THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF FERRELLGAS, L.P. April 7, 2004
Exhibit
3.5
EXECUTED / CONFORMED COPY
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT
OF
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
FERRELLGAS, L.P.
April 7, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I |
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ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS |
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SECTION 1.1 Formation |
1 | |||
SECTION 1.2 Name |
1 | |||
SECTION 1.3 Registered Office; Principal Office |
2 | |||
SECTION 1.4 Power of Attorney |
2 | |||
SECTION 1.5 Term |
3 | |||
SECTION 1.6 Possible Restrictions on Transfer |
3 | |||
ARTICLE II |
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DEFINITIONS |
4 | |||
ARTICLE III |
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PURPOSE |
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SECTION 3.1 Purpose and Business |
13 | |||
SECTION 3.2 Powers |
14 | |||
ARTICLE IV |
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CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS |
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SECTION 4.1 Initial Contributions |
14 | |||
SECTION 4.2 Contributions by Ferrellgas, the MLP and the Acquisition General Partner |
14 | |||
SECTION 4.3 Additional Capital Contributions |
15 | |||
SECTION 4.4 No Preemptive Rights |
15 | |||
SECTION 4.5 Capital Accounts |
15 | |||
SECTION 4.6 Interest |
18 | |||
SECTION 4.7 No Withdrawal |
18 | |||
SECTION 4.8 Loans from Partners |
18 | |||
ARTICLE V |
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ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS |
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SECTION 5.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes |
19 | |||
SECTION 5.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes |
23 | |||
SECTION 5.3 Requirement of Distributions |
24 |
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Page | ||||
ARTICLE VI |
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MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS |
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SECTION 6.1 Management |
25 | |||
SECTION 6.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership |
26 | |||
SECTION 6.3 Restrictions on General Partner’s Authority |
27 | |||
SECTION 6.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner |
28 | |||
SECTION 6.5 Outside Activities |
28 | |||
SECTION 6.6 Loans to and from the General Partner; Contracts with Affiliates |
29 | |||
SECTION 6.7 Indemnification |
30 | |||
SECTION 6.8 Liability of Indemnitees |
32 | |||
SECTION 6.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest |
33 | |||
SECTION 6.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner |
34 | |||
SECTION 6.11 Title to Partnership Assets |
35 | |||
SECTION 6.12 Reliance by Third Parties |
35 | |||
ARTICLE VII |
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RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE LIMITED PARTNER |
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SECTION 7.1 Limitation of Liability |
36 | |||
SECTION 7.2 Management of Business |
36 | |||
SECTION 7.3 Return of Capital |
36 | |||
SECTION 7.4 Rights of the Limited Partner Relating to the Partnership |
36 | |||
ARTICLE VIII |
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BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS |
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SECTION 8.1 Records and Accounting |
37 | |||
SECTION 8.2 Fiscal Year |
37 | |||
ARTICLE IX |
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TAX MATTERS |
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SECTION 9.1 Preparation of Tax Returns |
37 | |||
SECTION 9.2 Tax Elections |
38 | |||
SECTION 9.3 Tax Controversies |
38 | |||
SECTION 9.4 Organizational Expenses |
38 | |||
SECTION 9.5 Withholding |
38 | |||
SECTION 9.6 Opinions of Counsel |
38 |
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Page | ||||
ARTICLE X |
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TRANSFER OF INTERESTS |
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SECTION 10.1 Transfer |
39 | |||
SECTION 10.2 Transfer of the General Partner’s Partnership Interest |
39 | |||
SECTION 10.3 Transfer of the Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest |
39 | |||
SECTION 10.4 Transfer of the Acquisition General Partner’s Partnership Interest |
40 | |||
ARTICLE XI |
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ADMISSION OF PARTNERS |
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SECTION 11.1 Admission of Initial Partners |
40 | |||
SECTION 11.2 Admission of Ferrellgas as a Limited Partner |
40 | |||
SECTION 11.3 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners |
40 | |||
SECTION 11.4 Admission of Successor General Partner |
40 | |||
SECTION 11.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership |
41 | |||
SECTION 11.6 Admission of Additional Limited Partners |
41 | |||
SECTION 11.7 Admission of FAC as the Acquisition General Partner |
41 | |||
ARTICLE XII |
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WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS |
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SECTION 12.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner |
41 | |||
SECTION 12.2 Removal of the General Partner |
43 | |||
SECTION 12.3 Interest of Departing Partner and Successor General Partner |
43 | |||
SECTION 12.4 Reimbursement of Departing Partner |
44 | |||
SECTION 12.5 Withdrawal of the Limited Partner |
44 | |||
SECTION 12.6 Withdrawal of the Acquisition General Partner |
44 | |||
ARTICLE XIII |
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DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION |
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SECTION 13.1 Dissolution |
44 | |||
SECTION 13.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership after Dissolution |
45 | |||
SECTION 13.3 Liquidation |
45 | |||
SECTION 13.4 Distributions in Kind |
46 | |||
SECTION 13.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership |
47 | |||
SECTION 13.6 Reasonable Time for Winding Up |
47 | |||
SECTION 13.7 Return of Capital |
47 | |||
SECTION 13.8 Capital Account Restoration |
47 |
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Page | ||||
SECTION 13.9 Waiver of Partition |
47 | |||
ARTICLE XIV |
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AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT |
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SECTION 14.1 Amendment to be Adopted Solely by General Partner |
48 | |||
SECTION 14.2 Amendment Procedures |
49 | |||
ARTICLE XV |
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MERGER |
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SECTION 15.1 Authority |
49 | |||
SECTION 15.2 Procedure for Merger or Consolidation |
49 | |||
SECTION 15.3 Approval by Limited Partner of Merger or Consolidation |
50 | |||
SECTION 15.4 Certificate of Merger |
50 | |||
SECTION 15.5 Effect of Merger |
51 | |||
SECTION 15.6 Transfer or Assignment of Assets or Liabilities |
51 | |||
ARTICLE XVI |
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GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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SECTION 16.1 Addresses and Notices |
51 | |||
SECTION 16.2 References |
51 | |||
SECTION 16.3 Pronouns and Plurals |
51 | |||
SECTION 16.4 Further Action |
52 | |||
SECTION 16.5 Binding Effect |
52 | |||
SECTION 16.6 Integration |
52 | |||
SECTION 16.7 Creditors |
52 | |||
SECTION 16.8 Waiver |
52 | |||
SECTION 16.9 Counterparts |
52 | |||
SECTION 16.10 Applicable Law |
52 | |||
SECTION 16.11 Invalidity of Provisions |
52 |
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EXECUTED / CONFORMED COPY
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
FERRELLGAS, L.P.
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
FERRELLGAS, L.P.
THIS THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF FERRELLGAS, L.P. dated as
of April 7, 2004, is entered into by and between the General Partner and the Limited Partner (as
such terms are hereinafter defined).
WHEREAS, the Partnership (as such term is hereinafter defined) had previously been governed by
the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Ferrellgas, L.P. dated as of
April 23, 1996; and
WHEREAS, the Partnership is presently governed by the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Ferrellgas, L.P. dated as of October 14, 1998 (the “Second Partnership
Agreement”), as amended by that First Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of Ferrellgas, L.P. dated as of June 5, 2000 (the “First Amendment” and
together with the Second Partnership Agreement, the “Current Partnership Agreement”);
NOW, THEREFORE, the Current Partnership Agreement is hereby amended to reflect particular
amendments made pursuant to Section 14.1 of the Current Partnership Agreement that provides that
the General Partner may amend the Current Partnership Agreement without the consent of the
Acquisition General Partner or the Limited Partner to reflect a change that:
(a) in the sole discretion of the General Partner, does not adversely affect the Acquisition
General Partner or the Limited Partner in any material respect; or
(b) is required to effect the intent of the provisions of the Current Partnership Agreement or
are otherwise contemplated by the Current Partnership Agreement, which amendments are intended to
incorporate herein the First Amendment and to correct a typographical error contained therein, and,
as so amended, is restated in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
SECTION 1.1 Formation.
The General Partner and the Initial Limited Partner have previously formed the Partnership as
a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act. Except as expressly provided
to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights and obligations of the Partners and the
administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware
Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all
purposes.
SECTION 1.2 Name.
The name of the Partnership shall be, and the business of the Partnership shall be conducted
under the name of “Ferrellgas, L.P.” The Partnership’s business may be conducted
under any other name or names deemed necessary or appropriate by the General Partner,
including, without limitation, the name of the General Partner or any Affiliate thereof. The words
“Limited Partnership,” “L.P.,” “Ltd.” or similar words or letters shall be included in the
Partnership’s name where necessary for the purposes of complying with the laws of any jurisdiction
that so requires. The General Partner in its sole discretion may change the name of the
Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partner of such change
in the next regular communication to the Limited Partner.
SECTION 1.3 Registered Office; Principal Office.
Unless and until changed by the General Partner, the registered office of the Partnership in
the State of Delaware shall be located at The Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, New
Castle County, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, and the registered agent for service of process on the
Partnership in the State of Delaware at such registered office shall be The Corporation Trust
Company. The principal office of the Partnership and the address of the General Partner shall be
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, or such other place as the General Partner may from
time to time designate by notice to the Limited Partner. The Partnership may maintain offices at
such other place or places within or outside the State of Delaware as the General Partner deems
necessary or appropriate.
SECTION 1.4 Power of Attorney.
(a) Each of the Acquisition General Partner and the Limited Partner hereby constitutes and
appoints each of the General Partner and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to
Section 13.3, the Liquidator severally (and any successor to either thereof by merger, transfer,
assignment, election or otherwise) and each of their authorized officers and attorneys-in-fact,
with full power of substitution, as its true, and lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full
power and authority in its name, place and stead, to:
(i) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate public
offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including, without
limitation, this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments or
restatements thereof) that the General Partner or the Liquidator deems necessary or
appropriate to form, qualify or continue the existence or qualification of the Partnership
as a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited
liability) in the State of Delaware and in all other jurisdictions in which the Partnership
may conduct business or own property; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments
that the General Partner or the Liquidator deems necessary or appropriate to reflect, in
accordance with its terms, any amendment, change, modification or restatement of this
Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including, without
limitation, conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the General Partner or the
Liquidator deems necessary or appropriate to reflect the dissolution and liquidation of the
Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all certificates, documents and
other instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal, removal or substitution of any
Partner pursuant to, or other events described in, Article X, XI, XII or XIII or the Capital
Contribution of any Partner; (E) all certificates, documents and other instruments relating
to the determination of the rights,
2
preferences and privileges of any class or series of Partnership Interests; and (F) all
certificates, documents and other instruments (including, without limitation, agreements and
a certificate of merger) relating to a merger or consolidation of the Partnership pursuant
to Article XV; and
(ii) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots, consents,
approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other instruments necessary or appropriate,
in the sole discretion of the General Partner or the Liquidator, to make, evidence, give,
confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or other action that is made or
given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent with the terms of this Agreement or is
necessary or appropriate, in the sole discretion of the General Partner or the Liquidator,
to effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement; provided, that when the consent or
approval of the Limited Partner is required by any provision of this Agreement, the General
Partner or the Liquidator may exercise the power of attorney made in this Section 1.4(a)(ii)
only after the necessary consent or approval of the Limited Partner is obtained. Nothing
contained in this Section 1.4(a) shall be construed as authorizing the General Partner to
amend this Agreement except in accordance with Article XIV or as may be otherwise expressly
provided for in this Agreement.
(b) The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power coupled
with an interest, and it shall survive and not be affected by the subsequent death, incompetency,
disability, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination of the Acquisition General Partner
or the Limited Partner and the transfer of all or any portion of the Acquisition General Partner’s
or the Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest and shall extend to the Acquisition General Partner’s
and the Limited Partner’s heirs, successors, assigns and personal representatives. Each of the
Acquisition General Partner and the Limited Partner hereby agrees to be bound by any representation
made by the General Partner or the Liquidator acting in good faith pursuant to such power of
attorney; and each of the Acquisition General Partner and the Limited Partner hereby waives any and
all defenses that may be available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the General
Partner or the Liquidator taken in good faith under such power of attorney. Each of the
Acquisition General Partner and the Limited Partner shall execute and deliver to the General
Partner or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt of the General Partner’s or the
Liquidator’s request therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other instruments
as the General Partner or the Liquidator deems necessary to effectuate this Agreement and the
purposes of the Partnership.
SECTION 1.5 Term.
The Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership in
accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until the close of Partnership
business on July 31, 2084, or until the earlier termination of the Partnership in accordance with
the provisions of Article XIII.
SECTION 1.6 Possible Restrictions on Transfer.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, in the event of (a) the
enactment (or imminent enactment) of any legislation, (b) the publication of any
3
temporary or final regulation by the Treasury Department, (c) any ruling by the Internal
Revenue Service or (d) any judicial decision, that, in any such case, in the Opinion of Counsel,
would result in the taxation of the Partnership as an association taxable as a corporation or would
otherwise result in the Partnership being taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes, then,
the General Partner may impose such restrictions on the transfer of Partnership Interests as may be
required, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership from being taxed as an association
taxable as a corporation or otherwise as an entity for federal income tax purposes, including,
without limitation, making any amendments to this Agreement as the General Partner in its sole
discretion may determine to be necessary or appropriate to impose such restrictions.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions shall be for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated to the
contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
“Acquisition Closing Date” means October 14, 1998.
“Acquisition Contribution Agreement” means a contribution agreement among the Acquisition
General Partner, the Partnership and Ferrellgas pursuant to which the Acquisition General Partner
contributes the assets and properties of a retail propane business to the Partnership and the
Partnership assumes certain indebtedness and liabilities of the Acquisition General Partner related
to such business or the acquisition thereof.
“Acquisition General Partner” means FAC.
“Additional Limited Partner” means a Person admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner
pursuant to Section 11.6 and who is shown as such on the books and records of the Partnership.
