The North Country Funds
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
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THIS AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made at Boston, Massachusetts
this 1st day of June, 2000 by the Trustees hereunder and the holders of shares
of beneficial interest issued hereunder and to be issued hereunder as
hereinafter provided:
WITNESSETH that
WHEREAS, this Trust has been formed to carry on the business of an
investment company; and
WHEREAS, the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into
their hands as trustees of a Massachusetts voluntary association with
transferable shares in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all
cash, securities and other assets, which they may from time to time acquire in
any manner as Trustee hereunder, IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon
the following terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders from time to
time of shares in this Trust as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
SECTION 1. This Trust shall be known as "The North Country Funds" and
the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any
other name as they may from time to time determine.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise
required by the context or specifically provided:
(a) "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust established by
this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time;
(b) "Trustees" refers to the Trustees of the Trust named in Article
IV hereof or elected in accordance with such Article;
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(c) "Shares" means the equal proportionate units of interest into
which the beneficial interest in the Trust or in the Trust property belonging to
any Series of the Trust or in any class of Shares of the Trust (as the context
may require) shall be divided from time to time;
(d) "Shareholder" means a record owner of Shares;
(e) "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(f) The terms "Commission" and "principal underwriter" shall have the
meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
(g) "Declaration of Trust" or "Declaration" shall mean this Agreement
and Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;
(h) "By-Laws" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust, as amended from
time to time;
(i) "Series Company" refers to the form of registered open-end
investment company described in Section 18(f)(2) of the 1940 Act or in any
successor statutory provision;
(j) "Series" refers to Series of Shares established and designated
under or in accordance with the provisions of Article III;
(k) "Multi-Class Series" refers to Series of Shares established and
designated as Multi-Class Series under or in accordance with the provisions of
Article III, Section 6; and
(l) The terms "class" and "class of Shares" refer to each class of
Shares into which the Shares of any Multi-Class Series may from time to time be
divided in accordance with the provisions of Article III.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to provide investors a managed investment
primarily in securities (including options), debt instruments, commodities,
commodity contracts and options thereon.
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ARTICLE III
Shares
SECTION 1. DIVISION OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST. The beneficial interest
in the Trust shall at all times be divided into an unlimited number of Shares,
without par value. Subject to the provisions of Section 6 of this Article III,
each Share shall have voting rights as provided in Article V hereof, and holders
of the Shares of any Series or class shall be entitled to receive dividends,
when and as declared with respect thereto in the manner provided in Article VI,
Section 1 hereof. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6 of this Article III
with respect to Shares of Multi-Class Series, no Share shall have any priority
or preference over any other Share of the same Series with respect to dividends
or distributions upon termination of the Trust or of such Series made pursuant
to Article VIII, Section 4 hereof. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6 of
this Article III with respect to Shares of Multi-Class Series, all dividends and
distributions shall be made ratably among all Shareholders of a particular
Series from the assets belonging to such Series according to the number of
Shares of such Series held of record by such Shareholders on the record date for
any dividend or distribution or on the date of termination, as the case may be.
Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any
additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust. The Trustees may from
time to time divide or combine the Shares of any particular Series or class into
a greater or lesser number of Shares of that Series or class without thereby
changing the proportionate beneficial interest of the Shares of that Series or
class in the assets belonging to that Series or attributable to that class or in
any way affecting the rights of Shares of any other Series or class.
SECTION 2. OWNERSHIP OF SHARES. The ownership of Shares shall be
recorded on the books of the Trust or a transfer or similar agent for the Trust,
which books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of each Series and
class. No certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except
as the Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may make
such rules as they consider appropriate for the transfer of Shares of each
Series and class and similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by
the Trust or any transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be
conclusive as to who are the Shareholders of each Series and class and as to the
number of Shares of each Series and class held from time to time by each.
SECTION 3. INVESTMENTS IN THE TRUST. The Trustees shall accept
investments in the Trust from such persons and on such terms and for such
consideration as they from time to time authorize.
SECTION 4. STATUS OF SHARES AND LIMITATION OF PERSONAL LIABILITY.
Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided
in this instrument. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder
shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to
have become a party hereto. The death of a Shareholder during the continuance of
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the Trust shall not operate to terminate the same nor entitle the representative
of any deceased Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or
elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but entitles such representative
only to the rights of said deceased Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of
Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any
part of the Trust property or right to call for a partition or division of the
same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the
Shareholders partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer,
employee or agent of the Trust, shall have any power to bind personally any
Shareholders, nor except as specifically provided herein to call upon any
Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other
than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay.
