provided
in this Agreement. The Executive Committee shall have the power on
behalf and in the name of the Company to carry out any and all of
the objectives and purposes of the Company contemplated by
Section 3.1 and to perform all acts that the Executive
Committee may deem necessary or advisable in connection
therewith.
(c) Composition of the Executive
Committee and Appointment of Executive Committee Members . The
Executive Committee shall consist of four members, two of whom
shall be appointed by the Class A Members (the “
Class A Executive Committee Members ”), and two of
whom shall be appointed by the Class B Members (the “
Class B Executive Committee Members ”). In addition,
the Class A Members and the Class B Members may appoint one or
more alternates for the Class A Executive Committee Members
and the Class B Executive Committee Members, respectively, and each
such alternate shall have all of the powers of a Executive
Committee Member in such Executive Committee Member’s absence
or inability to
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serve. The Class A Members shall have the
power to remove any Class A Executive Committee Member, and
the Class B Members shall have the power to remove any Class B
Executive Committee Member. Any vacancy on the Executive Committee
shall be filled by the Class A Members if the vacancy shall be
in respect of a Class A Executive Committee Member, or by the
Class B Members if the vacancy shall be in respect of a Class B
Executive Committee Member. The Class A Members shall notify
the Class B Members, and the Class B Members shall notify the
Class A Members, of their respective appointments or removals
of Executive Committee Members as provided in this
Section 4.1(c) . In addition to the Executive Committee
Members, the Class A Members and the Class B Members shall
each be entitled to appoint one individual who shall be entitled to
attend each meeting of the Executive Committee and receive all
notices and other information provided to the Executive Committee
Members, but no such observer shall be entitled to any other rights
or privileges granted to the Executive Committee Members hereunder
or pursuant hereto. The Class A Members and the Class B
Members shall be entitled to remove and replace their respective
Executive Committee observers from time to time. The Class A
Members shall notify the Class B Members, and the Class B Members
shall notify the Class A Members, of their respective
appointments or removals of their Executive Committee observers as
provided in this Section 4.1(c) .
(d) Meetings of the Executive
Committee . Regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall
be held at least four times in each Fiscal Year and may be held at
such place, within or without the State of Delaware, as shall from
time to time be determined by unanimous consent of the Executive
Committee. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be
called by or at the request of any Executive Committee Member.
Notice of each such regular or special meeting shall be mailed to
each Executive Committee Member, addressed to such Executive
Committee Member at his or her residence or usual place of
business, at least five days before the date on which the meeting
is to be held, or shall be sent to such Executive Committee Member
at such place by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail or
telecopier, not later than five days (or, in the case of meetings
held by telephone, one day) before the day on which such meeting is
to be held. Each such notice shall state the time and place of the
meeting and, as may be required, the purposes thereof.
(i) Any Executive Committee Member
who is present at a meeting shall be conclusively presumed to have
waived notice of such meeting except when such member attends for
the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to
the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully
called or convened. Such Executive Committee Member shall be
conclusively presumed to have assented to any action taken unless
his or her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting
or unless his or her written dissent to such action shall be filed
with the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the
adjournment thereof or shall be forwarded by registered mail to the
Managing Member of the Company immediately after the adjournment of
the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to any Executive
Committee Member who voted in favor of such action.
(ii) Executive Committee Members may
participate in and act at any meeting of the Executive Committee
through the use of a conference telephone or other communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other, and participation in the meeting
pursuant to this Section 4.1(d) shall constitute
presence in person at the meeting.
13
(iii) Unless otherwise restricted by
this Agreement or the Act, any action required or permitted to be
taken at any meeting of the Executive Committee may be taken
without a meeting if all the Executive Committee Members consent
thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the
minutes of proceedings of the Executive Committee.
(iv) At each meeting of the
Executive Committee, the presence of at least one Class A
Executive Committee Member and each Class B Executive Committee
Member shall constitute a quorum and be required for the
transaction of business, subject to the provisions of
Section 4.1(a) in respect of decisions to be made by
the Executive Committee.
(e) Compensation of Executive
Committee Members . Executive Committee Members shall not
receive any compensation from the Company for their services but
may be reimbursed for any expenses related to attendance at each
meeting of the Executive Committee.
4.2 Actions Requiring Executive
Committee Approval The following actions by the Company shall
require the approval of the Executive Committee:
(a) commencing, or any other
material action with respect to, a Bankruptcy Event of the Company
or of any Company Subsidiaries;
(b) transferring any assets of the
Company to satisfy any liabilities of any of the Members or their
respective Affiliates (or any trade or business, whether or not
incorporated, that is treated as a single employer together with
such Member or its Affiliates (under section 414 of the Code or
section 4001(b) of ERISA)) arising from ERISA;
(c) selling, exchanging, licensing
as licensor, leasing as lessor, or disposing of any assets of the
Company or any Company Subsidiaries in excess of $30
million;
(d) engaging in, or acquiring any
material assets related to, any business other than the business
historically conducted by CrossCountry with a value in excess of
$30 million, other than assets sold or exchanged in the ordinary
course;
(e) redeeming any ownership interest
in the Company;
(f) making any non-pro rata
distribution of cash, income, assets or rights to any Member,
except to the extent permitted under this Agreement, and making any
other distribution not expressly permitted by Article VI hereof
(other than the distribution contemplated by Section 5.1(c) of
the Redemption Agreement);
(g) entering into any material
transactions (including purchases, sales or leases of assets) by
the Company or any Company Subsidiaries with or for the benefit of
a Member or an Affiliate thereof;
14
(h) incurring or assuming any
Indebtedness by the Company or any Company Subsidiary in excess of
$50 million in the aggregate, excluding the Indebtedness incurred
prior to the date hereof in connection with the acquisition of the
Company Subsidiaries by the Company;
(i) any repayment (other than
(i) repayments in accordance with scheduled maturity or which