“Adjusted Capital Account” means the Capital Account maintained for each Partner as of the end
of each fiscal year of the Partnership, (a) increased by any amounts that such Partner is obligated
to restore under the standards set by Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(c) (or is
deemed obligated to restore under Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(g) and 1.704-2(i)(5)), and
(b) decreased by (i) the amount of all losses and deductions that, as of the end of such fiscal
year, are reasonably expected to be allocated to such Partner in subsequent years under
Sections 704(e)(2) and 706(d) of the Code and Treasury Regulation Section 1.751-1(b)(2)(ii), and
(ii) the amount of all distributions that, as of the end of such fiscal year, are reasonably
expected to be made to such Partner in subsequent years in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement or otherwise to the extent they exceed offsetting increases to such Partner’s Capital
Account that are reasonably expected to occur during (or prior to) the year in which such
distributions are reasonably expected to be made (other than increases as a result of a minimum
gain chargeback pursuant to Section 5.1(d)(i) or 5.1(d)(ii)). The foregoing definition of Adjusted
Capital Account is intended to comply with the provisions of Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
“Adjusted Property” means any property the Carrying Value of which has been adjusted pursuant
to Section 4.5(d)(i) or 4.5(d)(ii). Once an Adjusted Property is deemed distributed by,
4
and recontributed to, the Partnership for federal income tax purposes upon a termination
thereof pursuant to Section 708 of the Code, such property shall thereafter constitute a
Contributed Property until the Carrying Value of such property is subsequently adjusted pursuant to
Section 4.5(d)(i) or 4.5(d)(ii).
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly
controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the Person in question. As used
herein, the term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or
cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting
securities, by contract or otherwise.
“Agreed Allocation” means any allocation, other than a Required Allocation, of an item of
income, gain, loss or deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.1, including, without
limitation, a Curative Allocation (if appropriate to the context in which the term “Agreed
Allocation” is used).
“Agreed Value” of any Contributed Property means the fair market value of such property or
other consideration at the time of contribution as determined by the General Partner using such
reasonable method of valuation as it may adopt; provided, however, that the Agreed Value of any
property deemed contributed by the Partnership for federal income tax purposes upon termination and
reconstitution thereof pursuant to Section 708 of the Code shall be determined in accordance with
Section 4.5(c)(i). Subject to Section 4.5(c)(i), the General Partner shall, in its sole
discretion, use such method as it deems reasonable and appropriate to allocate the aggregate Agreed
Value of Contributed Properties contributed to the Partnership in a single or integrated
transaction among each separate property on a basis proportional to the fair market value of each
Contributed Property.
“Agreement” means this Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Ferrellgas, L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Audit Committee” means a committee of the Board of Directors of the General Partner composed
entirely of two or more directors who are neither officers nor employees of the General Partner or
any of its Affiliates.
“Available Cash” means with respect to any period and without duplication:
(a) the sum of:
(i) all cash receipts of the Partnership during such period from all sources
(including, without limitation, distributions of cash received by the Partnership from an
OLP Subsidiary) plus, in the case of the Quarter ending October 31, 1994, the cash balance
of the Partnership as of the close of business on the Closing Date; and
(ii) any reduction with respect to such period in a cash reserve previously established
pursuant to clause (b)(ii) below (either by reversal or utilization) from the level of such
reserve at the end of the prior period;
5
(b) less the sum of:
(i) all cash disbursements of the Partnership during such period, including, without
limitation, disbursements for operating expenses, taxes, if any, debt service (including,
without limitation, the payment of principal, premium and interest), redemption of
Partnership Interests, capital expenditures, contributions, if any, to an OLP Subsidiary and
cash distributions to Partners (but only to the extent that such cash distributions to
Partners exceed Available Cash for the immediately preceding Quarter); and
(ii) any cash reserves established with respect to such period, and any increase with
respect to such period in a cash reserve previously established pursuant to this
clause (b)(ii) from the level of such reserve at the end of the prior period, in such
amounts as the General Partner determines in its reasonable discretion to be necessary or
appropriate (A) to provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Partnership
(including, without limitation, reserves for future capital expenditures or capital
contributions to an OLP Subsidiary) or (B) to provide funds for distributions to the
Partners in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters or (C) because the
distribution of such amounts would be prohibited by applicable law or by any loan agreement,
security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which the
Partnership is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject; provided, however,
that for purposes of determining Available Cash for the Quarter ending October 31, 1994,
such Quarter shall be deemed to commence on the Closing Date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing (x) disbursements (including, without limitation, contributions to an OLP
Subsidiary or disbursements on behalf of an OLP Subsidiary) made or reserves established,
increased or reduced after the end of any Quarter but on or before the date on which the
Partnership makes its distribution of Available Cash in respect of such Quarter pursuant to
Section 5.3(a) shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for
purposes of determining Available Cash, with respect to such Quarter if the General Partner
so determines and (y) “Available Cash” with respect to any period shall not include any cash
receipts or reductions in reserves or take into account any disbursements made or reserves
established after the Liquidation Date.
“Book-Tax Disparity” means with respect to any item of Contributed Property or Adjusted
Property, as of the date of any determination, the difference between the Carrying Value of such
Contributed Property or Adjusted Property and the adjusted basis thereof for federal income tax
purposes as of such date. A Partner’s share of the Partnership’s Book-Tax Disparities in all of
its Contributed Property and Adjusted Property will be reflected by the difference between such
Partner’s Capital Account balance as maintained pursuant to Section 4.5 and the hypothetical
balance of such Partner’s Capital Account computed as if it had been maintained strictly in
accordance with federal income tax accounting principles.
“Business Day” means Monday through Friday of each week, except that a legal holiday
recognized as such by the government of the United States or the states of New York or Missouri
shall not be regarded as a Business Day.
6
“Capital Account” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 4.5.
“Capital Contribution” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed
Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership pursuant to Section 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5(c) or
13.8.
“Capital Interests” means, with respect to any corporation, any and all shares,
participations, rights or other equivalent interests in the capital of the corporation, and with
respect to any partnership, any and all partnership interests (whether general or limited) and any
other interests or participations that confer on a Person the right to receive a share of the
profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such partnership.
“Carrying Value” means (a) with respect to a Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of such
property reduced (but not below zero) by all depreciation, amortization and cost recovery
deductions charged to the Partners’ Capital Accounts in respect of such Contributed Property, and
(b) with respect to any other Partnership property, the adjusted basis of such property for federal
income tax purposes, all as of the time of determination. The Carrying Value of any property shall
be adjusted from time to time in accordance with Sections 4.5(d)(i) and 4.5(d)(ii) and to reflect
changes, additions or other adjustments to the Carrying Value for dispositions and acquisitions of
Partnership properties, as deemed appropriate by the General Partner.
“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership filed with
the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section 6.2, as such Certificate
of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Closing Date” means the first date on which Common Units are sold by the MLP to the
Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of the MLP Underwriting Agreement.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and in effect from time to time, as
interpreted by the applicable regulations thereunder. Any reference herein to a specific section
or sections of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any corresponding provision of
future law.
“Common Unit” has the meaning assigned to such term in the MLP Agreement.
“Contributed Property” means each property or other asset, in such form as may be permitted by
the Delaware Act, but excluding cash, contributed to the Partnership (or deemed contributed to the
Partnership on termination and reconstitution thereof pursuant to Section 708 of the Code). Once
the Carrying Value of a Contributed Property is adjusted pursuant to Section 4.5(d), such property
shall no longer constitute a Contributed Property, but shall be deemed an Adjusted Property.
“Contribution Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the MLP Agreement.
“Curative Allocation” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or
credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.1(d)(ix).
7
“Delaware Act” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. §§ 17-101,
et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“Departing Partner” means a former General Partner, from and after the effective date of any
withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 12.1 or Section 12.2.
“Economic Risk of Loss” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752-2(a).
“Event of Withdrawal” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12.1(a).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended supplemented or restated
from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“FAC” means Ferrellgas Acquisition Company, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company whose
sole member is Ferrellgas.
“Xxxxxxx” means Xxxxxxx Companies, Inc., a Kansas corporation.
“Ferrellgas” means Ferrellgas, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of
Xxxxxxx.
“General Partner” means Ferrellgas, and its successors as general partner of the Partnership.
“IDR” has the meaning assigned to such term in the MLP Agreement.
“Indemnitee” means the General Partner, any Departing Partner, any Person who is or was an
Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing Partner, any Person who is or was an officer,
director, employee, partner, agent or trustee of the General Partner or any Departing Partner or
any such Affiliate, or any Person who is or was serving at the request of the General Partner or
any Departing Partner or any such Affiliate as a director, officer, employee, partner, agent or
trustee of another Person.
“Initial Limited Partner” means the MLP.
“Limited Partner” means the Initial Limited Partner, Ferrellgas pursuant to Section 4.2, each
Substituted Limited Partner, if any, each Additional Limited Partner and any Departing Partner upon
the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 12.3, but
excluding any such Person from and after the time it withdraws from the Partnership.
“Liquidation Date” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the
Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 13.2, the
date on which the applicable time period during which the Partners have the right to elect to
reconstitute the Partnership and continue its business has expired without such an election being
8
made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution of the
Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.
“Liquidator” means the General Partner or other Person approved pursuant to Section 13.3 who
performs the functions described therein.
“Merger Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.1.
“MLP” means Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
“MLP Agreement” means the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. dated February 18, 2003, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated
from time to time.
“MLP Offering” means the initial offering of Common Units to the public, as described in the
MLP Registration Statement.
“MLP Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No.
33-53383), as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the
MLP with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering
and sale of the Common Units in the MLP Offering.
“MLP Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the MLP.
“MLP Underwriting Agreement” means the underwriting agreement dated June 27, 1994, among the
MLP, the General Partner, Xxxxxxx and the Underwriters named in Schedule I thereto providing for
the purchase of Common Units by such Underwriters.
“National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under Section 6(a) of the Exchange Act.
“Net Agreed Value” means, (a) in the case of any Contributed Property, the Agreed Value of
such property reduced by any liabilities either assumed by the Partnership upon such contribution
or to which such property is subject when contributed, and (b) in the case of any property
distributed to a Partner by the Partnership, the Partnership’s Carrying Value of such property (as
adjusted pursuant to Section 4.5(d)(ii)) at the time such property is distributed, reduced by any
indebtedness either assumed by such Partner upon such distribution or to which such property is
subject at the time of distribution, in either case, as determined under Section 752 of the Code.
“Net Income” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of
income and gain (other than those items attributable to dispositions constituting Termination
Capital Transactions) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of loss and deduction
(other than those items attributable to dispositions constituting Termination Capital Transactions)
for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Income shall be determined
in accordance with Section 4.5(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under
Section 5.1(d). Once an item of income, gain, loss or deduction that has been included in the
initial computation of Net Income is subjected to a Required Allocation
9
or a Curative Allocation, Net Income or Net Loss, whichever the case may be, shall be
recomputed without regard to such item.
“Net Loss” means, for any taxable period, the excess, if any, of the Partnership’s items of
loss and deduction (other than those items attributable to dispositions constituting Termination
Capital Transactions) for such taxable period over the Partnership’s items of income and gain
(other than those items attributable to dispositions constituting Termination Capital Transactions)
for such taxable period. The items included in the calculation of Net Loss shall be determined in
accordance with Section 4.5(b) and shall not include any items specially allocated under
Section 5.1(d). Once an item of income, gain, loss or deduction that has been included in the
initial computation of Net Loss is subjected to a Required Allocation or a Curative Allocation, Net
Income, or Net Loss, whichever the case may be, shall be recomputed without regard to such item.
“Net Termination Gain” means, for any taxable period, the sum, if positive, of all items of
income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership (including, without limitation, such
amounts recognized through an OLP Subsidiary, if applicable) from Termination Capital Transactions
occurring in such taxable period. The items included in the determination of Net Termination Gain
shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.5(b) and shall not include any items of income,
gain or loss specially allocated under Section 5.1(d). Once an item of income, gain or loss that
has been included in the initial computation of Net Termination Gain is subjected to a Required
Allocation or a Curative Allocation, Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss, whichever the
case may be, shall be recomputed without regard to such item.
“Net Termination Loss” means, for any taxable period, the sum, if negative, of all items of
income, gain, loss or deduction recognized by the Partnership (including, without limitation, such
amounts recognized through an OLP Subsidiary, if applicable) from Termination Capital Transactions
occurring in such taxable period. The items included in the determination of Net Termination Loss
shall be determined in accordance with Section 4.5(b) and shall not include any items of income,
gain or loss specially allocated under Section 5.1(d). Once an item of gain or loss that has been
included in the initial computation of Net Termination Loss is subjected to a Required Allocation
or a Curative Allocation, Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss, whichever the case may be,
shall be recomputed without regard to such item.
“Nonrecourse Built-in Gain” means with respect to any Contributed Properties or Adjusted
Properties that are subject to a mortgage or pledge securing a Nonrecourse Liability, the amount of
any taxable gain that would be allocated to the Partners pursuant to Sections 5.2(b)(i)(A),
5.2(b)(ii)(A) or 5.2(b)(iii) if such properties were disposed of in a taxable transaction in full
satisfaction of such liabilities and for no other consideration.
“Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditures (described
in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code) that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-(2)(b), are attributable to a Nonrecourse Liability.
“Nonrecourse Liability” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.752-1(a)(2).
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“OLP Offering” means the initial offering of Senior Notes to the public, as described in the
OLP Registration Statement.
“OLP Registration Statement” means the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No.
33-53379), as it has been or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, filed by the
Partnership and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the Senior Notes in the OLP Offering.
“OLP Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary of the Partnership.
“OLP Underwriting Agreement” means the underwriting agreement dated June 27,1994, among the
Partnership, Ferrellgas Finance Corp., the General Partner and the Underwriters named in Schedule A
thereto providing for the purchase of Senior Notes by such Underwriters.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the
General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership) acceptable to the
General Partner.