SECTION 5. POWER OF TRUSTEES TO CHANGE PROVISIONS RELATING TO SHARES.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust and without
limiting the power of the Trustees to amend the Declaration of Trust as provided
elsewhere herein, the Trustees shall have the power to amend this Declaration of
Trust, at any time and from time to time, in such manner as the Trustees may
determine in their sole discretion, without the need for Shareholder action, so
as to add to, delete, replace or otherwise modify any provisions relating to the
Shares contained in this Declaration of Trust for the purpose of responding to
or complying with any regulations, orders, rulings or interpretations of any
governmental agency or any laws, now or hereafter applicable to the Trust;
provided that before adopting any such amendment without Shareholder approval
the Trustees shall determine that it is consistent with the fair and equitable
treatment of all Shareholders.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trustees may,
for the above-stated purposes, amend the Declaration of Trust to:
(a) amend any of the provisions set forth in paragraphs (a) through
(j) of Section 6 of this Article III;
(b) combine one or more Series or classes of Shares into a single
Series or class on such terms and conditions as the Trustees shall determine;
(c) change or eliminate any eligibility requirements for investment
in Shares of any Series or class, including without limitation the power to
provide for the issue of Shares of any Series or class in connection with any
merger or consolidation of the Trust with another trust or company or any
acquisition by the Trust of part or all of the assets of another trust or
company;
(d) change the designation of any Series or class of Shares;
(e) change the method of allocating dividends among the various
Series and classes of Shares;
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(f) allocate any specific assets or liabilities of the Trust or any
specific items of income or expense of the Trust to one or more Series or
classes of Shares; and
(g) specifically allocate assets to any or all Series of Shares or
create one or more additional Series of Shares which are preferred over all
other Series of Shares in respect of assets specifically allocated thereto or
any dividends paid by the Trust with respect to any net income, however
determined, earned from the investment and reinvestment of any assets so
allocated or otherwise and provide for any special voting or other rights with
respect to such Series or any classes of Shares thereof.
SECTION 6. ESTABLISHMENT AND DESIGNATION OF SERIES AND CLASSES. The
Trustees shall have full power and authority, in their sole discretion, without
obtaining the prior approval of the Shareholders (either with respect to the
Trust as a whole or with respect to any series or classes of the Trust) by vote
or otherwise, to establish one or more series of Shares of the Trust. The
establishment of any such series shall be effective upon the adoption by a
majority of the Trustees then in office of a resolution establishing such series
and setting the voting rights, preferences, designations, conversion or other
rights, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, conditions of redemption,
qualifications, or other terms of the Shares of such series. The beneficial
interest in each series of the Trust shall at all times be divided into an
unlimited number of full and fractional transferable Shares without par value.
The investment objective, policies, and restrictions governing the management
and operations of each series of the Trust, including the management of assets
belonging to any particular series, may from time to time be changed or
supplemented by the Trustees, subject to the requirements of the Act. The
Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the outstanding Shares of any
one or more series of the Trust into a greater or lesser number without thereby
changing their proportionate beneficial interests in the Trust assets allocated
or belonging to such series.
Shares of each Series shall have the following rights and preferences
relative to Shares of each other Series, and Shares of each class of a
Multi-Class Series shall have such rights and preferences relative to other
classes of the same Series as are set forth below, together with such other
rights and preferences relative to such other classes as are set forth in any
resolution of the Trustees establishing and designating such class of Shares:
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(a) ASSETS BELONGING TO SERIES. Subject to the provisions of
paragraph (c) of this Section 6:
All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of
Shares of a particular Series, together with all assets in which such
consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings, profits and
proceeds thereof from whatever source derived, including, without limitation,
any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and
any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever
form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to that Series for all purposes,
subject only to the rights of creditors, and shall be so recorded upon the books
of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income, earnings, profits
and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including, without
limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such
assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such
proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as "assets
belonging to" that Series. In the event that there are any assets, income,
earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular Series (collectively "General
Assets"), the Trustees shall allocate such General Assets to, between or among
any one or more of the Series established and designated from time to time in
such manner and on such basis as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and
equitable, and any General Asset so allocated to a particular Series shall
belong to that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive
and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes.
(b) LIABILITIES BELONGING TO SERIES. Subject to the provisions of
paragraph (c) of this Section 6:
The assets belonging to each particular Series shall be charged
solely with the liabilities of the Trust in respect to that Series, the
expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series, and any
general liabilities of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as belonging
to any particular Series but which are allocated and charged by the Trustees to
and among any one or more of the Series established and designated from time to
time in a manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem
fair and equitable. The liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves so
charged to a Series are herein referred to as "liabilities belonging to" that
Series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by
the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series
for all purposes.
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(c) APPORTIONMENT OF ASSETS ETC. IN CASE OF MULTI-CLASS SERIES. In
the case of any Multi-Class Series, to the extent necessary or appropriate to
give effect to the relative rights and preferences of any classes of Shares of
such Series, (i) any assets, income, earnings, profits, proceeds, liabilities,
expenses, charges, costs and reserves belonging or attributable to that Series
may be allocated or attributed to a particular class of Shares of that Series or
apportioned among two or more classes of Shares of that Series; and (ii) Shares
of any class of such Series may have priority or preference over shares of other
classes of such Series with respect to dividends or distributions upon
termination of the Trust or of such Series or class or otherwise, provided that
no Share shall have any priority or preference over any other Shares of the same
class and that all dividends and distributions to Shareholders of a particular
class shall be made ratably among all Shareholders of such class according to
the number of Shares of such class held of record by such Shareholders on the
record date for any dividend or distribution or on the date of termination, as
the case may be.
