Exhibit 3.1
Executed Copy / Conformed
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT
OF
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
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Section 1.1 Formation and Continuation |
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2 |
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Section 1.2 Name |
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3 |
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Section 1.3 Registered Office; Principal Office |
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3 |
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Section 1.4 Power of Attorney |
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3 |
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Section 1.5 Term |
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Section 1.6 Possible Restrictions on Transfer |
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5 |
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ARTICLE II
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DEFINITIONS |
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5 |
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ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
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Section 3.1 Purpose and Business |
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25 |
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Section 3.2 Powers |
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26 |
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ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS
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Section 4.1 Initial Contributions |
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26 |
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Section 4.2 Contributions by the General Partner and the Initial Limited Partners;
Contributions on the WNGL Closing Date and issuance of General Partner Units |
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26 |
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Section 4.3 Issuances of Additional Units and Other Securities |
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27 |
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Section 4.4 Limited Preemptive Rights |
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29 |
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Section 4.5 Capital Accounts |
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29 |
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Section 4.6 Interest |
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32 |
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Section 4.7 No Withdrawal |
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32 |
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Section 4.8 Loans from Partners |
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32 |
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Section 4.9 No Fractional Units |
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32 |
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Section 4.10 Splits and Combinations |
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32 |
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ARTICLE V
ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
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Section 5.1 Allocations for Capital Account Purposes |
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33 |
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Section 5.2 Allocations for Tax Purposes |
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42 |
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Section 5.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions |
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44 |
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Section 5.4 Distributions of Cash from Operations and Additional Senior Units |
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45 |
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Section 5.5 Distributions of Cash from Interim Capital Transactions |
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49 |
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Section 5.6 Adjustment of Senior Unit Liquidation Preference, Senior Unit
Distribution, Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels |
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50 |
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Section 5.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Senior Units |
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51 |
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Section 5.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Special Limited Partners |
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54 |
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Section 5.9 Special Provision Relating to FCI Common Units |
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54 |
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ARTICLE VI
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF BUSINESS
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Section 6.1 Management |
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54 |
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Section 6.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership |
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56 |
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Section 6.3 Restrictions on General Partner’s Authority |
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56 |
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Section 6.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner |
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57 |
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Section 6.5 Outside Activities |
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58 |
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Section 6.6 Loans to and from the General Partner; Contracts with Affiliates |
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59 |
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Section 6.7 Indemnification |
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61 |
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Section 6.8 Liability of Indemnitees |
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62 |
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Section 6.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest |
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63 |
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Section 6.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner |
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64 |
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Section 6.11 Title to Partnership Assets |
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65 |
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Section 6.12 Purchase or Sale of Units |
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65 |
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Section 6.13 Registration Rights of Ferrellgas and its Affiliates |
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66 |
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Section 6.14 Reliance by Third Parties |
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68 |
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ARTICLE VII
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
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Section 7.1 Limitation of Liability |
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68 |
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Section 7.2 Management of Business |
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68 |
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Section 7.3 Outside Activities |
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68 |
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Section 7.4 Return of Capital |
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69 |
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Section 7.5 Rights of Limited Partners Relating to the Partnership |
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69 |
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ARTICLE
VIII
BOOKS, RECORDS, ACCOUNTING AND REPORTS
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Section 8.1 Records and Accounting |
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70 |
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Section 8.2 Fiscal Year |
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70 |
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Section 8.3 Reports |
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70 |
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ARTICLE IX
TAX MATTERS
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Section 9.1 Preparation of Tax Returns |
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71 |
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Section 9.2 Tax Elections |
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71 |
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Section 9.3 Tax Controversies |
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71 |
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Section 9.4 Organizational Expenses |
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71 |
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Section 9.5 Withholding |
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71 |
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Section 9.6 Entity Level Taxation |
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72 |
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Section 9.7 Entity Level Arrearage Collections |
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72 |
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Section 9.8 Opinions of Counsel |
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73 |
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ARTICLE X
CERTIFICATES
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Section 10.1 Certificates |
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73 |
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Section 10.2 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange |
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73 |
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Section 10.3 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates |
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74 |
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Section 10.4 Record Holder |
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75 |
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ARTICLE XI
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
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Section 11.1 Transfer |
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75 |
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Section 11.2 Transfer of the General Partner Interest |
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76 |
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Section 11.3 Transfer of Units (other than General Partner Units) |
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76 |
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Section 11.4 Restrictions on Transfers |
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77 |
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Section 11.5 Citizenship Certificates; Non citizen Assignees |
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77 |
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Section 11.6 Redemption of Interests |
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78 |
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Section 11.7 Transfer of IDRs |
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79 |
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ARTICLE XII
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
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Section 12.1 Admission of Initial Limited Partners |
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79 |
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Section 12.2 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners |
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79 |
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Section 12.3 Admission of Successor General Partner |
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80 |
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Section 12.4 Admission of Additional Limited Partners |
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80 |
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Section 12.5 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership |
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81 |
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ARTICLE XIII
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
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Section 13.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner |
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81 |
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Section 13.2 Removal of the General Partner |
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82 |
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Section 13.3 Interest of Departing Partner and Successor General Partner |
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83 |
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Section 13.4 Withdrawal of Limited Partners |
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84 |
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ARTICLE XIV
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
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Section 14.1 Dissolution |
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84 |
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Section 14.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership after Dissolution |
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85 |
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Section 14.3 Liquidation |
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86 |
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Section 14.4 Distributions in Kind |
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87 |
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Section 14.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership |
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87 |
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Section 14.6 Reasonable Time for Winding Up |
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87 |
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Section 14.7 Return of Capital Contributions |
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87 |
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Section 14.8 Capital Account Restoration |
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87 |
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Section 14.9 Waiver of Partition |
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88 |
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ARTICLE XV
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
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Section 15.1 Amendment to be Adopted Solely by General Partner |
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88 |
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Section 15.2 Amendment Procedures |
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89 |
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Section 15.3 Amendment Requirements |
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89 |
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Section 15.4 Meetings |
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90 |
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Section 15.5 Notice of a Meeting |
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91 |
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Section 15.6 Record Date |
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91 |
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Section 15.7 Adjournment |
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91 |
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Section 15.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes |
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91 |
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Section 15.9 Quorum |
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91 |
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Section 15.10 Conduct of Meeting |
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92 |
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Section 15.11 Action Without a Meeting |
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92 |
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Section 15.12 Voting and Other Rights |
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93 |
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Section 15.13 Voting Rights of Senior Units |
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93 |
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Section 15.14 Amendment of Arrearage Requirements |
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94 |
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ARTICLE XVI
MERGER
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Section 16.1 Authority |
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94 |
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Section 16.2 Procedure for Merger or Consolidation |
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94 |
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Section 16.3 Approval by Holders of Common Units of Merger or Consolidation |
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95 |
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Section 16.4 Certificate of Merger |
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96 |
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Section 16.5 Effect of Merger |
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96 |
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ARTICLE XVII
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE UNITS
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Section 17.1 Right to Acquire Xxxxx |
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00 |
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Xxxxxxx 00.0 Right to Acquire Senior Units |
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98 |
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ARTICLE XVIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
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Section 18.1 Addresses and Notices |
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99 |
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Section 18.2 References |
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99 |
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Section 18.3 Pronouns and Plurals |
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99 |
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Section 18.4 Further Action |
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100 |
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Section 18.5 Binding Effect |
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100 |
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Section 18.6 Integration |
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100 |
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Section 18.7 Creditors |
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100 |
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Section 18.8 Waiver |
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100 |
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Section 18.9 Counterparts |
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100 |
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Section 18.10 Applicable Law |
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100 |
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Section 18.11 Invalidity of Provisions |
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100 |
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FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
THIS FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF FERRELLGAS PARTNERS,
L.P., dated as of February 18, 2003, is entered into by and among Ferrellgas, Inc., a
Delaware
corporation, as the General Partner, the Persons who are Limited Partners in the Partnership as of
the date hereof and those Persons who become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as
provided herein. In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein,
the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
RECITALS:
WHEREAS, the General Partner and the organizational Limited Partner organized the Partnership
as a
Delaware limited partnership pursuant to an Agreement of Limited Partnership dated as of July
5, 1994 (the “Original Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Partnership, the Operating Partnership and Xxxxxxxx Natural Gas Liquids, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, entered into a Purchase Agreement dated November 7, 1999, relating to the
sale of Thermogas, L.L.C. to the Partnership in consideration, in part, for the issuance of Senior
Units, as defined below;
WHEREAS, to effect the transactions contemplated by the WNGL Purchase Agreement and other
matters, the Original Agreement was amended and restated (the “Amended and Restated Agreement”);
WHEREAS, on May 14, 2000, the General Partner made certain amendments to the Amended and
Restated Agreement with the consent of the holder of all of the Senior Units, as allowed by the
Amended and Restated Agreement;
WHEREAS, on June 5, 2000, the holders of Common Units approved a proposal at a special meeting
of such holders to amend the definition of “Outstanding” under the Amended and Restated Agreement;
and
WHEREAS, on June 5, 2000, the General Partner amended and restated the Amended and Restated
Agreement (the “Second Amended and Restated Agreement”) to convert the General Partner’s percentage
interest in the partnership into General Partner Units (as defined below) and make related
amendments, which amendment and restatement was made pursuant to Section 15.1 of the Amended and
Restated Agreement that provides that the General Partner may amend the Amended and Restated
Agreement without the consent of any Limited Partner to reflect a change that, in the sole
discretion of the General Partner, does not adversely affect the Limited Partners in any material
respect;
WHEREAS, on April 6, 2001, the Second Amended and Restated Agreement was amended and restated
(the “Third Amended and Restated Agreement”) to reflect (a) certain amendments to the Second
Amended and Restated Agreement made with the consent in writing
of the holder of all of the Senior Units, as allowed by the Second Amended and Restated
Agreement, (b) certain amendments made pursuant to Section 15.1 of the Second Amended and Restated
Agreement that provides that the General Partner may amend the Second Amended and Restated
Agreement without the consent of any Limited Partner to reflect a change that, in the sole
discretion of the General Partner, does not adversely affect the Limited Partners in any material
respect, and (c) the addition of Sections 5.4(a), (b) and (c) proposed by the General Partner to
allow the Common Units held by FCI, as defined below, to defer specified payments of Available
Cash, as defined below, which amendments were consented to in writing by the Limited Partners
owning not less than the minimum percentage of the Outstanding Units that were necessary to
authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners entitled to vote
thereon were present and voted in accordance with Section 15.11 of the Second Amended and Restated
Agreement, and, which addition of Sections 5.4(a), (b) and (c) became effective as of the end of
the Information Statement Period, as defined below.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Third Amended and Restated Agreement is hereby amended to reflect certain
amendments made pursuant to Section 15.1 of the Third Amended and Restated Agreement that provides
that the General Partner may amend the Third Amended and Restated Agreement without the consent of
any Limited Partner to reflect a change that:
(a) in the sole discretion of the General Partner, does not adversely affect the Limited
Partners in any material respect; or
(b) is required to effect the intent of the provisions of the Third Amended and Restated
Agreement or are otherwise contemplated by the Third Amended and Restated Agreement, which
amendments, among other things, are intended to correct an unintentional alteration of the economic
terms of the Second Amended and Restated Agreement, which alteration changed the distributions to
be made to the General Partner (as the holder of the General Partner Units) in certain
circumstances, and, as so amended, is restated in its entirety as follows:
ARTICLE I
ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS
Section 1.1 Formation and Continuation.
(a) The General Partner and the organizational Limited Partner previously formed the
Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the
Delaware Act. The General
Partner hereby amends and restates the Second Amended and Restated Agreement in its entirety to
continue the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the provisions of the
Delaware Act
and to set forth the rights and obligations of the Partners and certain matters related thereto.
This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement. 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.
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(b) In connection with the formation of the Partnership, Ferrellgas was admitted as a general
partner of the Partnership, and the organizational Limited Partner was admitted as a limited
partner of the Partnership. As of the Initial Closing Date, the interest in the Partnership of the
organizational Limited Partner was terminated and the organizational Limited Partner withdrew as a
limited partner of the Partnership.
Section 1.2 Name. The name of the Partnership is “Ferrellgas Partners, 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. 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 Partners of such change
in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.
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
shall be located at, 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 Partners. 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 Limited Partner and each Assignee hereby constitutes and appoints each of the General
Partner and, if a Liquidator shall have been selected pursuant to Section 14.3, 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 his true and lawful agent and attorney in fact, with full power and authority in
his name, place and xxxxx, 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
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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 XI, XII, XIII or XIV or
the Capital Contribution of any Partner; (E) all certificates, documents and other
instruments relating to the determination of the rights, preferences and privileges
of any class or series of Units or other Partnership Securities issued pursuant to
Section 4.2; 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 XVI; 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 required by Section 15.3 or any other
provision of this Agreement that establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners or
of the Limited Partners of any class or series required to take any action, the
General Partner or the Liquidator may exercise the power of attorney made in this
Section 1.4(a)(ii) only after the necessary vote, consent or approval of the Limited
Partners or of the Limited Partners of such class or series, as applicable.
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 XV 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 any Limited Partner or Assignee
and the transfer of all or any portion of such Limited Partner’s or Assignee’s Partnership Interest
and shall extend to such Limited Partner’s or Assignee’s heirs, successors, assigns and personal
representatives. Each such Limited Partner or Assignee 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 such Limited Partner or Assignee 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 Limited Partner or Assignee
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.
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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 dissolution of the Partnership in
accordance with the provisions of Article XIV.
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 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’s being taxed as an entity for federal
income tax purposes, then, the General Partner may impose such restrictions on the transfer of
Units or 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 such amendments to this
Agreement as the General Partner in its sole discretion may determine to be necessary or
appropriate to impose such restrictions, provided, that any such amendment to this Agreement that
would result in the delisting or suspension of trading of any class of Units on any National
Securities Exchange on which such class of Units is then traded must be approved by the holders of
at least two thirds of the Outstanding Units of such class (excluding the vote in respect of Units
held by the General Partner and its Affiliates).
ARTICLE II
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” means any transaction in which the Partnership or the Operating Partnership
acquires (through an asset acquisition, merger, stock acquisition or other form of investment)
control over all or a portion of the assets, properties or business of another Person for the
purpose of increasing the operating capacity of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership,
taken as a whole, from the operating capacity of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership,
taken as a whole, existing immediately prior to such transaction.
“Additional Limited Partner” means a Person admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner
pursuant to Section 12.4 and who is shown as such on the books and records of the Partnership.
“Additional Senior Units” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.4.
“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
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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. The “Adjusted Capital Account” in
respect of a Common Unit, a General Partner Unit, a Senior Unit, an IDR or any other specified
interest in the Partnership shall be the amount which such Adjusted Capital Account would be if
such Common Unit, General Partner Unit, Senior Unit or IDR or other interest in the Partnership
were the only interest in the Partnership held by a Partner.
“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).
“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. 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.
“Amended and Restated Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.
“Agreement” means this Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Amended and Restated Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.
“Arrearage” means as to each Quarter within the Arrearage Period, the excess, if any, of (a)
the sum of all Available Cash distributed pursuant to Sections 5.4(a)(ii) through 5.4(a)(vi) or
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5.4(b)(ii), as applicable, over (b) the sum of all Available Cash distributed pursuant to Section
5.4(a)(vii) or Section 5.4(b)(iii), as applicable, and categorized by Unit or Special Limited
Partner for each Quarter according to the amount of the excess accrued for that Unit or Special
Limited Partner pursuant to each clause of Section 5.4(a) or Section 5.4(b), as applicable. Upon
payment of any amount of the Arrearage pursuant to Section 5.4(b)(iv) or Section 5.4(c)(iii), that
amount shall no longer be considered an Arrearage.
“Arrearage Period” means the period commencing at the end of the Information Statement Period,
and ending on the earlier of (a) December 31, 2005, (b) a Change of Control, (c) upon the
occurrence of an event that causes the dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with Section
14.1, or (d) the date on which FCI no longer beneficially owns any FCI Common Units.
“Assignee” means a Non-citizen Assignee or a Person to whom one or more Units have been
transferred in a manner permitted under this Agreement and who has executed and delivered a
Transfer Application as required by this Agreement, but who has not become a Substituted Limited
Partner.
“Associate” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (i) any corporation
or organization of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or
indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest of such
corporation or organization; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20%
beneficial interest or as to which such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary
capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has
the same residence as such Person.
“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 Quarter and without duplication:
(a) the sum of:
(i) all cash receipts of the Partnership during such Quarter from all sources
(including, without limitation, distributions of cash received from the Operating
Partnership and cash proceeds from Interim Capital Transactions, but excluding cash
proceeds from Termination Capital Transactions), 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 Initial Closing Date; and
(ii) any reduction with respect to such Quarter 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 Quarter;
(b) less the sum of:
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(i) all cash disbursements of the Partnership during such Quarter, 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 the Operating Partnership 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 Quarter, and any
increase with respect to such Quarter in a cash reserve previously established
pursuant to this clause (b)(ii) from the level of such reserve at the end of the
prior Quarter, 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 or the Operating Partnership (including, without
limitation, reserves for future capital expenditures), (B) to provide funds for
distributions with respect to Units in respect of any one or more of the next four
Quarters provided, however, that for so long as any Senior Units are Outstanding,
the General Partner may not establish cash reserves for distributions pursuant to
Sections 5.4(a)(ii) through (a)(vii), 5.4(b)(ii) through (b)(iv), 5.4(c)(ii),
5.4(c)(iii) or 5.4(d)(ii) through (d)(vi) unless the General Partner has determined
that in its judgment the establishment of such reserves will not prevent the
Partnership from making distributions pursuant to Sections 5.4(a)(i), 5.4(b)(i),
5.4(c)(i) or 5.4(d)(i), as applicable, with respect to the four Quarters next
following the date on which such cash reserves are to be so established 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 or the Operating Partnership is a party or by
which any of them 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 have commenced on the Initial Closing Date.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Available Cash” with respect to any Quarter shall not include any
cash receipts or reductions in reserves or take into account any disbursements made or reserves
established in each case after the Liquidation Date. Taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of,
or amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners shall not be considered
cash disbursements of the Partnership that reduce Available Cash, but the payment or withholding
thereof shall be deemed to be a distribution of Available Cash to the Partners other than the
Limited Partners holding Senior Units. Alternatively, in the discretion of the General Partner,
such taxes (if pertaining to all Partners) may be considered to be cash disbursements of the
Partnership which reduce Available Cash, but the payment or withholding thereof shall not be deemed
to be a distribution of Available Cash to such Partners. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
payment of taxes by the Partnership on behalf of Limited Partners holding Senior Units will not
satisfy the obligation of the Partnership to pay the Senior Unit Distribution.
“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
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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.
“Capital Account” means the capital account maintained for a Partner pursuant to Section 4.5.