“Partners” means the General Partner, the Acquisition General Partner and the Limited Partner.
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(b)(4).
“Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704-2(i)(2).
“Partner Nonrecourse Deductions” means any and all items of loss, deduction or expenditure
(including, without limitation, any expenditure described in Section 705(a)(2)(B) of the Code)
that, in accordance with the principles of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i), are attributable
to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt.
“Partnership” means Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, established by the
Certificate of Limited Partnership, and any successor thereto.
“Partnership Interest” means the interest of a Partner in the Partnership.
“Partnership Minimum Gain” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(d).
“Percentage Interest” means as of the date of such determination as to any Partner, the
percentage determined by dividing the amount of that Partner’s cumulative Capital Contributions to
the Partnership by the cumulative Capital Contributions of all Partners to the Partnership. As of
April 7, 2004, the Percentage Interest of the General Partner, in its capacity as such, is 1.0101%,
and the Percentage Interest of the Limited Partner, is 98.9899%.
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“Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, trust, unincorporated
organization, association or other entity.
“Quarter” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a three-month period of time ending on
October 31, January 31, April 30, or July 31; provided, however, that the General Partner in its
sole discretion may amend such period as it deems necessary or appropriate in connection with a
change in the fiscal year of the Partnership.
“Recapture Income” means any gain recognized by the Partnership (computed without regard to
any adjustment required by Sections 734 or 743 of the Code) upon the disposition of any property or
asset of the Partnership, which gain is characterized as ordinary income because it represents the
recapture of deductions previously taken with respect to such property or asset.
“Registration Statements” means the MLP Registration Statement and the OLP Registration
Statement.
“Required Allocations” means any allocation (or limitation imposed on any allocation) of an
item of income, gain, deduction or loss pursuant to (a) Section 5.1(b)(i) or
(b) Sections 5.1(d)(i)-(vi) and (viii), such allocations (or limitations thereon) being directly or
indirectly required by the Treasury regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code.
“Residual Gain” or “Residual Loss” means any item of gain or loss, as the case may be, of the
Partnership recognized for federal income tax purposes resulting from a sale, exchange or other
disposition of a Contributed Property or Adjusted Property, to the extent such item of gain or loss
is not allocated pursuant to Sections 5.2(b)(i)(A) or 5.2(b)(ii)(A), respectively, to eliminate
Book-Tax Disparities.
“Restricted Activities” means the retail sale of propane to end users within the continental
United States in the manner engaged in by Ferrellgas immediately prior to the Closing Date.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from
time to time and any successor to such statute.
“Senior Notes” means, collectively, the $200 million in aggregate principal amount of 10.0%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes due 2001 and $50 million in aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate
Senior Notes due 2001 to be issued by the Partnership and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. and offered and
sold in the OLP Offering.
“Special Approval” means approval by the Audit Committee.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (i) a corporation of which more than 50% of
the voting power of shares of Capital Interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any
contingency) to vote in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is
owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a
combination thereof, (ii) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such Person or a
Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited partner of such
partnership, but only if more than 50% of the Capital Interests of such partnership
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(considering all of the Capital Interests of the partnership as a single class) is owned or
controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or
a combination thereof, or (iii) any other Person (other than a corporation or a partnership) in
which such Person, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (x) at least a
majority ownership interest or (y) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the
directors or other governing body of such Person.
“Substituted Limited Partner” means a Person who is admitted as a Limited Partner to the
Partnership pursuant to Section 11.3 in place of and with all the rights of a Limited Partner and
who is shown as a Limited Partner on the books and records of the Partnership.
“Surviving Business Entity” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 15.2(b).
“Termination Capital Transactions” means any sale, transfer or other disposition of property
of the Partnership occurring upon or incident to the liquidation and winding up of the Partnership
pursuant to Article XIII.
“Underwriting Agreements” means the MLP Underwriting Agreement and the OLP Underwriting
Agreement.
“Unit” has the meaning assigned to such term in this MLP Agreement.
“Unrealized Gain” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of
determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the fair market value of such property as of such date
(as determined under Section 4.5(d)) over (b) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date
(prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 4.5(d) as of such date).
“Unrealized Loss” attributable to any item of Partnership property means, as of any date of
determination, the excess, if any, of (a) the Carrying Value of such property as of such date
(prior to any adjustment to be made pursuant to Section 4.5(d) as of such date) over (b) the fair
market value of such property as of such date (as determined under Section 4.5(d)).
“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12.1(b).
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
PURPOSE
SECTION 3.1 Purpose and Business.
The purpose and nature of this business to be conducted by the Partnership shall be (a) to
acquire, manage, and operate the assets described in the Contribution Agreement as being
transferred to the Partnership and any similar assets or properties and to engage directly in, or
to enter into or form any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture or
other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any type of business or activity engaged in by
Ferrellgas immediately prior to the Closing Date and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of
the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such
assets, (b) to engage directly in, or enter into or form any corporation, limited liability
company,
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partnership, joint venture or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity
that is approved by the General Partner and which may lawfully be conducted by a limited
partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of
the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such
business activity, and (c) to do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including,
without limitation, the making of capital contributions to any OLP Subsidiary or loans to the MLP,
an MLP Subsidiary or an OLP Subsidiary (including, without limitation, those contributions or loans
that may be required in connection with its involvement in the activities referred to in clause (b)
of this sentence). The General Partner has no obligation or duty to the Partnership or the Limited
Partner to propose or approve, and in its sole discretion may decline to propose or approve, the
conduct by the Partnership of any business.
SECTION 3.2 Powers.
The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary, appropriate,
proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment of the
purposes and business described in Section 3.1 and for the protection and benefit of the
Partnership.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS
SECTION 4.1 Initial Contributions.
In connection with the formation of the Partnership under the Delaware Act, the General
Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of $10.10 for an
interest in the Partnership and was admitted as the general partner of the Partnership, and the
Initial Limited Partner made an initial Capital Contribution to the Partnership in the amount of
$989.90 for an interest in the Partnership and was admitted as a limited partner of the
Partnership.
SECTION 4.2 Contributions by Ferrellgas, the MLP and the Acquisition General Partner.
(a) On the Closing Date, Ferrellgas, as a Capital Contribution, contributed, transferred,
conveyed, assigned and delivered to the Partnership the property and other rights described in the
Contribution Agreement as being so contributed, transferred, conveyed, assigned and delivered in
exchange for (i) the continuation of its general partner interest in the Partnership consisting of
a Partnership Interest representing a 1.0101% Percentage Interest, (ii) a limited partner interest
in the Partnership, which was contributed, transferred, conveyed, assigned and delivered by the
General Partner to the MLP as set forth in the Contribution Agreement, and which, together with the
Partnership Interest previously held by the MLP, represents a 98.9899% Percentage Interest in the
Partnership, and (iii) the Partnership’s assumption of, or taking of assets subject to, certain
indebtedness and other liabilities, including, without limitation, the Partnership’s assumption of
the payment obligations of certain indebtedness of Ferrellgas, all as provided for in the
Contribution Agreement.
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(b) On the Closing Date, the MLP contributed in respect of its Partnership Interest
approximately $255 million out of the net proceeds to the MLP from the issuance of the Common Units
pursuant to the MLP Offering.
(c) On the Acquisition Closing Date, FAC, as a Capital Contribution, contributed, transferred,
conveyed, assigned and delivered to the Partnership the property and other rights described in an
Acquisition Contribution Agreement dated the Acquisition Closing Date as being so contributed,
transferred, conveyed, assigned and delivered in exchange for (i) the general partner interest in
the Partnership of the Acquisition General Partner consisting of a Partnership Interest in the
amount of $735, and (ii) the Partnership’s assumption of, or taking of assets subject to, certain
indebtedness and other liabilities, including, without limitation, the Partnership’s assumption of
the payment obligations of certain indebtedness of FAC, all as provided for in such Acquisition
Contribution Agreement. Immediately thereafter, FAC assigned the Partnership Interest of the
Acquisition General Partner to Ferrellgas, the general partner interest in the Partnership of
Ferrellgas continued thereafter as a Partnership Interest representing a 1.0101 Percentage
Interest, and FAC withdrew from the Partnership.
SECTION 4.3 Additional Capital Contributions.
With the consent of the General Partner, the Limited Partner may, but shall not be obligated
to, make additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership. Contemporaneously with the making of
any such additional Capital Contributions by the Limited Partner, the General Partner may make an
additional Capital Contribution to the Partnership in an amount equal to 1.0204% of the additional
Capital Contribution then made by the Limited Partner. The General Partner may, at any time and
from time to time, make a Capital Contribution to the Partnership so that the General Partner will
have a Capital Account equal to no more than 1.0101% of the sum of the Capital Accounts of all
Partners. Except as set forth in Section 13.8, the General Partner shall not be obligated to make
any additional Capital Contributions to the Partnership.
SECTION 4.4 No Preemptive Rights.
Except as provided in Section 4.3, no Person shall have any preemptive, preferential or other
similar right with respect to (a) additional Capital Contributions; (b) issuance or sale of any
class or series of Partnership Interests, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter
created; (c) issuance of any obligations, evidences of indebtedness or other securities of the
Partnership convertible into or exchangeable for, or carrying or accompanied by any rights to
receive, purchase or subscribe to, any such Partnership Interests; (d) issuance of any right of
subscription to or right to receive, or any warrant or option for the purchase of, any such
Partnership Interests; or (e) issuance or sale of any other securities that may be issued or sold
by the Partnership.
SECTION 4.5 Capital Accounts.
(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner owning a Partnership Interest a separate
Capital Account with respect to such Partnership Interest in accordance with the rules of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1 (b)(2)(iv). Such Capital Account shall be increased by (i) the amount
of all Capital Contributions made to the Partnership with respect to such Partnership
15
Interest pursuant to this Agreement and (ii) all items of Partnership income and gain
(including, without limitation, income and gain exempt from tax) computed in accordance with
Section 4.5(b) and allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 5.1, and
decreased by (x) the amount of cash or the Net Agreed Value of all actual and deemed distributions
of cash or property made with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to this Agreement and
(y) all items of Partnership deduction and loss computed in accordance with Section 4.5(b) and
allocated with respect to such Partnership Interest pursuant to Section 5.1.
(b) For purposes of computing the amount of any item of income, gain, loss or deduction to be
reflected in the Partners’ Capital Accounts, the determination, recognition and classification of
any such item shall be the same as its determination, recognition and classification for federal
income tax purposes (including, without limitation, any method of depreciation, cost recovery or
amortization used for that purpose), provided, that:
(i) Solely for purposes of this Section 4.5, the Partnership shall be treated as owning
directly its proportionate share (as determined by the General Partner) of all property
owned by any OLP Subsidiary that is classified as a partnership for federal income tax
purposes.
(ii) All fees and other expenses incurred by the Partnership to promote the sale of (or
to sell) a Partnership Interest that can neither be deducted nor amortized under Section 709
of the Code, if any, shall, for purposes of Capital Account maintenance, be treated as an
item of deduction at the time such fees and other expenses are incurred and shall be
allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 5.1.
(iii) Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1
(b)(2)(iv)(m), the computation of all items of income, gain, loss and deduction shall be
made without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code which may be made by the
Partnership and, as to those items described in Section 705(a)(1)(B) or 705(a)(2)(B) of the
Code, without regard to the fact that such items are not includable in gross income or are
neither currently deductible nor capitalized for federal income tax purposes.
(iv) Any income, gain or loss attributable to the taxable disposition of any
Partnership property shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property as of
such date of disposition were equal in amount to the Partnership’s Carrying Value with
respect to such property as of such date.
(v) In accordance with the requirements of Section 704(b) of the Code, any deductions
for depreciation, cost recovery or amortization attributable to any Contributed Property
shall be determined as if the adjusted basis of such property on the date it was acquired by
the Partnership were equal to the Agreed Value of such property. Upon an adjustment
pursuant to Section 4.5(d) to the Carrying Value of any Partnership property subject to
depreciation, cost recovery or amortization, any further deductions for such depreciation,
cost recovery or amortization attributable to such property shall be determined (A) as if
the adjusted basis of such property were equal to the Carrying Value of such property
immediately following such adjustment and (B) using a rate of
16
depreciation, cost recovery or amortization derived from the same method and useful
life (or, if applicable, the remaining useful life) as is applied for federal income tax
purposes; provided, however, that, if the asset has a zero adjusted basis for federal income
tax purposes, depreciation, cost recovery or amortization deductions shall be determined
using any reasonable method that the General Partner may adopt.
(vi) If the Partnership’s adjusted basis in a depreciable or cost recovery property is
reduced for federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 48(q)(1) or 48(q)(3) of the
Code, the amount of such reduction shall, solely for purposes hereof, be deemed to be an
additional depreciation or cost recovery deduction in the year such property is placed in
service and shall be allocated among the Partners pursuant to Section 5.1. Any restoration
of such basis pursuant to Section 48(q)(2) of the Code shall, to the extent possible, be
allocated in the same manner to the Partners to whom such deemed deduction was allocated.
(c) A transferee of a Partnership Interest shall succeed to a pro rata portion of the Capital
Account of the transferor relating to the partnership Interest so transferred; provided, however,
that, if the transfer causes a termination of the Partnership under Section 708(b)(1)(B) of the
Code, the Partnership’s properties shall be deemed to have been distributed in liquidation of the
Partnership to the Partners (including any transferee of a Partnership Interest that is a party to
the transfer causing such termination) pursuant to Sections 13.3 and 13.4 and recontributed by such
Partners in reconstitution of the Partnership. Any such deemed distribution shall be treated as an
actual distribution for purposes of this Section 4.5. In such event, the Carrying Values of the
Partnership properties shall be adjusted immediately prior to such deemed distribution pursuant to
Section 4.5(d)(ii) and such Carrying Values shall then constitute the Agreed Values of such
properties upon such deemed contribution to the reconstituted Partnership. The Capital Accounts of
such reconstituted Partnership shall be maintained in accordance with the principles of this
Section 4.5.