are otherwise mandatory pursuant to the terms of any document to
which the Company or a Company Subsidiary is a party and
(ii) paydowns on any revolving credit facility), voluntary
prepayment or redemption of, or any refinancing or other
modification of the terms of, any indebtedness pertaining to the
Company or a Company Subsidiary;
(j) initiating any material legal
proceedings or arbitration on behalf of the Company or a Company
Subsidiary, or agreeing to the settlement of any claim by or
against the Company or a Company Subsidiary with respect to claims
in excess of $3 million, or which includes requests for any
material injunction, specific performance or other equitable
relief; provided, however, that if the vote of the Executive
Committee results in a tie, the Class A Executive Committee
Members shall prevail on any such votes relating solely to any
Company Subsidiary (other than Transwestern), or any entity owned
by Citrus Corp. and the Class B Executive Committee Members shall
prevail on any such votes relating solely to
Transwestern;
(k) entering into any confession of
a judgment in excess of $3 million against the Company or a Company
Subsidiary; provided, however, that if the vote of the Executive
Committee results in a tie, the Class A Executive Committee
Members shall prevail on any such votes relating solely to any
Company Subsidiary (other than Transwestern), or any entity owned
by Citrus Corp. and the Class B Executive Committee Members shall
prevail on any such votes relating solely to
Transwestern;
(l) adopting each annual budget for
the Company and each Company Subsidiary, and any amendment or other
modification to any such budget; provided , that if the
Executive Committee is unable to agree on the annual budget for any
year for the Company or any Company Subsidiary, the Company or such
Company Subsidiary, as the case may be, shall adopt an annual
budget equal to the annual budget in effect in the immediately
preceding year, subject to the discretion of the Managing Member to
increase one or more line items by not more than 5% (and subject to
the limitation that the budgeted EBITDA for the new year shall not
be less than 90% of the budgeted EBITDA for the preceding
year);
(m) the making of any Rate Filing or
any Material Regulatory Filing with any Governmental Authority by
the Company or any Company Subsidiary, except to the extent such
filing is required to be made by applicable law; provided, however,
that if the vote of the Executive Committee results in a tie, the
Class A Executive Committee Members shall prevail on any such
votes relating solely to any Company Subsidiary (other than
Transwestern) or any entity owned by Citrus Corp. and the Class B
Executive Committee Members shall prevail on any such votes
relating solely to Transwestern;
(n) implementing any material change
in accounting policies or practices in respect of the Company or
any Company Subsidiary, in each case except to the extent that such
change is required to be made by GAAP or applicable law, or
terminating the engagement of the Company’s principal
independent auditors; and
15
(o) the entry into any new line of
business by the Company.
4.3 Management of the Company
.
(a) Managing Member .
Day-to-day management of the Company in accordance with the polices
established, and direction given, by the Executive Committee from
time to time, and subject to the limitations provided elsewhere in
this Agreement, shall be the responsibility of a managing Member
(the “ Managing Member ”). In addition, the
Managing Member shall provide to any Executive Committee Member
such additional information as such Executive Committee Member may
reasonably request from time to time to the extent that
(i) such requested information relates to the operation of the
Company or any Company Subsidiary and (ii) the Managing Member
has such information or can acquire it without unreasonable effort.
Subject to the next following sentence, the Managing Member shall
be CCE. If at any time (x) CCE and its Affiliates shall cease
to hold at least 80% of the Class A Membership Interests, or
(y) CCE or any of its Affiliates that is a Member shall breach
in any material respect any of its obligations under this
Agreement, Members holding not less than a majority of the Class B
Membership Interests (taking into the account the provisions of
Section 4.4(a)(iii) ) shall have the right (but not the
obligation) to designate a replacement Managing Member by written
notice to CCE, which replacement shall be effective immediately or
at such other time as shall be specified in such written notice to
CCE. In the case of any such replacement, CCE shall cooperate fully
in the transition to such new Managing Member.
(b) Administrative Services
Agreement . Simultaneously with the execution of this
Agreement, the Company shall enter into the Administrative Services
Agreement with the Administrative Services Provider. Subject to the
next following sentence, the Administrative Services Provider shall
be an Affiliate of CCE that is designated by CCE and is qualified
to perform the duties required of it under the Administrative
Services Agreement. Members holding not less than a majority of the
Class B Membership Interests shall have the right (but not the
obligation) to designate a replacement Administrative Services
Provider (that may be an Affiliate of ETP) by written notice to CCE
and the then current Administrative Services Provider, which
replacement shall be effective immediately or at such other time as
shall be specified in such written notice to CCE and the
Administrative Services Provider, (i) upon the Administrative
Service Provider’s material breach of its obligations under
the Administrative Services Agreement, and the Administrative
Service Provider’s failure to cure such breach within 60 days
following the Administrative Service Provider’s receipt of
written notice from the Company setting forth in reasonable detail
the relevant conduct or failure, (ii) upon any of the
representations and warranties of the Administrative Service
Provider contained in the Administrative Services Agreement proving
to be materially false, incomplete or misleading, and not
reasonably subject to cure in a manner that will result in no
material harm to the Company, (iii) upon the Administrative
Service Provider committing a material violation of any law
applicable to Company or any Company Subsidiary, (iv) if SUG,
or its Affiliates, cease to own beneficially at least a majority of
the Class A Membership Interests or (v) in the event of a
failure by the Company or any Company Subsidiary to pay principal
or interest as and when due under any credit facility (subject to
applicable grace periods). It is expressly understood and agreed
that the foregoing provisions shall be in addition to, and shall
not otherwise limit, any other remedies that may be available to
the Company or any other Member (other than CCE or any of its
Affiliates) upon any breach of the Administrative Services
Agreement by the
16
Administrative Services Provider, CCE or any of
its Affiliates. In the case of any such replacement, CCE shall
cause its Affiliate Administrative Services Provider to cooperate
fully in the transition to such new Administrative Services
Provider.
(c) Transwestern Matters . At
the request of the Class B Member, representatives of the Managing
Member and the Class B Member shall meet weekly. During such
meetings, the Class B Member shall be entitled to provide guidance
to the Managing Member with respect to material decisions
involving, or otherwise relating to, Transwestern, including
decisions with respect to commercial, financial, regulatory,
operational and other general policy matters involving, or
otherwise relating to, Transwestern.