“Capital Additions and Improvements” means (a) additions or improvements to the capital assets
owned by the Partnership or the Operating Partnership or (b) the acquisition of existing or the
construction of new capital assets (including, without limitation, retail distribution outlets,
propane tanks, pipeline systems, storage facilities and related assets), made to increase the
operating capacity of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, taken as a whole, from the
operating capacity of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, taken as a whole, existing
immediately prior to such addition, improvement, acquisition or construction.
“Capital Contribution” means any cash, cash equivalents or the Net Agreed Value of Contributed
Property that a Partner contributes to the Partnership pursuant to the Contribution Agreement or
Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 13.3(c) or 14.8.
“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’ and Assignees’ 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.
“Cash from Interim Capital Transactions” means, at any date, such amounts of Available Cash as
are deemed to be Cash from Interim Capital Transactions pursuant to Section 5.3.
“Cash from Operations” means, at the close of any Quarter but prior to the Liquidation Date,
on a cumulative basis and without duplication,
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(a) the sum of all cash receipts of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership during the
period since the Initial Closing Date through such date (including, without limitation, the cash
balance of the Partnership as of the close of business on the Initial Closing Date, plus an initial
balance of $25 million, excluding any cash proceeds from any Interim Capital Transactions (except
to the extent specified in Section 5.3) and Termination Capital Transactions),
(b) less the sum of:
(i) all cash operating expenditures of the Partnership and the Operating
Partnership during such period, including, without limitation, taxes, if any, and
amounts owed to the General Partner as reimbursement pursuant to Section 6.4,
(ii) all cash debt service payments of the Partnership and the Operating
Partnership during such period (other than payments or prepayments of principal and
premium (A) required by reason of loan agreements (including, without limitation,
covenants and default provisions therein) or by lenders, in each case in connection
with sales or other dispositions of assets or (B) made in connection with
refinancings or refundings of indebtedness with the proceeds from new indebtedness
or from the sale of equity interests, provided, that any payment or prepayment of
principal and premium, whether or not then due, shall be deemed, at the election and
in the discretion of the General Partner, to be refunded or refinanced by any
indebtedness incurred or to be incurred by the Partnership or the Operating
Partnership simultaneously with or within 180 days prior to or after such payment or
prepayment to the extent of the principal amount of such indebtedness so incurred),
(iii) all cash capital expenditures of the Partnership and the Operating
Partnership during such period, including, without limitation, cash capital
expenditures made in respect of Maintenance Capital Expenditures, but excluding (A)
cash capital expenditures made in respect of Acquisitions and Capital Additions and
Improvements and (B) cash expenditures made in payment of transaction expenses
relating to Interim Capital Transactions,
(iv) any cash reserves of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership
outstanding as of such date that the General Partner deems in its reasonable
discretion to be necessary or appropriate to provide for the future cash payment of
items of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (iii) of this sentence, and
(v) any cash reserves of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership
outstanding as of such date that the General Partner deems in its reasonable
discretion to be necessary or appropriate to provide funds for distributions with
respect to Units in respect of any one or more of the next four Quarters,
all as determined on a consolidated basis and after taking into account the General Partner’s
interest therein attributable to its general partner interest in the Operating Partnership. Where
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cash capital expenditures are made in part in respect of Acquisitions or Capital Additions and
Improvements and in part for other purposes, the General Partner’s good faith allocation thereof
between the portion made for Acquisitions or Capital Additions and Improvements and the portion
made for other purposes shall be conclusive. Taxes paid by the Partnership on behalf of, or
amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the Partners shall not be considered cash
operating expenditures of the Partnership that reduce Cash from Operations, but the payment or
withholding thereof shall be deemed to be a distribution of Available Cash to such Partners.
Alternatively, in the discretion of the General Partner, such taxes (if pertaining to all Partners)
may be considered to be cash operating expenditures of the Partnership which reduce Cash from
Operations, but the payment or withholding thereof shall not be deemed to be a distribution of
Available Cash to such Partners.
“Cause” means a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable judgment
finding the General Partner liable for actual fraud, gross negligence or willful or wanton
misconduct in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership.
“Ceiling Quarterly Distribution” means the highest distribution per Quarter made for any of
the immediately preceding four Quarters per Common Unit (other than an FCI Common Unit) pursuant to
Section 5.4, or if the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage is equal to zero (determined after
giving the effect to the application of Section 5.4 for the current Quarter), then the distribution
to be made for the current Quarter per Common Unit as declared by the General Partner; provided,
however, that in no case may the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution be less than the Minimum Quarterly
Distribution.
“Certificate” means a certificate (a) substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Agreement
with respect to the Common Units, (b) substantially in the form of Exhibit B to this Agreement with
respect to the Senior Units, (c) issued in global or book-entry form in accordance with the rules
and regulations of the Depository, or (d) in such other form as may be adopted by the General
Partner in its sole discretion, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of one or more
Common Units or Senior Units, as the case may be, or a certificate, in such form as may be adopted
by the General Partner in its sole discretion, issued by the Partnership evidencing ownership of
one or more other Units.
“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.
“Change of Control” means (a) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership to any Person or
group (as such term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx,
the Related Parties and any Person of which Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx and the Related Parties beneficially
own in the aggregate 51% or more of the outstanding voting stock (or if such Person is a
partnership, 51% or more of the general partner interests), (b) the liquidation or dissolution of
the Partnership, the Operating Partnership or the General Partner, (c) the occurrence of any
transaction, the result of which is that Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx and the Related Parties beneficially own
in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, less than 51% of the outstanding voting stock entitled to
vote for the election of directors of the General Partner and (d) the occurrence of any
transaction,
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the result of which is that the General Partner is no longer the sole general partner of the
Partnership or the Operating Partnership.
“Citizenship Certification” means a properly completed certificate in such form as may be
specified by the General Partner by which an Assignee or a Limited Partner certifies that he (and
if he is a nominee holding for the account of another Person, that to the best of his knowledge
such other Person) is an Eligible Citizen.
“Closing Price” for any day means the last sale price on such day, regular way, or in case no
such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day,
regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system
with respect to securities listed on the principal National Securities Exchange on which the Units
of such class are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Units of such class are not listed or
admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, the last quoted price on such day or, if
not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices on such day in the over the counter
market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation
System or such other system then in use, or if on any such day the Units of such class are not
quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices on such day as
furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Units of such class selected by the
Board of Directors of the General Partner, or if on any such day no market maker is making a market
in the Units of such class, the fair value of such Units on such day as determined reasonably and
in good faith by the Board of Directors of the General Partner.
“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.
“Combined Interest” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 13.3(a).
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Unit” means a Unit representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all
Limited Partners and Assignees and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to
Common Units in this Agreement. The term “Common Unit” shall specifically include all FCI Common
Units and, except with respect to certain allocations and distributions to the extent specified in
Article V or pursuant to Section 15.14(a), the FCI Common Units shall not be treated as a separate
class or series of Units or Partnership Securities from other Common Units under any provision of
this Agreement, specifically including, but not limited to, any voting purpose, right or privilege.
“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. 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” means that certain Contribution, Conveyance and Assumption Agreement,
dated as of the Initial Closing Date, between Ferrellgas, the Partnership and the
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Operating
Partnership, together with the additional conveyance documents and instruments contemplated or
referenced thereunder.
“Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage” means, with respect to all FCI Common Units, whenever
issued, and as of the end of any Quarter, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum resulting from adding
together the FCI Common Unit Arrearage as to all FCI Common Units for each of the Quarters within
the Arrearage Period including the current Quarter over (b) the sum of any distributions
theretofore made pursuant to Sections 5.4(b)(iv) and 5.4(c)(iii) with respect to such FCI Common
Units (determined after giving effect to any distributions to be made in the current Quarter).
“Curative Allocation” means any allocation of an item of income, gain, deduction, loss or
credit pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.1(d)(xi).
“Current Market Price” as of any date of any class of Units listed or admitted to trading on
any National Securities Exchange means the average of the daily Closing Prices per Unit of such
class for the 20 consecutive Trading Days immediately prior to such date.
“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 13.1 or 13.2.
“Depositary” means with respect to any Units issued in global or book-entry form, The
Depository Trust Company and its successors and permitted assigns.
“Economic Risk of Loss” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulation Section 1.752 2(a).
“Eligible Citizen” means a Person qualified to own interests in real property in jurisdictions
in which the Partnership or the Operating Partnership does business or proposes to do business from
time to time, and whose status as a Limited Partner or Assignee does not or would not subject the
Partnership or the Operating Partnership to a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any
of its properties or any interest therein.
“Event of Withdrawal” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 13.1(a).
“FCI” means Xxxxxxx Companies, Inc., a Kansas corporation.
“FCI Common Unit” means any Common Units beneficially owned by FCI or the last FCI Common Unit
owned by another holder specified in Section 4.5(c). Any FCI Common Unit Outstanding and no
longer beneficially owned by FCI (other than the last FCI Common Unit specified in Section 4.5(c))
shall have, as a substantive manner in the hands of a subsequent holder like intrinsic economic and
federal income tax characteristics in all material respects, to
the intrinsic economic and federal income tax characteristics of a Common Unit then
Outstanding.
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“FCI Common Unit Arrearage” means, with respect to any FCI Common Unit and as to each Quarter
within the Arrearage Period, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum of all Available Cash distributed
for that Quarter with respect to a Common Unit (other than an FCI Common Unit) then Outstanding
pursuant to Sections 5.4(a)(ii) through 5.4(a)(vi) or Section 5.4(b)(ii), as applicable, over (b)
the sum of all Available Cash distributed for that Quarter with respect to an FCI Common Unit
pursuant to Section 5.4(a)(vii) or Section 5.4(b)(iii), as applicable.
“FCI ESOT” means the employee stock ownership trust related to the employee stock ownership
plan of FCI organized under Section 4975(e)(7) of the Code.
“Ferrellgas” means Ferrellgas, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of
FCI.
“First Liquidation Target Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.1(c)(i)(D).
“First Target Distribution” means $0.55 per Unit (or, with respect to the period commencing on
the Initial Closing Date and ending on October 31, 1994, the product of $0.55 multiplied by a
fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period and of which the denominator
is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.6(b) and (c) and Section 9.6.
“General Partner” means Ferrellgas, and its successors as general partner of the Partnership.
“General Partner Interest” means the ownership interest of the General Partner in the
Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any other Partnership
Interests in the Partnership held by it) which is evidenced by General Partner Units and includes
any and all benefits to which the General Partner is entitled as provided in this Agreement,
together with all obligations of the General Partner to comply with the terms and provisions of
this Agreement.
“General Partner Unit” means a Unit representing a fractional part of the General Partner
Interest and having the rights and obligations specified with respect to the General Partner Units
in this Agreement.
“Group” means a Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has any
agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except
voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy or
consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons) or disposing of any Partnership Securities with
any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or Associates beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, Partnership Interests.
“Holder” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.13(a).
“IDR” means a Partnership Interest issued to Ferrellgas in connection with the transfer of its
assets to the Partnership pursuant to Section 4.2, which Partnership Interest shall confer upon
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the
holder thereof only the rights and obligations specifically provided in this Agreement with respect
to IDRs (and no other rights otherwise available to holders of a Partnership Interest).
“Incentive Distribution” means any amount of cash distributed to the Special Limited Partners,
pursuant to Section 5.4.
“Indemnified Persons” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.13(c).
“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.
“Information Statement Period” means the period that commences on the mailing of an
Information Statement to the holders of the Common Units (other than the FCI Common Units) that
informs those holders of FCI’s consent to the addition of Sections 5.4(a), (b) and (c), which
period ends twenty (20) days after the commencement of the mailing.
“Initial Closing Date” means July 5, 1994.
“Initial Limited Partners” means Ferrellgas (with respect to the Common Units it owned) and
the Underwriters.
“Initial Offering” means the initial offering and sale of Common Units to the public, as
described in the Registration Statement.
“Initial Unit Price” means (a) with respect to the Common Units, $21.00 or (b) with respect to
any other class or series of Units, the price per Unit at which such class or series of Units is
initially sold by the Partnership, as determined by the General Partner, in each case adjusted as
the General Partner determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or
combination of Units.
“Interim Capital Transactions” means (a) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of
indebtedness and sales of debt securities (other than for working capital purposes and other than
for items purchased on open account in the ordinary course of business) by the Partnership or the
Operating Partnership, (b) sales of equity interests (including Common Units sold to the
Underwriters pursuant to the exercise of the Overallotment Option) by the Partnership or the
Operating Partnership and (c) sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of any assets of
the Partnership or the Operating Partnership (other than (x) sales or other dispositions of
inventory in the ordinary course of business, (y) sales or other dispositions of other current
assets including, without limitation, receivables and accounts and (z) sales or other dispositions
of assets as a part of normal retirements or replacements), in each case prior to the commencement
of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership.
“Issue Price” means the price at which a Unit is purchased from the Partnership, less any
sales commission or underwriting discount charged to the Partnership.
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“Limited Partner” means, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) each Initial Limited
Partner, each Substituted Limited Partner, each Additional Limited Partner and any Departing
Partner upon the change of its status from General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section
13.3, subject to the provisions of Section 5.7, (b) solely for the purposes of Section 1.4 and
Articles VI and VII, each Special Limited Partner and (c) solely for purposes of Articles IV, V and
VI and Sections 14.3 and 14.4, each Assignee.
“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 14.2, the
date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of Outstanding Units have the
right to elect to reconstitute the Partnership and continue its business has expired without such
an election being 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 14.3 who
performs the functions described therein.
“Maintenance Capital Expenditures” means cash capital expenditures made to maintain, up to the
level thereof that existed at the time of such expenditure, the operating capacity of the capital
assets of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, taken as a whole, as such assets existed
at the time of such expenditure and shall, therefore, not include cash capital expenditures made in
respect of Acquisitions and Capital Additions and Improvements. Where cash capital expenditures
are made in part to maintain the operating capacity level referred to in the immediately preceding
sentence and in part for other purposes, the General Partner’s good faith allocation thereof
between the portion used to maintain such operating capacity level and the portion used for other
purposes shall be conclusive.
“Material Event” means the occurrence of any of the following events while any Senior Units
are owned by The Xxxxxxxx Companies, Inc. or owned directly or indirectly by Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx or
any Related Party: (a) a Change of Control; (b) the Partnership or the Operating Partnership is
treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or is otherwise
subject to taxation as an entity for federal income tax purposes; (c) the Partnership issues any
Partnership Interests for cash prior to December 31, 2005 (other than issuances pursuant to the
Ferrellgas, Inc. Unit Option Plan) and the first $40 million of the aggregate proceeds of such
issuances are not used to redeem the Senior Units; (d) the Partnership issues any Partnership
Interests for cash prior to December 31, 2005, and the aggregate proceeds of such issuances above
the amount specified in clause (c) are not used to redeem the Senior Units (other than (i)
issuances pursuant to the Ferrellgas, Inc. Unit Option Plan and (ii) up to $20 million of the
aggregate proceeds of such issuances used to reduce indebtedness or other off-balance sheet credit
facilities of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership); or (e) the Partnership fails to pay
the Senior Unit Distribution in full for any Quarter.
“Merger Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 16.1.
“Minimum Quarterly Distribution” means $0.50 per Common Unit per Quarter (or, with respect to
the period commencing on the Initial Closing Date and ending on October 31, 1994, the product of
$0.55 multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in
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such period and of
which the denominator is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.6(b) and (c) and
Section 9.6.
“National Securities Exchange” means an exchange registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under Section 6(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented or
restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“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 or Assignee 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 or Assignee 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 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.
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“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 the Operating Partnership) 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 the Operating Partnership) 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.
“Non-citizen Assignee” means a Person who the General Partner has determined in its sole
discretion does not constitute an Eligible Citizen and as to whose Partnership Interest the General
Partner has become the Substituted Limited Partner, pursuant to Section 11.5.
“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).
“Notice of Election to Purchase” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 17.1(b).
“Operating Partnership” means Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.
“Operating Partnership Agreement” means the Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating
Partnership, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to
Ferrellgas, any Affiliate of Ferrellgas, the Partnership or the General Partner) acceptable to the
General Partner.
“Original Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.
“Outstanding” means, with respect to the Units or other Partnership Securities, all Units or
other Partnership Securities that are issued by the Partnership and reflected as outstanding on the
Partnership’s books and records as of the date of determination; provided that, if at any time
any Person or Group (other than Ferrellgas, its Affiliates and except as provided below) owns
beneficially 20% or more of all Common Units, such Common Units so owned shall not be voted on any
matter and shall not be considered to be Outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Limited
Partners (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes,
- 18 -
determining the presence
of a quorum or for other similar purposes under this Agreement, except that such Common Units shall
be considered to be Outstanding for purposes of Section 13.1(b)(iv) (such Common Units shall not,
however, be treated as a separate class or series of Partnership Securities for purposes of this
Agreement). Notwithstanding the above, the Common Units issued upon conversion of the Senior
Units, so long as such Common Units are held by WNGL, its successors, directly or indirectly by The
Xxxxxxxx Companies, Inc. or directly or indirectly by Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx or any Related Party (1)
shall at all times be considered Outstanding for purposes of this Agreement and have all rights
specified with respect to Common Units in this Agreement and (2) shall be included with any other
Common Units in determining whether WNGL, its successors, The Xxxxxxxx Companies, Inc., Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx or any Related Party own beneficially 20% or more of all Common Units with respect to those
other Common Units that were not converted from Senior Units.
“Overallotment Option” means the overallotment option granted to the Underwriters by the
Partnership pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
“Partners” means the General Partner, the Limited Partners and the Special Limited Partners.
“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 Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership established by
the Certificate of Limited Partnership, and any successors thereto.
“Partnership Interest” means an interest in the Partnership, which shall include General
Partner Units, Senior Units, Common Units, IDRs or other Partnership Securities, or a combination
thereof or interest therein, as the case may be.
“Partnership Minimum Gain” means that amount determined in accordance with the principles of
Treasury Regulation Section 1.704 2(d).
“Partnership Securities” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 4.3(a).
“Per Unit Capital Amount” means, as of any date of determination, the Capital Account, stated
on a per Unit basis, underlying any Unit held by a Person.
“Percentage Interest” means as of the date of such determination (a) as to any Partner or
Assignee holding Units, the product of (i) 100% less the percentage applicable to clause (b)
multiplied by (ii) the quotient of the number of Units held by such Partner or Assignee divided
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by
the total number of all Outstanding Units (other than Senior Units), and (b) as to the holders of
additional Partnership Securities issued by the Partnership in accordance with Section 4.3, the
percentage established as a part of such issuance. The Senior Units have not been allocated a
Percentage Interest.
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, partnership, trust, unincorporated
organization, association or other entity.
“Pro Rata” means (a) when modifying Units or any class thereof, apportioned equally among all
designated Units or class thereof in accordance with their relative Percentage Interests, (b) when
modifying Partners and Assignees, apportioned among all Partners and Assignees in accordance with
their relative Percentage Interests, and (c) when modifying holders of IDRs, apportioned equally
among all holders of IDRs in accordance with the relative number of IDRs held by such holder.
“Purchase Date” means the date determined by the General Partner as the date for purchase of
all Outstanding Units (other than Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) pursuant
to Article XVII.