(d) DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, REDEMPTIONS AND REPURCHASES.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration, including, without
limitation, Article VI, no dividend or distribution (including, without
limitation, any distribution paid upon termination of the Trust or of any Series
or class) with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of
any Series or class shall be effected by the Trust other than from the assets
belonging to such Series or attributable to such class, nor shall any
Shareholder of any particular Series or class otherwise have any right or claim
against the assets belonging to any other Series or attributable to any other
class except to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or claim
hereunder as a Shareholder of such other Series or class.
(e) VOTING. Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this
Declaration, including, without limitation, Section 1 of Article V, the
Shareholders of any particular Series or class shall not be entitled to vote on
any matters as to which such Series or class is not affected. On any matter
submitted to a vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to
vote shall, except as otherwise provided in the By-Laws, be voted in the
aggregate as a single class without regard to Series or class of Shares, except
that (1) when required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees shall have
determined that the matter affects one or more Series or classes of Shares
materially differently, Shares shall be voted by individual Series or class and
(2) when the matter affects only the interests of one or more Series or classes,
only Shareholders of such Series or classes shall be entitled to vote thereon.
There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees.
(f) EQUALITY. Except to the extent necessary or appropriate to give
effect to the relative rights and preferences of any classes of Shares of a
Multi-Class Series, all the Shares of each particular Series shall represent an
equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to that Series (subject to
the liabilities belonging to that Series), and each Share of any particular
Series shall be equal to each other Share of that Series. All the Shares of each
particular class of Shares within a Multi-Class Series shall represent an equal
proportionate interest in the assets belonging to such Series that are
attributable to such class (subject to the liabilities attributable to such
class), and each Share of any particular class within a Multi-Class Series shall
be equal to each other Share of such class.
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(g) FRACTIONS. Any fractional Share of a Series or class shall carry
proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole Share of that Series
or class, including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and
distributions, redemption of Shares and termination of the Trust.
(h) EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE. The Trustees shall have the authority to
provide that the holders of Shares of any Series or class shall have the right
to exchange said Shares for Shares of one or more other Series or classes of
Shares in accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be established
by the Trustees.
(i) COMBINATION OF SERIES OR CLASSES. The Trustees shall have the
authority, without the approval of the Shareholders of any Series or class
unless otherwise required by applicable law, to combine the assets and
liabilities belonging to any two or more Series or attributable to any class
into assets and liabilities belonging to a single Series or attributable to a
single class.
(j) ELIMINATION OF SERIES OR CLASS. At any time that there are no
Shares outstanding of any particular Series previously established and
designated, the Trustees may abolish that Series and rescind the establishment
and designation thereof, such amendment to be effected in the manner provided in
this Section 6 of this Article III for the establishment and designation of
Series. At any time that there are no Shares outstanding of any particular class
previously established and designated of a Multi-Series Class, the Trustees may
abolish that class and rescind the establishment and designation thereof, by
vote or written consent of a majority of the then Trustees (if such class was
established and designated by Trustee vote or written consent).
SECTION 7. INDEMNIFICATION OF SHAREHOLDERS. In case any Shareholder
or former Shareholder shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of
his or her being or having been a Shareholder of the Trust or of a particular
Series or class and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some
other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs,
executors, administrators or other legal representatives or, in the case of a
corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be
entitled out of the assets of the Series (or attributable to the class) of which
he or she is a Shareholder or former Shareholder to be held harmless from and
indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability.
SECTION 8. NO PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS. Shareholders shall have no
preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional Shares or other
securities issued by the Trust.
SECTION 9. DERIVATIVE CLAIMS. No Shareholder shall have the right to
bring or maintain any court action, proceeding or claim on behalf of the Trust
or any Series without first making demand on the Trustees requesting the
Trustees to bring or maintain such action, proceeding or claim. Such demand
shall be excused only when the plaintiff makes a specific showing that
irreparable injury to the Trust or Series would otherwise result. Such demand
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shall be mailed to the Secretary of the Trust at the Trust's principal office
and shall set forth in reasonable detail the nature of the proposed court
action, proceeding or claim and the essential facts relied upon by the
Shareholder to support the allegations made in the demand. The Trustees shall
consider such demand within 45 days of its receipt by the Trust. In their sole
discretion, the Trustees may submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders of the
Trust or Series, as appropriate. Any decision by the Trustees to bring, maintain
or settle (or not to bring, maintain or settle) such court action, proceeding or
claim, or to submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders, shall be made by the
Trustees in their business judgment and shall be binding upon the Shareholders.