4.4 Member Rights and
Obligations .
(a) Voting Rights . Except as
provided in this Agreement or as otherwise required by applicable
law;
(i) the Class A Members and the
Class B Members shall vote together without distinction as to
class, and any action requiring the approval of the Members shall
require the affirmative vote of the Class A Members and Class
B Members holding a majority of the Class A Membership
Interests and the Class B Membership Interests;
(ii) all actions requiring the
approval of the Class A Members, and unless expressly provided
otherwise, all other actions to be taken by the Class A
Members (including, without limitation, any direction to be given
to the Executive Committee Members appointed by the Class A
Members), shall require the affirmative vote of Members holding a
majority of the Class A Membership Interests; provided
, however , that in the case of any vote by the Class A
Members, whether pursuant to this Section or any other provision of
this Agreement, ETP and any of its Affiliates holding any
Class A Membership Interests shall not be entitled to
participate in such vote and the Class A Membership Interests
held by them shall be disregarded for all purposes of such vote;
and
(iii) all actions requiring the
approval of the Class B Members, and unless expressly provided
otherwise, all other actions to be taken by the Class B Members
(including, without limitation, any direction to be given to the
Executive Committee Members appointed by the Class B Members),
shall require the affirmative vote of Members holding a majority of
the Class B Membership Interests; provided , however
, that in the case of any vote by the Class B Members, whether
pursuant to this Section or any other provision of this Agreement,
CCE and any of its Affiliates holding any Class B Membership
Interests shall not be entitled to participate in such vote and the
Class B Membership Interests held by them shall be disregarded for
all purposes of such vote.
(b) Actions Requiring Unanimous
Approval of Members . The following actions by the Company
shall require the unanimous approval of all of the
Members:
(i) amending the Certificate or this
Agreement;
17
(ii) requiring any Member to
contribute additional capital; and
(iii) issuing any Membership
Interests or other equity securities of the Company to any
Member.
(c) Actions Requiring Approval of
Two-Thirds of Class A Members and Class B Members . The
following actions by the Company shall require the approval of
Members holding at least two-thirds of the Class A Membership
Interests and Members holding at least two-thirds of the Class B
Membership Interests:
(i) dissolving, terminating or
liquidating the Company or any Company Subsidiary;
(ii) selling all or substantially
all of the assets of the Company or any Company Subsidiary;
and
(iii) merging, consolidating or
changing the form of entity of the Company or any Company
Subsidiary, whether or not involving a change of
control.
(d) Members’ Meetings .
Meetings of the Members may be called from time to time by the
affirmative vote of the Executive Committee Members or upon written
request of any Member having an Aggregate Percentage of not less
than 20% delivered to any member of the Executive Committee. If
action is to be taken at a duly called meeting of the Members,
notice of the time, date and place of meeting shall be given by the
Managing Member, at the direction of the Executive Committee, to
each other Member by personal delivery, telephone, electronic mail
or telecopier sent to the address of each Member set forth on
Exhibit A at least five business days in advance of the
meeting; provided , however , that no notice need be
given to a Member who waives notice before or after the meeting or
who attends the meeting without protesting at or before its
commencement the inadequacy of notice to such Member. The Members
may attend a meeting in person or by proxy. Meetings of the Members
shall be held at the Company’s principal place of business
during normal business hours, or at such other place and time as
unanimously agreed by the Members; provided , however
, that the Members may participate in and act at any meeting of the
Members through the use of a conference telephone or other
communications equipment by means of which all individuals
participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such
participation in the meeting shall constitute presence in person at
the meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any
meeting of the Members may be taken without a meeting if one or
more written consents to such action shall be signed by Members
whose affirmative vote at a meeting would be sufficient to approve
such action. Such written consents shall be delivered to the
principal office of the Company and, unless otherwise specified,
shall be effective on the date when the first consent is
delivered.
(e) Limitation of Authority .
Except in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, no
Member shall have any right or authority to act for or bind the
Company.
4.5 Limitation of Liability .
No Member, Managing Member, Executive Committee Member or any
Affiliate, agent, officer, partner, employee, member,
representative, director or shareholder of any of the foregoing
shall be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise
to the Company or any Member for (i) any act performed in good
faith within the
18
scope of the authority conferred by this
Agreement, (ii) any failure or refusal to perform any acts
except those required by the terms of this Agreement or
(iii) any performance or omission to perform any acts in
reliance in good faith on the advice of independent accountants or
legal counsel for the Company.
4.6 Indemnification . In any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding to
which a Member, Managing Member, Executive Committee Member or any
Affiliate, agent, officer, partner, employee, member,
representative, director or shareholder of any of the foregoing was
or is a party or is threatened to be made a party by reason of the
fact that such Person is or was acting on behalf of the Company
(other than an action by or in the right of the Company), the
Company shall indemnify such Member, Managing Member, Executive
Committee Member or any Affiliate, agent, officer, partner,
employee, member, representative, director or shareholder of any of
the foregoing against expenses, including attorneys’ fees,
judgments and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by such Person in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law,
provided that such Person acted in good faith and in a
manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, and that the conduct giving rise to the
liability for which indemnification is sought does not constitute
fraud, gross negligence or gross misconduct.
ARTICLE V.
CONTRIBUTIONS
5.1 Capital Contribution .
Unless unanimously agreed to by the Members in writing, no Member
shall be required to make additional Capital Contributions to the
Company. In addition, no Member shall be allowed to make additional
Capital Contributions to the Company without the approval of CCE
(but only so long as it shall be a Member) and of ETP (but only so
long as it shall be a Member).
5.2 No Right to Interest or
Return of Capital . Except as set forth herein, no Member shall
be entitled to any return of, or interest on, Capital Contributions
to the Company. No Member shall have any liability for the return
of the Capital Contribution of any other Member and each Member
shall look only to the assets of the Company for return of its
Capital Contribution.
5.3 No Third Party Rights .
The obligations or rights of the Company or the Members to make any
Capital Contribution under this Article V shall not grant
any rights to or confer any benefits upon any Person who is not a
Member.