(d) (i) Consistent with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), on
an issuance of additional Partnership Interests for cash or Contributed Property, the Capital
Account of all Partners and the Carrying Value of each Partnership property immediately prior to
such issuance shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized
Loss attributable to such Partnership property, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss had
been recognized on an actual sale of each such property immediately prior to such issuance and had
been allocated to the Partners at such time pursuant to Sections 5.1(a) and 5.1(b). In determining
such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss, the aggregate cash amount and fair market value of all
Partnership assets (including, without limitation, cash or cash equivalents) immediately prior to
the issuance of additional Partnership Interests shall be determined by the General Partner using
such reasonable method of valuation as it may adopt; provided, however, that the General Partner,
in arriving at such valuation, must take fully into account the fair market value of the
Partnership Interests of all Partners at such time. The General Partner shall allocate such
aggregate value among the assets of the Partnership (in such manner as it determines in its sole
discretion to be reasonable) to arrive at a fair market value for individual properties.
17
(ii) In accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f), immediately
prior to any actual or deemed distribution to a Partner of any Partnership property (other
than a distribution of cash that is not in redemption or retirement of a Partnership
Interest), the Capital Accounts of all Partners and the Carrying Value of such Partnership
property shall be adjusted upward or downward to reflect any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized
Loss attributable to such Partnership property, as if such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized
Loss had been recognized in a sale of such property immediately prior to such distribution
for an amount equal to its fair market value, and had been allocated to the Partners, at
such time, pursuant to Section 5.1. Any Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to
such property shall be allocated in the same manner as Net Termination Gain or Net
Termination Loss pursuant to Section 5.1(c); provided, however, that, in making any such
allocation, Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss actually realized shall be
allocated first. In determining such Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss the aggregate cash
amount and fair market value of all Partnership assets, (including, without limitation, cash
or cash equivalents) immediately prior to a distribution shall (A) in the case of a deemed
distribution occurring as a result of a termination of the Partnership pursuant to
Section 708 of the Code, be determined and allocated in the same manner as that provided in
Section 4.5(d)(i) or (B) in the case of a liquidating distribution pursuant to Section 14.3
or 14.4, be determined and allocated by the Liquidator using such reasonable method of
valuation as it may adopt.
SECTION 4.6 Interest.
No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital Contributions or on balances in
Partners’ Capital Accounts.
SECTION 4.7 No Withdrawal.
No Partner shall be entitled to withdraw any part of its Capital Contributions or its Capital
Account or to receive any distribution from the Partnership, except as provided in Articles V, VII,
XII and XIII.
SECTION 4.8 Loans from Partners.
Loans by a Partner to the Partnership shall not constitute Capital Contributions. If any
Partner shall advance funds to the Partnership in excess of the amounts required hereunder to be
contributed by it to the capital of the Partnership, the making of such excess advances shall not
result in any increase in the amount of the Capital Account of such Partner. The amount of any
such excess advances shall be a debt obligation of the Partnership to such Partner and shall be
payable or collectible only out of the Partnership assets in accordance with the terms and
conditions upon which such advances are made.
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ARTICLE V
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
SECTION 5.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes.
For purposes of maintaining the Capital Accounts and in determining the rights of the Partners
among themselves, the Partnership’s items of income, gain, loss and deduction (computed in
accordance with Section 4.5(b)) shall be allocated among the Partners in each taxable year (or
portion thereof) as provided hereinbelow.
(a) Net Income. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in
Section 5.1(d), Net Income for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and
deduction taken into account in computing Net Income for such taxable period shall be allocated as
follows:
(i) First, 100% to the General Partner until the aggregate Net Income allocated to the
General Partner pursuant to this Section 5.1 (a)(i) for the current taxable year and all
previous taxable years is equal to the aggregate Net Losses allocated to the General Partner
pursuant to Section 5.1 (b)(ii) for all previous taxable years; and
(ii) Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner and the Limited Partner
in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.
(b) Net Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations set forth in
Section 5.1(d), Net Losses for each taxable period and all items of income, gain, loss and
deduction taken into account in computing Net Losses for such taxable period shall be allocated as
follows:
(i) First, 100% to the General Partner and the Limited Partner in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests; provided, that Net Losses shall not be allocated pursuant
to this Section 5.1(b)(i) to the extent that such allocation would cause any Limited Partner
to have a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital. Account at the end of such taxable year
(or increase any existing deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital Account); and
(ii) Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(c) Net Termination Gains and Losses. After giving effect to the special allocations
set forth in Section 5.1(d), all items of income, gain, loss and deduction taken into account in
computing Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss; for such taxable period shall be allocated
in the same manner as such Net Termination Gain or Net Termination Loss is allocated hereunder.
All allocations under this Section 5.1(c) shall be made after Capital Account balances have been
adjusted by all other allocations provided under this Section 5.1(c) after all distributions of
Available Cash provided under Section 5.3 have been made with respect to the taxable period ending
on the date of the Partnership’s liquidation pursuant to Section 13.3.
(i) If a Net Termination Gain is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to
Section 4.5(d)) from Termination Capital Transactions, such Net Termination Gain
19
shall be allocated between the General Partner and the Limited Partner in the following
manner (and the Adjusted Capital Accounts of the Partners shall be increased by the amount
so allocated in each of the following subclauses, in the order listed, before an allocation
is made pursuant to the next succeeding subclause):
(A) First, to each Partner having a deficit balance in its Adjusted Capital
Account, in the proportion that such deficit balance bears to the total deficit
balances in the Adjusted Capital Accounts of all Partners, until each such Partner
has been allocated Net Termination Gain equal to any such deficit balance in its
Adjusted Capital Account; and
(B) Second, 100% to the General Partner and the Limited Partner in accordance
with their respective Percentage Interests.
(ii) If a Net Termination Loss is recognized (or deemed recognized pursuant to
Section 4.5(d)) from Termination Capital Transactions, such Net Termination Loss shall be
allocated to the Partners in the following manner:
(A) First, 100% to the General Partner and the Limited Partner in proportion
to, and to the extent of, the positive balances in their respective Adjusted Capital
Accounts; and
(B) Second, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
(d) Special Allocations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.1, the
following special allocations shall be made for such taxable period:
(i) Partnership Minimum Gain Chargeback. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 5.1, if there is a net decrease in Partnership Minimum Gain during any Partnership
taxable period, each Partner shall be allocated items of Partnership income and gain for
such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods) in the manner and amounts provided in
Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(f)(6), 1.704-2(g)(2) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(i), or any
successor provision. For purposes of this Section 5.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital
Account balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder
shall be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this
Section 5.1(d) with respect to such taxable period (other than an allocation pursuant to
Sections 5.1 (d)(v) and (vi)). This Section 5.1(d)(i) is intended to comply with the
Partnership Minimum Gain chargeback requirement in Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(f)
and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
(ii) Chargeback of Partner Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. Notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Section 5.1 (other than Section 5.1(d) (i)), except as provided in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Partner Nonrecourse
Debt Minimum Gain during any Partnership taxable period, any Partner with a share of Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain at the beginning of such taxable period shall be allocated
items of Partnership income and gain for such period (and, if necessary, subsequent periods)
in the manner and amounts provided in
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Treasury Regulation Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2)(ii), or any successor
provisions. For purposes of this Section 5.1(d), each Partner’s Adjusted Capital Account
balance shall be determined, and the allocation of income or gain required hereunder shall
be effected, prior to the application of any other allocations pursuant to this
Section 5.1(d), other than Section 5.1(d)(i) and other than an allocation pursuant to
Sections 5.1(d)(v) and (vi), with respect to such taxable period. This Section 5.1(d)(ii)
is intended to comply with the chargeback of items of income and gain requirement in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.7041-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
(iii) Qualified Income Offset. In the event any Partner unexpectedly receives any
adjustments, allocations or distributions described in Treasury Regulation
Sections 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(5), or 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(6), items
of Partnership income and gain shall be specifically allocated to such Partner in an amount
and manner sufficient to eliminate, to the extent required by the Treasury Regulations
promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the deficit balance, if any, in its Adjusted
Capital Account created by such adjustments, allocations or distributions as quickly as
possible, unless such deficit balance is otherwise eliminated pursuant to Section 5.1(d)(i)
or (ii).
(iv) Gross Income Allocations. In the event any Partner has a deficit balance in its
Adjusted Capital Account at the end of any Partnership taxable period such Partner shall be
specially allocated items of Partnership gross income and gain in the amount of such excess
as quickly as possible; provided, that an allocation pursuant to this Section 5.1(d)(iv)
shall be made only if and to the extent that such Partner would have a deficit balance in
its Adjusted Capital Account after all other allocations provided in this Section 5.1 have
been tentatively made as if this Section 5.1(d)(iv) were not in this Agreement.
(v) Nonrecourse Deductions. Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable period shall be
allocated to the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests. If the
General Partner determines in its good faith discretion that the Partnership’s Nonrecourse
Deductions must be allocated in a different ratio to satisfy the safe harbor requirements of
the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 704(b) of the Code, the General Partner
is authorized, upon notice to the Limited Partner, to revise the prescribed ratio to the
numerically closest ratio that does satisfy such requirements.
(vi) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions. Partner Nonrecourse Deductions for any taxable
period shall be allocated 100% to the Partner that bears the Economic Risk of Loss with
respect to the Partner Nonrecourse Debt to which such Partner Nonrecourse Deductions are
attributable in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-2(i). If more than one
Partner bears the Economic Risk of Loss with respect to a Partner Nonrecourse Debt, such
Partner Nonrecourse Deductions attributable thereto shall be allocated between or among such
Partners in accordance with the ratios in which they share such Economic Risk of Loss.
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(vii) Nonrecourse Liabilities. For purposes of Treasury Regulation
Section 1.752-3(a)(3), the Partners agree that Nonrecourse Liabilities of the Partnership in
excess of the sum of (A) the amount of Partnership Minimum Gain and (B) the total amount of
Nonrecourse Built-in Gain shall be allocated among the Partners in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests.
(viii) Code Section 754 Adjustments. To the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax
basis of any Partnership asset pursuant to Section 734(b) or 743(b) of the Code is required,
pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1 (b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in
determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be
treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if
the adjustment decreases such basis), and such item of gain or loss shall be specially
allocated to the Partners in a manner consistent with the manner in which their Capital
Accounts are required to be adjusted pursuant to such Section of the Treasury Regulations.
(ix) Curative Allocation.
(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 5.1, other than the
Required Allocations, the Required Allocations shall be taken into account in making
the Agreed Allocations so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of items of
income, gain, loss and deduction allocated to each Partner pursuant to the Required
Allocations and the Agreed Allocations, together, shall be equal to the net amount
of such items that would have been allocated to each such Partner under the Agreed
Allocations had the Required Allocations and the related Curative Allocation not
otherwise been provided in this Section 5.1. Notwithstanding the preceding
sentence, Required Allocations relating to (1) Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be
taken, into account except to the extent that there has been a decrease in
Partnership Minimum Gain and (2) Partner Nonrecourse Deductions shall not be taken
into account except to the extent that there has been a decrease in Partner
Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. Allocations pursuant to this Section 5.1(d)(ix)(A)
shall only be made with respect to Required Allocations to the extent the General
Partner reasonably determines that such allocations will otherwise be inconsistent
with the economic agreement among the Partners. Further, allocations pursuant to
this Section 5.1(d)(ix)(A) shall be deferred with respect to allocations pursuant to
clauses (1) and (2) hereof to the extent the General Partner reasonably determines
that such allocations are likely to be offset by subsequent Required Allocations.
(B) The General Partner shall have reasonable discretion, with respect to each
taxable period, to (1) apply the provisions of Section 5.1(d)(ix)(A) in whatever
order is most likely to minimize the economic distortions that might otherwise
result from the Required Allocations, and (2) divide all allocations pursuant to
Section 5.1(d)(ix)(A) among the Partners in a manner that is likely to minimize such
economic distortions.
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(e) Allocations to Acquisition General Partner. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Section 5.1, no items of income, gain, loss or deduction shall be allocated to the
Acquisition General Partner.
SECTION 5.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes.
(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, for federal income tax purposes, each item of income,
gain, loss and deduction shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its
correlative item of “book” income, gain, loss or deduction is allocated pursuant to Section 5.1.
(b) In an attempt to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities attributable to a Contributed Property or
Adjusted Property, items of income, gain, loss, depreciation, amortization and cost recovery
deductions shall be allocated for federal income tax purposes among the Partners as follows:
(i) (A) In the case of a Contributed Property, such items attributable thereto shall be
allocated among the Partners in the manner provided under Section 704(c) of the Code that
takes into account the variation between the Agreed Value of such property and its adjusted
basis at the time of contribution; and (B) except as otherwise provided in
Section 5.2(b)i(iii), any item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to a
Contributed Property shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its
correlative item of “book” gain or loss is allocated pursuant to Section 5.1.
(ii) (A) In the case of an Adjusted Property, such items shall (1) first, be allocated
among the Partners in a manner consistent with the principles of Section 704(c) of the Code
to take into account the Unrealized Gain or Unrealized Loss attributable to such property
and the allocations thereof pursuant to Section 4.5(d)(i) or (ii), and (2) second, in the
event such property was originally a Contributed Property, be allocated among the Partners
in a manner consistent with Section 5.2(b)(i)(A); and (B) except as otherwise provided in
Section 5.2(b)(iii), any item of Residual Gain or Residual Loss attributable to an Adjusted
Property shall be allocated among the Partners in the same manner as its correlative item of
“book” gain or loss is allocated pursuant to Section 5.1.
(iii) The General Partner shall apply the principles of Temporary Regulation
Section 1.704-3T to eliminate Book-Tax Disparities.