Any decision by the Trustees to bring or maintain a court action, proceeding or
suit on behalf of the Trust or a Series shall be subject to the right of the
Shareholders under Article V, Section 1 hereof to vote on whether or not such
court action, proceeding or suit should or should not be brought or maintained.
ARTICLE IV
The Trustees
SECTION 1. ELECTION AND TENURE. The initial Trustee shall be Xxxx X.
Xxxxx. The Trustees may fix the number of Trustees, fill vacancies in the
Trustees, including vacancies arising from an increase in the number of
Trustees, or remove Trustees with or without cause. Each Trustee shall serve
during the continued lifetime of the Trust until he or she dies, resigns or is
removed, or, if sooner, until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the
purpose of electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his or
her successor. Any Trustee may resign at any time by written instrument signed
by him or her and delivered to any officer of the Trust or to a meeting of the
Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to
be effective at some other time. Except to the extent expressly provided in a
written agreement with the Trust, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed
shall have any right to any compensation for any period following his or her
resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such removal. The
Shareholders may fix the number of Trustees and elect Trustees at any meeting of
Shareholders called by the Trustees for that purpose and to the extent required
by applicable law, including paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 16 of the 1940
Act.
SECTION 2. EFFECT OF DEATH, RESIGNATION, ETC. OF A TRUSTEE. The
death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of the
Trustees, or any of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any
existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust.
SECTION 3. POWERS. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of
Trust, the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and they
shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility
including the power to engage in securities transactions of all kinds on behalf
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of the Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may adopt By-Laws not
inconsistent with this Declaration of Trust providing for the regulation and
management of the affairs of the Trust and may amend and repeal them to the
extent that such By-Laws do not reserve that right to the Shareholders; they may
elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as they
consider appropriate; they may appoint from their own number and terminate one
or more committees consisting of two or more Trustees which may exercise the
powers and authority of the Trustees to the extent that the Trustees determine;
they may employ one or more custodians of the assets of the Trust and may
authorize such custodians to employ sub-custodians and to deposit all or any
part of such assets in a system or systems for the central handling of
securities or with a Federal Reserve Bank, retain a transfer agent or a
shareholder servicing agent, or both, provide for the distribution of Shares by
the Trust, through one or more principal underwriters or otherwise, set record
dates for the determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters, and
in general delegate such authority as they consider desirable to any officer of
the Trust, to any committee of the Trustees and to any agent or employee of the
Trust or to any such custodian or underwriter.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have power and
authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, and to hold cash uninvested;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease,
write options with respect to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating
to any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(c) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with
respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute and deliver
proxies or powers of attorney to such person or persons as the Trustees shall
deem proper, granting to such person or persons such power and discretion with
relation to securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) To exercise powers and rights of subscription or otherwise which
in any manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(e) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any
trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its own
name or in the name of a custodian or sub-custodian or a nominee or nominees or
otherwise;
(f) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization,
consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any security which is
held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale
of property by such corporation or issuer; and to pay calls or subscriptions
with respect to any security held in the Trust;
(g) To join with other security holders in acting through a
committee, depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to
deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee,
depositary or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with
relation to any security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the
Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the
expenses and compensation of such committee, depositary or trustee as the
Trustees shall deem proper;
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(h) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of
or against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including but not limited to
claims for taxes;
(i) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and
any other combinations or associations;
(j) To borrow funds or other property;
(k) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other
obligations of any person; and to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or
otherwise assume liability for payment of such notes or other obligations;
(l) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust property such
insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the
business of the Trust, including, without limitation, insurance policies
insuring the assets of the Trust and payment of distributions and principal on
its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders,
Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment advisers, principal
underwriters or independent contractors of the Trust individually against all
claims and liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding, being or
having held any such office or position, or by reason of any action alleged to
have been taken or omitted by any such person as Trustee, officer, employee,
agent, investment adviser, principal underwriter or independent contractor,
including any action taken or omitted that may be determined to constitute
negligence, whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such
person against liability; and
(m) To pay pensions as deemed appropriate by the Trustees and to
adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share
purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans,
trusts and provisions, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity
contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or
all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust.
The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present
or future law or custom in regard to investments by Trustees. The Trustees shall
not be required to obtain any court order to deal with any assets of the Trust
or take any other action hereunder.
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SECTION 4. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES BY THE TRUST. The Trustees are
authorized to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the
Trust, or partly out of principal and partly out of income, as they deem fair,
all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in
connection with the Trust, or in connection with the management thereof,
including but not limited to, the Trustees' compensation and such expenses and
charges for the services of the Trust's officers, employees, administrators,
investment advisers or managers, principal underwriter, auditor, counsel,
custodian, transfer agent, shareholder servicing agent, and such other agents or
independent contractors, and such other expenses and charges, as the Trustees
may deem necessary or proper to incur.