“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.
“Record Date” means the date established by the General Partner for determining (a) the
identity of the Record Holder entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited Partners
or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing without a meeting
or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b) the
identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution.
“Record Holder” means the Person in whose name a Unit is registered on the books of the
Transfer Agent as of the opening of business on a particular Business Day, or with respect to a
holder of a General Partner Unit or an IDR, the Person in whose name such General Partner Unit or
IDR is registered on the books which the General Partner has caused to be kept as of the opening of
business on such Business Day.
“Redeemable Units” means any Units for which a redemption notice has been given, and has not
been withdrawn, under Section 11.6.
“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
Partnership with the Commission under the Securities Act to register the offering and sale of the
Common Units in the Initial Offering.
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“Related Party” means (a) the spouse or any lineal descendant of Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, (b) any
trust for his benefit or for the benefit of his spouse or any such lineal descendants, (c) any
corporation, partnership or other entity in which Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx and/or such other Persons
referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) are the direct record and beneficial owners of all
of the voting and nonvoting securities, (d) the FCI ESOT and (e) any participant in the FCI ESOT
whose ESOT account has been allocated shares of FCI.
“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)(ii) or (b) Sections
5.1(d)(i), 5.1(d)(ii), 5.1(d)(iv), 5.1(d)(v), 5.1(d)(vi), 5.1(d)(vii) and 5.1(d)(ix), 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 Initial Closing Date.
“Second Amended and Restated Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals
hereto.
“Second Liquidation Target Amount” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section
5.1(c)(i)(E).
“Second Target Distribution” means $0.63 per Unit (or, with respect to the period commencing
on the Initial Closing Date and ending on October 31, 1994, the product of $0.55 multiplied by a
fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period and of which the denominator
is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.6(b) and (c) and Section 9.6.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, supplemented or restated from
time to time and any successor to such statute.
“Senior Unit” means a Unit representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all
Limited Partners and Assignees having the rights and obligations specified with respect to Senior
Units in this Agreement. The term “Senior Unit” includes all Additional Senior Units.
“Senior Unit Distribution” means distributions that are required to be paid on the Senior
Units (including Additional Senior Units) at a quarterly rate equal to the sum of (a) $1.00 per
Senior Unit per Quarter (or part thereof or, with respect to the period commencing with the WNGL
Closing Date and ending on January 31, 2000, the product of $1.00 multiplied by a fraction of which
the numerator is the number of days in such period and of which the denominator is 92), plus (b) an
additional $0.50 per Senior Unit per Quarter (or part thereof) if
- 21 -
the Partnership fails to pay in
full the Senior Unit Redemption Price on or prior to the Senior Unit Redemption Date, in each case
accumulating from and including the date of such failure or default in clause (b) until the date
such failure or default has been cured by the Partnership. Each of the amounts set forth in
clauses (a) and (b) are subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 5.6(a).
All Senior Unit Distributions shall be cumulative, whether or not declared and whether or not
there is sufficient Available Cash for the payment thereof, on a daily basis from the WNGL Closing
Date and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each distribution payment date pursuant to
Section 5.3(a), commencing on the first distribution payment date after the WNGL Closing Date. Any
unpaid or undistributed Senior Unit Distributions will compound on a quarterly basis at a rate
equal to the then applicable distribution rate, calculated in accordance with the first sentence of
this definition. If any Senior Unit Distributions are payable through the issuance of Additional
Senior Units pursuant to Section 5.4 and are so paid by such issuance, such Senior Unit
Distributions shall be deemed paid in full. Any Additional Senior Units that are required to be
issued and distributed, but which are not issued and distributed as required, will be entitled to
the Senior Unit Distribution as if they were issued and distributed as required.
“Senior Unit Liquidation Preference” means $40.00 per Senior Unit, subject to adjustment in
accordance with Section 5.6(a).
“Senior Unit Redemption Date” means the date the Partnership shall pay the Senior Unit
Redemption Price to the holders of Senior Units pursuant to Section 17.2(b).
“Senior Unit Redemption Notice” means a written notice from the Partnership to the holder or
holders of Senior Units setting forth:
(a) the Senior Unit Redemption Price;
(b) whether all or less than all of the Outstanding Senior Units are to be redeemed and the
total number of Senior Units being redeemed;
(c) the Senior Unit Redemption Date;
(d) that the holder is to surrender to the Partnership, in the manner, at the place or places
and at the price designated, his certificate or certificates representing the Senior Units to be
redeemed; and
(e) that distributions on the Senior Units to be redeemed shall cease to accumulate on such
Senior Unit Redemption Date unless the Partnership defaults in the payment of the redemption price.
“Senior Unit Redemption Price” means, with respect to each Senior Unit called for redemption
in accordance with the Senior Unit Redemption Notice pursuant to Section 17.2(b), an amount in cash
equal to the Senior Unit Liquidation Preference, plus an amount equal to any accumulated and unpaid
Senior Unit Distributions on such Senior Units to the Senior Unit Redemption Date.
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“Special Approval” means approval by the Audit Committee.
“Special Limited Partner” means each holder of an IDR.
“Special Limited Partners Book Capital” means, as of any date of determination, the amount
equal to the sum of the balances of the Capital Accounts of all the Special Limited Partners,
determined pursuant to Section 4.5 (prior to any adjustment pursuant to Section 4.5(d) arising upon
the present event requiring a valuation of the Partnership’s assets).
“Subordinated Unit” means a Unit representing a fractional part of the Partnership Interests
of all Limited Partners and Assignees and having the rights and obligations specified with respect
to Subordinated Units in the Original Agreement. Each Outstanding Subordinated Unit converted into
a Common Unit on a one-for-one basis as of August 1, 1999.
“Subordination Period” means the period which commenced on the Initial Closing Date and ended
on August 1, 1999.
“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 (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 12.2 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 16.2(b).
“Termination Capital Transactions” means any sale, transfer or other disposition of property
of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership occurring upon or incident to the liquidation and
winding up of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership pursuant to Article XIV.
“Third Amended and Restated Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals
hereto.
“Third Target Distribution” means $0.82 per Unit (or, with respect to the period commencing on
the Initial Closing Date and ending on October 31, 1994, the product of $0.55 multiplied by a
fraction of which the numerator is the number of days in such period and of
- 23 -
which the denominator
is 92), subject to adjustment in accordance with Sections 5.6(b) and (c) and Section 9.6.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal National Securities Exchange on which the
Units of any class are listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if
Units of a class are not listed or admitted to trading on any National Securities Exchange, a day
on which banking institutions in New York City generally are open.
“Transaction” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.7(g).
“Transfer” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(a).
“Transfer Agent” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including, without
limitation, the General Partner or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time
by the Partnership to act as registrar and transfer agent for the Units.
“Transfer Application” means an application and agreement for transfer of Units in the form
set forth on the back of a Certificate or in a form substantially to the same effect in a separate
instrument.
“Underwriter” means each Person named as an underwriter in Schedule I to the Underwriting
Agreement who purchased Common Units pursuant thereto.
“Underwriting Agreement” means the Underwriting Agreement dated June 27, 1994, among the
Underwriters, the Partnership, the General Partner and FCI providing for the purchase of Common
Units by such Underwriters.
“Unit” means a Partnership Interest of a Partner or Assignee in the Partnership representing a
fractional part of the Partnership Interests of all Partners and Assignees and shall include,
without limitation, General Partner Units, Senior Units and Common Units; provided, that each
General Partner Unit at any time Outstanding shall represent the same fractional part of the
Partnership Interests of all Partners and Assignees holding General Partner Units as each other
General Partner Unit, each Senior Unit at any time Outstanding shall represent the same fractional
part of the Partnership Interests of all Partners and Assignees holding Senior Units as each other
Senior Unit, and each Common Unit at any time Outstanding shall represent the same fractional part
of the Partnership Interests of all Partners and Assignees holding Common Units as each other
Common Unit.
“Unitholders” means the holders of Common Units and General Partner Units but shall not
include holders of Senior Units.
“Unpaid MQD” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.1(c)(i)(C).
“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).
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“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)).
“Unrecovered Initial Unit Price” means, at any time, with respect to a class or series of
Units (other than Senior Units and General Partner Units), the price per Unit at which such class
or series of Units was initially offered to the public for sale by the underwriters in respect of
such offering, as determined by the General Partner, less the sum of all distributions theretofore
made in respect of a Unit of such class or series that was sold in the initial offering of Units of
said class or series constituting Cash from Interim Capital Transactions and any distributions of
cash (or the Net Agreed Value of any distributions in kind) in connection with the dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership theretofore made in respect of a Unit of such class or series that
was sold in the initial offering of Units of such class or series, adjusted as the General Partner
determines to be appropriate to give effect to any distribution, subdivision or combination of
Units.
“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 13.1(b).
“WNGL” means Xxxxxxxx Natural Gas Liquids, Inc., a Delaware corporation
“WNGL Closing Date” means the closing date of the transactions contemplated by the WNGL
Purchase Agreement.
“WNGL Purchase Agreement” means that certain Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 7, 1999,
as amended, by and among the Partnership, the Operating Partnership and WNGL.
“WNGL Registration Rights Agreement” means that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated
the WNGL Closing Date, as amended, between the Partnership and WNGL.
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
Purpose and Business. The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the
Partnership shall be (a) to serve as a limited partner in the Operating Partnership and, in
connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership as a
limited partner in the Operating Partnership pursuant to the Operating Partnership Agreement or
otherwise, (b) to engage directly in, or to enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint
venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage in, any business activity that
the Operating Partnership is permitted to engage in by the Operating Partnership Agreement 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,
(c) to engage directly in, or to enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint venture,
limited liability company or other arrangement to engage in, any business activity that is approved
by the General Partner and which lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized
pursuant to the Delaware Act and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and
- 25 -
powers
conferred upon the Partnership pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity, and
(d) to do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including, without limitation, the
making of capital contributions or loans to the Operating Partnership. The General Partner has no
obligation or duty to the Partnership, the Limited Partners, the Special Limited Partners or the
Assignees 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
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 and was
admitted as the general partner of the Partnership, and the organizational Limited Partner made a
Capital Contribution to the Partnership and was admitted as a limited partner of the Partnership.
Section 4.2 Contributions by the General Partner and the Initial Limited Partners;
Contributions on the WNGL Closing Date and issuance of General Partner Units.
(a) On the Initial Closing Date, the General Partner contributed and delivered to the
Partnership, as a Capital Contribution, a limited partner interest in the Operating Partnership
which, together with the Partnership Interest (as defined in the Operating Partnership Agreement)
previously held by the Partnership, represented a 98.9899% Percentage Interest (as defined in the
Operating Partnership Agreement) in the Operating Partnership, in exchange for (i) the continuation
of its Partnership Interest as general partner in the Partnership, subject to all of the rights,
privileges and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement, (ii) 1,000,000 Common Units and
16,593,721 Subordinated Units and (iii) the IDRs.
(b) On the Initial Closing Date, each Underwriter contributed and delivered to the Partnership
cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Common Unit, multiplied by the number of Common
Units specified in the Underwriting Agreement to be purchased by such Underwriter. In exchange for
such Capital Contribution by the Underwriters, the Partnership issued Common Units to each
Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution was made in an amount equal to the quotient
obtained by dividing (x) the cash contribution to the Partnership by or on behalf of such
Underwriter by (y) the Issue Price per Common Unit. Immediately after these contributions, the
Initial Capital Contribution of the General Partner and
the organizational Limited Partner were refunded, the interest of the organizational Limited
Partner was terminated and the organizational Limited Partner ceased to be a Limited Partner.
(c) To the extent that the Underwriters’ Overallotment Option was exercised, each Underwriter
contributed and delivered to the Partnership cash in an amount equal to the Issue Price per Common
Unit multiplied by the number of Common Units purchased by such
- 26 -
Underwriter pursuant to the
Overallotment Option. In exchange for such Capital Contribution, the Partnership issued Common
Units to each Underwriter on whose behalf such Capital Contribution was made in an amount equal to
the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the cash contribution to the Partnership by or on behalf of
such Underwriter by (y) the Issue Price per Common Unit.
(d) On the WNGL Closing Date, pursuant to the WNGL Purchase Agreement, WNGL contributed all of
its interests in Thermogas L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (previously Thermogas
Company, a Delaware corporation), to the Partnership in exchange for 4,375,000 Senior Units.
(e) On June 5, 2000, the Partnership issued 316,233 General Partner Units to represent the
General Partner Interest as of that date, which number is equal to one percent of the quotient of
the number of Common Units then Outstanding divided by ninety-nine percent rounded down to the
nearest whole number of General Partner Units.
(f) Immediately upon the conversion of Senior Units into Common Units as provided in Section
5.7(b), the Partnership will issue to the General Partner (for no consideration) that number of
General Partner Units which will cause the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest
immediately after such conversion to be equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner
Interest immediately prior to such conversion.
(g) If the Partnership issues additional Common Units and uses the proceeds from that issuance
to redeem any of the Senior Units pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, the Partnership will
issue to the General Partner (for no consideration) that number of General Partner Units equal to
the $1,767,677 Capital Contribution made by the General Partner to the Partnership at the time of
the issuance of the Senior Units divided by the issuance price of such Common Units. This clause
(g) shall not obviate the provisions of Section 4.3 to the extent those provisions otherwise apply
to that issuance of Common Units.
Section 4.3 Issuances of Additional Units and Other Securities.
(a) Subject to Section 4.3(c), the General Partner is hereby authorized to cause the
Partnership to issue, in addition to the Partnership Interests and Units issued pursuant to
Sections 4.1 and 4.2, such additional Units (other than General Partner Units), or classes or
series thereof, or options, rights, warrants or appreciation rights relating thereto, or any other
type of equity security that the Partnership may lawfully issue, any unsecured or secured debt
obligations of the Partnership convertible into any class or series of equity securities of the
Partnership (collectively, “Partnership Securities”), for any Partnership purpose, at any time or
from time to time, to the Partners or to other Persons for such consideration and on such terms and
conditions as shall be established by the General Partner in its sole discretion, all without the
approval of any Limited Partners. The General Partner shall have sole discretion, subject to
the guidelines set forth in this Section 4.3 and the requirements of the Delaware Act, in
determining the consideration and terms and conditions with respect to any future issuance of
Partnership Securities.
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(b) Additional Partnership Securities to be issued by the Partnership pursuant to this Section
4.3 shall be issuable from time to time in one or more classes, or one or more series of any of
such classes, with such designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other
special rights, powers and duties, including, without limitation, rights, powers and duties senior
to existing classes and series of Partnership Securities (except as provided in Section 4.3(c)),
all as shall be fixed by the General Partner in the exercise of its sole discretion, subject to
Delaware law and Section 4.3(c), including, without limitation, (i) the allocations of items of
Partnership income, gain, loss, deduction and credit to each such class or series of Partnership
Securities; (ii) the right of each such class or series of Partnership Securities to share in
Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights of each such class or series of Partnership Securities
upon dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether such class or series of
additional Partnership Securities is redeemable by the Partnership and, if so, the price at which,
and the terms and conditions upon which, such class or series of additional Partnership Securities
may be redeemed by the Partnership; (v) whether such class or series of additional Partnership
Securities is issued with the privilege of conversion and, if so, the rate at which, and the terms
and conditions upon which, such class or series of Partnership Securities may be converted into any
other class or series of Partnership Securities or other property; (vi) the terms and conditions
upon which each such class or series of Partnership Securities will be issued, evidenced by
certificates and assigned or transferred; and (vii) the right, if any, of each such class or series
of Partnership Securities to vote on Partnership matters, including, without limitation, matters
relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of each such class or series.
(c) Notwithstanding the terms of Sections 4.3(a) and 4.3(b), the issuance by the Partnership
of any Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 4.3 shall be subject to the following
restrictions and limitations:
(i) Except for the issuance of Additional Senior Units pursuant to Section 5.4,
for so long as any Senior Units are Outstanding, the Partnership shall not create,
authorize or issue additional Partnership Securities (or securities convertible into
Partnership Securities) having distribution rights or liquidation rights ranking
prior or senior to, or on a parity with, the Senior Units, without the prior
approval of the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Senior Units; and
(ii) The General Partner may, at any time, make a Capital Contribution to the
Partnership so that the General Partner will have made aggregate Capital
Contributions equal to at least 1.0% of the aggregate Capital Contributions of all
Partners. Upon the issuance of any Common Units by the Partnership to any Person,
the General Partner, in its sole discretion, may simultaneously purchase (or may
purchase at any time thereafter as specified below) a number of General Partner
Units only to the extent necessary such that after taking into account the
additional Common Units issued to such Person and the General Partner Units to
be issued to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 4.3(c)(ii), the
General Partner will have a Percentage Interest of no more than 1.0%. The
consideration for the General Partner Units to be issued to the General Partner
shall be the higher of the price at which the Common Units were issued or, only if
the purchase is not made simultaneously with the issuance of the Common Units, the
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Closing Price of the Common Units on the day prior to the proposed issuance of such
General Partner Units;
(d) The General Partner is hereby authorized and directed to take all actions that it deems
necessary or appropriate in connection with each issuance of Units, IDRs or other Partnership
Securities pursuant to Section 4.3(a) and to amend this Agreement in any manner that it deems
necessary or appropriate to provide for each such issuance, to admit Additional Limited Partners in
connection therewith and to specify the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the
Units, IDRs or other Partnership Securities being so issued.
(e) The General Partner shall do all things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is
authorized and directed to do all things it deems to be necessary or advisable in connection with
any future issuance of Partnership Securities, including, without limitation, compliance with any
statute, rule, regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency or any
National Securities Exchange on which the Units or other Partnership Securities are listed for
trading.
Section 4.4 Limited Preemptive Rights. Except as provided in this Section 4.4 and 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 Units, IDRs or
other Partnership Securities, 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 Units, IDRs or other Partnership Securities; (d) issuance of any right of
subscription to or right to receive, or any warrant or option for the purchase of, any such Units,
IDRs or other Partnership Securities; or (e) issuance or sale of any other securities that may be
issued or sold by the Partnership. The General Partner shall have the right, which it may from time
to time assign in whole or in part to any of its Affiliates, to purchase Units, IDRs or other
Partnership Securities from the Partnership whenever, and on the same terms that, the Partnership
issues Units, IDRs or other Partnership Securities to Persons other than the General Partner and
its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests of the General Partner
and its Affiliates equal to that which existed immediately prior to the issuance of such Units,
IDRs or other Partnership Securities. Notwithstanding the type of Partnership Securities issued by
the Partnership to Persons other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, the right of the
General Partner and its Affiliates to purchase Units, IDRs or other Partnership Securities pursuant
to the immediately preceding sentence may be exercised through the purchase of General Partner
Units (based on a value which is proportionate to the price for which the Partnership Securities
are issued to such Persons) in an amount necessary to maintain the Percentage Interest of the
General Partner and its Affiliates with respect to the General Partner Interest equal to that which
existed immediately prior to the issuance of Units, IDRs or other Partnership Securities.