ARTICLE VI.
DISTRIBUTIONS
6.1 Cash Flow. Subject to
Sections 6.2 , 6.3 and 11.2 , Cash Flow shall
be distributed at such times as shall be determined by the
affirmative vote of the Executive Committee to each Class A
Member and Class B Member in proportion to their respective
Aggregate Percentage Interests. Distributions to each Member shall
be sent via wire transfer to such account identified by such
respective Member in writing to the Managing Member from time to
time.
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6.2 Amounts Withheld for
Taxes . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the
contrary, if the Company is required to pay, with respect to or on
behalf of any Member or any other Person, any amount required to be
withheld by the Company in respect of taxes based on or measured by
income under federal, state, or local law or any estimated tax or
similar amount, such Member or other Person shall, upon demand of
the Company, promptly reimburse the Company for such amount. To the
extent that such Member or other Person has not so reimbursed the
Company, any and all amounts so paid by the Company may be withheld
from and offset against distributions to such Member or other
Person and shall be considered for all purposes of this Agreement
to have been distributed to such Member or other Person pursuant to
this Article VI.
6.3 Minimum Distribution for
Taxes . To the extent permitted by applicable Credit Facilities
and other obligations of the Company, the Company shall distribute
in accordance with Section 6.1 , with respect to each
Fiscal Year and during the period commencing on the first day of
such Fiscal Year and ending on the 15th day of the third month
following the end of such Fiscal Year, an amount equal to the
lesser of (a) (i) the Company’s Cash Flow for such
Fiscal Year less (ii) the aggregate amount of all quarterly
distributions of Cash Flow previously made during such Fiscal Year
and (b) 40% (or such other percentage as may be determined by
the Executive Committee) of the taxable income of the Company for
such Fiscal Year. For purposes of this Section 6.3, the
taxable income of the Company for each Fiscal Year shall be
computed as though the Company were a corporation which did not
file consolidated Federal income tax returns, as though such
corporation did not make any of the elections specified in Code
Section 703(b), as though Code Section 243(a)(1) and Code
Section 243(c) (if applicable), rather than Code
Section 243(a)(3), applied to “qualifying
dividends” (as defined in Code Section 243(b)(1)),
without regard to any carryover or carryback of any net operating
loss, capital loss, investment credit, unused foreign tax, excess
charitable contribution, passive loss or credit, or other item from
any other year, and without regard to the provisions of Code
Section 703(a).
ARTICLE VII.
ALLOCATIONS
7.1 Book Allocations .
Sections 7.1(a) and (b) set forth the general
rules for book allocations to the Members.
Section 7.1(c) sets forth various special rules that
supercede the general rules of Sections 7.1(a) and
(b) .
(a) Profit . Profits for each
Fiscal Year shall be allocated to the Members in the following
order of priority:
(i) first , each
Class A Member and Class B Member shall be allocated Profits
(in proportion to the aggregate Losses allocated to such Members
under Section 7.1(b)(ii) for all Fiscal Years) until
the aggregate allocations made to each Class A Member and
Class B Member pursuant to this Section 7.1(a)(i) is
equal to the aggregate Losses allocated to the Member pursuant to
Section 7.1(b)(ii) for all Fiscal Years; and
(ii) thereafter , each
Class A Member and each Class B Member shall be allocated
Profits in proportion to its Aggregate Percentage
Interests.
20
(b) Losses . Losses for each
Fiscal Year shall be allocated to the Members in the following
order of priority:
(i) first , to the
Class A Members and Class B Members, if any, having positive
balances in their Adjusted Capital Accounts, in proportion to and
to the extent of, such positive balances; and
(ii) thereafter , to
the Class A Members and Class B Members in proportion to their
Aggregate Percentage Interests.
(c) Special Rules .
Notwithstanding Sections 7.1(a) and (b) , the
following special allocation rules shall apply under the
circumstances described:
(i) Limitation on Loss
Allocations . The Losses allocated to any Member pursuant to
Section 7.1(b ) with respect to any Fiscal Year shall
not exceed the maximum amount of Losses that can be so allocated
without causing such Member to have an Adjusted Capital Account
Deficit at the end of such Fiscal Year. All items of loss or
deduction in excess of the limitation set forth in this
Section 7.1(c)(i) shall be allocated first, to the
Member who will not be subject to this limitation, and second, any
remaining amount to the Members in the manner required by the Code
and the Regulations. To the extent that items of loss and deduction
are allocated pursuant to this Section 7.1(c)(i) to a
Member, such Member shall be allocated a corresponding amount of
income and gain as may be available in the earliest subsequent
Fiscal Year to offset such allocation of loss and
deduction.
(ii) Company Minimum Gain .
Except as otherwise provided in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f), if there is a net decrease in Company
Minimum Gain during any Company taxable period, each Member shall
be specially allocated items of Company income and gain for such
period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in proportion to and
to the extent of, an amount equal to the portion of such
Member’s share of the net decrease in Company Minimum Gain,
determined in accordance with Regulations Section 1.704-2(g).
This Section 7.1(c)(ii) is intended to comply with the
charge back of items of income and gain requirement in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently
therewith.
(iii) Minimum Gain Attributable
to Member Nonrecourse Debt . Except as otherwise provided in
Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease
in Minimum Gain Attributable to Member Nonrecourse Debt during any
Company taxable period, each Member with a share of Minimum Gain
Attributable to Member Nonrecourse Debt shall be specially
allocated items of Company income and gain for such period (and, if
necessary, subsequent periods) in proportion to, and to the extent
of, an amount equal to the portion of such Member’s share of
the net decrease in the Minimum Gain Attributable to Member
Nonrecourse Debt, determined in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(i)(4). This Section 7.1(c)(iii )
is intended to comply with the charge back of items of income and
gain requirement in Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and
shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
21
(iv) Qualified Income Offset
. In the event any Member unexpectedly receives any adjustments,
allocations or distributions described in Regulations Sections
1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4),(5) or (6), and such adjustment, allocation
or distribution causes or increases an Adjusted Capital Account
Deficit for such Member, then before any other allocations are made
under this Agreement or otherwise, such Member shall be allocated
items of Company income and gain (consisting of a pro rata portion
of each item of Company income, including gross income and gain) in
an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent
required by the Regulations, such Adjusted Capital Account Deficit
of such Member as quickly as possible.