SECTION 5. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES BY SHAREHOLDERS. The Trustees shall
have the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder,
or each Shareholder of any particular Series or class, to pay directly, in
advance or arrears, for charges of the Trust's custodian or transfer,
shareholder servicing or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to time by the
Trustees, by setting off such charges due from such Shareholder from declared
but unpaid dividends owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of
Shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full and/or
fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such charges due
from such Shareholder.
SECTION 6. OWNERSHIP OF ASSETS OF THE TRUST. Title to all of the
assets of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees.
SECTION 7. ADVISORY, MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION CONTRACTS. Subject
to such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the By-Laws, the
Trustees may, at any time and from time to time, contract for exclusive or
nonexclusive advisory and/or management services for the Trust or for any Series
or class with any corporation, trust, association or other organization (the
"Manager"); and any such contract may contain such other terms as the Trustees
may determine, including without limitation, authority for a Manager to
determine from time to time without prior consultation with the Trustees what
investments shall be purchased, held, sold or exchanged and what portion, if
any, of the assets of the Trust shall be held uninvested and to make changes in
the Trust's investments. The Trustees may also, at any time and from time to
time, contract with the Manager or any other corporation, trust, association or
other organization, appointing it exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or
principal underwriter for the Shares, every such contract to comply with such
requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the By-Laws; and any such
contract may contain such other terms as the Trustees may determine.
The fact that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the
Trust is a shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee,
employee, manager, adviser, principal underwriter, distributor or
affiliate or agent of or for any corporation, trust, association or
other organization, or of or for any parent or affiliate of any
organization, with which an advisory or management contract, or
principal underwriter's or distributor's contract or transfer,
shareholder servicing or other agency contract may have been or may
hereafter be made, or that any such organization, or any parent or
affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder or has an interest in the Trust,
or that
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(ii) any corporation, trust, association or other
organization with which an advisory or management contract or
principal underwriter's or distributor's contract, or transfer,
shareholder servicing or other agency contract may have been or may
hereafter be made also has an advisory or management contract, or
principal underwriter's or distributor's contract or transfer,
shareholder servicing or other agency contract with one or more other
corporations, trusts, associations or other organizations, or has
other business or interests
shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any
Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or executing the
same or create any liability or accountability to the Trust or its Shareholders.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
SECTION 1. VOTING POWERS. The Shareholders shall have power to vote
only (i) for the election of Trustees as provided in Article IV, Section 1, (ii)
with respect to any amendment of this Declaration of Trust to the extent and as
provided in Article VIII, Section 8, (iii) to the same extent as the
stockholders of a Massachusetts business corporation as to whether or not a
court action, proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or maintained
derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders,
(iv) with respect to the termination of the Trust or any Series or class to the
extent and as provided in Article VIII, Section 4, (v) to remove Trustees from
office to the extent and as provided in Article V, Section 7 and (vi) with
respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by
this Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws or any registration of the Trust with the
Commission (or any successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees may
consider necessary or desirable. Each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote
as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall
be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. There shall be no cumulative
voting in the election of Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A
proxy with respect to Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be
valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy
the Trust receives a specific written notice to the contrary from any one of
them. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall
be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of
proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. At any time when no Shares of a
Series or class are outstanding the Trustees may exercise all rights of
Shareholders of that Series or class with respect to matters affecting that
Series or class and may with respect to that Series or class take any action
required by law, this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws to be taken by the
Shareholders thereof.
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SECTION 2. VOTING POWER AND MEETINGS. Meetings of the Shareholders
may be called by the Trustees for the purpose of electing Trustees as provided
in Article IV, Section 1 and for such other purposes as may be prescribed by
law, by this Declaration of Trust or by the By-Laws. Meetings of the
Shareholders may also be called by the Trustees from time to time for the
purpose of taking action upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be
necessary or desirable. A meeting of Shareholders may be held at any place
designated by the Trustees. Notice of any meeting of Shareholders, stating the
time and place of the meeting, shall be given or caused to be given by the
Trustees to each Shareholder by mailing such notice, postage prepaid, at least
seven days before such meeting, at the Shareholder's address as it appears on
the records of the Trust, or by facsimile or other electronic transmission, at
least seven days before such meeting, to the telephone or facsimile number or
e-mail or other electronic address most recently furnished to the Trust (or its
agent) by the Shareholder. Whenever notice of a meeting is required to be given
to a Shareholder under this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, a written
waiver thereof, executed before or after the meeting by such Shareholder or his
attorney thereunto authorized and filed with the records of the meeting, shall
be deemed equivalent to such notice.
SECTION 3. QUORUM AND REQUIRED VOTE. Except when a larger quorum is
required by law, by the By-Laws or by this Declaration of Trust, 40% of the
Shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholders' meeting.