Section 4.5 Capital Accounts.
(a) The Partnership shall maintain for each Partner (or a beneficial owner of a Partnership
Interest held by a nominee in any case in which the nominee has furnished the identity of such
owner to the Partnership in accordance with Section 6031(c) of the Code or any
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other method acceptable to the General Partner in its sole discretion) 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 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 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
based upon the provisions of the Operating Partnership Agreements) of all property
owned by the Operating Partnership.
(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
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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 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) Subject to the next sentence, 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. Upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of an FCI Common Unit (other than the
last FCI Common Unit sold, exchanged or otherwise disposed of by FCI) such that the FCI Common Unit
is not beneficially owned by FCI, the Capital Account maintained for FCI shall (i) first, be
allocated to the FCI Common Units to be transferred, as the case may be, in an amount equal to the
product of (x) the number of such FCI Common Units to be transferred, as the case may be, and (y)
the Per Unit Capital Amount for a Common Unit, and (ii) second, any remaining balance in such
Capital Account will be retained by FCI in its retained Units. With respect to the last FCI Common
Unit to be sold, exchanged or otherwise disposed of by FCI, that FCI Common Unit shall remain an
FCI Common Unit and shall retain the balance of the applicable Capital Account regardless of the
holder thereof.
(d) (i) Consistent with the provisions of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704 1(b)(2)(iv)(f),
on an issuance of additional Units for cash or Contributed Property, the conversion of Senior Units
into Common Units pursuant to Section 5.7, or the conversion of the General Partner’s Combined
Interest to Common Units pursuant to Section 13.3(b), 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 Units shall be determined by the General Partner using such reasonable method of
valuation as it may adopt; provided, however, the General
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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.
(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 all 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 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 Section 4.1, and Articles V, VII, XIII and XIV.
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.
Section 4.9 No Fractional Units. Except for fractional Senior Units issued pursuant
to Section 5.4 and Section 4.10(d), no fractional Units shall be issued by the Partnership.
Section 4.10 Splits and Combinations.
(a) Subject to Section 4.3(c) and 4.10(d), the General Partner may make a Pro Rata
distribution of Units or other Partnership Securities to all Record Holders or may effect a
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subdivision or combination of Units or other Partnership Securities; provided, however, that,
after any such distribution, subdivision or combination, each Partner shall have the same
Percentage Interest in the Partnership as before such distribution, subdivision or combination.
(b) Whenever such a distribution, subdivision or combination of Units or other Partnership
Securities is declared, the General Partner shall select a Record Date as of which the
distribution, subdivision or combination shall be effective and shall send notice of the
distribution, subdivision or combination at least 20 days prior to such Record Date to each Record
Holder as of the date not less than 10 days prior to the date of such notice. The General Partner
also may cause a firm of independent public accountants selected by it to calculate the number of
Units to be held by each Record Holder after giving effect to such distribution, subdivision or
combination. The General Partner shall be entitled to rely on any certificate provided by such
firm as conclusive evidence of the accuracy of such calculation.
(c) Promptly following any such distribution, subdivision or combination, the General Partner
may cause Certificates to be issued to the Record Holders of Units as of the applicable Record Date
representing the new number of Units held by such Record Holders, or the General Partner may adopt
such other procedures as it may deem appropriate to reflect such distribution, subdivision or
combination; provided, however, if any such distribution, subdivision or combination results in a
smaller total number of Units Outstanding, the General Partner shall require, as a condition to the
delivery to a Record Holder of such new Certificate, the surrender of any Certificate held by such
Record Holder immediately prior to such Record Date.
(d) Except with respect to Senior Units, the Partnership shall not issue fractional Units upon
any distribution, subdivision or combination of Units. If a distribution, subdivision or
combination of Common Units would result in the issuance of fractional Common Units but for the
provisions of Section 4.9 and this Section 4.10(d), each fractional Common Unit shall be rounded to
the nearest whole Common Unit (and a 0.5 Common Unit shall be rounded to the next higher Common
Unit).
ARTICLE V
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, to the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage Interest
of its General Partner Interest and to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units,
Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the
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General Partner Interest, until the aggregate Net Income allocated to such
Partners pursuant to this Section 5.1(a)(i) for the current and all previous taxable
years is equal to the aggregate Net Losses allocated to such Partners pursuant to
Section 5.1(b)(iii) for all previous taxable years;
(ii) Second, 100% to the General Partner until the aggregate Net Income
allocated to the General Partner pursuant to this Section 5.1(a)(ii) 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)(iv) for all previous
taxable years;
(iii) Third, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the aggregate Net Income
allocated to such Partners pursuant to this Section 5.1(a)(iii) for the current
taxable year and all previous taxable years is equal to the aggregate Net Losses
allocated to such Partners pursuant to Section 5.1(b)(ii) for all previous taxable
years; and
(iv) Fourth, the balance, if any, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata.
(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, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the aggregate Net Losses
allocated to such Partners pursuant to this Section 5.1(b)(i) for the current
taxable year and all previous taxable years is equal to the aggregate Net Income
allocated to such Partners pursuant to Section 5.1(a)(iv) for all previous taxable
years;
(ii) Second, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata; provided, that Net Losses shall not
be allocated to such Partners pursuant to this Section 5.1(b)(ii) to the extent that
such allocation would cause any Limited Partner holding Common Units 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);
(iii) Third, to the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage
Interest of its General Partner Interest and to the Limited Partners holding Senior
Units, Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the
General Partner Interest; provided, that Net Losses shall not be allocated to such
Partners pursuant to this Section 5.1(b)(iii) to the extent such allocation would
cause any Limited Partner holding Senior Units 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
(iv) Fourth, the balance, if any, 100% to the General Partner.
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(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 and after all distributions of
Available Cash provided under Section 5.4 have been made with respect to the taxable period ending
on the date of the Partnership’s liquidation pursuant to Section 14.3.
(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
shall be allocated among the Partners 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;
(B) Second, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in
an amount equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner
Interest, and to the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage
Interest of its General Partner Interest, until the Adjusted Capital Account
in respect of each Senior Unit then Outstanding is equal to the sum of (i)
the Senior Unit Liquidation Preference (or fraction thereof) plus (ii) any
accumulated and unpaid Senior Unit Distributions.
(C) Third, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital
Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding (without taking into
account any Arrearage that makes up a part of the applicable Adjusted
Capital Account) is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit
Price plus (2) the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for the Quarter during
which such Net Termination Gain is recognized, reduced by any distribution
made pursuant to Section 5.4 or Arrearage accrued with respect to a Common
Unit in an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution paid during
such Quarter (the amount determined pursuant to this clause (2) is
hereinafter defined as the “Unpaid MQD”);
(D) Fourth, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital
Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding (without taking into
account any Arrearage that makes up a part of the applicable Adjusted
Capital Account) is equal to the sum of (1) its Unrecovered Initial Unit
Price, plus (2) the Unpaid MQD, if any, for such
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Common Unit with respect to the Quarter during which such Net
Termination Gain is recognized, plus (3) the excess of (aa) the First Target
Distribution less the Minimum Quarterly Distribution for each Quarter of the
Partnership’s existence over (bb) the amount of any distributions of Cash
from Operations that was distributed or Arrearage that was accrued pursuant
to:
(v) Section 5.4(a)(iii) hereof,
(w) Section 5.4(d)(iii) hereof,
(x) solely with respect to the distribution referenced in
Section 5.4(a)(iii) pursuant to Sections 5.4(a)(vii),
5.4(b)(ii), 5.4(b)(iii), 5.4(c)(ii) and 5.4(c)(iii) hereof,
(y) Section 5.4(c) of the Amended and Restated Agreement and
the Second Amended and Restated Agreement, and
(z) Sections 5.4(a)(iv) or 5.4(b)(ii) of the Original
Agreement,
(the sum of (1) plus (2) plus (3) is hereinafter defined as the “First
Liquidation Target Amount”);
(E) Fifth, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (including
holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 86.8673%
less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General
Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner
Interest, and 13.1327% to the Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata, until the
Adjusted Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding
(without taking into account any Arrearage that makes up a part of the
applicable Adjusted Capital Account) is equal to the sum of (1) the First
Liquidation Target Amount, plus (2) the excess of (aa) the Second Target
Distribution less the First Target Distribution for each Quarter of the
Partnership’s existence over (bb) the amount of any distributions of Cash
from Operations that was distributed or Arrearage that was accrued pursuant
to:
(v) Section 5.4(a)(iv) hereof,
(w) Section 5.4(d)(iv) hereof,
(x) solely with respect to the distribution referenced in
Section 5.4(a)(iv) pursuant to Sections 5.4(a)(vii),
5.4(b)(ii), 5.4(b)(iii), 5.4(c)(ii) and 5.4(c)(iii) hereof,
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(y) Section 5.4(d) of the Amended and Restated Agreement and
the Second Amended and Restated Agreement, and
(z) Sections 5.4(a)(v) or 5.4(b)(iii) of the Original
Agreement,
(the sum of (1) plus (2) is hereinafter defined as the “Second Liquidation
Target Amount”);
(F) Sixth, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (including
holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 76.7653%
less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General
Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner
Interest, and 23.2347% to the Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata, until the
Adjusted Capital Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding
(without taking into account any Arrearage that makes up a part of the
applicable Adjusted Capital Account) is equal to the sum of (1) the Second
Liquidation Target Amount, plus (2) the excess of (aa) the Third Target
Distribution less the Second Target Distribution for each Quarter of the
Partnership’s existence over (bb) the amount of any distributions of Cash
from Operations that was distributed or Arrearage that was accrued pursuant
to:
(v) Section 5.4(a)(v) hereof,
(w) Section 5.4(d)(v) hereof,
(x) solely with respect to the distribution referenced in
Section 5.4(a)(v) pursuant to Sections 5.4(a)(vii),
5.4(b)(ii), 5.4(b)(iii), 5.4(c)(ii) and 5.4(c)(iii) hereof,
(y) Section 5.4(e) of the Amended and Restated Agreement and
the Second Amended and Restated Agreement, and
(z) Sections 5.4(a)(vi) or 5.4(b)(iv) of the Original
Agreement;
and
(G) Thereafter, any remaining amount to the Limited Partners holding
Common Units (including holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an
amount equal to 51.5102% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner
Interest, to the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage
Interest of its General Partner Interest, and 48.4898% to the Special
Limited Partners, Pro Rata.
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(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, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until the Adjusted Capital
Account in respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding (without taking into
account any Arrearage that makes up a part of the applicable Adjusted
Capital Account) has been reduced to zero;
(B) Second, to the holders of the FCI Common Units until the Adjusted
Capital Account in respect of each FCI Common Unit then Outstanding has been
reduced to zero;
(C) Third, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in
an amount equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner
Interest, and to the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage
Interest of its General Partner Interest, until the Adjusted Capital Account
in respect of each Senior Unit then Outstanding has been reduced to zero;
and
(D) Thereafter, 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)(vi) and 5.1(d)(vii)). 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
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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(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)(vi) and
5.1(d)(vii), 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 1.704 2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently
therewith.
(iii) Priority Allocations. First, if the amount of cash or the Net Agreed
Value of any property distributed (except cash or property distributed pursuant to
Section 14.3 or 14.4) to any Limited Partner holding Common Units with respect to a
taxable year is greater (on a per Unit basis) than the amount of cash or the Net
Agreed Value of property distributed to the other Limited Partners holding Common
Units (on a per Unit basis), then (1) each Limited Partner holding Common Units
receiving such greater cash or property distribution shall be allocated gross income
in an amount equal to the product of (aa) the amount by which the distribution (on a
per Unit basis) to such Limited Partners holding Common Units exceeds the
distribution (on a per Unit basis) to the Limited Partner holding Common Units
receiving the smallest distribution and (bb) the number of Units owned by the
Limited Partners holding Common Units receiving the greater distribution; and (2)
the General Partner shall be allocated gross income in an aggregate amount equal to
the sum of the amounts allocated in clause (1) above multiplied by the Percentage
Interest of its General Partner Interest, divided by 100% less the Percentage
Interest of the General Partner Interest. Second, gross income for the taxable
period shall be allocated 100% to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro
Rata, until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the Limited Partners
holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, under this paragraph (iii) for the current taxable
period and all previous taxable periods is equal to the cumulative amount of cash
distributed to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, pursuant to
Sections 5.4 and 5.5(a) for the current and all previous taxable periods. All or a
portion of the remaining items of Partnership gross income or gain for the taxable
period, if any, shall be allocated 100% to the Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata,
until the aggregate amount of such items allocated to the Special Limited Partners,
Pro Rata, under this paragraph (iii) for the current taxable period and all previous
taxable periods is equal to the cumulative amount of cash distributed to the Special
Limited Partners, Pro Rata, from the Initial Closing Date through the end of such
taxable period.
(iv) 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
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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).
(v) 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)(v) 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 for in this Section 5.1 have been tentatively made as if this
Section 5.1(d)(v) were not in this Agreement.
(vi) 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 Partners, to revise the prescribed ratio to the numerically closest ratio
that does satisfy such requirements.
(vii) 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.
(viii) 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.
(ix) 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
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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.
(x) Economic Uniformity.
(A) Immediately prior to a sale, exchange or other disposition of all
or any portion of the Senior Units, the holders disposing of Senior Units
may elect that the Partnership allocate items of Partnership gross income or
gain 100% to the Limited Partners disposing of Senior Units until the
Limited Partners disposing of Senior Units have been allocated an amount of
gross income or gain which causes the Capital Accounts maintained with
respect to each of the Senior Units to be equal. Immediately prior to the
conversion of all or any portion of the Senior Units into Common Units, the
Limited Partners converting such Senior Units may elect that the Partnership
allocate items of Partnership gross income or gain until the Limited
Partners converting such Senior Units have been allocated an amount of gross
income or gain which causes the Capital Account maintained with respect to
each of the Senior Units to be converted to be equal to the product of (x)
the number of Common Units into which the Senior Units will be converted and
(y) the Per Unit Capital Account for a Common Unit.
(B) If at the time of the sale, exchange or other disposition of Senior
Units, the Senior Units are publicly traded or will become publicly traded
as a result of the sale, exchange or disposition, the General Partner may
cause the Partnership to allocate items of gross income or gain 100% to the
Limited Partners disposing of Senior Units until the Limited Partners
disposing of Senior Units have been allocated an amount of gross income or
gain which causes the Capital Accounts maintained with respect to each of
the Senior Units that will be publicly traded after the disposition to be
equal. Immediately prior to the sale, exchange or other disposition in the
public marketplace of Common Units into which Senior Units have been
converted, the General Partner may cause the Partnership to allocate items
of gross income or gain 100% to the Limited Partners disposing of such
Common Units until the Limited Partners disposing of such Common Units have
been allocated an amount of gross income or gain which causes the Capital
Account maintained with respect to all Common Units that are publicly traded
after the disposition to be equal.
(xi) 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
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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)(xi)(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)(xi)(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)(xi)(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)(xi)(A) among the Partners in a manner
that is likely to minimize such economic distortions.
(xii) Retirement of Assumed Indebtedness. All losses or deductions
attributable to premiums, consent fees, or other expenditures incurred by the
Partnership to retire indebtedness assumed from the General Partner pursuant to the
Contribution Agreement shall be allocated to the 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)(iii), any item of Residual
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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 Treasury Regulation
Section 1.704 3(d) to eliminate Book Tax Disparities.
(c) For the proper administration of the Partnership and for the preservation of uniformity of
the Units (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 the Units (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, the holders of any class or classes of Units 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
Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c) 1(a)(6) and Proposed Treasury Regulation 1.197-2(g)(3) or any
successor regulations thereto. 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 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 Units that would
not have a material adverse effect on the Limited Partners or the Record Holders of any class or
classes of Units.
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(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) Each item of Partnership income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to transferred
Units shall, for federal income tax purposes, be determined on an annual basis and prorated on a
monthly basis and shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the New York Stock
Exchange on the first Business Day of each month; provided, however, that gain or loss on a sale or
other disposition of any assets of the Partnership other than in the ordinary course of business
shall be allocated to the Partners as of the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on the first
Business Day of the month in which such gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes.
The General Partner may revise, alter or otherwise modify such methods of allocation as it
determines necessary, to the extent permitted or required by Section 706 of the Code and the
regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder.
(h) Allocations that would otherwise be made to a Limited Partner under the provisions of this
Article V shall instead be made to the beneficial owner of Units held by a nominee in any case in
which the nominee has furnished the identity of such owner to the Partnership in accordance with
Section 6031(c) of the Code or any other method acceptable to the General Partner in its sole
discretion.
Section 5.3 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions.
(a) Within 45 days following the end of (i) the period beginning on the Initial 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 Quarter shall be
distributed in accordance with this Article V by the Partnership to the Partners, as of the Record
Date selected by the General Partner in its reasonable discretion. All amounts of Available Cash
distributed by the Partnership on any date from any source shall be deemed to be Cash from
Operations until the sum of all amounts of Available Cash theretofore distributed by the
Partnership to the Partners pursuant to Section 5.4 equals the aggregate amount of all Cash from
Operations generated by the Partnership since the Initial Closing Date through the close of the
immediately preceding Quarter. Any remaining amounts of Available Cash distributed by the
Partnership on such date shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 5.5, be deemed to be Cash
from Interim Capital Transactions.
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(b) Notwithstanding the definitions of Available Cash and Cash from Operations contained
herein, disbursements (including, without limitation, contributions to the Operating Partnership or
disbursements on behalf of the Operating Partnership) made or cash 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 as required by Section 5.3(a) shall
be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced for purposes of determining
Available Cash and Cash from Operations, within such Quarter if the General Partner so determines.
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 14.3 and 14.4.
Section 5.4 Distributions of Cash from Operations and Additional Senior Units.
Subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, Available Cash with respect to any Quarter that is
deemed to be Cash from Operations pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.3 or 5.5 shall be
distributed as follows, except as otherwise required by Section 4.3(b) in respect of additional
Partnership Securities issued pursuant thereto and except that clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this
Section 5.4 shall not be effective until the end of the Information Statement Period:
(a) if during the Arrearage Period and if the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage is equal to
zero immediately prior to making such distribution:
(i) First, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in an amount
equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to
the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General
Partner Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Senior Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the Senior Unit Distribution and any accumulated
and unpaid Senior Unit Distributions through the last day of the preceding Quarter;
(ii) Second, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (other than the
holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 100% less the
Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to the General Partner in
an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, until
there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit (other than any FCI Common
Unit) then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution;
(iii) Third, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (other than the
holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 100% less the
Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to the General Partner in
an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, until
there has been distributed in respect of each Common Unit (other than any FCI Common
Unit) then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Ceiling Quarterly
Distribution or the First Target Distribution (whichever is less) over the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution; provided, that if the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution is used
in this calculation, clauses (iv), (v) and (vi) of this Section
- 45 -
5.4(a) shall not be operative and the distribution shall proceed to Section
5.4(a)(vii);
(iv) Fourth, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (other than the
holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 86.8673%% less the
Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General Partner in an
amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, and
13.1327% to the Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed
in respect of each Common Unit (other than any FCI Common Unit) then Outstanding an
amount equal to the excess of the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution or the Second
Target Distribution (whichever is less) over the First Target Distribution;
provided, that if the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution is used in this calculation,
clauses (v) and (vi) of this Section 5.4(a) shall not be operative and the
distribution shall proceed to Section 5.4(a)(vii);
(v) Fifth, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (other than the holders
of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 76.7653%% less the
Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General Partner in an
amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, and
23.2347% to the Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed
in respect of each Common Unit (other than any FCI Common Unit) then Outstanding an
amount equal to the excess of the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution or the Third Target
Distribution (whichever is less) over the Second Target Distribution; provided, that
if the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution is used in this calculation, clause (vi) of
this Section 5.4(a) shall not be operative and the distribution shall proceed to
Section 5.4(a)(vii);
(vi) Sixth, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (other than the
holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 51.5102%% less the
Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General Partner in an
amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, and
48.4898% to the Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed
in respect of each Common Unit (other than any FCI Common Unit) then Outstanding an
amount equal to the excess of the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution over the Third
Target Distribution; and
(vii) Thereafter, to the holders of the FCI Common Units, the holder of the
General Partner Units and the Special Limited Partners in the same order and until
the aggregate distributions on a per FCI Common Unit basis are the same amounts as
the distributions made on a per Common Unit basis pursuant to Section 5.4(a)(ii)
through 5.4(a)(vi) but with any distribution made to the Common Units made to the
FCI Common Units;
provided, however, that for this clause (a) at the point (the “Section 5.4(a) Threshold Point”) in
the application of clauses (ii) through (vii) above that the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage
equals $36 million, the distribution shall continue pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(ii) (and beginning
with the specific clause of Section 5.4(a)(ii) through (vi) applicable to the Section
- 46 -
5.4(a) Threshold Point) and Section 5.4(c)(iii) with respect to all Unitholders and the Special
Limited Partners, as applicable, so that the FCI Common Units thereafter receive the distribution
they otherwise would have received under that Section 5.4(c)(ii) (and the applicable clauses of
Section 5.4(a)(ii) through (vi)) with any remainder distributed pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(iii);
(b) if during the Arrearage Period and if the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage immediately
prior to making such distribution is greater than zero but less than $36 million:
(i) First, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in an amount
equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to
the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General
Partner Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Senior Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the Senior Unit Distribution and any accumulated
and unpaid Senior Unit Distributions through the last day of the preceding Quarter;
(ii) Second, to the Unitholders (other than the holders of the FCI Common
Units) and the Special Limited Partners, until there has been distributed in respect
of each Common Unit (other than any FCI Common Unit) then Outstanding an amount
equal to the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution in the order specified in Section
5.4(a)(ii) through 5.4(a)(vi);
(iii) Third, to the Unitholders and the Special Limited Partners, in the same
order and until the aggregate distributions on a per FCI Common Unit basis are the
same amounts as the distributions made on a per Common Unit basis pursuant to
Section 5.4(b)(ii) but with any distribution made to the Common Units made to the
FCI Common Units; and
(iv) Thereafter, to the holders of the FCI Common Units, the General Partner
and the Special Limited Partners, until there has been distributed an amount equal
to each Arrearage beginning with the Arrearage applicable to the oldest Quarter
applied in the same manner and to the same holders of Units and Special Limited
Partners as each such Arrearage was accrued pursuant to Sections 5.4(a) or 5.4(b);
provided, however, that for this clause (b) at the point (the “Section 5.4(b) Threshold Point”) in
the application of clauses (ii) and (iii) above that the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage
equals $36 million, the distribution shall continue pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(ii) (and beginning
with the specific clause of Section 5.4(a)(ii) through (vi) applicable to the Section 5.4(b)
Threshold Point) and Section 5.4(c)(iii) with respect to all Unitholders and the Special Limited
Partners, as applicable, so that the FCI Common Units thereafter receive the distribution they
otherwise would have received under that Section 5.4(c)(ii) (and the applicable clauses of Section
5.4(a)(ii) through (vi)) with any remainder distributed pursuant to Section 5.4(c)(iii);
- 47 -
(c) if during the Arrearage Period and the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage equals $36
million or if after the Arrearage Period and if the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage is greater
than zero:
(i) First, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in an amount
equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to
the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General
Partner Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Senior Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the Senior Unit Distribution and any accumulated
and unpaid Senior Unit Distributions through the last day of the preceding Quarter;
(ii) Second, to the Unitholders (including the holders of the FCI Common Units)
and the Special Limited Partners, until there has been distributed in respect of
each Common Unit (including any FCI Common Unit) then Outstanding an amount equal to
the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution as if such distribution was made pursuant to
Section 5.4(a)(ii) through 5.4(a)(vi) without the use of the phrases “(other than
the holders of the FCI Common Units)” and “(other than any FCI Common Unit)”; and
(iii) Thereafter, to the holders of the FCI Common Units, the General Partner
and the Special Limited Partners, until there has been distributed an amount equal
to each Arrearage beginning with the Arrearage applicable to the oldest Quarter
applied in the same manner and to the same holders of Units and Special Limited
Partners as each such Arrearage was accrued pursuant to Sections 5.4(a) or 5.4(b);
or
(d) if after the Arrearage Period and if the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage is zero:
(i) First, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in an amount
equal to 100% less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to
the General Partner in an amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General
Partner Interest, until there has been distributed in respect of each Senior Unit
then Outstanding an amount equal to the Senior Unit Distribution and any accumulated
and unpaid Senior Unit Distributions through the last day of the preceding Quarter;
(ii) Second, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in
respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution;
(iii) Third, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in
respect of each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the
First Target Distribution over the Minimum Quarterly Distribution;
- 48 -
(iv) Fourth, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (including holders of
the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 86.8673% less the Percentage
Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General Partner in an amount equal
to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, and 13.1327% to the
Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of
each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Second Target
Distribution over the First Target Distribution;
(v) Fifth, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (including holders of
the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 76.7653% less the Percentage
Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General Partner in an amount equal
to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, and 23.2347% to the
Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata, until there has been distributed in respect of
each Common Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to the excess of the Third Target
Distribution over the Second Target Distribution; and
(vi) Thereafter, to the Limited Partners holding Common Units (including
holders of the FCI Common Units), Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 51.5102% less the
Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, to the General Partner in an
amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, and
48.4898% to the Special Limited Partners, Pro Rata;
provided, however, that for Sections 5.4(a), (b), (c) and (d):
(1) notwithstanding the amount of Available Cash that is deemed to be Cash from Operations
with respect to such Quarter, Senior Unit Distributions accruing prior to February 1, 2001, shall
be paid by the issuance of additional Senior Units having an aggregate Senior Unit Liquidation
Preference equal to the amount of such Senior Unit Distributions (“Additional Senior Units”), which
may include fractional Senior Units or the cash equivalent thereof based on the Senior Unit
Liquidation Preference;
(2) if (A) the Senior Unit Distribution has been reduced to zero pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 5.6(a), (B) all of the Senior Units have been converted pursuant to Section
5.7(b) or (C) all of the Senior Units have been redeemed pursuant to Section 17.2, then clause (i)
of each of subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this Section 5.4 shall terminate and have no
further force or effect; and,
(3) if the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, the First Target Distribution, the Second Target
Distribution and the Third Target Distribution have been reduced to zero pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 5.6(b), then subsections (a)(ii) through (a)(v), b(ii) and b(iii) as they
relate to (a)(ii) through a(v), c(ii) as it relates to (a)(ii) through (a)(v) and d(ii) through
(d)(v) of this Section 5.4 shall terminate and have no further force or effect.
Section 5.5 Distributions of Cash from Interim Capital Transactions. Subject to
Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, Available Cash that constitutes Cash from Interim Capital
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Transactions shall be distributed, unless the provisions of Section 5.3 require otherwise, as
follows:
(a) First, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 100%
less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to the General Partner in an
amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, until there has been
distributed in respect of each Senior Unit then Outstanding an amount equal to any accumulated and
unpaid Senior Unit Distribution through such date;
(b) Second, to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata, in an amount equal to 100%
less the Percentage Interest of the General Partner Interest, and to the General Partner in an
amount equal to the Percentage Interest of its General Partner Interest, until a hypothetical
holder of a Senior Unit acquired on the WNGL Closing Date has received with respect to such Senior
Unit, during the period since the WNGL Closing Date through such date, distributions of Available
Cash that are deemed to be Cash from Interim Capital Transactions in an aggregate amount equal to
the Senior Unit Liquidation Preference;
(c) Third, to the Unitholders, Pro Rata, until a hypothetical holder of a Common Unit acquired
on the Initial Closing Date has received with respect to such Common Unit, during the period since
the Initial Closing Date through such date, distributions of Available Cash that are deemed to be
Cash from Interim Capital Transactions in an aggregate amount equal to the Initial Unit Price; and
(d) Thereafter, all Available Cash shall be distributed as if it were Cash from Operations and
shall be distributed in accordance with Section 5.4.
Section 5.6 Adjustment of Senior Unit Liquidation Preference, Senior Unit Distribution,
Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels.
(a) The Senior Unit Liquidation Preference and the Senior Unit Distribution shall be
proportionately adjusted in the event of any distribution, combination or subdivision (whether
effected by a distribution payable in Senior Units or otherwise) of Senior Units in accordance with
Section 4.10. In the event of a distribution of Available Cash to the Limited Partners holding
Senior Units pursuant to Section 5.5(b), the Senior Unit Liquidation Preference shall be reduced by
the amount of that distribution to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units, Pro Rata. In the
event of a distribution of Available Cash to the Limited Partners holding Senior Units pursuant to
Section 5.5(b), the Senior Unit Distribution shall be adjusted proportionately downward to equal
the product obtained by multiplying the otherwise applicable Senior Unit Distribution by a fraction
of which the numerator is the Senior Unit Liquidation Preference immediately after giving effect to
such distribution and of which the denominator is the Senior Unit Liquidation Preference
immediately prior to giving effect to such distribution.
(b) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution
and Third Target Distribution shall be proportionately adjusted in the event of any distribution,
combination or subdivision (whether effected by a distribution payable in Units or otherwise) of
Units or other Partnership Securities in accordance with Section 4.10. If a distribution of
Available Cash is made that is deemed to be Cash from Interim Capital
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Transactions, the Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target
Distribution and Third Target Distribution shall be adjusted proportionately downward to equal the
product obtained by multiplying the otherwise applicable Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First
Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution and Third Target Distribution, as the case may be,
by a fraction of which the numerator is the Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units
immediately after giving effect to such distribution and of which the denominator is the
Unrecovered Initial Unit Price of the Common Units immediately prior to giving effect to such
distribution.
(c) The Minimum Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution
and Third Target Distribution shall also be subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 9.6.
Section 5.7 Special Provisions Relating to the Senior Units.
(a) Immediately upon the conversion of Senior Units into Common Units as provided in Section
5.7(b), the holder of a Senior Unit so converted shall possess all of the rights and obligations of
a Limited Partner holding Common Units hereunder, including, without limitation, the right to vote
as a Limited Partner holding Common Units, the right to participate in allocations of income, gain,
loss and deduction and distributions of cash made with respect to Common Units pursuant to this
Article V.
(b) Each holder of Senior Units shall have the right, at its option, subject to the terms of
this Section 5.7, to convert any or all of such holders’ Senior Units into Common Units at any time
during the time period commencing upon the earlier to occur of:
(i) December 31, 2005, upon not less than 90 days prior written notice to the
Partnership (which notice may be given prior to December 31, 2005) in accordance
with Section 5.7(d), or
(ii) a Material Event, upon not less than 10 days prior written notice to the
Partnership in accordance with Section 5.7(d); provided, however, that prior to the
expiration of such 10-day period, the holders of the Senior Units may revoke their
election to convert Senior Units into Common Units at any time during the pendency
of a Material Event by written notice to the Partnership;
and ending on the date upon which the holders of the Senior Units give the
Partnership notice of their election to exercise their registration rights with
respect to the Senior Units pursuant to the WNGL Registration Rights Agreement.
(c) If the holders of the Senior Units elect to convert any or all of their Senior Units into
Common Units, such number of Senior Units shall be converted into a number of fully paid and
nonassessable (subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act) Common Units as is equal, subject to
Section 5.7(g), to the number of Senior Units being so converted, multiplied by the sum of (A) the
Senior Unit Liquidation Preference plus (B) any accumulated and unpaid Senior Unit Distributions to
and including the date of conversion, with the product then divided by the Current Market Price of
the Common Units as of the date of conversion.
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(d) The holders of the Senior Units shall exercise the right to convert by the delivery of
written notice, at the Partnership’s principal place of business, during the applicable time period
specified in (b) above, that the holder elects to convert all or a portion of the Senior Units
represented by such Certificates and, subject to Section 5.7(i), specifying the name or names (with
address) in which Certificates representing Common Units are to be issued. Upon the expiration of
the applicable time period specified in (b) above, each converting holder of Senior Units shall be
deemed to be the holder of record of the number of Common Units issuable upon conversion in
accordance with (c) above, notwithstanding that the Certificates representing such Common Units
shall not then actually be delivered to such Person. Upon notice from the Partnership, each holder
of Senior Units so converted shall promptly surrender to the Partnership or the Transfer Agent,
Certificates representing the Senior Units so converted, in proper transfer form. On the date of
conversion, all rights with respect to the Senior Units so converted will terminate except for the
right of holders to receive Certificates for the number of Common Units into which such Senior
Units have been converted. If the date for the conversion of Senior Units into Common Units shall
not be a Business Day, then such conversion shall occur on the next Business Day. Each Senior Unit
shall be canceled by the General Partner upon its conversion.
(e) During the period beginning on the first of the twenty (20) Trading Days immediately prior
to the date of conversion through and including the date of conversion, the Partnership shall not
take any action that will affect the Common Units, including, without limitation, the following:
(i) (A) make a redemption payment or make a distribution payable in Common
Units on any class of Partnership Interest (which, for purposes of this Section
5.7(e) shall include, without limitation, any distributions in the form of options,
warrants or other rights to acquire Partnership Interests) of the Partnership (other
than the issuance of Common Units in connection with the payment in redemption for,
of distributions on or the conversion of Senior Units); (B) subdivide the
outstanding Common Units into a larger number of Common Units; (C) combine the
outstanding Common Units into a smaller number of Common Units; (D) issue any of its
Partnership Securities in a reclassification of the Common Units; or (E) set a
Record Date with respect to any of the events described in (A) through (D);
(ii) issue to all holders of its Common Units rights, options or warrants
entitling the holders thereof to subscribe for or purchase Common Units (or
securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common Units) other than issuances
of such rights, options or warrants if the holder of Senior Units would be entitled
to receive such rights, options or warrants upon conversion at any time of Senior
Units;
(iii) (A) other than distributions consistent with past practice, make a Pro
Rata distribution to all holders of Common Units consisting exclusively of cash
(excluding any cash distributed upon a merger or consolidation to which paragraph
(g) below applies), or (B) make a distribution to all holders of its Common Units
consisting of evidences of indebtedness, its Partnership Interests other than Common
Units or assets (including securities, but excluding those
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rights, options, warrants and distributions referred to in paragraphs (e)(i) or
(e)(ii) above); or
(iv) issue or sell Common Units or securities convertible into or exchangeable
for Common Units, or any options, warrants or other rights to acquire Common Units.
(f) No fractional Common Units shall be issued upon the conversion of any Senior Units. If
more than one Senior Unit shall be surrendered for conversion at one time by the same holder, the
number of full Common Units issuable upon conversion thereof shall be computed on the basis of the
aggregate Senior Unit Liquidation Preference of the Senior Units so surrendered. If the conversion
of any Senior Units results in a fraction, an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the
Current Market Price of the Common Units as of the date of conversion shall be paid to such holder
in cash by the Partnership.
(g) In the event of any (i) capital reorganization or reclassification or other change of
outstanding Common Units, (ii) consolidation or merger of the Partnership with or into another
Person in accordance with Section 16.1(b) (other than a consolidation or merger in which the
Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity and which does not result in any reclassification or
change of outstanding Common Units) or (iii) sale or other disposition to another Person of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Partnership, computed on a consolidated basis in accordance
with Section 16.1(b) (any of the foregoing, a “Transaction”), lawful provision shall be made such
that the Senior Units will be convertible only into the kind and amount of stock or other
securities (of the Partnership or another issuer) or property or cash receivable upon such
Transaction by a holder of the number of Common Units into which such Senior Units could have been
converted immediately prior to such Transaction. The provisions of this Section 5.7(g) and any
equivalent thereof in any governing document of the Surviving Business Entity similarly shall apply
to successive Transactions.
(h) The Partnership shall not enter into any agreement that would prohibit the issuance of the
number of Common Units as will from time to time be sufficient to permit the conversion of all
outstanding Senior Units.
(i) The issuance or delivery of certificates for Common Units upon the conversion of Senior
Units shall be made without charge to the converting holder of Senior Units for such certificates
or for any tax in respect of the issuance or delivery of such certificates or the securities
represented thereby, and such certificates shall be issued or delivered in the respective names of,
or in such names as may be directed by, the holders of the Senior Units converted; provided,
however, that the Partnership shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect
of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate in a name other than
that of the holder of the Senior Units converted, and the Partnership shall not be required to
issue or deliver such certificate unless or until the Person or Persons requesting the issuance or
delivery thereof shall have paid to the Partnership the amount of such tax or shall have
established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Partnership that such tax has been paid.
(j) The Partnership covenants that all Common Units which may be delivered upon conversion of
Senior Units will be newly issued Common Units, will have been duly
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authorized and validly issued and will be fully paid and non-assessable (except as such
non-assessability may be affected by Section 17 607 of the Delaware Act).
(k) The Common Units issued by the Partnership upon conversion of the Senior Units shall have,
as a substantive manner in the hands of a subsequent holder, like intrinsic economic and federal
income tax characteristics in all material respects, to the intrinsic economic and federal income
tax characteristics of a Common Unit then Outstanding.
Section 5.8 Special Provisions Relating to the Special Limited Partners.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Special Limited Partners
(a) shall (i) possess the rights and obligations provided in this Agreement with respect to a
Limited Partner pursuant to Articles VI and VII and (ii) have a Capital Account as a Partner
pursuant to Section 4.5 and all other provisions related thereto and (b) shall not (i) be entitled
to vote on any matters requiring the approval or vote of the holders of Outstanding Units, (ii) be
entitled to any distributions other than to Partners as specified pursuant to Sections 5.4, 14.3
and 14.4 or (iii) be allocated items of income, gain, loss or deduction other than as specified in
this Article V.
Section 5.9 Special Provision Relating to FCI Common Units. Without the prior written
consent of FCI and notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, neither the General
Partner nor the Partnership shall declare a distribution on a Common Unit for any Quarter in an
amount in excess of the Ceiling Quarterly Distribution if the Cumulative FCI Common Unit Arrearage
is or will be, based on that Quarter’s distribution, greater than zero.