(c) For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of
Units of the MLP (or any class or classes thereof), the General Partner shall have sole discretion
to (i) adopt such conventions as it deems appropriate in determining the amount of depreciation,
amortization and cost recovery deductions; (ii) make special allocations for federal income tax
purposes of income (including, without limitation, gross income) or deductions; and (iii) amend the
provisions of this Agreement as appropriate (x) to reflect the proposal or promulgation of Treasury
Regulations under Section 704(b) or Section 704(c) of the Code or (y) otherwise to preserve or
achieve uniformity of Units of the MLP (or any class or classes thereof). The General Partner may
adopt such conventions, make such allocations and make such amendments to this Agreement as
provided in this Section 5.2(c) only if such conventions, allocations or amendments would not have
a material adverse effect on the Partners,
23
the holders of any class or classes of Units of the MLP issued and outstanding or the
Partnership, and if such allocations are consistent with the principles of Section 704 of the Code.
(d) The General Partner in its sole discretion may determine to depreciate or amortize the
portion of an adjustment under Section 743(b) of the Code attributable to unrealized appreciation
in any Adjusted Property (to the extent of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity) using a
predetermined rate derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to
the Partnership’s common basis of such property, despite the inconsistency of such approach with
Proposed Treasury Regulation Section 1.168-2(n), Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6) or
the legislative history of Section 197 of the Code. If the General Partner determines that such
reporting position cannot reasonably be taken, the General Partner may adopt depreciation and
amortization conventions under which all purchasers acquiring Units of the MLP in the same month
would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, based upon the same applicable rate as if
they had purchased a direct interest in the Partnership’s property. If the General Partner chooses
not to utilize such aggregate method, the General Partner may use any other reasonable depreciation
and amortization conventions to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any
class or classes of Units of the MLP that would not have a material adverse effect on the Limited
Partner or the holders of any class or classes of Units of the MLP.
(e) Any gain allocated to the Partners upon the sale or other taxable disposition of any
Partnership asset shall, to the extent possible, after taking into account other required
allocations of gain pursuant to this Section 5.2, be characterized as Recapture Income in the same
proportions and to the same extent as such Partners (or their predecessors in interest) have been
allocated any deductions directly or indirectly giving rise to the treatment of such gains as
Recapture Income.
(f) All items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit recognized by the Partnership for
federal income tax purposes and allocated to the Partners in accordance with the provisions hereof
shall be determined without regard to any election under Section 754 of the Code which may be made
by the Partnership; provided, however, that such allocations, once made, shall be adjusted as
necessary or appropriate to take into account those adjustments permitted or required by
Sections 734 and 743 of the Code.
(g) The General Partner may adopt such methods of allocation of income, gain, loss or
deduction between a transferor and a transferee of a Partnership Interest as it determines
necessary, to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the regulations or
rulings promulgated thereunder.
SECTION 5.3 Requirement of Distributions.
(a) Within 45 days following the end of (i) the period beginning on the Closing Date and
ending on October 31, 1994 and (ii) each Quarter commencing with the Quarter beginning on
November 1, 1994, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to such period or Quarter
shall be distributed in accordance with this Article V by the Partnership to the Partners in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests. The immediately preceding sentence shall
not require any distribution of cash if and to the extent such distribution would be
24
prohibited by applicable law or by any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt
instrument or other agreement or obligation to which the Partnership is a party or by which it is
bound or its assets are subject.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the
Partnership, all proceeds of such liquidation shall be applied and distributed in accordance with,
and subject to the terms and conditions of, Sections 13.3 and 13.4.
ARTICLE VI
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
SECTION 6.1 Management.
(a) The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the Partnership.
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers over the business
and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General Partner, and neither the
Acquisition General Partner nor the Limited Partner shall have any right of control or management
power over the business and affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter
granted a general partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or which are granted to the
General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to
Section 6.3, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on such terms as it, in its
sole discretion, may deem necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Partnership, to
exercise all powers set forth in Section 3.2 and to effectuate the purposes set forth in
Section 3.1, including, without limitation, (i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or
borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and
other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness and the incurring of any other
obligations; (ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic or
other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the business or assets of
the Partnership; (iii) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation
or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the merger or other combination of
the Partnership with or into another Person (the matters described in this clause (iii) being
subject, however, to any prior approval that may be required by Section 6.3); (iv) the use of the
assets of the Partnership (including, without limitation, cash on hand) for any purpose consistent
with the terms of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the financing of the conduct of
the operations of the Partnership, the lending of funds to other Persons (including, without
limitation, an OLP Subsidiary), the repayment of obligations of the Partnership and the making of
capital contributions to an OLP Subsidiary; (v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any
contracts, conveyances or other instruments (including, without limitation, instruments that limit
the liability of the Partnership under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the
Partnership, with the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner
or its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if same results in the terms of the
transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would otherwise be the case); (vi) the
distribution of Partnership cash; (vii) the selection and dismissal of employees and agents
(including, without limitation, employees having titles such as “president,” “vice president,”
“secretary” and “treasurer”) and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and
contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;
(viii) the maintenance of such insurance
25
for the benefit of the Partnership and the Partners (including, without limitation, the assets
of the Partnership) as it deems necessary or appropriate; (ix) the formation of, or acquisition of
an interest in, and the contribution of property and the making of loans to, any further limited or
general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other
relationships; (x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the
Partnership, including, without limitation, the bringing and defending of actions at law or in
equity and otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation and the incurring of legal expense and
the settlement of claims and litigation; and (xi) the indemnification of any Person against
liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the MLP Agreement, the Delaware Act
or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners hereby (i) approves, ratifies and
confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of the MLP Agreement, the
Underwriting Agreements, the Contribution Agreement, the agreements and other documents filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statements, and the other agreements described in or filed as a part
of the Registration Statements, and the engaging by any Affiliate of the General Partner in
business and activities (other than Restricted Activities) that are in direct competition with the
business and activities of the MLP, the Partnership, any OLP Subsidiary and any MLP Subsidiary;
(ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or through any officer of the Partnership) is
authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements referred to in clause (i) of this
sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and matters described in the Registration
Statements on behalf of the Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners;
and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General Partner, the MLP, the
Partnership or any Affiliate of any of them of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or
permitted under this Agreement, or the engaging by any Affiliate of the General Partner in any
business and activities (other than Restricted Activities) that are in direct competition with the
business and activities of the MLP, the Partnership, any OLP Subsidiary and any MLP Subsidiary,
shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner may owe
the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement (or any other
agreements) or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity. The term “Affiliate” when used in
this Section 6.1(b) with respect to the General Partner shall not include the Partnership, the MLP,
any OLP Subsidiary or any MLP Subsidiary.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision of the Delaware Act or other applicable law, the Acquisition
General Partner shall not participate in the operation, management or control (within the meaning
of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business, transact any business in the partnership’s name
or have the power to sign documents for other otherwise bind the Partnership.
SECTION 6.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership.
The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited Partnership of Ferrellgas, L.P. to
be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the Delaware Act and
shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or documents as may
be determined by the General Partner in its sole discretion to be reasonable and necessary or
appropriate for the formation, continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership
(or a partnership in which the Limited Partner has limited liability) in the State of Delaware or
any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent
26
that such action is determined by the General Partner in its sole discretion to be reasonable
and necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to and restatements of the
Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the Partnership as a limited
partnership (or a partnership in which the Limited Partner has limited liability) under the laws of
the State of Delaware or of any other state in which the Partnership may elect to do business or
own property. Subject to the terms of Section 7.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required,
before or after filing, to deliver or mail a copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any
qualification document or any amendment thereto to the Limited Partner.
SECTION 6.3 Restrictions on General Partner’s Authority.
(a) The General Partner may not, without written approval of the specific act by the Limited
Partner or by other written instrument executed and delivered by the Limited Partner subsequent to
the date of this Agreement, take any action in contravention of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, (i) any act that would make it impossible to carry on the ordinary business of the
Partnership, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement; (ii) possess Partnership property, or
assign any rights in specific Partnership property, for other than a Partnership purpose; (iii)
admit a Person as a Partner, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement; (iv) amend this
Agreement in any manner, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement; or (v) transfer its
interest as general partner of the Partnership, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement.
(b) Except as provided in Articles XIII and XV, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets in a single transaction
or a series of related transactions without the approval of the Limited Partner; provided, however,
that this provision shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge,
hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets
and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the Partnership’s assets pursuant to the
foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance.
(c) Unless approved by the Limited Partner, the General Partner shall not take any action or
refuse to take any reasonable action the effect of which, if taken or not taken, as the case may
be, would be to cause the Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or
otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes; provided that this
Section 6.3(c) shall not be construed to apply to amendments to this Agreement (which are governed
by Article XIV) or mergers or consolidations of the Partnership with any Person (which are governed
by Article XV).
(d) At all times while serving as the general partner of the Partnership, the General Partner
shall not (except as provided below) make any dividend or distribution on, or repurchase any shares
of, its stock or take any other action within its control unless it shall first receive an Opinion
of Counsel that the effect of such dividend, distribution, repurchase or other action would not
reduce its net worth below an amount such that the Partnership will be treated as an association
taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes; provided, however, to the extent the
General Partner receives distributions of cash from the Partnership or any other partnership of
which the Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner, the General Partner shall not use such
cash to make any dividend or distribution on, or repurchase any shares of, its stock
27
or take any other action within its control if the effect of such dividend, distribution,
repurchase or other action would be to reduce its net worth below an amount necessary to receive an
Opinion of Counsel that the Partnership will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax
purposes.
SECTION 6.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 6.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General
Partner shall not be compensated for its services as general partner of the Partnership.
(b) The General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the
General Partner may determine in its sole discretion, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it
incurs or payments it makes on behalf of the Partnership (including, without limitation, salary,
bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to any Person to perform services for the
Partnership or for the General Partner in the discharge of its duties to the Partnership) and (ii),
all other necessary or appropriate expenses allocable to the Partnership or otherwise reasonably
incurred by the General Partner in connection with operating the Partnership’s business (including,
without limitation, expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The General
Partner shall determine the fees and expenses that are allocable to the Partnership in any
reasonable manner determined by the General Partner in its sole discretion. Reimbursements
pursuant to this Section 6.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the General Partner as a
result of indemnification pursuant to Section 6.7.
SECTION 6.5 Outside Activities.
(a) After the Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the general partner of
the Partnership, (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as the general partner of the
Partnership, the MLP, any OLP Subsidiary and any MLP Subsidiary and to undertake activities that
are ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in the MLP), (ii) shall not
enter into or conduct any business or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or
incidental to (A) its performance of the activities required or authorized by this Agreement or the
MLP Agreement or described in or contemplated by the Registration Statements and (B) the
acquisition, ownership or disposition of partnership interests in the Partnership, the MLP, any OLP
Subsidiary and any MLP Subsidiary, except that, notwithstanding the foregoing, employees of the
General Partner may perform services for Xxxxxxx and its Affiliates and (iii) shall not and shall
cause its Affiliates not to engage in any Restricted Activities.
(b) Except as described or provided for in the MLP Agreement, the Registration Statements or
Section 6.5(a), no Indemnitee shall be expressly or implicitly restricted or proscribed pursuant to
the MLP Agreement or this Agreement or the partnership relationship established hereby or thereby
from engaging in other activities for profit, whether in the businesses engaged in by the
Partnership, an OLP Subsidiary, the MLP or an MLP Subsidiary or anticipated to be engaged in by the
Partnership, an OLP Subsidiary, the MLP, an MLP Subsidiary or otherwise, including, without
limitation, in the case of any Affiliates of the General Partner those businesses and activities
(other than Restricted Activities) in direct competition with the business and activities of the
Partnership, the MLP, an OLP Subsidiary or an MLP Subsidiary or otherwise described in or
contemplated by the Registration Statements. Without
28
limitation of and subject to the foregoing each Indemnitee (other than the General Partner)
shall have the right to engage in businesses of every type and description and to engage in and
possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or description, independently
or with others, including, without limitation, in the case of any Affiliates of the General
Partner, business interests and activities (other than Restricted Activities) in direct competition
with the business and activities of the Partnership, the MLP, an OLP Subsidiary or an MLP
Subsidiary, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any duty to the
Partnership, the MLP or any Partners. Neither the Partnership, the MLP, any Limited Partner nor
any other Person shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement or the MLP Agreement or the
partnership relationship established hereby or thereby in any business ventures of any Indemnitee
(subject, in the case of the General Partner, to compliance with Section 6.5(c)) and such
Indemnitees shall have no obligation to offer any interest in any such business ventures to the
Partnership, the MLP, any Limited Partner or any other Person.
(c) Subject to the terms of Sections 6.5(a) and (b) but otherwise notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in this Agreement, (i) the competitive activities of any Indemnitees (other than the
General Partner) are hereby approved by the Partnership and all Partners and (ii) it shall be
deemed not to be a breach of the General Partner’s fiduciary duty or any other Obligation of any
type whatsoever of the General Partner for the General Partner to permit an Affiliate of the
General Partner to engage, or for any such Affiliate to engage, in business interests or activities
(other than Restricted Activities) in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership.
(d) The term “Affiliates” when used in this Section 6.5 with respect to the General Partner
shall not include the Partnership, the MLP, an OLP Subsidiary or an MLP Subsidiary.
SECTION 6.6 Loans to and from the General Partner; Contracts with Affiliates.
(a) (i) The General Partner, the Limited Partner, an OLP Subsidiary or any of their Affiliates
may lend to the Partnership, and the Partnership may borrow, funds needed or desired by the
Partnership for such periods of time as the General Partner may determine and (ii) the General
Partner, the Limited Partner, an OLP Subsidiary or any Affiliate thereof may borrow from the
Partnership, and the Partnership may lend to such Persons, excess funds of the Partnership for such
periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided, however, that
in either such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest at a rate greater
than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party (without reference to the lending party’s
financial abilities or guarantees) by unrelated lenders on comparable loans. The borrowing party
shall reimburse the lending party for any costs (other than any additional interest costs) incurred
by the lending party in connection with the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this
Section 6.6(a) and Section 6.6(b), the term “Partnership” shall include any Affiliate of the
Partnership that is controlled by the Partnership.