When any one or more Series or classes is to vote as a single class separate
from any other Shares which are to vote on the same matters as a separate class
or classes, 40% of the Shares of each such class entitled to vote shall
constitute a quorum at a Shareholders' meeting of that class. Any meeting of
Shareholders may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of the votes
properly cast upon the question, whether or not a quorum is present, and the
meeting may be held as adjourned within a reasonable time after the date set for
the original meeting without further notice. When a quorum is present at any
meeting, a majority of the Shares voted shall decide any questions and a
plurality shall elect a Trustee, except when a larger vote is required by any
provision of this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws or by law. If any question
on which the Shareholders are entitled to vote would adversely affect the rights
of any Series or class of Shares, the vote of a majority (or such larger vote as
is required as aforesaid) of the Shares of such Series or class which are
entitled to vote, voting separately, shall also be required to decide such
question.
SECTION 4. ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT. Any action taken by
Shareholders may be taken without a meeting if Shareholders holding a majority
of the Shares entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger proportion thereof
as shall be required by any express provision of this Declaration of Trust or by
the By-Laws) and holding a majority (or such larger proportion as aforesaid) of
the Shares of any Series or class entitled to vote separately on the matter
consent to the action in writing and such written consents are filed with the
records of the meetings of Shareholders. Such consent shall be treated for all
purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.
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SECTION 5. RECORD DATES. For the purpose of determining the
Shareholders of any Series or class who are entitled to vote or act at any
meeting or any adjournment thereof, the Trustees may from time to time fix a
time, which shall be not more than 90 days before the date of any meeting of
Shareholders, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series
or class having the right to notice of and to vote at such meeting and any
adjournment thereof, and in such case only Shareholders of record on such record
date shall have such right, notwithstanding any transfer of Shares on the books
of the Trust after the record date. For the purpose of determining the
Shareholders of any Series or class who are entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or of any other distribution, the Trustees may from time to time fix a
date, which shall be on or before the date for the payment of such dividend or
such other payment, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such
Series or class having the right to receive such dividend or distribution.
Without fixing a record date the Trustees may for voting and/or distribution
purposes close the register or transfer books for one or more Series or classes
for all or any part of the period prior to a meeting of Shareholders or the
payment of a distribution. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as
precluding the Trustees from setting different record dates for different Series
or classes.
SECTION 6. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS. The By-Laws may include further
provisions for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters.
SECTION 7. REMOVAL OF TRUSTEES. No natural person shall serve as
Trustee after the holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the
outstanding Shares have declared that such Trustee be removed from that office
either by declaration in writing filed with the Trust's custodian or by votes
cast in person or by proxy at a meeting called for the purpose. The Trustees
shall promptly call a meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the
question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing so to do by the
record holders of not less than 10 per centum of the outstanding Shares.
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Whenever ten or more Shareholders of record who have been such for at
least six months preceding the date of application, and who hold in the
aggregate Shares having a net asset value of at least 1 per centum of the
outstanding Shares, shall apply to the Trustees in writing, stating that they
wish to communicate with other Shareholders with a view to obtaining signatures
to a request for a meeting pursuant to this Section and accompanied by a form of
communication and request which they wish to transmit, the Trustees shall within
five business days after receipt of such application either (a) afford to such
applicants access to a list of the names and addresses of all Shareholders as
recorded on the books of the Trust; or (b) inform such applicants as to the
approximate number of Shareholders of record, and the approximate cost of
transmitting to them the proposed communication and form of request. If the
Trustees elect to follow the course specified in clause (b), the Trustees, upon
the written request of such applicants, accompanied by a tender of the material
to be transmitted and of the reasonable expenses of transmittal, shall, with
reasonable promptness, transmit such material to all Shareholders of record at
their addresses as recorded on the books of the Trust (or at the telephone or
facsimile number or e-mail or other electronic address most recently furnished
to the Trust (or its agent) by the Shareholder), unless within five business
days after such tender the Trustees shall transmit to such applicants and file
with the Commission, together with a copy of the material proposed to be
transmitted, a written statement signed by at least a majority of the Trustees
to the effect that in their opinion either such material contains untrue
statements of fact or omits to state facts necessary to make the statements
contained therein not misleading, or would be in violation of applicable law,
and specifying the basis of such opinion. If the Commission shall enter an order
refusing to sustain any of the objections specified in the written statement so
filed, or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such
objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing,
that all objections so sustained have been met, and shall enter an order so
declaring, the Trustees shall transmit copies of such material to all
Shareholders with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the
renewal of such tender.