ARTICLE VI
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 no Limited
Partner or Assignee shall have any 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
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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 or the Operating Partnership, the lending of funds to other Persons (including, without
limitation, the Operating Partnership, the General Partner and Affiliates of the General Partner)
and the repayment of obligations of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership and the making of
capital contributions to the Operating Partnership; (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 for the benefit of the Partnership, the Operating
Partnership and the Partners (including, without limitation, the assets of the Operating
Partnership and 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 or other relationships
(including, without limitation, the acquisition of interests in, and the contributions of property
to, the Operating Partnership from time to time); (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; (xi) the
indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;
(xii) the entering into of listing agreements with The New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and any other
securities exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Units from, or requesting that trading
be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior approval that may be required under
Section 1.6); (xiii) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Units; and (xiv) the
undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s participation in the Operating
Partnership as the limited partner (including, without limitation, contributions or loans of funds
by the Partnership to the Operating Partnership).
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Operating Partnership
Agreement, the Delaware Act or any applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and
Assignees and each other Person who may acquire an interest in Units hereby (i) approves, ratifies
and confirms the execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of the Operating
Partnership Agreement, the Underwriting Agreement, the Contribution Agreement, the agreements and
other documents filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, and the other agreements described
in or filed as a part of the Registration Statement, 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 Partnership and the Operating Partnership; (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 or
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contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the Partnership without any further
act, approval or vote of the Partners or the Assignees or the other Persons who may acquire an
interest in Units; and (iii) agrees that the execution, delivery or performance by the General
Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Partnership or any Affiliate of any of them, of this
Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement (including, without
limitation, the exercise by the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner of the
rights accorded pursuant to Article XVII), 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 Partnership and the Operating Partnership, 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 the Assignees 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
or any Subsidiary of the Partnership.
Section 6.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership. The General Partner has caused the
Certificate of Limited Partnership 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 partners have 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 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 partners
have 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 7.5(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 any
Limited Partner or Assignee.
Section 6.3 Restrictions on General Partner’s Authority.
(a) The General Partner may not, without written approval of the specific act by all of the
Outstanding Common Units or by other written instrument executed and delivered by all of the
Outstanding Common Units 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 XIV and XVI, the General Partner may not sell, exchange or
otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the Partnership’s assets in a single
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transaction or a series of related transactions or approve on behalf of the Partnership the
sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Operating
Partnership, without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common
Units; 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. Without the approval of the holders of at least two thirds of the Outstanding Common
Units, the General Partner shall not, on behalf of the Partnership, (i) consent to any amendment to
the Operating Partnership Agreement or, except as expressly permitted by Section 6.9(d), take any
action permitted to be taken by a partner of the Operating Partnership, in either case, that would
have a material adverse effect on the Partnership as a partner of the Operating Partnership or (ii)
except as permitted under Sections 11.2, 13.1 and 13.2 elect or cause the Partnership to elect a
successor general partner of the Operating Partnership.
(c) Unless approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two thirds of the
Outstanding Common Units (excluding for purposes of such determination Common Units owned by the
General Partner and its Affiliates), 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 or the Operating 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 XV) or mergers or consolidations of the Partnership with any Person (which are
governed by Article XVI).
Section 6.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 6.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement or in the Operating
Partnership Agreement, the General Partner shall not be compensated for its services as general
partner of the Partnership or the Operating 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.
(c) Subject to Section 4.3(c), the General Partner in its sole discretion and without the
approval of the Limited Partners (who shall have no right to vote in respect thereof) may propose
and adopt on behalf of the Partnership, employee benefit and incentive plans
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(including, without limitation, plans involving the issuance of Units), or issue Partnership
Securities pursuant to any employee benefit or incentive plan maintained or sponsored by the
General Partner or one of its Affiliates, in each case for the benefit of employees of the General
Partner, the Partnership, the Operating Partnership or any Affiliate of any of them in respect of
services performed, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of the Partnership or the Operating
Partnership. The Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the General Partner any Units or other
Partnership Securities that the General Partner is obligated to provide to any employees pursuant
to any such benefit or incentive plans. Expenses incurred by the General Partner in connection
with any such plans (including the net cost to the General Partner of Units purchased by the
General Partner from the Partnership to fulfill options or awards under such plans) shall be
reimbursed in accordance with Section 6.4(b). Any and all obligations of the General Partner under
any employee benefit or incentive plans adopted by the General Partner as permitted by this Section
6.4(c) shall constitute obligations of the General Partner hereunder and shall be assumed by any
successor General Partner approved pursuant to Section 13.1 or 13.2 or the transferee of or
successor to all of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 11.2.
Section 6.5 Outside Activities.
(a) After the Initial 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 a general partner
of the Partnership, the Operating Partnership and any other partnership of which the Partnership or
the Operating Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner and to undertake activities that
are ancillary or related thereto (including being a limited partner in the Partnership), (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 Operating Partnership Agreement or described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement
and (B) the acquisition, ownership or disposition of Partnership Interests in the Partnership or
partnership interests in the Operating Partnership or any other partnership of which the
Partnership or the Operating Partnership is, directly or indirectly, a partner, except that,
notwithstanding the foregoing, employees of the General Partner may perform services for FCI and
its Affiliates, and (iii) shall not and shall cause its Affiliates not to engage in any Restricted
Activity.
(b) Except as described in Section 6.5(a), no Indemnitee shall be expressly or implicitly
restricted or proscribed pursuant to this Agreement, the Operating Partnership 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 or the Operating Partnership or
anticipated to be engaged in by the Partnership, the Operating Partnership 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 or the Operating Partnership or otherwise described in or
contemplated by the Registration Statement. Without 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 or
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the Operating Partnership, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or
any duty to the Partnership, the Operating Partnership or any Partner or Assignee. Neither the
Partnership, the Operating Partnership, any Limited Partner nor any other Person shall have any
rights by virtue of this Agreement, the Operating Partnership 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 Operating
Partnership, any Limited Partner or any other Person. The General Partner and any other Persons
affiliated with the General Partner may acquire Units or other Partnership Securities in addition
to those acquired by any of such Persons on the Initial Closing Date, and, except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise all rights of an Assignee or Limited
Partner, as applicable, relating to such Units or Partnership Securities, as the case may be.
(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 and
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 or any Subsidiary of the Partnership.
Section 6.6 Loans to and from the General Partner; Contracts with Affiliates.
(a) The General Partner or any Affiliate thereof may lend to the Partnership or the Operating
Partnership, and the Partnership and the Operating Partnership may borrow, funds needed or desired
by the Partnership and the Operating Partnership for such periods of time as the General Partner
may determine and (ii) the General Partner or any Affiliate thereof may borrow from the Partnership
or the Operating Partnership, and the Partnership and the Operating Partnership may lend to the
General Partner or such Affiliate, excess funds of the Partnership and the Operating 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 and the term “Operating Partnership” shall
include any Affiliate of the Operating Partnership that is controlled by the Operating Partnership.
(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to the Operating Partnership, and the Operating
Partnership may borrow, funds on terms and conditions established in the sole
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discretion of the General Partner; provided, however, that the Partnership may not charge the
Operating Partnership interest at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged to the
Operating Partnership (without reference to the General Partner’s financial abilities or
guarantees), by unrelated lenders on comparable loans. The foregoing authority shall be exercised
by the General Partner in its sole discretion and shall not create any right or benefit in favor of
the Operating Partnership or any other Person.
(c) 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 services 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 Section 6.6(c) 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(c).
(d) 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.
(e) 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(e) shall be deemed to be satisfied as to (i) the transactions
effected pursuant to Sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, the Contribution Agreement and any other
transactions described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, (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.
(f) The General Partner and its Affiliates will have no obligation to permit the Partnership
or the Operating Partnership 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.
(g) Without limitation of Sections 6.6(a) through 6.6(f), and notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement, the existence of the conflicts of interest described in the
Registration Statement are hereby approved by all Partners.
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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 and any Person who is or was an
officer or director of 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, 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 Underwriting Agreement or
the Contribution Agreement (other than obligations incurred by the General Partner on behalf of the
Partnership or the Operating Partnership). 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 holders of
Outstanding Units, 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 Agreement), 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.
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(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 “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 Partners 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 Partners, the Assignees or any other
Persons who have acquired interests in the Units, 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,
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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 Partners of the General Partner, its directors, officers and employees
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.
Section 6.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest.
(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or the Operating Partnership
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 Operating Partnership, any
Partner or any Assignee, on the other, any resolution or course of action in respect of such
conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not
constitute a breach of this Agreement, of the Operating Partnership Agreement, 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 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 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.
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(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 Operating Partnership,
any Limited Partner or any Assignee, (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 Operating Partnership Agreement,
any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or 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 definitions of Available Cash or Cash
from Operations shall not constitute a breach of any duty of the General Partner to the Partnership
or the Limited Partners. The General Partner shall have no duty, express or implied, to sell or
otherwise dispose of any asset of the Operating Partnership or of the Partnership, other than in
the ordinary course of business. No borrowing by the Partnership or the Operating 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 Partners by reason of the fact that the
purpose or effect of such borrowing is directly or indirectly to enable Incentive Distributions or
to hasten the expiration of the Arrearage Period.
(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.
(d) The Limited Partners hereby authorize the General Partner, on behalf of the Partnership as
a partner of the Operating Partnership, to approve of actions by the general partner of the
Operating Partnership similar to those actions permitted to be taken by the General Partner
pursuant to this Section 6.9.
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.
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(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, a duly appointed attorney or
attorneys in fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership. 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 reasonably believed by the General Partner to be in, or not inconsistent with, the best
interests of the Partnership.
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 or Assignee, 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 Purchase or Sale of Units. The General Partner may cause the Partnership
to purchase or otherwise acquire Units; provided that, except (a) as permitted pursuant to Section
11.6 and (b) in exchange for other Units or Partnership Securities that are junior in right of
distribution and liquidation to the Senior Units, the General Partner may not cause the Partnership
or any Subsidiary to directly or indirectly purchase or otherwise acquire Common Units or any other
Units or Partnership Securities that are junior in right of distribution or liquidation to the
Senior Units at any time during which any of the Senior Units are Outstanding. As long as Units are
held by the Partnership or the Operating Partnership, such Units shall not be considered
Outstanding for any purpose, except as otherwise provided herein. The General Partner or any
Affiliate of the General Partner may also purchase or otherwise acquire and sell or otherwise
dispose of Units for its own account, subject to the provisions of Articles XI and XII.
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Section 6.13 Registration Rights of Ferrellgas and its Affiliates.
(a) If (i) Ferrellgas or any Affiliate of Ferrellgas (including, without limitation, for
purposes of this Section 6.13, any Person that is an Affiliate of Ferrellgas at the date hereof
notwithstanding that it may later cease to be an Affiliate of Ferrellgas) holds Units or other
Partnership Securities that it desires to sell and (ii) Rule 144 of the Securities Act (or any
successor rule or regulation to Rule 144) or another exemption from registration is not available
to enable such holder of Units (the “Holder”) to dispose of the number of Units or other securities
it desires to sell at the time it desires to do so without registration under the Securities Act,
then upon the request of Ferrellgas or any of its Affiliates, the Partnership shall file with the
Commission as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, and use all reasonable efforts
to cause to become effective and remain effective for a period of not more than six months
following its effective date, a registration statement under the Securities Act registering the
offering and sale of the number of Units or other securities specified by the Holder; provided,
however, that the Partnership shall not be required to effect more than three registrations
pursuant to this Section 6.13(a); and provided further, that if the General Partner or, if at the
time a request pursuant to this Section 6.13 is submitted to the Partnership, Ferrellgas or its
Affiliate requesting registration is an Affiliate of the General Partner, the Audit Committee in
connection with Special Approval determines in its good faith judgment that a postponement of the
requested registration for up to six months would be in the best interests of the Partnership and
its Partners due to a pending transaction, investigation or other event, the filing of such
registration statement or the effectiveness thereof may be deferred for up to six months, but not
thereafter. In connection with any registration pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence, the
Partnership shall promptly prepare and file (x) such documents as may be necessary to register or
qualify the securities subject to such registration under the securities laws of such states as the
Holder shall reasonably request; provided, however, that no such qualification shall be required in
any jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Partnership would become subject to general
service of process or to taxation or qualification to do business as a foreign corporation or
partnership doing business in such jurisdiction, and (y) such documents as may be necessary to
apply for listing or to list the securities subject to such registration on such National
Securities Exchange as the Holder shall reasonably request, and do any and all other acts and
things that may reasonably be necessary or advisable to enable the Holder to consummate a public
sale of such Units in such states. Except as set forth in Section 6.13(c), all costs and expenses
of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and commissions) shall
be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.
(b) If the Partnership shall at any time propose to file a registration statement under the
Securities Act for an offering of equity securities of the Partnership for cash (other than an
offering relating solely to an employee benefit plan), the Partnership shall use all reasonable
efforts to include such number or amount of securities held by the Holder in such registration
statement as the Holder shall request. If the proposed offering pursuant to this Section 6.13(b)
shall be an underwritten offering, then, in the event that the managing underwriter of such
offering advises the Partnership and the Holder in writing that in its opinion the inclusion of all
or some of the Holder’s securities would adversely and materially affect the success of the
offering, the Partnership shall include in such offering only that number or amount, if any, of
securities held by the Holder which, in the opinion of the managing underwriter, will not so
adversely and materially affect the offering. Except as set forth in Section 6.13(c), all costs and
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expenses of any such registration and offering (other than the underwriting discounts and
commissions) shall be paid by the Partnership, without reimbursement by the Holder.
(c) If underwriters are engaged in connection with any registration referred to in this
Section 6.13, the Partnership shall provide indemnification, representations, covenants, opinions
and other assurance to the underwriters in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such
underwriters. Further, in addition to and not in limitation of the Partnership’s obligation under
Section 6.7, the Partnership shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and hold
harmless the Holder, its officers, directors and each Person who controls the Holder (within the
meaning of the Securities Act) and any agent thereof (collectively, “Indemnified Persons”) against
any losses, claims, demands, actions, causes of action, assessments, damages, liabilities (joint or
several), costs and expenses (including, without limitation, interest, penalties and reasonable
attorneys’ fees and disbursements), resulting to, imposed upon, or incurred by the Indemnified
Persons, directly or indirectly, under the Securities Act or otherwise (hereinafter referred to in
this Section 6.13(c) as a “claim” and in the plural as “claims”), based upon, arising out of, or
resulting from any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in
any registration statement under which any Units were registered under the Securities Act or any
state securities or Blue Sky laws, in any preliminary prospectus (if used prior to the effective
date of such registration statement), or in any summary or final prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto (if used during the period the Partnership is required to keep the registration
statement current), or arising out of, based upon or resulting from the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements made therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be liable
to any Indemnified Person to the extent that any such claim arises out of, is based upon or results
from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such
registration statement, such preliminary, summary or final prospectus or such amendment or
supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Partnership by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person specifically for use in the preparation
thereof.
(d) The provisions of Sections 6.13(a) and 6.13(b) shall continue to be applicable with
respect to Ferrellgas (and any of Ferrellgas’ Affiliates) after it ceases to be a Partner of the
Partnership, during a period of two years subsequent to the effective date of such cessation and
for so long thereafter as is required for the Holder to sell all of the Units or other securities
of the Partnership with respect to which it has requested during such two year period that a
registration statement be filed; provided, however, that the Partnership shall not be required to
file successive registration statements covering the same securities for which registration was
demanded during such two year period. The provisions of Section 6.13(c) shall continue in effect
thereafter.
(e) Any request to register Partnership Securities pursuant to this Section 6.13 shall (i)
specify the Partnership Securities intended to be offered and sold by the Person making the
request, (ii) express such Person’s present intent to offer such shares for distribution, (iii)
describe the nature or method of the proposed offer and sale of Partnership Securities, and (iv)
contain the undertaking of such Person to provide all such information and materials and take all
action as may be required in order to permit the Partnership to comply with all applicable
requirements in connection with the registration of such Partnership Securities.
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Section 6.14 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 and any officer of the Partnership authorized by the General Partner to act on
behalf and in the name of the Partnership 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 or
any such officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and
beneficially. Each 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 or
any such officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with
the General Partner or any such officer 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 any such officer. Each and every certificate, document
or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner or any such
officer 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.
ARTICLE VII
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF LIMITED PARTNERS
Section 7.1 Limitation of Liability. The Limited Partners and the Assignees shall
have no liability under this Agreement except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the
Delaware Act.
Section 7.2 Management of Business. No Limited Partner or Assignee (other than 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, if such Person
shall also be a Limited Partner or Assignee) shall 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 General Partner, any of its Affiliates or
any member, 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 Partners or Assignees under this Agreement.
Section 7.3 Outside Activities. Subject to the provisions of Section 6.5, which shall
continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein, regardless of whether such Persons
shall also be Limited Partners or Assignees, any Limited Partner or Assignee shall be entitled to
and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those relating to
the Partnership, including, without limitation, business interests and activities in direct
competition with the Partnership or the Operating Partnership. Neither the Partnership nor any of
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the other Partners or Assignees shall have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any
business ventures of any Limited Partner or Assignee.
Section 7.4 Return of Capital. No Limited Partner or Assignee shall 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. Except to
the extent provided by Article V or as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, no Limited
Partner or Assignee shall have priority over any other Limited Partner or Assignee either as to the
return of Capital Contributions or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall
be a compromise to which all Partners and Assignees agree within the meaning of § 17 502(b) of the
Delaware Act.
Section 7.5 Rights of Limited Partners Relating to the Partnership.
(a) In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and except as
limited by Section 7.5(b), each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a purpose reasonably
related to such Limited Partner’s interest as a limited partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable
demand and at such 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 him, 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 him, 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;
(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 Partners and Assignees, 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
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General Partner in good faith believes is not in the best interests of the Partnership or the
Operating Partnership or could damage the Partnership or the Operating Partnership or that the
Partnership or the Operating Partnership are required by law or by agreements with third parties to
keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates the primary purpose of which is to
circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 7.5).
ARTICLE VIII
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 Partners any information, lists and copies of documents required to be provided
pursuant to Section 7.5(a). Any books and records maintained by or on behalf of the Partnership in
the regular course of its business, including, without limitation, the record of the Record Holders
and Assignees of Units or other Partnership Securities, 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 both tax and
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.
Section 8.3 Reports.
(a) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal
year of the Partnership, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed to each Record Holder of a
Unit as of a date selected by the General Partner in its sole discretion, an annual report
containing financial statements of the Partnership for such fiscal year of the Partnership,
presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including a balance sheet
and statements of operations, Partners’ equity and cash flows, such statements to be audited by a
firm of independent public accountants selected by the General Partner.