(i) The General Partner may itself, or may enter into an agreement with any of its
Affiliates to, render services to the Partnership or to the General Partner in the discharge
of its duties as general partner of the Partnership. Any service rendered to the
Partnership by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates shall be on terms that are fair
and reasonable to the Partnership; provided, however, that the requirements of this
29
Section 6.6(b) shall be deemed satisfied as to (i) any transaction approved by Special
Approval, (ii) any transaction the terms of which are no less favorable to the Partnership
than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iii)
any transaction that, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the
parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or
advantageous to the Partnership), is equitable to the Partnership. The provisions of
Section 6.4 shall apply to the rendering of services described in this Section 6.6(b).
(b) The Partnership may transfer assets to joint ventures, other partnerships, corporations,
limited liability companies or other business entities in which it is or thereby becomes a
participant upon such terms and subject to such conditions as are consistent with this Agreement
and applicable law.
(c) Neither the General Partner nor any of its Affiliates shall sell, transfer or convey any
property to, or purchase any property from, the Partnership, directly or indirectly, except
pursuant to transactions that are fair and reasonable to the Partnership; provided, however, that
the requirements of this Section 6.6(d) shall be deemed to be satisfied as to (i) the transactions
effected pursuant to Sections 4.2, the Contribution Agreement and any other transactions described
in or contemplated by the Registration Statements, (ii) any transaction approved by Special
Approval, (iii) any transaction the terms of which are no less favorable to the Partnership than
those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) any transaction
that, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including
other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership), is
equitable to the Partnership.
(d) The General Partner and its Affiliates will have no obligation to permit the Partnership,
an OLP Subsidiary or the MLP to use any facilities or assets of the General Partner and its
Affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into from time to time specifically
dealing with such use, nor shall there be any obligation on the part of the General Partner or its
Affiliates to enter into such contracts.
(e) Without limitation of Sections 6.6(a) through 6.6(e), and notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the
Registration Statements are hereby approved by all Partners.
SECTION 6.7 Indemnification.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly provided
in this Agreement, the General Partner, any Departing Partner, any Person who is or was an officer
or director of the Partnership, the General Partner, or any Departing Partner and all other
Indemnitees shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including, without limitation,
legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements and other amounts
arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be
involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as (i) the General Partner, a Departing
Partner or any of their Affiliates, (ii) an officer, director, employee, partner,
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agent or trustee of the Partnership, the General Partner, any Departing Partner or any of
their Affiliates or (iii) a Person serving at the request of the Partnership in another entity in a
similar capacity, provided, that in each case the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
which such Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the
Partnership and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe its
conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no indemnification pursuant to this Section 6.7 shall be
available to the General Partner with respect to its obligations incurred pursuant to the
Contribution Agreement (other than obligations incurred by the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership or the MLP). The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order,
settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a
presumption that the Indemnitee acted in a manner contrary to that specified above. Any
indemnification pursuant to this Section 6.7 shall be made only out of the assets of the
Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for such
indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the
Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including, without limitation, legal
fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 6.7(a) in
defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by
the Partnership prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding
upon receipt by the Partnership of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such
amount if it shall be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified as
authorized in this Section 6.7.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 6.7 shall be in addition to any other rights
to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of the Partners,
as a matter of law or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as (i) the General
Partner, a Departing Partner or an Affiliate thereof, (ii) an officer, director, employee, partner,
agent or trustee of the Partnership, the General Partner, any Departing Partner or an Affiliate
thereof or (iii) a Person serving at the request of the Partnership in another entity in a similar
capacity, and as to actions in any other capacity (including, without limitation, any capacity
under the Underwriting Agreements), and shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to serve
in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, successors, assigns and
administrators of the Indemnitee.
(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its
Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner and such other Persons as
the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be asserted against or expense
that may be incurred by such Person in connection with the Partnership’s activities, regardless of
whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under
the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) For purposes of this Section 6.7, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested an
Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by it of its
duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services by, it to the plan
or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an Indemnitee with respect
to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall constitute
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“fines” within the meaning of Section 6.7(a); and action taken or omitted by it with respect
to an employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a purpose reasonably believed by
it to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be
for a purpose which is in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Partnership.
(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partner to personal liability by reason
of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.
(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this
Section 6.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which the
indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this Agreement.
(h) The provisions of this Section 6.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their heirs,
successors, assigns and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights for the benefit
of any other Persons.
(i) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 6.7 or any provision hereof shall in
any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future Indemnitee to be
indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligation of the Partnership to indemnify any such
Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.7 as in effect immediately
prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to
matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless
of when such claims may arise or be asserted.
SECTION 6.8 Liability of Indemnitees.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee shall
be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partner, or any other Persons who
have acquired interests in the Partnership, for losses sustained or liabilities incurred as a
result of any act or omission if such Indemnitee acted in good faith.
(b) Subject to its obligations and duties as General Partner set forth in Section 6.1 (a), the
General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement and perform any of
the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its agents, and the General
Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent
appointed by the General Partner in good faith.
(c) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 6.8 or any provision hereof shall be
prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability to the
Partnership and the Limited Partner of the General Partner, its directors, officers and employees
and any other Indemnitees under this Section 6.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment,
modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in
whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims
may arise or be asserted.
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SECTION 6.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest.
(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or the MLP Agreement, whenever a
potential conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its
Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership, the MLP or the Limited Partner, on the other
hand, any resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted
and deemed approved by the Limited Partner, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of
the MLP Agreement or of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or
implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action is, or by operation of this
Agreement is deemed to be, fair and reasonable to the Partnership. The General Partner shall be
authorized but not required in connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek
Special Approval of a resolution of such conflict or course of action. Any conflict of interest
and any resolution of such conflict of interest shall be conclusively deemed fair and reasonable to
the Partnership if such conflict of interest or resolution is (i) approved by Special Approval,
(ii) on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than those generally being provided to or
available from unrelated third parties or (iii) fair to the Partnership, taking into account the
totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may
be particularly favorable or advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner may also adopt
a resolution or course of action that has not received Special Approval. The General Partner
(including the Audit Committee in connection with Special Approval) shall be authorized in
connection with its determination of what is “fair and reasonable” to the Partnership and in
connection with its resolution of any conflict of interest to consider (A) the relative interests
of any party to such conflict, agreement, transaction or situation and the benefits and burdens
relating to such interest; (B) any customary or accepted industry practices and any customary or
historical dealings with a particular Person; (C) any applicable generally accepted accounting or
engineering practices or principles; and (D) such additional factors as the General Partner
(including such Audit Committee) determines in its sole discretion to be relevant, reasonable or
appropriate under the circumstances. Nothing contained in this Agreement, however, is intended to
nor shall it be construed to require the General Partner (including such Audit Committee) to
consider the interests of any Person other than the Partnership. In the absence of bad faith by
the General Partner, the resolution, action or terms so made, taken or provided by the General
Partner with respect to such matter shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, the MLP
Agreement or any other agreement contemplated herein or a breach of any standard of care or duty
imposed herein or therein or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation.
(b) Whenever this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby provides that the
General Partner or any of its Affiliates is permitted or required to make a decision (i) in its
“sole discretion” or “discretion,” that it deems “necessary or appropriate” or under a grant of
similar authority or latitude, the General Partner or such Affiliate shall be entitled to consider
only such interests and factors as it desires and shall have no duty or obligation to give any
consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, the Partnership, the MLP, an OLP
Subsidiary, the Limited Partner or any limited partner in the MLP, (ii) it may make such decision
in its sole discretion (regardless of whether there is a reference to “sole discretion” or
“discretion”) unless another express standard is provided for, or (iii) in “good faith” or under
another express standard, the General Partner or such Affiliate shall act under such express
standard and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by this Agreement,
the MLP Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or
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any other law, rule or regulation. In addition, any actions taken by the General Partner or
such Affiliate consistent with the standards of “reasonable discretion” set forth in the definition
of Available Cash shall not constitute a breach of any duty of the General Partner to the
Partnership or the Limited Partner. The General Partner shall have no duty, express or implied, to
sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership or of an OLP Subsidiary, other than in
the ordinary course of business. No borrowing by the Partnership or the approval thereof by the
General Partner shall be deemed to constitute a breach of any duty of the General Partner to the
Partnership or the Limited Partner by reason of the fact that the purpose or effect of such
borrowing is directly or indirectly to (A) enable the holders of IDRs to receive distributions
under the MLP Agreement or increase the amount of any such distributions, (B) hasten the
termination of the “Subordination Period” under the MLP Agreement or (C) reduce the “Cumulative
Common Unit Arrearage” under the MLP Agreement in order to hasten the conversion of the
“Subordinated Units” in the MLP into Common Units.
(c) Whenever a particular transaction, arrangement or resolution of a conflict of interest is
required under this Agreement to be “fair and reasonable” to any Person, the fair and reasonable
nature of such transaction, arrangement or resolution shall be considered in the context of all
similar or related transactions.
SECTION 6.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting
upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent,
order, bond, debenture, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been
signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
(b) The General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers, management
consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by it, and any act
taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the opinion (including, without limitation, an
Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that such General Partner reasonably believes to
be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively presumed to have
been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(c) The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or obligations
hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers and a duly appointed attorney or
attorneys-in-fact. Each such attorney shall, to the extent provided by the General Partner in the
power of attorney, have full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and duty that
is permitted or required to be done by the General Partner hereunder.
(d) Any standard of care and duty imposed by this Agreement or under the Delaware Act or any
applicable law, rule or regulation shall be modified, waived or limited as required to permit the
General Partner to act under this Agreement or any other agreement contemplated by this Agreement
and to make any decision pursuant to the authority prescribed in this Agreement so long as such
action is not reasonably believed by the General Partner to be in, or not inconsistent with, the
best interests of the Partnership.
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SECTION 6.11 Title to Partnership Assets.
Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and whether tangible or
intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no Partner,
individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets or any
portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of the
Partnership, the General Partner, one or more of its Affiliates or one or more nominees, as the
General Partner may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any
Partnership assets for which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more
of its Affiliates or one or more nominees shall be held by the General Partner or such Affiliate or
nominee for the use and benefit of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement; provided, however, that the General Partner shall use its reasonable efforts to cause
record title to such assets (other than those assets in respect of which the General Partner
determines that the expense and difficulty of conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the
Partnership impracticable) to be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably practicable;
provided that, prior to the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as
practicable, the General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer of record
title to the Partnership and, prior to any such transfer, will provide for the use of such assets
in a manner satisfactory to the Partnership. All Partnership assets shall be recorded as the
property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the name in which record
title to such Partnership assets is held.
SECTION 6.12 Reliance by Third Parties.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Person dealing with the
Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner has full power and authority to
encumber, sell or otherwise use in any manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter
into any contracts on behalf of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the
General Partner as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and
beneficially. The Limited Partner hereby waives any and all defenses or other remedies that may be
available against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner in
connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the General Partner or
its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this Agreement have been complied
with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or action of the General Partner or
its representatives. Each and every certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf
of the Partnership by the General Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive evidence in
favor of any and every Person relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the
execution and delivery of such certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full
force and effect, (b) the Person executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument
was duly authorized and empowered to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and (c) such
certificate, document or instrument was duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms
and provisions of this Agreement and is binding upon the Partnership.
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ARTICLE VII
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE LIMITED PARTNER
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE LIMITED PARTNER
SECTION 7.1 Limitation of Liability.
The Limited Partner shall have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided
in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
SECTION 7.2 Management of Business.
The Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall not participate in the operation,
management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s business,
transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for or
otherwise bind the Partnership. The transaction of any such business by the Partnership, the
General Partner, any of its Affiliates or any officer, director, employee, partner, agent or
trustee of the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, in its capacity as such, shall not affect,
impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partner under this Agreement.
SECTION 7.3 Return of Capital.
The Limited Partner shall not be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital
Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or
upon termination of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent
provided for in this Agreement.
SECTION 7.4 Rights of the Limited Partner Relating to the Partnership.
(a) In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and except as
limited by Section 7.4(b), the Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably
related to the Limited Partner’s interest as a limited partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable
demand and at the Limited Partner’s own expense:
(i) to obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business and
financial condition of the Partnership;
(ii) promptly after becoming available, to obtain a copy of the Partnership’s federal,
state and local tax returns for each year;
(iii) to have furnished to it, upon notification to the General Partner, a current list
of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each Partner;
(iv) to have furnished to it, upon notification to the General Partner, a copy of this
Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto, together
with a copy of the executed copies of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this
Agreement, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been
executed;
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(v) to obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description
and statement of the Agreed Value of any other Capital Contribution by each Partner and
which each Partner has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each became
a Partner; and
(vi) to obtain such other information regarding the, affairs of the Partnership as is
just and reasonable.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner may keep
confidential from the Limited Partner for such period of time as the General Partner deems
reasonable, any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of
trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which the General Partner in good faith
believes is not in the best interests of the Partnership or could damage the Partnership or that
the Partnership is required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential (other
than agreements with Affiliates of the General Partner the primary purpose of which is to
circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 7.4).
ARTICLE VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
SECTION 8.1 Records and Accounting.
The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal office of the Partnership
appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business, including, without
limitation, all books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partner any information,
lists and copies of documents required to be provided pursuant to Section 7.4(a). Any books and
records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business,
including, without limitation, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be kept
on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs,
micrographics or any other information storage device, provided, that the books and records so
maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period of time.
The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an accrual
basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
SECTION 8.2 Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be August 1 to July 31.
ARTICLE IX
TAX MATTERS
TAX MATTERS
SECTION 9.1 Preparation of Tax Returns.