ARTICLE VI
Net Income, Distributions, and Redemptions and Repurchases
SECTION 1. DISTRIBUTIONS OF NET INCOME. The Trustees shall each year,
or more frequently if they so determine in their sole discretion, distribute to
the Shareholders of each Series, in Shares of that Series, cash or otherwise, an
amount approximately equal to the net income attributable to the assets
belonging to such Series and may from time to time distribute to the
Shareholders of each Series, in Shares of that Series, cash or otherwise, such
additional amounts, but only from the assets belonging to such Series, as they
may authorize. Except as otherwise permitted by paragraph (c) of Section 6 of
Article III in the case of Multi-Class Series, all dividends and distributions
on Shares of a particular Series shall be distributed pro rata to the holders of
that Series in proportion to the number of Shares of that Series held by such
holders and recorded on the books of the Trust at the date and time of record
established for the payment of such dividend or distributions.
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The manner of determining net income, income, asset values, capital
gains, expenses, liabilities and reserves of any Series or class may from time
to time be altered as necessary or desirable in the judgment of the Trustees to
conform such manner of determination to any other method prescribed or permitted
by applicable law. Net income shall be determined by the Trustees or by such
person as they may authorize at the times and in the manner provided in the
By-Laws. Determinations of net income of any Series or class and determinations
of income, asset value, capital gains, expenses and liabilities made by the
Trustees, or by such person as they may authorize, in good faith, shall be
binding on all parties concerned. The foregoing sentence shall not be construed
to protect any Trustee, officer or agent of the Trust against any liability to
the Trust or its security holders to which he or she would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
If, for any reason, the net income of any Series or class determined
at any time is a negative amount, the pro rata share of such negative amount
allocable to each Shareholder of such Series or class shall constitute a
liability of such Shareholder to that Series or class which shall be paid out of
such Shareholder's account at such times and in such manner as the Trustees may
from time to time determine (x) out of the accrued dividend account of such
Shareholder, (y) by reducing the number of Shares of that Series or class in the
account of such Shareholder or (z) otherwise.
SECTION 2. REDEMPTIONS AND REPURCHASES. The Trust shall purchase such
Shares as are offered by any Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation
of a proper instrument of transfer together with a request directed to the Trust
or a person designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such Shares or in
accordance with such other procedures for redemption as the Trustees may from
time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the net asset value
thereof, as determined in accordance with the By-Laws, next determined. Payment
for said Shares shall be made by the Trust to the Shareholder within seven days
after the date on which the request is made. The obligation set forth in this
Section 2 is subject to the provision that in the event that any time the New
York Stock Exchange is closed for other than weekends or holidays, or if
permitted by the rules of the Commission during periods when trading on the New
York Stock Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it
impracticable for the Trust to dispose of the investments of the applicable
Series or to determine fairly the value of the net assets belonging to such
Series or attributable to any class thereof or during any other period permitted
by order of the Commission for the protection of investors, such obligations may
be suspended or postponed by the Trustees. The Trust may also purchase or
repurchase Shares at a price not exceeding the net asset value of such Shares in
effect when the purchase or repurchase or any contract to purchase or repurchase
is made.
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The redemption price may in any case or cases be paid wholly or
partly in kind if the Trustees determine that such payment is advisable in the
interest of the remaining Shareholders of the Series the Shares of which are
being redeemed. In making any such payment wholly or partly in kind, the Trust
shall, so far as may be practicable, deliver assets which approximate the
diversification of all of the assets belonging at the time to the Series the
Shares of which are being redeemed. Subject to the foregoing, the fair value,
selection and quantity of securities or other property so paid or delivered as
all or part of the redemption price may be determined by or under authority of
the Trustees. In no case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of any
corporation or other person in transferring securities selected for delivery as
all or part of any payment in kind.
SECTION 3. REDEMPTIONS AT THE OPTION OF THE TRUST. The Trust shall
have the right at its option and at any time to redeem Shares of any Shareholder
at the net asset value thereof as described in Section 1 of this Article VI: (i)
if at such time such Shareholder owns Shares of any Series or class having an
aggregate net asset value of less than an amount determined from time to time by
the Trustees; or (ii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns Shares equal to
or in excess of a percentage determined from time to time by the Trustees of the
outstanding Shares of the Trust or of any Series or class.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees
SECTION 1. COMPENSATION. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to
reasonable compensation from the Trust; they may fix the amount of their
compensation. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any
Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other
services and payment for the same by the Trust.
SECTION 2. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. The Trustees shall not be
responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any
officer, agent, employee, Manager or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor
shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee,
but nothing herein contained shall protect any Trustee against any liability to
which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of his or her office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking
and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf
of the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall
be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with
respect to their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such
Trustees or Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
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ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
SECTION 1. TRUSTEES, SHAREHOLDERS, ETC. NOT PERSONALLY LIABLE;
NOTICE. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim
against the Trust or any Series or class shall look only to the assets of the
Trust, or, to the extent that the liability of the Trust may have been expressly
limited by contract to the assets of a particular Series or attributable to a
particular class, only to the assets belonging to the relevant Series or
attributable to the relevant class, for payment under such credit, contract or
claim; and neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's
officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be
personally liable therefor. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall protect
any Trustee against any liability to which such Trustee would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of
Trustee.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking
made or issued on behalf of the Trust by the Trustees, by any officer or
officers or otherwise shall give notice that this Declaration of Trust is on
file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and shall recite
that the same was executed or made by or on behalf of the Trust or by them as
Trustee or Trustees or as officer or officers or otherwise and not individually
and that the obligations of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or
the Shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property
of the Trust or upon the assets belonging to the Series or attributable to the
class for the benefit of which the Trustees have caused the note, bond,
contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking to be made or issued, and may
contain such further recital as he or she or they may deem appropriate, but the
omission of any such recital shall not operate to bind any Trustee or Trustees
or officer or officers or Shareholders or any other person individually.