(b) As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 90 days after the close of each Quarter
except the last Quarter of each year, the General Partner shall cause to be mailed to each Record
Holder of a Unit, as of a date selected by the General Partner in its sole discretion, a report
containing unaudited financial statements of the Partnership and such other information as may be
required by applicable law, regulation or rule of any National Securities Exchange on which the
Units are listed for trading, or as the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
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ARTICLE IX
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 holders of Outstanding Units for federal and state income tax
reporting purposes. The classification, realization and 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 Partners and Assignees. For purposes of
computing the adjustments under Section 743(b) of the Code, the General Partner shall be authorized
(but not required) to adopt a convention whereby the price paid by a transferee of Units will be
deemed to be the lowest quoted closing price of the Units on any National Securities Exchange on
which such Units are traded during the calendar month in which such transfer is deemed to occur
pursuant to Section 5.2(g) without regard to the actual price paid by such transferee.
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. Each Partner and Assignee 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 and the Operating 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 or Assignee (including,
without limitation, by reason of Section 1446 of the Code), the amount withheld shall
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be treated as a distribution of cash pursuant to Section 5.3 in the amount of such withholding
from such Partner.
Section 9.6 Entity Level Taxation. If legislation is enacted or the interpretation of
existing language is modified which causes the Partnership or the Operating Partnership to be
treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise subjects the Partnership or the
Operating Partnership to entity level taxation for federal income tax purposes, the Minimum
Quarterly Distribution, First Target Distribution, Second Target Distribution or Third Target
Distribution, as the case may be, shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying (a) the
amount thereof by (b) 1 minus the sum of (i) the highest marginal federal corporate (or other
entity, as applicable) income tax rate of the Partnership for the taxable year of the Partnership
in which such Quarter occurs (expressed as a percentage) plus (ii) the effective overall state and
local income tax rate (expressed as a percentage) applicable to the Partnership for the calendar
year next preceding the calendar year in which such Quarter occurs (after taking into account the
benefit of any deduction allowable for federal income tax purposes with respect to the payment of
state and local income taxes), but only to the extent of the increase in such rates resulting from
such legislation or interpretation. Such effective overall state and local income tax rate shall be
determined for the taxable year next preceding the first taxable year during which the Partnership
or the Operating Partnership is taxable for federal income tax purposes as an association taxable
as a corporation or is otherwise subject to entity level taxation by determining such rate as if
the Partnership or the Operating Partnership had been subject to such state and local taxes during
such preceding taxable year.
Section 9.7 Entity Level Arrearage Collections. If the Partnership is required by
applicable law to pay any federal, state or local income tax on behalf of, or withhold such amount
with respect to, any Partner or Assignee or any former Partner or Assignee in respect of Common
Units held by such Person (a) the General Partner shall cause the Partnership to pay such tax on
behalf of such Partner or Assignee or former Partner or Assignee from the funds of the Partnership;
(b) any amount so paid on behalf of, or withheld with respect to, any such Partner or Assignee
shall constitute a distribution out of Available Cash to such Partner or Assignee pursuant to
Section 5.3; provided, however, in the discretion of the General Partner, such taxes (if pertaining
to all such Partners) may be considered to be cash disbursements of the Partnership which reduce
Available Cash, but the payment or withholding thereof shall not be deemed to be a distribution of
Available Cash to such Partners; and (c) to the extent any such Partner or Assignee (but not a
former Partner or Assignee) is not then entitled to such distribution under this Agreement, the
General Partner shall be authorized, without the approval of any Partner or Assignee, to amend this
Agreement insofar as is necessary to maintain the uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics as to
all Common Units and to make subsequent adjustments to distributions in a manner which, in the
reasonable judgment of the General Partner, will make as little alteration as practicable in the
priority and amount of distributions otherwise applicable under this Agreement, and will not
otherwise alter the distributions to which Partners and Assignees are entitled under this
Agreement. If the Partnership is permitted (but not required) by applicable law to pay any such tax
on behalf of, or withhold such amount with respect to, any Partner or Assignee or former Partner or
Assignee with respect to Common Units held by such Person, the General Partner shall be authorized
(but not required) upon the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the
Outstanding Senior Units, if any, to cause the Partnership to pay such tax from the funds of the
Partnership and to take any action
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consistent with this Section 9.7. The General Partner shall be authorized (but not required)
to take all necessary or appropriate actions to collect all or any portion of a deficiency in the
payment of any such tax that relates to prior periods and that is attributable to Persons who were
Limited Partners or Assignees with respect to Common Units held by such Person when such
deficiencies arose, from such Persons. The payment of taxes by the Partnership on behalf of
Limited Partners holding Senior Units will not satisfy the obligation of the Partnership to pay the
Senior Unit Distribution.
Section 9.8 Opinions of Counsel. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, if the Partnership or the Operating 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 or the Operating
Partnership 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
CERTIFICATES
Section 10.1 Certificates. Upon the Partnership’s issuance of Common Units or Senior
Units to any Person, the Partnership shall issue one or more Certificates in the name of such
Person evidencing the number of such Units being so issued. Certificates shall be executed on
behalf of the Partnership by the General Partner. No Common Unit Certificate shall be valid for
any purpose until it has been countersigned by the Transfer Agent; provided, however, that if the
General Partner elects to issue Units in global or book-entry form, the Certificates shall be valid
upon receipt of a certificate from the Transfer Agent certifying that such Units have been duly
registered in accordance with the directions of the Partnership. The Partners holding Certificates
evidencing Senior Units may exchange such Certificates for Certificates evidencing Common Units on
or after the date on which such Senior Units are converted into Common Units pursuant to the terms
of Section 5.7(d). The General Partner Units need not be certificated, but upon request of the
General Partner, may be represented by Certificates in the same manner as the Common Units or
Senior Units.
Section 10.2 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.
(a) The General Partner shall cause to be kept on behalf of the Partnership a register in
which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe and subject to the provisions of
Section 10.2(b), the General Partner will provide for the registration and transfer of Units. The
Transfer Agent is hereby appointed registrar and transfer agent for the purpose of registering
Common Units and transfers of such Common Units as herein provided. The Partnership shall not
recognize transfers of Certificates representing Units unless same are effected in the manner
described in this Section 10.2. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Units evidenced
by a Certificate, and subject to the provisions of Section 10.2(b), the General Partner on behalf
of the Partnership shall execute, and in the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall
countersign, and deliver (or, in the case of Units issued in global or book-entry form, register in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Depositary), in the name
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of the holder or the designated transferee or transferees, as required pursuant to the
holder’s instructions, one or more new Certificates evidencing the same aggregate number of Units
as was evidenced by the Certificate so surrendered.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 11.5, the Partnership shall not recognize any
transfer of Units until the Certificates evidencing such Units are surrendered for registration of
transfer and such Certificates are accompanied by a Transfer Application duly executed by the
transferee (or the transferee’s attorney in fact duly authorized in writing). No charge shall be
imposed by the Partnership for such transfer, provided, that as a condition to the issuance of any
new Certificate under this Section 10.2, the General Partner may require the payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed with respect thereto.
Section 10.3 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates.
(a) If any mutilated Certificate is surrendered to the Transfer Agent, the General Partner on
behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and upon its request the Transfer Agent shall countersign
and deliver in exchange therefor, a new Certificate evidencing the same number of Units as the
Certificate so surrendered.
(b) The General Partner on behalf of the Partnership shall execute, and upon its request, in
the case of Common Units, the Transfer Agent shall countersign and deliver (or, in the case of
Units issued in global or book-entry form, register in accordance with the rules and regulations of
the Depositary) a new Certificate in place of any Certificate previously issued if the Record
Holder of the Certificate:
(i) makes proof by affidavit, in form and substance satisfactory to the General
Partner, that a previously issued Certificate has been lost, destroyed or stolen;
(ii) requests the issuance of a new Certificate before the Partnership has
notice that the Certificate has been acquired by a purchaser for value in good faith
and without notice of an adverse claim;
(iii) if requested by the General Partner, delivers to the Partnership a bond,
in form and substance satisfactory to the General Partner, with surety or sureties
and with fixed or open penalty as the General Partner may reasonably direct, in its
sole discretion, to indemnify the Partnership, the General Partner and the Transfer
Agent against any claim that may be made on account of the alleged loss, destruction
or theft of the Certificate; and
(iv) satisfies any other reasonable requirements imposed by the General
Partner.
If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to notify the Partnership within a reasonable time
after he has notice of the loss, destruction or theft of a Certificate, and a transfer of the Units
represented by the Certificate is registered before the Partnership, the General Partner or the
Transfer Agent receives such notification, the Limited Partner or Assignee shall be precluded
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from making any claim against the Partnership, the General Partner or the Transfer Agent for
such transfer or for a new Certificate.
(c) As a condition to the issuance of any new Certificate under this Section 10.3, the General
Partner may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge
that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including, without limitation, the
fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent) reasonably connected therewith.
Section 10.4 Record Holder. In accordance with Section 10.2(b), the Partnership shall
be entitled to recognize the Record Holder as the Limited Partner or Assignee with respect to any
Units and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest
in such Units on the part of any other Person, whether or not the Partnership shall have actual or
other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by law or any applicable rule, regulation,
guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed for
trading. Without limiting the foregoing, when a Person (such as a broker, dealer, bank, trust
company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing) is acting as nominee, agent or
in some other representative capacity for another Person in acquiring and/or holding Units, as
between the Partnership on the one hand, and such other Persons, on the other, such representative
Person (a) shall be the Limited Partner or Assignee (as the case may be) of record and
beneficially, (b) must execute and deliver a Transfer Application and (c) shall be bound by this
Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Limited Partner or Assignee (as the case
may be) hereunder and as provided for herein.
ARTICLE XI
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
Section 11.1 Transfer.
(a) The term “transfer,” when used in this Article XI with respect to a Partnership Interest,
shall be deemed to refer to a transaction by which the General Partner assigns its General Partner
Interest to another Person, by which the holder of a Unit assigns such Unit to another Person who
is or becomes an Assignee or by which a Special Limited Partner holding an IDR assigns such IDR to
another Person, and includes a sale, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation,
mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise.
(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 XI. Any transfer or purported transfer of
a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article XI shall be null and void.
(c) Nothing contained in this Article XI 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.
(d) Nothing contained in this Article XI, or elsewhere in this Partnership Agreement, shall
preclude the settlement of any transactions involving Common Units entered into through the
facilities of the New York Stock Exchange.
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Section 11.2 Transfer of the General Partner Interest. Except for a transfer by the
General Partner of all, but not less than all, of its General Partner Interest to (a) an Affiliate
of the General Partner or (b) another Person in connection with the merger or consolidation of the
General Partner with or into another Person or the transfer by the General Partner of all or
substantially all of its assets to another Person, the transfer by the General Partner of all or
any part of its General Partner Interest to a Person prior to July 31, 2004 shall be subject to the
prior approval of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding for purposes of
such determination Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates). Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, no transfer by the General Partner of all or any part of its General
Partner Interest to another Person shall be permitted unless (i) the transferee agrees to assume
the rights and duties of the General Partner under this Agreement and the Operating Partnership
Agreement and to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement and the Operating Partnership
Agreement, (ii) the Partnership receives an Opinion of Counsel that such transfer would not result
in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner or of any limited partner of the Operating
Partnership or cause the Partnership or any of the Operating Partnership to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax
purposes and (iii) such transferee also agrees to purchase all (or the appropriate portion thereof,
if applicable) of the partnership interest of the General Partner as the general partner of the
Operating Partnership. In the case of a transfer pursuant to and in compliance with this Section
11.2, the transferee or successor (as the case may be) shall, subject to compliance with the terms
of Section 12.3, be admitted to the Partnership as a General Partner immediately prior to the
transfer of the General Partner Interest, and the business of the Partnership shall continue
without dissolution.
Section 11.3 Transfer of Units (other than General Partner Units).
(a) Units (other than General Partner Units) may be transferred only in the manner described
in Section 10.2. The transfer of any Units (other than General Partner Units) and the admission of
any new Partner shall not constitute an amendment to this Agreement.
(b) Until admitted as a Substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Article XII, the Record Holder
of a Unit shall be an Assignee in respect of such Unit. Limited Partners may include custodians,
nominees, or any other individual or entity in its own or any representative capacity.
(c) Each distribution in respect of Units shall be paid by the Partnership, directly or
through the Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only to the Record Holders thereof
as of the Record Date set for the distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and
satisfaction of the Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of
any Person who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.
(d) A transferee who has completed and delivered a Transfer Application shall be deemed to
have (i) requested admission as a Substituted Limited Partner, (ii) agreed to comply with and be
bound by and to have executed this Agreement, (iii) represented and warranted that such transferee
has the right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity to enter into this
Agreement, (iv) granted the powers of attorney set forth in this
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Agreement and (v) given the consents and approvals and made the waivers contained in this
Agreement.
Section 11.4 Restrictions on Transfers. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this
Article XI, no transfer of any Unit or interest therein of any Limited Partner, Special Limited
Partner or Assignee shall be made if such transfer would (a) violate the then applicable federal or
state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state
securities commission or any other governmental authorities with jurisdiction over such transfer,
(b) result in the taxation of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership as an association
taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject the Partnership or the Operating Partnership to
entity level taxation for federal income tax purposes or (c) affect the Partnership’s or the
Operating Partnership’s existence or qualification as a limited partnership under the Delaware Act.
Section 11.5 Citizenship Certificates; Non citizen Assignees.
(a) If the Partnership or the Operating Partnership is or becomes subject to any federal,
state or local law or regulation that, in the reasonable determination of the General Partner,
creates a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property in which the Partnership
or the Operating Partnership has an interest based on the nationality, citizenship or other related
status of a Limited Partner or Assignee, the General Partner may request any Limited Partner or
Assignee to furnish to the General Partner, within 30 days after receipt of such request, an
executed Citizenship Certification or such other information concerning his nationality,
citizenship or other related status (or, if the Limited Partner or Assignee is a nominee holding
for the account of another Person, the nationality, citizenship or other related status of such
Person) as the General Partner may request. If a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to furnish to
the General Partner within the aforementioned 30 day period such Citizenship Certification or other
requested information or if upon receipt of such Citizenship Certification or other requested
information the General Partner determines, with the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner or
Assignee is not an Eligible Citizen, the Units owned by such Limited Partner or Assignee shall be
subject to redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.6. In addition, the General
Partner may require that the status of any such Limited Partner or Assignee be changed to that of a
Non citizen Assignee, and, thereupon, the General Partner shall be substituted for such Non citizen
Assignee as the Limited Partner in respect of his Units.
(b) The General Partner shall, in exercising voting rights in respect of Units held by it on
behalf of Non citizen Assignees, distribute the votes in the same ratios as the votes of Limited
Partners in respect of Units other than those of Non citizen Assignees are cast, either for,
against or abstaining as to the matter.
(c) Upon dissolution of the Partnership, a Non citizen Assignee shall have no right to receive
a distribution in kind pursuant to Section 14.4 but shall be entitled to the cash equivalent
thereof, and the General Partner shall provide cash in exchange for an assignment of the Non
citizen Assignee’s share of the distribution in kind. Such payment and assignment shall be treated
for Partnership purposes as a purchase by the General Partner from the Non citizen Assignee of his
Partnership Interest (representing his right to receive his share of such distribution in kind).
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(d) At any time after he can and does certify that he has become an Eligible Citizen, a Non
citizen Assignee may, upon application to the General Partner, request admission as a Substituted
Limited Partner with respect to any Units of such Non citizen Assignee not redeemed pursuant to
Section 11.6, and upon his admission pursuant to Section 12.2 the General Partner shall cease to be
deemed to be the Limited Partner in respect of the Non citizen Assignee’s Units.
Section 11.6 Redemption of Interests.
(a) If at any time a Limited Partner or Assignee fails to furnish a Citizenship Certification
or other information requested within the 30 day period specified in Section 11.5(a), or if upon
receipt of such Citizenship Certification or other information the General Partner determines, with
the advice of counsel, that a Limited Partner or Assignee is not an Eligible Citizen, the
Partnership may, unless the Limited Partner or Assignee establishes to the satisfaction of the
General Partner that such Limited Partner or Assignee is an Eligible Citizen or has transferred his
Units to a Person who furnishes a Citizenship Certification to the General Partner prior to the
date fixed for redemption as provided below, redeem the Partnership Interest of such Limited
Partner or Assignee as follows:
(i) The General Partner shall, not later than the 30th day before the date
fixed for redemption, give notice of redemption to the Limited Partner or Assignee,
at his last address designated on the records of the Partnership or the Transfer
Agent, by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be deemed
to have been given when so mailed. The notice shall specify the Redeemable Units,
the date fixed for redemption, the place of payment, that payment of the redemption
price will be made upon surrender of the Certificate evidencing the Redeemable Units
and that on and after the date fixed for redemption no further allocations or
distributions to which the Limited Partner or Assignee would otherwise be entitled
in respect of the Redeemable Units will accrue or be made.
(ii) The aggregate redemption price for Redeemable Units shall be an amount
equal to the Current Market Price (the date of determination of which shall be the
date fixed for redemption) of Units of the class to be so redeemed multiplied by the
number of Units of each such class included among the Redeemable Units. The
redemption price shall be paid, in the sole discretion of the General Partner, in
cash or by delivery of a promissory note of the Partnership in the principal amount
of the redemption price, bearing interest at the rate of 10% annually and payable in
three equal annual installments of principal together with accrued interest,
commencing one year after the redemption date.
(iii) Upon surrender by or on behalf of the Limited Partner or Assignee, at the
place specified in the notice of redemption, of the Certificate evidencing the
Redeemable Units, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by an assignment duly
executed in blank, the Limited Partner or Assignee or his duly authorized
representative shall be entitled to receive the payment therefor.
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(iv) After the redemption date, Redeemable Units shall no longer constitute
issued and Outstanding Units.
(b) The provisions of this Section 11.6 shall also be applicable to Units held by a Limited
Partner or Assignee as nominee of a Person determined to be other than an Eligible Citizen.
(c) Nothing in this Section 11.6 shall prevent the recipient of a notice of redemption from
transferring his Units before the redemption date if such transfer is otherwise permitted under
this Agreement. Upon receipt of notice of such a transfer, the General Partner shall withdraw the
notice of redemption, provided, the transferee of such Units certifies in the Transfer Application
that he is an Eligible Citizen. If the transferee fails to make such certification, such
redemption shall be effected from the transferee on the original redemption date.
Section 11.7 Transfer of IDRs. A Special Limited Partner holding IDRs may transfer
any or all of the IDRs held by such Special Limited Partner. The General Partner shall have the
authority (but shall not be required) to adopt such reasonable restrictions on the transfer of
IDRs, consistent with the restrictions on transfer of Units provided for in this Agreement, and
requirements for registering the transfer of IDRs as the General Partner, in its sole discretion,
shall determine are necessary or appropriate including, without limitation, if the General Partner
shall so determine, in its sole discretion, the right of the Partnership to redeem IDRs upon terms
and conditions similar to those applicable to Units.
ARTICLE XII
ADMISSION OF PARTNERS
Section 12.1 Admission of Initial Limited Partners. On the Initial Closing Date, the
General Partner was admitted to the Partnership as a Limited Partner in respect of the Common Units
and Subordinated Units issued to it and as a Special Limited Partner in respect of the IDRs issued
to it, and the Underwriters were admitted to the Partnership as Initial Limited Partners.