(v) Nonrecourse Deductions .
Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be allocated to
the Members in the same ratios that Profit is allocated for the
taxable year in accordance with Regulations
Section 1.704-2(b)(1). If the Executive Committee determines
in its good faith discretion that the Nonrecourse Deductions must
be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor
requirements of the Regulations promulgated under
Section 704(b) of the Code, the Executive Committee is
authorized to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically
closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.
(vi) Member Nonrecourse
Deductions . Member Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable
period shall be allocated 100% to the Member that bears the
economic risk of loss (as described in Regulations
Section 1.704-2(b) with respect to the Member Nonrecourse Debt
to which such Member Nonrecourse Deductions are attributable in
accordance with Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)). If more than
one Member bears the economic risk of loss with respect to a Member
Nonrecourse Debt, such Member Nonrecourse Deductions attributable
thereto shall be allocated between or among such Members in
accordance with the ratios in which they share such economic risk
of loss.
(vii) Curative Allocations .
The allocations set forth in Sections 7.1(c)(i) through
7.1(c)(vi) (the “ Regulatory Allocations
”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of
Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b) and 1.704-2(b). Notwithstanding any
other provisions of this Section 7.1(c) (other than the
Regulatory Allocations), the Regulatory Allocations shall be taken
into account in allocating other items of income, gain, loss, and
deduction among the Members so that, to the extent possible, the
net amount of such allocations of other items and the Regulatory
Allocations (including anticipated future Regulatory Allocations)
to each Member shall be equal to the net amount that would have
been allocated to such Member if the Regulatory Allocations had not
occurred.
(viii) Change in Regulations
. If the Regulations incorporating the Regulatory Allocations are
hereafter changed or if new Regulations are hereafter adopted, and
such changed or new Regulations, in the opinion of independent tax
counsel for the Company, make it necessary to revise the Regulatory
Allocations or provide further special allocation rules in order to
avoid a significant risk that a material portion of any allocation
set forth in this Article VII would not be respected for federal
income tax purposes, the Executive Committee shall make such
reasonable amendments to this
22
Agreement as, in the opinion of such
counsel, are necessary or desirable, taking into account the
interests of the Members as a whole and all other relevant factors,
to avoid or reduce significantly such risk to the extent possible
without materially changing the amounts allocable and distributable
to any Member, pursuant to this Agreement.
(ix) Non-Recourse Liabilities
. “Excess non-recourse liabilities” of the Company
within the meaning of Regulations Section 1.752-3(a)(3) shall
be allocated in the same ratio that Profit is allocated for the
taxable year.
7.2 Tax Allocations
.
(a) In General . Allocations
for tax purposes of items of income, gain, loss, deduction and
basis therefor, shall be made in the same manner as allocations for
book purposes set forth in Section 7.1 . Allocations
pursuant to this Section 7.2 are solely for purposes of
federal, state and local income taxes and shall not affect, or in
any way be taken into account in computing, any Member’s
Capital Account or share of Profits, Losses, other items or
distributions pursuant to any provision of this
Agreement.
(b) Special Rules
.
(i) Elimination of Book/Tax
Disparities . In determining a Member’s allocable share
of Company taxable income, the Member’s allocable share of
each item of Profit and Loss shall be properly adjusted to reflect
the rules and principles of Code Section 704(c) and
Regulations Section 1.704-3. This
Section 7.2(b)(i) is intended to comply with the
requirements of Code Section 704(c) and Regulations Sections
1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(d) and (f) and shall be interpreted
consistently therewith. Any elections or other decisions relating
to such allocations shall be made by the Members in any manner that
reasonably reflects the purpose and intention of this
Agreement.
(ii) Allocation of Items Among
Members . Except as otherwise provided in
Section 7.2(b)(i), each item of income, gain, loss and
deduction and all other items governed by Code Section 702(a)
shall be allocated among the Members in proportion to the
allocation of Profits, Losses and other items to the Members
hereunder, provided that any gain recognized from any
disposition of a Company asset that is treated as ordinary income
because it is attributable to the recapture of any depreciation or
amortization shall be allocated among the Members in accordance
with Regulations Section 1.1245-1(e), if applicable, or with
any other applicable provision of the Regulations and, if no such
provision is applicable, in the same ratio as the prior allocations
of Profits and Losses and other items that included such
depreciation or amortization, but not in excess of the gain
otherwise allocable to each Member.
(c) Conformity of Reporting .
The Members are aware of the income tax consequences of the
allocations made by this Section 7.2 and hereby agree
to be bound by the provisions of this Section 7.2 in
reporting their shares of Company profits, gains, income, losses,
deductions, credits and other items for income tax
purposes.
7.3 Transferred Interests .
If any Membership Interest (or portion thereof) is sold, assigned
or transferred during any Fiscal Year, then Profit, Loss, each item
thereof and all other
23
items realized by the Company during such Fiscal
Year shall be divided and allocated between the Members by taking
into account their varying interests during the Fiscal Year in
accordance with Code Section 706(d), using any conventions
permitted by law and selected by the Members.
7.4 Section 754 Election
. In the event of a Transfer of a Membership Interest permitted
under this Agreement, the Company shall, at the request of the
transferee Member, file an election under Section 754 of the
Code to adjust the basis of the assets of the Company in accordance
with the provisions of Section 743 of the Code. Any costs
associated with such election (such as accounting fees) shall be
borne by the transferee Member.
7.5 Tax Matters Member
.
(a) For purposes of Code Sections
6221 through 6223, the Managing Member from time to time shall also
be, and is hereby designated as, the “tax matters
partner” of the Company (the “ Tax Matters
Member ”).