The General Partner shall arrange for the preparation and timely filing of all returns of
Partnership income, gains, deductions, losses and other items required of the Partnership for
federal and state income tax purposes and shall use all reasonable efforts to furnish, within 90
days of the close of each calendar year, the tax information reasonably required by the Partners
for federal and state income tax reporting purposes. The classification, realization and
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recognition of income, gain, losses and deductions and other items shall be on the accrual
method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. The taxable year of the Partnership shall be
August 1 to July 31.
SECTION 9.2 Tax Elections.
Except as otherwise provided herein, the General Partner shall, in its sole discretion,
determine whether to make any available election pursuant to the Code; provided, however, that the
General Partner shall make the election under Section 754 of the Code in accordance with applicable
regulations thereunder. The General Partner shall have the right to seek to revoke any such
election (including, without limitation, the election under Section 754 of the Code) upon the
General Partner’s determination in its sole discretion that such revocation is in the best
interests of the Limited Partner.
SECTION 9.3 Tax Controversies.
Subject to the provisions hereof, the General Partner is designated the Tax Matters Partner
(as defined in Section 6231 of the Code), and is authorized and required to represent the
Partnership (at the Partnership’s expense) in connection with all examinations of the Partnership’s
affairs by tax authorities, including, without limitation, resulting administrative and judicial
proceedings, and to expend Partnership funds for professional services and costs associated
therewith. The Limited Partner agrees to cooperate with the General Partner and to do or refrain
from doing any or all things reasonably required by the General Partner to conduct such
proceedings.
SECTION 9.4 Organizational Expenses.
The Partnership shall elect to deduct expenses, if any, incurred by it in organizing the
Partnership ratably over a 60-month period as provided in Section 709 of the Code.
SECTION 9.5 Withholding.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner is authorized to
take any action that it determines in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate to cause
the Partnership to comply with any withholding requirements established under the Code or any other
federal, state or local law including, without limitation, pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445
and 1446 of the Code. To the extent that the Partnership is required to withhold and pay over to
any taxing authority any amount resulting from the allocation or distribution of income to any
Partner (including, without limitation, by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the amount withheld
shall be treated as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 5.3 in the amount of such
withholding from such Partner.
SECTION 9.6 Opinions of Counsel.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the Partnership is treated as an
association taxable as a corporation at any time or is otherwise taxable for federal income tax
purposes as an entity at any time and, pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, an Opinion of
Counsel would otherwise be required to the effect that an action will not cause the Partnership
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to become so treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an
entity for federal income tax purposes, such requirement for an Opinion of Counsel shall be deemed
automatically waived.
ARTICLE X
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
SECTION 10.1 Transfer.
(a) The term “transfer,” when used in this Article X with respect to a Partnership Interest,
shall be deemed to refer to a transaction by which a Partner disposes of its Partnership Interest
to another Person and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation,
mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, provided, however, that the term
“Transfer” shall not include the pledge, encumbrance or hypothecation by a Limited Partner of its
Partnership Interest.
(b) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in accordance
with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article X. Any Transfer or purported transfer of a
Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article X shall be null and void.
(c) Nothing contained in this Article X shall be construed to prevent a disposition by the
parent entity of the General Partner of any or all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of
the General Partner.
SECTION 10.2 Transfer of the General Partner’s Partnership Interest.
If the general partner of the MLP transfers its partnership interest as the general partner
therein to any Person in accordance with the provisions of the MLP Agreement, the General Partner
shall contemporaneously therewith transfer its Partnership Interest as the general partner of the
Partnership to such Person, and the Limited Partner hereby expressly consents to such transfer. A
Limited Partner may not transfer all or any part of its Partnership Interest or withdraw from the
Partnership except for (i) a transfer described in the immediately preceding sentence, (ii) the
transfer by Ferrellgas of its Partnership Interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership to the
MLP as provided in the Contribution Agreement and contemplated by Sections 4.2 and 11.2, (iii) the
forced sale or other transfer of a Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest pursuant to the
foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any lien resulting from the pledge, encumbrance or
hypothecation of such Partnership Interest, or (iv) any transfer of a Limited Partner’s Partnership
Interest by a Person acquiring such Partnership Interest as a result of a sale or other transfer
described in the immediately preceding clause (iii), or any transfer by a transferee of any such
Person.
SECTION 10.3 Transfer of the Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest.
If the Limited Partner merges, consolidates or otherwise combines into any other Person or
transfers all or substantially all of its assets to another Person, such Person may become a
Substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Article XI. Except as set forth in the immediately
preceding sentence and except for the transfer by Ferrellgas of its Partnership Interest as a
39
limited partner in the Partnership to the MLP as provided in the Contribution Agreement and
contemplated by Sections 4.2 and 11.2, a Limited Partner may not transfer all or any part of its
Partnership Interest or withdraw from the Partnership.
SECTION 10.4 Transfer of the Acquisition General Partner’s Partnership Interest.
Except for the transfer by FAC of its Partnership Interest in the Partnership as the
Acquisition General Partner to Ferrellgas, FAC may not transfer all or any part of its Partnership
Interest.
ARTICLE XI
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
SECTION 11.1 Admission of Initial Partners.
Upon the formation of the Partnership pursuant to the filing of the Certificate of Limited
Partnership, Ferrellgas was admitted to the Partnership as the sole general partner and the MLP was
admitted to the Partnership as the sole limited partner.
SECTION 11.2 Admission of Ferrellgas as a Limited Partner.
Upon the making by Ferrellgas of the Capital Contributions described in Section 4.2,
Ferrellgas was admitted to the Partnership as a limited partner. Upon the transfer by Ferrellgas
of its Partnership Interest as a limited partner to the MLP as provided in the Contribution
Agreement, Ferrellgas ceased to be a limited partner of the Partnership.
SECTION 11.3 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners.
Any person that is the successor in interest to a Limited Partner as described in Section 10.3
shall be admitted to the Partnership as a limited partner upon (a) furnishing to the General
Partner (i) acceptance in form satisfactory to the General Partner of all of the terms and
conditions of this Agreement and (ii) such other documents or instruments as may be required to
effect its admission as a limited partner in the Partnership and (b) obtaining the consent of the
General Partner, which consent may be withheld or granted in the sole discretion of the General
Partner; provided, however, that this clause (b) shall not be applicable in the case of the
admission as a Limited Partner of a Person acquiring a Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest as a
result of a transfer described in clauses (iii) or (iv) of the second sentence of Section 10.3.
Such Person shall be admitted to the Partnership as a limited partner immediately prior to the
transfer of the Partnership Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue without
dissolution.
SECTION 11.4 Admission of Successor General Partner.
A successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 12.1 or 12.2 or the transferee of or
successor to all of the General Partner’s Partnership Interest as the general partner in the
Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General Partner
shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 12.3, if applicable, be admitted to the
Partnership as the successor General Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or
removal of the General Partner pursuant to Section 12.1 or 12.2 or the transfer of the General
40
Partner’s Partnership Interest as the general partner of the Partnership pursuant to
Section 10.2. Any such successor shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on the business of the
Partnership without dissolution. In each case, the admission of such successor General Partner to
the Partnership shall, subject to the terms hereof, be subject to the successor General Partner
executing and delivering to the Partnership an acceptance of all of the terms and conditions of
this Agreement and such other documents or instruments as may be required to effect such admission.
SECTION 11.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership.
To effect the admission to the Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all
steps necessary and appropriate under the Delaware Act to amend the records of the Partnership to
reflect such admission and, if necessary, to prepare as soon as practical an amendment of this
Agreement and, if required by law, to prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and may for this purpose, among others, exercise the power of attorney granted pursuant
to Section 1.4.
SECTION 11.6 Admission of Additional Limited Partners.
(a) A Person (other than the General Partner, the Initial Limited Partner or a Substituted
Limited Partner) who makes a Capital Contribution to the Partnership in accordance with this
Agreement shall be admitted to the Partnership as an Additional Limited Partner only upon
furnishing to the General Partner (i) evidence of acceptance in form satisfactory to the General
Partner of all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the
granting of the power of attorney granted in Section 1.4, and (ii) such other documents or
instruments as may be required in the discretion of the General Partner to effect such Person’s
admission as an Additional Limited Partner.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 11.6, no Person shall be admitted
as an Additional Limited Partner without the consent of the General Partner, which consent may be
given or withheld in the General Partner’s sole discretion. The admission of any Person as an
Additional Limited Partner shall become effective on the date upon which the name of such Person is
recorded as such in the books and records of the Partnership, following the consent of the General
Partner to such admission.
SECTION 11.7 Admission of FAC as the Acquisition General Partner.
Upon the making by FAC of the Capital Contribution described in Section 4.2(c), FAC was
admitted to the Partnership as the Acquisition General Partner.
ARTICLE XII
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
SECTION 12.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the
occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an “Event of
Withdrawal”);
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(i) the General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving written
notice to the Limited Partner;
(ii) the General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner pursuant to
Section 10.2;
(iii) the General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 12.2;
(iv) the general partner of the MLP withdraws from the MLP;
(v) the General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors;
(B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself
a reorganization, arrangement, composition, readjustment, liquidation, dissolution or
similar relief under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to
contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the General Partner in a
proceeding of the type described in clauses (A)-(C) of this Section 12.1(a)(v); or
(E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver or liquidator
of the General Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;
(vi) a final and non-appealable judgment is entered by a court with appropriate
jurisdiction ruling that the General Partner is bankrupt or insolvent, or a final and
non-appealable order for relief is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction against
the General Partner, in each case under any federal or state bankruptcy or insolvency laws
as now or hereafter in effect; or
(vii) a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner,
or 90 days expire after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its
charter without a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of
incorporation.
If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 12.1(a)(v), (vi) or (vii) occurs, the
withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partner within 30 days after such
occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this
Section 12.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership.
(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of
Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following circumstances:
(i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at 12:00
Midnight, Central Standard Time, on July 31, 2004 the General Partner voluntarily withdraws
by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited
Partner, provided, that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal the Limited Partner
approves such withdrawal and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an Opinion of
Counsel (“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel”) that such withdrawal (following the selection of
the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited liability of the
Limited Partner or cause the Partnership to be treated as an association
42
taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax
purposes;
(ii) at any time on or after 12:00 Midnight, Central Standard Time, on July 31, 2004,
the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the
Limited Partner, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; or
(iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to
Section 12.1(a)(ii), (iii) or (iv). If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal
pursuant to Section 12.1(a)(i) or Section 13.1(a)(i) of the MLP Agreement, the Limited
Partner may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General
Partner, provided, that such successor shall be the same Person, if any, that is elected by
the limited partners of the MLP pursuant to Section 13.1 of the MLP Agreement as the
successor to the General Partner in its capacity as general partner of the MLP. If, prior
to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is not selected by
the Limited Partner as provided herein or the Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal
Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in accordance with Section 13.1. Any
successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 12.1 shall be
subject to the provisions of Section 11.4.
SECTION 12.2 Removal of the General Partner.
The General Partner shall be removed if such General Partner is removed as a general partner
of the MLP pursuant to Section 13.2 of the MLP Agreement. Such removal shall be effective
concurrently with the effectiveness of the removal of such General Partner as the general partner
of the MLP pursuant to the terms of the MLP Agreement. If a successor to the General Partner in
its capacity as general partner of the MLP is elected in connection with the removal of such
General Partner as general partner of the MLP, as provided in the MLP Agreement, then the Limited
Partner shall elect such successor as the successor General Partner of the Partnership and such
successor shall, upon admission pursuant to Article XI, automatically become a successor General
Partner of the Partnership. The admission of any such successor General Partner to the Partnership
shall be subject to the provisions of Section 11.4.
SECTION 12.3 Interest of Departing Partner and Successor General Partner.
The Partnership Interest of a Departing Partner departing as a result of withdrawal or removal
pursuant to Section 12.1 or 12.2 shall (unless it is otherwise required to be converted into Common
Units pursuant to Section 13.3(b) of the MLP Agreement) be purchased by the successor to the
Departing Partner for cash in the manner specified in the MLP Agreement. Such purchase (or
conversion into Common Units, as applicable) shall be a condition to the admission to the
Partnership of the successor as the General Partner. Any successor General Partner shall indemnify
the Departing General Partner as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership arising on or
after the effective date of the removal of the Departing Partner.
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SECTION 12.4 Reimbursement of Departing Partner.
The Departing Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due such Departing
Partner pursuant to Section 6.4, including, without limitation, any employee-related liabilities
(including, without limitation, severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination
of any employees employed by such departing Partner for the benefit of the Partnership.
SECTION 12.5 Withdrawal of the Limited Partner.
A Limited Partner shall not have the right to withdraw from the Partnership without the prior
consent of the General Partner, which may be granted or withheld in its sole discretion, provided,
however, that immediately following a transfer of a Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest
permitted under Section 11.3, the transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner
with respect to the Partnership Interest so transferred.
SECTION 12.6 Withdrawal of the Acquisition General Partner.
The Acquisition General Partner shall withdraw from the Partnership immediately following the
assignment of its general partner interest in the Partnership to Ferrellgas as provided in
Section 4.2(c).
ARTICLE XIII
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
SECTION 13.1 Dissolution.
The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of Substituted Limited Partners or
Additional Limited Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner or the withdrawal of
the Acquisition General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal
or withdrawal of the General Partner any successor General Partner shall continue the business of
the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve and, subject to Section 13.2, its affairs should
be wound up, upon:
(a) the expiration of its term as provided in Section 1.5;
(b) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 12.1(a) (other than
Section 12.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and an Opinion of Counsel is received as
provided in Section 12.1(b) or 12.2 and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to
Section 11.4;
(c) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by the
Limited Partner;
(d) entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of
the Delaware Act;
(e) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets and properties of the Partnership; or
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(f) the dissolution of the MLP.
SECTION 13.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership after Dissolution.