SECTION 2. TRUSTEE'S GOOD FAITH ACTION, EXPERT ADVICE, NO BOND OR
SURETY. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder
shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable for his or
her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and for nothing
else, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law.
The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the
meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust, and shall be under no
liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice or for failing
to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as
such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
SECTION 3. LIABILITY OF THIRD PERSONS DEALING WITH TRUSTEES. No
person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning
the validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to
the application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or
upon its order.
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SECTION 4. TERMINATION OF TRUST, SERIES OR CLASS. Unless terminated
as provided herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of time. The
Trust may be terminated at any time by vote of at least 66-2/3% of the Shares of
each Series entitled to vote and voting separately by Series, or by the Trustees
by written notice to the Shareholders. Any Series or class may be terminated at
any time by vote of at least 66-2/3% of the Shares of that Series or class, or
by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of that Series or class.
Upon termination of the Trust (or any Series or class, as the case
may be), after paying or otherwise providing for all charges, taxes, expenses
and liabilities belonging, severally, to each Series (or the applicable Series
or attributable to the particular class, as the case may be), whether due or
accrued or anticipated as may be determined by the Trustees, the Trust shall, in
accordance with such procedures as the Trustees consider appropriate, reduce the
remaining assets belonging, severally, to each Series (or the applicable Series
or attributable to the particular class, as the case may be), to distributable
form in cash or shares or other securities, or any combination thereof, and
distribute the proceeds belonging to each Series (or the applicable Series or
attributable to the particular class, as the case may be), to the Shareholders
of that Series (or class, as the case may be), as a Series (or class, as the
case may be), ratably according to the number of Shares of that Series (or
class, as the case may be) held by the several Shareholders on the date of
termination.
SECTION 5. MERGER AND CONSOLIDATION. The Trustees may cause the Trust
to be merged into or consolidated with another trust or company or its shares
exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute, if any, or
otherwise to the extent permitted by law, if such merger or consolidation or
share exchange has been authorized by vote of a majority of the outstanding
Shares; provided that in all respects not governed by statute or applicable law,
the Trustees shall have power to prescribe the procedure necessary or
appropriate to accomplish a sale of assets, merger or consolidation.
SECTION 6. FILING OF COPIES, REFERENCE, HEADINGS. The original or a
copy of this instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be kept at the office
of the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. A copy of this
instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be filed by the Trust with the
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and with any other governmental
office where such filing may from time to time be required. Anyone dealing with
the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as to whether or
not any such amendments have been made and as to any matters in connection with
the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may
rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this
instrument or of any such amendments. In this instrument and in any such
amendment, references to this instrument, and all expressions like "herein,"
"hereof" and "hereunder," shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended
or affected by any such amendments. Headings are placed herein for convenience
of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or to control or
affect the meaning, construction or effect of this instrument. This instrument
may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be deemed an
original.
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SECTION 7. APPLICABLE LAW. This Declaration of Trust is made in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and it is created under and is to be governed by
and construed and administered according to the laws of said Commonwealth. The
Trust shall be of the type commonly called a Massachusetts business trust, and,
without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which
are ordinarily exercised by such a trust.
SECTION 8. AMENDMENTS. This Declaration of Trust may be amended at
any time by an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees
when authorized so to do by vote of a majority of the Shares entitled to vote
with respect to such amendment, except that amendments described in Article III,
Section 5 or Article III, Section 6 hereof or having the purpose of changing the
name of the Trust or of any Series or class of Shares or of supplying any
omission, curing any ambiguity or curing, correcting or supplementing any
defective or inconsistent provision contained herein shall not require
authorization by Shareholder vote.
SECTION 9. ADDRESSES. The office of the Trust for service of process
in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is c/o The United States Corporation
Company, 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000. The principal place of
business of the Trust is 000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set their hands and
seal for themselves and for their successors and assigns this 1st day of June,
2000.
The North Country Funds
---------------
Xxxx X. Xxxxx
Trustee
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THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Suffolk, ss. Boston, June 1, 2000
Then personally appeared the above named Xxxx X. Xxxxx and
acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and deed, before me.
----------------------
Notary Public
My Commission Expires:
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