(b) The Tax Matters Member shall
make an election under Code Section 6231(a)(i)(B)(ii) with the
Company’s first tax return to be filed after the effective
date of this Agreement to have Code Sections 6221 to 6234,
inclusive, apply to the Company.
(c) The Tax Matters Member shall,
within ten days (or such shorter period of time as is reasonably
practicable) of the receipt of any notice from the Internal Revenue
Service in any administrative proceeding at the Company level
relating to the determination of any Company item of income, gain,
loss, deduction or credit, deliver a copy of such notice to each
Member. The Tax Matters Member shall cooperate with any Member, and
shall take such action as may be required to be taken by the Tax
Matters Member, to cause such Member to become a “notice
partner” within the meaning of Section 6231(a)(8) of the
Code. The Tax Matters Member shall inform each Member of all
significant matters that may come to its attention in its capacity
as Tax Matters Member by giving written notice thereof within 10
business days (or such shorter period of time as is reasonably
practicable) after becoming aware thereof and, within that time,
shall forward to each other Member copies of all significant
written communications it may receive in its capacity as Tax
Matters Member.
(d) The Tax Matters Member shall not
take any action that may be taken by a “tax matters
partner” under Code Section 6221 through 6234 unless
(i) it has first given the other Members written notice of the
contemplated action at least ten business days prior to the
applicable due date of such action and (ii) it has received
the unanimous written consent of the other Members to such
contemplated action; provided , however , that unless
the Tax Matters Member is notified otherwise no later than two
business days prior to any date by which the Tax Matters Member
must act as set forth in any notice received from the Internal
Revenue Service, the Code or the regulations promulgated
thereunder, such other Members shall be deemed to have given their
consent.
(e) At least 20 days prior to the
due date for the filing of any federal income tax return of the
Company, the Tax Matters Member shall provide a proposed draft of
such return to the Members for their approval. If the Members
approve such return, the return shall be filed as approved. Failure
to provide the Tax Matters Member with written notice that
the
24
Members do not approve such return within 10
days from the receipt thereof by the Members shall be deemed
approval by the Members. In the event the Members do not approve
such return, and the Members and Tax Matters Member are otherwise
unable to resolve their differences with regard to such return, the
matter shall be submitted to an independent, nationally recognized
accounting firm, the decision of which shall be final. The cost of
retaining such accounting firm with respect to resolving such
dispute shall be borne by the Company. The Tax Matters Member shall
provide a draft or final copy of any tax return to a Member upon
written request by such Member.
(f) Without limiting and in addition
to the foregoing, for tax proceedings, matters and claims in excess
of $3 million, the Tax Matters Member shall not initiate any legal
or administrative proceedings on behalf of the Company or a Company
Subsidiary in respect of or relating to any tax proceedings or
other tax matters, or agree to the settlement of any claims in
respect of or relating to any tax proceedings or other tax matters,
without first consulting with the Executive Committee a reasonable
period of time prior to taking any such action.
ARTICLE VIII.
TRANSFER/ADMISSION
MATTERS
8.1 Transfer Restrictions .
ETP, CCE and any other Person holding, directly or indirectly, a
Class A Membership Interest or Class B Membership Interest may
Transfer all or any portion of its Membership Interest only in
accordance with the provisions of this Article VIII ;
provided , that ETP, CCE and any other Person holding,
directly or indirectly, a Class A Membership Interest or Class
B Membership Interest may Transfer all or any portion of its
Membership Interest to an Affiliate with prior notice to the
Executive Committee and upon satisfaction of the provisions of
Section 8.3 . Notwithstanding any provision hereof to
the contrary, no Class A Member may Transfer any Membership
Interest to any person that is a Class A Prohibited Transferee
and no Class B Member may Transfer any Membership Interest to any
person that is a Class B Prohibited Transferee.
8.2 Right of First Offer . If
any Class A Member or Class B Member (a “
Transferring Member ”) desires to Transfer all or any
portion of its Class A Membership Interest or Class B
Membership Interest, as applicable (the “ Specified
Interest ”), to any Third Party Purchaser, such
Transferring Member shall first give notice thereof (the “
Offer Notice ”) to the other Class A Members and
Class B Members (the “ Non-Transferring Members
”), specifying the price (the “ Specified Price
”) and other terms (the “ Specified Terms
”) at and on which such Transferring Member is willing to
sell the Specified Interest. The delivery of the Offer Notice by
the Transferring Member to the Non-Transferring Members shall
constitute an offer by the Transferring Member to negotiate in good
faith to sell to the Non-Transferring Members the Specified
Interest at the Specified Price upon the Specified Terms. The
Non-Transferring Members shall each have 30 Business Days (the
“ Acceptance Period ”) from and including the
date it receives the Offer Notice to accept such offer, which
acceptance shall be in the form of a written notice (the “
Acceptance Notice ”) to the Transferring Member. Each
Non-Transferring Member wishing to accept such offer (each, an
“ Accepting Member ”) shall thereafter negotiate
in good faith with the Transferring Member. If more than one
Non-Transferring Member shall wish to purchase the Specified
Interest, each such Non-Transferring Member shall be entitled to
purchase a proportionate share of the Specified Interest on the
basis of its Aggregate Percentage
25
Interest. If the Accepting Member(s) and the
Transferring Member fail to execute a definitive purchase agreement
within 30 Business Days following receipt by the Transferring
Member of the applicable Acceptance Notice(s), or if the sale of
the Specified Interest to the Non-Transferring Member(s) is not
consummated within 60 days following such receipt of the Acceptance
Notice, the offer set forth in this Section 8.2 shall
then automatically expire, and such Transferring Member may
Transfer the Specified Interest, subject to the other terms of this
Agreement, for a price and on terms and conditions substantially no
more favorable to the purchaser than those offered by the
Transferring Member; provided , however , that if the
Transferring Member shall fail to sell the Specified Interest or
any portion thereof within 180 days from such expiration, the
Specified Interest or such non-transferred portion of the Specified
Interest shall again be subject to the right of first offer
contained in this Section 8.2 .