Upon (a) dissolution of the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the
withdrawal or removal of the General Partner as provided in Section 12.1(a)(i) or (iii) and
following a failure of the Limited Partner to appoint a successor General Partner as provided in
Section 12.1 or 12.2, then within 90 days thereafter or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an
event constituting an Event of Withdrawal as defined in Section 12.1(a)(v), (vi) or (vii), then
within 180 days thereafter, the Limited Partner may elect to reconstitute the Partnership and
continue its business on the same terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement by forming a new
limited partnership on terms identical to those set forth in this Agreement and having as a general
partner a Person approved by the Limited Partner. In addition, upon dissolution of the Partnership
pursuant to Section 13.1(f), if the MLP is reconstituted pursuant to Section 14.2 of the MLP
Agreement, the reconstituted MLP may, within 180 days after such event of dissolution, as the
Limited Partner, elect to reconstitute the Partnership in accordance with the immediately preceding
sentence. Upon any such election by the Limited Partner, all Partners shall be bound thereby and
shall be deemed to have approved same. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time
period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up its
affairs. If such an election is so made, then:
(i) the reconstituted Partnership shall continue until the end of the term set forth in
Section 1.5 unless earlier dissolved in accordance with this Article XIII;
(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then the
interest of the former General Partner shall be purchased by the successor General Partner
or converted into Common Units of the MLP as provided in the MLP Agreement; and
(iii) all necessary steps shall be taken to cancel this Agreement and the Certificate
of Limited Partnership and to enter into and, as necessary, to file a new partnership
agreement and certificate of limited partnership, and the successor General Partner may for
this purpose exercise the powers of attorney granted the General Partner pursuant to
Section 1.4; provided, that the right to approve a successor General Partner and to
reconstitute and to continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be
exercised unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (x) the exercise of
the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of the Limited Partner and
(y) neither the Partnership nor the reconstituted limited partnership would be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income
tax purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue.
SECTION 13.3 Liquidation.
Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the Partnership is continued under an election to
reconstitute and continue the Partnership pursuant to Section 13.2, the General Partner, or in the
event the General Partner has been dissolved or removed, become bankrupt as set forth in
Section 12.1 or withdrawn from the Partnership, a liquidator or liquidating committee approved
45
by the Limited Partner, shall be the Liquidator. The Liquidator (if other than the General
Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for its services as may be approved by the
Limited Partner. The Liquidator shall agree not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior
notice and (if other than the General Partner) may be removed at any time, with or without cause,
by notice of removal approved by the Limited Partner. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of
the Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights,
powers and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by the
Limited Partner. The right to approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided
herein shall be deemed to refer also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the
manner herein provided. Except as expressly provided in this Article XIII, the Liquidator approved
in the manner provided herein shall have and may exercise, without further authorization or consent
of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred upon the General Partner under the terms
of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable limitations, contractual and otherwise,
upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation on sale set forth in Section 6.3(b)) to
the extent necessary or desirable in the good faith judgment of the Liquidator to carry out the
duties and functions of the Liquidator hereunder for and during such period of time as shall be
reasonably required in the good faith judgment of the Liquidator to complete the winding up and
liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein. The Liquidator shall liquidate the assets
of the Partnership, and apply and distribute the proceeds of such liquidation in the following
order of priority, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable law:
(a) the payment to creditors of the Partnership, including, without limitation, Partners who
are creditors, in the order of priority provided by law; and the creation of a reserve of cash or
other assets of the Partnership for contingent liabilities in an amount, if any, determined by the
Liquidator to be appropriate for such purposes; and
(b) to all Partners in accordance with the positive balances in their respective Capital
Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments (other than those
made by reason of this clause) for the taxable year of the Partnership during which the liquidation
of the Partnership occurs (with the date of such occurrence being determined pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g));and such distribution shall be made by the end of such
taxable year (or, if later, within 90 days after said date of such occurrence).
SECTION 13.4 Distributions in Kind.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.3, which require the liquidation of the
assets of the Partnership, but subject to the order of priorities set forth therein, if prior to or
upon dissolution of the Partnership the Liquidator determines that an immediate sale of part or all
of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the Partners, the
Liquidator may, in its absolute discretion, defer for a reasonable time the liquidation of any
assets except those necessary to satisfy liabilities of the Partnership (including, without
limitation, those to Partners as creditors) and/or distribute to the Partners or to specific
classes of Partners, in lieu of cash, as tenants in common and in accordance with the provisions of
Section 13.3, undivided interests in such Partnership assets as the Liquidator deems not suitable
for liquidation. Any such distributions in kind shall be made only if, in the good faith judgment
of the Liquidator, such distributions in kind are in the best interest of the Limited Partner, and
shall be subject to
46
such conditions relating to the disposition and management of such properties as the
Liquidator deems reasonable and equitable and to any agreements governing the operation of such
properties at such time. The Liquidator shall determine the fair market value of any property
distributed in kind using such reasonable method of valuation as it may adopt.
(b) In accordance with Section 704(c)(1)(B) of the Code, in the case of any deemed
distribution occurring as a result of a termination of the Partnership pursuant to
Section 708(b)(1)(B) of the Code, to the maximum extent possible consistent with the priorities of
Section 13.3, the General Partner shall have sole discretion to treat the deemed distribution of
Partnership assets to Partners as occurring in a manner that will not cause a shift of the Book Tax
Disparity attributable to a Partnership asset existing immediately prior to the deemed distribution
to another asset upon the deemed contribution of assets to the reconstituted Partnership,
including, without limitation, deeming the distribution of any Partnership assets to be made either
to the Partner who contributed such assets or to the transferee of such Partner.
SECTION 13.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership.
Upon the completion of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in
Sections 13.3 and 13.4 in connection with the liquidation of the Partnership, the Partnership shall
be terminated and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership
as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be
cancelled and such other action as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.
SECTION 13.6 Reasonable Time for Winding Up.
A reasonable time shall be allowed for the orderly winding up of business and affairs of the
Partnership and the liquidation of its assets pursuant to Section 13.3 in order to minimize any
losses otherwise attendant upon such winding up, and the provisions of this Agreement shall remain
in effect between the Partners during the period of liquidation.
SECTION 13.7 Return of Capital.
The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall have no obligation to
contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate, the return
of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partner, or any portion thereof, it being expressly
understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership assets.
SECTION 13.8 Capital Account Restoration.
No Limited Partner shall have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its Capital
Account upon liquidation of the Partnership. The General Partner shall be obligated to restore any
negative balance in its Capital Account upon liquidation of its interest in the Partnership by the
end of the taxable year of the Partnership during which such liquidation occurs, or, if later,
within 90 days after the date of such liquidation.
SECTION 13.9 Waiver of Partition.
Each Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.
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ARTICLE XIV
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
SECTION 14.1 Amendment to be Adopted Solely by General Partner.
The Acquisition General Partner and the Limited Partner agree that the General Partner
(pursuant to its powers of attorney from the Acquisition General Partner and the Limited Partner),
without the approval of the Acquisition General Partner or the Limited Partner, may amend any
provision of this Agreement, and execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever
documents may be required in connection therewith, to reflect:
(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of business
of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered office of the,
Partnership;
(b) admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with this
Agreement;
(c) a change that, in the sole discretion of the General Partner, is necessary or appropriate
to qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a
partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or
that is necessary or advisable in the opinion of the General Partner to ensure that the Partnership
will not be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for
federal income tax purposes;
(d) a change (i) that, in the sole discretion of the General Partner, does not adversely
affect the Acquisition General Partner or the Limited Partner in any material respect, (ii) that is
necessary or desirable to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any
opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial
authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including, without limitation, the Delaware
Act), compliance with any of which the General Partner determines in its sole discretion to be in
the best interests of the Partnership and the Limited Partner, (iii) that is required to effect the
intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement or (iv)
that is required to conform the provisions of this Agreement with the provisions of the MLP
Agreement as the provisions of the MLP Agreement may be amended, supplemented or restated from time
to time;
(e) a change in the fiscal year and taxable year of the Partnership and any changes that, in
the sole discretion of the General Partner, are necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in
the fiscal year and taxable year of the Partnership including, without limitation, if the General
Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which
distributions are to be made by the Partnership;
(f) an amendment that is necessary, in the Opinion of Counsel, to prevent the Partnership or
the General Partner or its directors or officers from in any manner being subjected to the
provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
as amended, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement
48
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset
regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;
(g) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner
acting alone;
(h) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved in
accordance with Section 15.3;
(i) an amendment that, in the sole discretion of the General Partner, is necessary or
desirable to reflect, account for and deal with appropriately the formation by the Partnership of,
or investment by the Partnership in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability
company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted
by the terms of Section 3.1; or
(j) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
SECTION 14.2 Amendment Procedures.
Except with respect to amendments of the type described in Section 14.1, all amendments to
this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the following requirements. Amendments to this
Agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of the General Partner. Each such proposal
shall contain the text of the proposed amendment. A proposed amendment shall be effective upon its
approval by the Limited Partner.
ARTICLE XV
MERGER
MERGER
SECTION 15.1 Authority.
The Partnership may merge or consolidate with one or more corporations, business trusts or
associations, real estate investment trusts, common law trusts or unincorporated businesses,
including, without limitation, a general partnership or limited partnership, formed under the laws
of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America, pursuant to a written
agreement of merger or consolidation (“Merger Agreement”) in accordance with this Article.
SECTION 15.2 Procedure for Merger or Consolidation.
Merger or consolidation of the Partnership pursuant to this Article requires the prior
approval of the General Partner. If the General Partner shall determine, in the exercise of its
sole discretion, to consent to the merger or consolidation, the General Partner shall approve the
Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:
(a) The names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the business entities
proposing to merge or consolidate;
(b) The name and jurisdictions of formation or organization of the business entity that is to
survive the proposed merger or consolidation (the “Surviving Business Entity”);
49
(c) The terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;
(d) The manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of each constituent
business entity for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partnership interests, rights,
securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (i) if any general or limited
partnership interests, securities or rights of any constituent business entity are not to be
exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or general or limited partnership
interests, rights, securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property
or general or limited partnership interests, rights, securities or obligations of any limited
partnership, corporation, trust or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity) which
the holders of such general or limited partnership interests, securities or rights are to receive
in exchange for, or upon conversion of, their general or limited partner interests, securities or
rights, and (ii) in the case of securities represented by certificates, upon the Surrender of such
certificates, which cash, property or general or limited partnership interests, rights, securities
or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation,
trust or other entity (other than the Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be
delivered;
(e) A statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of new constituent
documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of trust, declaration of trust,
certificate or agreement of limited partnership or other similar charter or governing document) of
the Surviving Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;
(f) The effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of the certificate
of merger pursuant to Section 15.4 or a later date specified in or determinable in accordance with
the Merger Agreement (provided, that if the effective time of the merger is to be later than the
date of the filing of the certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed no later than
the time of the filing of the certificate of merger and stated therein); and
(g) Such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or consolidation as are deemed
necessary or appropriate by the General Partner.
SECTION 15.3 Approval by Limited Partner of Merger or Consolidation.
(a) The General Partner of the Partnership, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement, shall
direct that a copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement be submitted to the Limited Partner for its
approval.
(b) The Merger Agreement shall be approved upon receiving the consent of the Limited Partner.
After such approval by the Limited Partner, and at any time prior to the filing of the certificate
of merger pursuant to Section 15.4, the merger or consolidation may be abandoned pursuant to
provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement.
SECTION 15.4 Certificate of Merger.
Upon the required approval by the General Partner, the Acquisition General Partner and the
Limited Partner of a Merger Agreement, a certificate of merger shall be executed and filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware
Act.
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SECTION 15.5 Effect of Merger.
(a) At the effective time of the Certificate of merger:
(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities that has
merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to any
of those business entities and all other things and causes of action belonging to each of
those business entities shall be vested in the Surviving Business Entity and after the
merger or consolidation shall be the property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent
they were of each constituent business entity;
(ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those
constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired because of the
merger or consolidation;
(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interest in property of any
of those constituent business entities shall be preserved unimpaired; and
(b) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities shall attach to
the Surviving Business Entity, and may be enforced against it to the same extent as if the debts,
liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted by it.
SECTION 15.6 Transfer or Assignment of Assets or Liabilities.
A merger or consolidation effected pursuant to this Article shall not be deemed to result in a
transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to another having occurred.
ARTICLE XVI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 16.1 Addresses and Notices.
Any notice, demand, request or report required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner
under this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be deemed given or made when received by it at
the principal office of the Partnership referred to in Section 1.3.
SECTION 16.2 References.
Except as specifically provided otherwise, references to “Articles” and “Sections” are to
Articles and Sections of this Agreement.
SECTION 16.3 Pronouns and Plurals.
Whenever the context may require, any pronoun used in this Agreement shall include the
corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of nouns, pronouns and
verbs shall include the plural and vice versa.
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SECTION 16.4 Further Action.
The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information and take or
refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes of this
Agreement.
SECTION 16.5 Binding Effect.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their
heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted assigns.
SECTION 16.6 Integration.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto pertaining to the
subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.
SECTION 16.7 Creditors.
None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be enforceable
by, any creditor of the Partnership.
SECTION 16.8 Waiver.
No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty, agreement
or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a breach thereof
shall constitute waiver of any such breach or any other covenant, duty, agreement or condition.
SECTION 16.9 Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall constitute an
agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties are not
signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this
Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto, independently of the signature of any
other party.
SECTION 16.10 Applicable Law.
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of
Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.
SECTION 16.11 Invalidity of Provisions.
If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any
respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein
shall not be affected thereby.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank – signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first
written above.
GENERAL PARTNER: FERRELLGAS, INC. |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | ||||
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
||||
LIMITED PARTNER:
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
By: Ferrellgas, Inc.,
its general partner
its general partner
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, | ||||
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
||||
Third Amended and Restated LP Agreement of Ferrellgas, L.P.
Signature Page
Signature Page