8.3 Transfer Requirements .
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the
Company shall not recognize for any purpose any purported Transfer
of all or any portion of a Member’s Membership Interest
unless:
(a) the Company shall have been
furnished with the documents effecting such Transfer executed and
acknowledged by both transferor and transferee, together the
written agreement of the transferee to become a party to and be
bound by this Agreement, which shall be in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Executive Committee;
(b) such Transfer shall have been
made in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations and all
necessary governmental consents shall have been obtained and
requirements satisfied, including without limitation, compliance
with the Securities Act, and applicable state blue sky and
securities laws, and such Transfer will not cause the Company to
breach or violate any applicable law;
(c) such Transfer will not cause the
Company to have more than 100 partners (within the meaning of
Regulations Section 1.7704-1(h)) or does not otherwise cause
the Company to be treated as a “publicly traded
partnership” within the meaning of Section 7704 of the
Code;
(d) such Transfer will not result in
a termination of the Company for purposes of Section 708 of
the Code;
(e) all necessary instruments
reflecting such admission shall have been filed in each
jurisdiction in which such filing is necessary in order to qualify
the Company to conduct business or to preserve the limited
liability of the Members; and
(f) such Transfer will not result in
the occurrence of an event of default or similar occurrence
(whether immediately or with the giving of notice, the passage of
time or both) under the terms of any of the Credit
Facilities;
provided , however, that the foregoing provisions of this
Section 8.3 shall not apply to the Transfers contemplated by
the Redemption Agreement.
The Executive Committee may request
an opinion of counsel (which counsel shall be chosen by the
non-transferring Member but shall be reasonably satisfactory to the
transferee Member) with
26
respect to any of the foregoing or any other
matters that the Executive Committee reasonably deems appropriate
in respect of any such Transfer. In addition, the Executive
Committee, upon unanimous consent, may waive any of the foregoing
provisions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Transferring Member
need not comply with Section 8.3(d) if such
Transferring Member indemnifies each other Member in a manner and
amount reasonably satisfactory to each such other Member for any
adverse tax effects that would result from such
termination.
8.4 Admission of a Member . A
Person may be admitted as Class A Member or a Class B Member
upon satisfaction of the relevant requirements of this Article
VIII or with the unanimous written consent of the Class A
Members and the Class B Members. Upon such admission, such Member
shall be designated as either a Class A Member or a Class B
Member, and the Managing Member shall amend Exhibit A
appropriately to reflect the admission of such Person as a
Member.
8.5 Cooperation by Members .
If any Member wishes to Transfer all or a portion of its Membership
Interest in accordance with the provisions of this Article VIII,
each other Member shall use its reasonable efforts to assist the
Member seeking to make such Transfer as such Member may reasonably
request.
ARTICLE IX.
BOOKS AND RECORDS; BANK
ACCOUNTS
9.1 Books and Records . The
books and records of the Company shall, at the cost and expense of
the Company, be kept or caused to be kept by the Managing Member at
the principal place of business of the Company. Such books and
records will be kept on the basis of a calendar year, and will
reflect all Company transactions and be appropriate and adequate
for conducting the Company’s business. By February 28 of
each year, the Tax Matters Member shall provide each Member of
Holdings with an estimate of its allocable share of the preceding
year’s taxable income, loss, credit and certain other
information necessary for the Members to file a complete tax
return.
9.2 Reporting Requirements
.
(a) Members Holding 5% Membership
Interests . The Managing Member shall prepare, or cause to be
prepared, and shall deliver a financial report (audited in the case
of a report sent as of the end of a Fiscal Year and unaudited in
the case of a report sent as of the end of a quarter) to each
holder of 5% or more of the outstanding Class A Membership
Interests and to each holder of 5% or more of the outstanding Class
B Membership Interests within 120 days after the end of each Fiscal
Year (commencing after the date of this Agreement) and 60 days
after the end of each of the first three quarters of each Fiscal
Year (commencing with the first full quarter after the date of this
Agreement), setting forth for such Fiscal Year or
quarter:
(i) the assets and liabilities of
the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, on a consolidated and
consolidating basis, as of the end of such Fiscal Year or
quarter;
(ii) the net profit or net loss of
the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, on a consolidated and
consolidating basis, for such Fiscal Year or quarter;
27
(iii) the cash flows of the Company
and the Company Subsidiaries, on a consolidated and consolidating
basis, for such Fiscal Year or quarter; and
(iv) in the case of a Fiscal Year
only, such Class A Member’s or such Class B
Member’s closing Capital Account balance as of the end of
such Fiscal Year.
(b) Members Holding 20%
Membership Interests . The Managing Member shall prepare, or
cause to be prepared, and shall deliver to each Member holding 20%
or more of the outstanding Class A Membership Interests and to
each Member holding 20% or more of the outstanding Class B
Membership Interests as promptly as practicable such information
regarding the Company and each Company Subsidiary as such Member
shall reasonably request.
9.3 Bank Accounts . All funds
of the Company will be deposited in its name in an account or
accounts maintained with such bank or banks selected by the
Executive Committee. The funds of the Company will not be
commingled with the funds of any other Person. Checks will be drawn
upon the Company account or accounts only for the purposes of the
Company and shall be signed by authorized representatives of the
Company.
ARTICLE X.
DISSOLUTION AND
LIQUIDATION
10.1 Dissolution . The
Company shall be dissolved upon the approval of the Members
required by Section 4.4(c)(i) .
10.2 Distribution on
Dissolution .
(a) Upon dissolution of the Company,
no further business shall be conducted except for the taking of
such action as shall be necessary for the winding up of the affairs
of the Company and the distribution of assets pursuant to the
provisions of this Section. So long as it shall then be a Member,
CCE shall act as the Liquidating Trustee. If CCE shall not then be
a Member or if it is unable to act as Liquidating Trustee, then the
Members shall appoint another Liquidating Trustee. The Liquidating
Trustee shall have full authority to wind up the affairs of the
Company and to make distributions provided herein.
(b) Upon dissolution of the Company,
the Liquidating Trustee shall either sell the assets of the Company
at the best price available, or the Liquidating Trustee may
distribute to the Members all or any portion of the Company’s
assets in kind. If any assets are to be distributed in kind, the
Liquidating Trustee shall ascertain the fair market value (by
appraisal or other reasonable means) of such assets, and each
Member’s Capital Account shall be charged or credited, as the
case may be, as if such asset had been sold for cash at such fair
market value and the Profit or Loss recognized thereby had been
allocated to and among the Members in accordance with Article
VII.
(c) All assets of the Company shall
be applied and distributed in the following order:
(i) first , to the
payment and discharge of all the Company’s debts and
liabilities to creditors, including liabilities to Members who are
creditors, to the extent otherwise permitted by law;
28
(ii) second , to
establish such reserves as the Liquidating Trustee may deem
reasonably necessary (and if the Liquidating Trustee shall be a
Member, with the approval of Members holding at least two-thirds of
all Membership Interests) for contingent or unforeseen liabilities
or obligations of the Company; and
(iii) thereafter , to
the Class A Members and the Class B Members in accordance with
Section 6.1 .
10.3 Cancellation of
Certificate . Upon the completion of the distribution of
Company assets as provided in this Article X , the Company
shall be terminated, and the Members shall cause the cancellation
of the Certificate and all amendments thereto, and shall take such
other actions as may be necessary or appropriate to terminate the
Company.
ARTICLE XI.
GENERAL
11.1 Title to Company
Property . All property owned by the Company, including,
whether real or personal, tangible or intangible, shall be deemed
to be owned by the Company as an entity, and no Member,
individually, shall have any ownership of such property. The
Company may hold any of its assets in its own name or in the name
of its nominee, which nominee may be one or more
Persons.
11.2 Severability . Every
provision of this Agreement is intended to be severable. Any
provision of this Agreement which is illegal, invalid, prohibited
or unenforceable in any jurisdiction will, as to such jurisdiction,
be ineffective to the extent of such illegality, invalidity,
prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating or impairing
the remaining provisions hereof or affecting the validity or
enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. If any
term or provision hereof is illegal or invalid for any reason
whatsoever, such illegality or invalidity will not affect the
validity of the remainder of this Agreement.
11.3 Governing Law . This
Agreement and rights and obligations of the parties hereto with
respect to the subject matter hereof will be interpreted and
enforced in accordance with, and governed exclusively by, the law
of the State of Delaware, excluding the conflicts of law provisions
thereof.
11.4 Successors and Assigns .
This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the
parties hereto and their permitted successors, heirs and
assigns.
11.5 Waiver of Action for
Partition . Each of the Members irrevocably waives during the
term of the Company any right that he may have to maintain any
action for partition with respect to any property of the
Company.
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11.6 Headings . The headings
of the Articles, Sections and paragraphs of this Agreement have
been inserted for convenience of reference only and do not
constitute a part of this Agreement.
11.7 Counterparts; Facsimile
. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and
by different parties in separate counterparts, with the same effect
as if all parties had signed the same documents, each of which will
be considered an original, but all such counterparts together will
constitute but one and the same Agreement. Any facsimile copies
hereof or signature hereon shall, for all purposes, be deemed
originals.
11.8 Entire Agreement . This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto
with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement and the
exhibits hereto supersede all prior written and all prior and
contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings, negotiations and
representations between the parties with respect to such subject
matter.
11.9 Amendment . Except in
the case of a modification of Exhibit A to be made by the
Managing Member as expressly contemplated by the terms of this
Agreement, including Section 5.2, this Agreement may be
amended only by an instrument in writing signed by all of the
Members. Promptly following any amendment to this Agreement
(including any modification to Exhibit A by the Managing
Member), the Managing Member shall provide a true and complete copy
thereof to each other Member.
11.10 Securities Law Matters
. The Members agree and acknowledge that their Membership Interests
are being acquired by them for investment purposes only and not
with a view to any sale thereof; that they have had adequate
opportunity to obtain from representatives of the Company and
others all information necessary for purposes of evaluating the
merits and risks of holding a Membership Interest; that they are
able to bear the economic risk of holding their Membership
Interests hereunder for an indefinite period; that the Membership
Interests are illiquid assets and that there is no market in which
to effectuate a resale thereof or any portion thereof; and that, in
any event, the resale of their Membership Interests cannot be
effectuated except pursuant to compliance with the registration
requirements under the Securities Act or an exemption
therefrom.
11.11 Notices .
(a) Each notice or other
communication required or permitted to be given pursuant to this
Agreement shall be in writing and delivered in person or by first
class United States mail, postage prepaid, to the party to whom
addressed or by any nationally known overnight courier service to
the address specified on Exhibit A or to such other address as the
party may advise the Executive Committee, the Managing Member and
the other Members as its address for notice hereunder.
(b) All notices shall be deemed
given upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the date of actual
receipt; (ii) the date of refusal of delivery; and
(iii) (A) as to hand delivery, the date of delivery,
(B) as to facsimile, when such facsimile is transmitted to the
facsimile number specified herein and the appropriate confirmation
is provided, (C) as to overnight courier service, the date
following the deposit with the overnight courier service, and
(D) as to the US Mails, three business days after depositing
in the US Mails.
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11.12 Construction . None of
the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or
enforceable by, any creditors of the Company or other third
parties.
11.13 Submission to Jurisdiction;
Consent to Service of Process .
(a) Any claims or disputes which may
arise or result from, or be connected with, this Agreement, any
breach or default hereunder, or the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and any and all Actions related to the foregoing
shall be filed and maintained exclusively in the United States
District Court for the Southern District of New York sitting in New
York County or the Commercial Division, Civil Branch, of the
Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County
and any appellate court from any thereof.
(b) The parties hereby
unconditionally and irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law, any objection which they may now or
hereafter have to the laying of venue of any dispute arising out of
or relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement brought in any court specified in
paragraph (a) above, or any defense of inconvenient forum for
the maintenance of such dispute. Each of the parties hereto agrees
that a judgment in any such dispute may be enforced in other
jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner
provided by law.
(c) Each of the parties hereto
hereby consents to process being served by any party to this
Agreement in any suit, action or proceed