Section 12.2 Admission of Substituted Limited Partners. By transfer of a Unit (other
than a General Partner Unit) in accordance with Article XI, the transferor shall be deemed to have
given the transferee the right to seek admission as a Substituted Limited Partner subject to the
conditions of, and in the manner permitted under, this Agreement. A transferor of a Certificate
(other than a Certificate representing a General Partner Unit) shall, however, only have the
authority to convey to a purchaser or other transferee who does not execute and deliver a Transfer
Application (a) the right to negotiate such Certificate to a purchaser or other transferee and (b)
the right to transfer the right to request admission as a Substituted Limited Partner to such
purchaser or other transferee in respect of the transferred Units. Each transferee of a Unit
(other than a General Partner Unit) (including, without limitation, any nominee holder or an agent
acquiring such Unit for the account of another Person) who executes and delivers a Transfer
Application shall, by virtue of such execution and delivery, be an Assignee and be deemed to have
applied to become a Substituted Limited Partner with respect to the Units so transferred to such
Person. Such Assignee shall become a Substituted Limited Partner (x) at such time as the General
Partner consents thereto, which consent may be given or withheld in the
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General Partner’s sole discretion, and (y) when any such admission is shown on the books and
records of the Partnership. If such consent is withheld, such transferee shall be an Assignee. An
Assignee shall have an interest in the Partnership equivalent to that of a Limited Partner with
respect to allocations and distributions, including, without limitation, liquidating distributions,
of the Partnership. With respect to voting rights attributable to Units that are held by
Assignees, the General Partner shall be deemed to be the Limited Partner with respect thereto and
shall, in exercising the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, vote such Units at
the written direction of the Assignee who is the Record Holder of such Units. If no such written
direction is received, such Units will not be voted. An Assignee shall have no other rights of a
Limited Partner.
Section 12.3 Admission of Successor General Partner. A successor General Partner
approved pursuant to Section 13.1 or 13.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General
Partner Interest pursuant to Section 11.2 who is proposed to be admitted as a successor General
Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General Partner, effective immediately prior to
the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner pursuant to Section 13.1 or 13.2 or the transfer
of the General Partner Interest pursuant to Section 11.2; provided, however, that no such successor
shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 11.2 has occurred
and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may be
required to effect such admission. Any such successor shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry on
the business of the Partnership and Operating Partnership without dissolution.
Section 12.4 Admission of Additional Limited Partners.
(a) A Person (other than the General Partner, an 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
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 12.4, 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.
(c) Upon the issuance by the Partnership of Senior Units to WNGL pursuant to the WNGL Purchase
Agreement and the execution and delivery in writing evidencing WNGL’s acceptance of all of the
terms and conditions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the power of attorney
granted in Section 1.4, the General Partner shall admit WNGL to the Partnership as an Additional
Limited Partner on the WNGL Closing Date.
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Section 12.5 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.
ARTICLE XIII
WITHDRAWAL OR REMOVAL OF PARTNERS
Section 13.1 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”);
(i) the General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by giving
written notice to the other Partners (and it shall be deemed that the General
Partner has withdrawn pursuant to this Section 13.1(a)(i) if the General Partner
voluntarily withdraws as general partner of the Operating Partnership);
(ii) the General Partner transfers all of its General Partner Interest pursuant
to Section 11.2;
(iii) the General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 13.2;
(iv) 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 13.1(a)(iv); 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;
(v) 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
(vi) 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.
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If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 13.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi) occurs, the
withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30 days after such
occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal described in this Section
13.1 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 Initial 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 Partners, provided, that
prior to the effective date of such withdrawal the withdrawal is approved by the holders of at
least two thirds of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding for purposes of such determination
Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) 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 any Limited Partner or of the limited partner of the Operating Partnership or
cause the Partnership or the Operating Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes; (ii) at any time
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 Partners, such withdrawal to
take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the General Partner ceases
to be a General Partner pursuant to Section 13.1(a)(ii) or is removed pursuant to Section 13.2; or
(iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at any time that the General Partner voluntarily
withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited
Partners, such withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such
notice is given one Person and its Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates)
own beneficially or of record or control at least 50% of the Outstanding Common Units. The
withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an Event of
Withdrawal shall also constitute the withdrawal of the General Partner as general partner of the
Operating Partnership. If the General Partner gives a notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section
13.1(a)(i), holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding for purposes
of such determination Common Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates) may, prior to
the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor General Partner. If, prior to the
effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a successor is selected by the Limited Partners
as provided herein, the Partnership, as the limited partner of the Operating Partnership, shall
cause such Person to become the successor general partner of the Operating Partnership, as provided
in the Operating Partnership Agreement. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s
withdrawal, a successor is not selected by the Limited Partners as provided herein or the
Partnership does not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in
accordance with Section 14.1. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the terms
of this Section 13.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 12.3.
Section 13.2 Removal of the General Partner. The General Partner may be removed if
such removal is approved by Limited Partners holding at least two thirds of the Outstanding Common
Units. Any such action by such Limited Partners for removal of the General Partner must also
provide for the election of a successor General Partner by Limited Partners holding at
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least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units. Such removal shall be effective immediately
following the admission of a successor General Partner pursuant to Article XII. The removal of the
General Partner shall also automatically constitute the removal of the General Partner as general
partner of the Operating Partnership, as provided in the Operating Partnership Agreement. If a
Person is elected as a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this Section 13.2,
the Partnership, as the limited partner of the Operating Partnership, shall cause such Person to
become the successor general partner of the Operating Partnership, as provided in the Operating
Partnership Agreement. The right of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Common Units to
remove the General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an
opinion opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor
General Partner elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 13.2 shall be subject to the
provisions of Section 12.3.
Section 13.3 Interest of Departing Partner and Successor General Partner.
(a) In the event of (i) withdrawal of the General Partner under circumstances where such
withdrawal does not violate this Agreement or (ii) removal of the General Partner by the holders of
Common Units under circumstances where Cause does not exist, if a successor General Partner is
elected in accordance with the terms of Section 13.1 or 13.2, the Departing Partner shall have the
option exercisable prior to the effective date of the departure of such Departing Partner to
require its successor to purchase its General Partner Interest and its partnership interest as the
general partner in the Operating Partnership (collectively, the “Combined Interest”) in exchange
for an amount in cash equal to the fair market value of such Combined Interest, such amount to be
determined and payable as of the effective date of its departure. If the General Partner is removed
by the Limited Partners under circumstances where Cause exists or if the General Partner withdraws
under circumstances where such withdrawal violates this Agreement or the Operating Partnership
Agreement, and if a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section
13.1 or 13.2, such successor shall have the option, exercisable prior to the effective date of the
departure of such Departing Partner, to purchase the Combined Interest of the Departing Partner for
such fair market value of such Combined Interest. In either event, 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
the General Partner for the benefit of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership. Subject to
Section 13.3(b), the Departing Partner shall, as of the effective date of its departure, cease to
share in any allocations or distributions with respect to its General Partner Interest and
Partnership income, gain, loss, deduction and credit will be prorated and allocated as set forth in
Section 5.2(g).
For purposes of this Section 13.3(a), the fair market value of the Departing Partner’s
Combined Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing Partner and its successor
or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective date of such Departing Partner’s
departure, by an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the
Departing Partner and its successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts and the
determination of which shall be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties cannot agree upon one
independent investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45 days after the effective
date of such departure, then the Departing Partner shall designate an independent
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investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing Partner’s successor shall
designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert, and such firms or
experts shall mutually select a third independent investment banking firm or independent expert,
which shall determine the fair market value of the Combined Interest. In making its determination,
such independent investment banking firm or other independent expert shall consider the then
current trading price of Units on any National Securities Exchange on which Units are then listed,
the value of the Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of the General Partner and other
factors it may deem relevant.
(b) If the Combined Interest is not purchased in the manner set forth in Section 13.3(a), the
Departing Partner shall become a Limited Partner and the Combined Interest shall be converted into
Common Units pursuant to a valuation made by an investment banking firm or other independent expert
selected pursuant to Section 13.3(a), without reduction in such Partnership Interest (but subject
to proportionate dilution by reason of the admission of its successor). Any successor General
Partner shall indemnify the Departing Partner as to all debts and liabilities of the Partnership
arising on or after the date on which the Departing Partner becomes a Limited Partner. For
purposes of this Agreement, conversion of the General Partner’s Combined Interest to Common Units
will be characterized as if the General Partner contributed its Combined Interest to the
Partnership in exchange for the newly issued Common Units.
(c) If a successor General Partner is elected in accordance with the terms of Section 13.1 or
13.2 and the option described in Section 13.3(a) is not exercised by the party entitled to do so,
the successor General Partner shall, at the effective date of its admission to the Partnership,
contribute to the capital of the Partnership cash in an amount such that its Capital Account, after
giving effect to such contribution and any adjustments made to the Capital Accounts of all Partners
pursuant to Section 4.5(d)(i), shall be equal to that percentage of the Capital Accounts of all
Partners that is equal to its Percentage Interest as the General Partner. In such event, such
successor General Partner shall, subject to the following sentence, be entitled to such Percentage
Interest of all Partnership allocations and distributions and any other allocations and
distributions to which the Departing Partner was entitled.
Section 13.4 Withdrawal of Limited Partners. No Limited Partner shall have any right
to withdraw from the Partnership; provided, however, that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s
Units becomes a Record Holder, such transferring Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited
Partner with respect to the Units so transferred.
ARTICLE XIV
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
Section 14.1 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 in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of
the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is elected pursuant to Section 13.1 or 13.2,
the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor General Partner shall continue the
business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and (subject to Section 14.2) its
affairs should be wound up, upon:
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(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 13.1(a) (other than
Section 13.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and an Opinion of Counsel is received as
provided in Section 13.1(b) or 13.2 and such successor is admitted to the Partnership pursuant to
Section 12.3;
(c) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by (i) the
holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Units other than the Senior Units and (ii) the
holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Senior Units (and all holders of Units hereby
expressly consent that such approval may be effected upon written consent of said applicable
percentage of the Outstanding Units);
(d) entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the provisions of
the Delaware Act; or
(e) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets and properties of the Partnership and
the Operating Partnership taken as a whole.
Section 14.2 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 13.1(a)(i) or (iii) and the failure of the
Partners to select a successor to such Departing Partner pursuant to Section 13.1 or 13.2, then
within 90 days thereafter or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event
of Withdrawal as defined in Section 13.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then within 180 days thereafter, a
majority of the Outstanding Common Units 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 the successor
general partner a Person approved by a majority of the Outstanding Common Units. Upon any such
election by a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, all Partners shall be bound thereby and
shall be deemed to have approved thereof. 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 XIV;
(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then
the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated thenceforth as the
interest of a Limited Partner and converted into Common Units in the manner provided
in Section 13.3(b); 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 of a majority of
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Outstanding Common Units 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 any
Limited Partner and (y) neither the Partnership, the reconstituted limited
partnership nor the Operating 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 14.3 Liquidation. Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the Partnership
is continued under an election to reconstitute and continue the Partnership pursuant to Section
14.2, the General Partner, or in the event the General Partner has been dissolved or removed,
become bankrupt as set forth in Section 13.1 or withdrawn from the Partnership, a liquidator or
liquidating committee approved by the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common
Units, 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 holders of at
least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units. 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 a majority of the Outstanding Units.
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 holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding
Common Units. 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 XIV, 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, and to the extent of, 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
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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 14.4 Distributions in Kind. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 14.3,
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 14.3, 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 Partners, and shall be subject to 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.
Section 14.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership. Upon the completion
of the distribution of Partnership cash and property as provided in Sections 14.3 and 14.4 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
actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.
Section 14.6 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 14.3 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 14.7 Return of Capital Contributions. 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
Partners, or any portion thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made
solely from Partnership assets.
Section 14.8 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.
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Section 14.9 Waiver of Partition. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each
Partner hereby waives any right to partition of the Partnership property.
ARTICLE XV
AMENDMENT OF PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT; MEETINGS; RECORD DATE
Section 15.1 Amendment to be Adopted Solely by General Partner. Each Limited Partner
agrees that the General Partner (pursuant to its powers of attorney from the Limited Partners,
Special Limited Partners and Assignees), without the approval of any Limited Partner or Assignee,
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 neither the
Partnership nor the Operating Partnership will 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 Limited Partners 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) or that is necessary or desirable
to facilitate the trading of the Units (including, without limitation, the division of Outstanding
Units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of
Units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities
Exchange on which the Units are or will be listed for trading, 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 Partners, (iii) that is necessary or desirable to implement certain tax related
provisions of the Partnership Agreement, or (iv) that is required to effect the intent of the
provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;
(e) a change in the fiscal year or 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 or 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
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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 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) subject to the terms of Section 4.3, an amendment that, in the sole discretion of the
General Partner, is necessary or desirable in connection with the authorization for issuance of any
class or series of Partnership Securities pursuant to Section 4.3;
(h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General Partner
acting alone;
(i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved in
accordance with Section 16.3;
(j) 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 other than the Operating Partnership, in connection with the conduct by the
Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of Section 3.1;
(k) any amendment to clause (a) of the definition of “Arrearage Period” that results in the
extension of the Arrearage Period; or
(l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
Section 15.2 Amendment Procedures. Except as provided in Sections 15.1, 15.3 and
15.13, 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. A proposed amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the holders of at
least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units, unless a greater or different percentage is
required under this Agreement. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders
of a specified percentage of Outstanding Common Units shall be set forth in a writing that contains
the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, the General Partner shall
seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of Outstanding Common Units or call a meeting
of the holders of Common Units to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. The General
Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any such proposed amendments.
Section 15.3 Amendment Requirements.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 15.1 and 15.2, no provision of this Agreement
that establishes a percentage of Outstanding Units required to take any action shall be amended,
altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of reducing such
voting requirement unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote
of holders of Outstanding Units whose aggregate Outstanding Units constitute not less than the
voting requirement sought to be reduced.
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(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 15.1 and 15.2, no amendment to this Agreement
may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent, (ii) enlarge the
obligations of the General Partner without its consent, which may be given or withheld in its sole
discretion, (iii) modify the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to the
General Partner by the Partnership or the Operating Partnership, (iv) change Section 14.1(a) or
(c), (v) restrict in any way any action by or rights of the General Partner as set forth in this
Agreement or (vi) change the term of the Partnership or, except as set forth in Section 14.1(c),
give any Person the right to dissolve the Partnership.
(c) Except as otherwise provided, and without limitation of the General Partner’s authority to
adopt amendments to this Agreement as contemplated in Section 15.1, any amendment that would have a
material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of Outstanding Units in relation
to other classes of Units must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the
Outstanding Units of the class affected (excluding for purposes of such determination Units owned
by the General Partner and its Affiliates).
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments pursuant to
Section 6.3 or 15.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 16.3(b), no amendments shall become
effective without the approval of the holders of at least 95% of the Outstanding Common Units
unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (a) such amendment will not
cause the Partnership or the Operating Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes and (b) such
amendment will not affect the limited liability of any Limited Partner or any limited partner of
the Operating Partnership under applicable law.
(e) This Section 15.3 shall only be amended with the approval of the holders of not less than
95% of the Outstanding Common Units.
Section 15.4 Meetings. All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this
Agreement shall be taken in the manner provided in this Article XV. Meetings of the Limited
Partners may be called by the General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the
Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall
call a meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that
the signing Limited Partners wish to call a meeting and indicating the general or specific purposes
for which the meeting is to be called. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call from Limited
Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the Partnership to comply
with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar requirements governing the
holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a meeting, the General Partner
shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either directly or indirectly through
the Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place determined by the General Partner
on a date not more than 60 days after the mailing of notice of the meeting. Limited Partners shall
not vote on matters that would cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the
management and control of the business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the
Limited Partners’ limited liability under the Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which
the Partnership is qualified to do business.
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Section 15.5 Notice of a Meeting. Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 15.4
shall be given to the Record Holders in writing by mail or other means of written communication in
accordance with Section 18.1. The notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when
deposited in the mail or sent by other means of written communication.
Section 15.6 Record Date. For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled
to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting
as provided in Section 15.11, the General Partner may set a Record Date, which shall not be less
than 10 nor more than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting (unless such requirement conflicts
with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any National Securities Exchange on which
the Units are listed for trading, in which case the rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of
such exchange shall govern) or (b) in the event that approvals are sought without a meeting, the
date by which Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General Partner to give such
approvals.
Section 15.7 Adjournment. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place,
notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the
time and place thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such
adjournment shall be for more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the Partnership may transact
any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for
more than 45 days or if a new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the
adjourned meeting shall be given in accordance with this Article XV.
Section 15.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes. The
transactions of any meeting of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held,
shall be as valid as if had at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is
present either in person or by proxy, and if, either before or after the meeting, Limited Partners
representing such quorum who were present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote, sign a
written waiver of notice or an approval of the holding of the meeting or an approval of the minutes
thereof. All waivers and approvals shall be filed with the Partnership records or made a part of
the minutes of the meeting. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver
of notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner does not approve, at the beginning of the
meeting, of the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened;
and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to disapprove the
consideration of matters required to be included in the notice of the meeting, but not so included,
if the disapproval is expressly made at the meeting.
Section 15.9 Quorum. The holders of two thirds of the Outstanding Units of the class
or classes for which a meeting has been called represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a
quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the
Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a majority in interest of such Units, in which
case the quorum shall be a majority (excluding, in either case, if such are to be excluded from the
vote, Outstanding Units owned by the General Partner and its Affiliates). At any meeting of the
Limited Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is
present, the act of Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate represent a
majority of the Outstanding Units entitled to vote and be present in person or by proxy at such
meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a greater or
different
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percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this Agreement, in
which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Outstanding Units that in the aggregate
represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be required. The Limited Partners
present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact
business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Limited Partners to leave less
than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the required percentage
of Outstanding Units specified in this Agreement. In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of
Limited Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the
Outstanding Units of the class or classes for which the meeting was called represented either in
person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as provided in Section 15.7.
Section 15.10 Conduct of Meeting. The General Partner shall have full power and
authority concerning the manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation
of approvals in writing, including, without limitation, the determination of Persons entitled to
vote, the existence of a quorum, the satisfaction of the requirements of Section 15.4, the conduct
of voting, the validity and effect of any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes
or challenges arising in connection with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall
designate a Person to serve as chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take
the minutes of any meeting. All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership
maintained by the General Partner. The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent
with applicable law and this Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any
meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing, including, without
limitation, regulations in regard to the appointment of proxies, the appointment and duties of
inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and examination of proxies and other evidence of
the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in writing.
Section 15.11 Action Without a Meeting. Any action that may be taken at a meeting of
the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing setting forth the
action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum percentage of the
Outstanding Units that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which
all the Limited Partners entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Prompt notice of the
taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in
writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for
the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the
time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot
returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Units held by the Limited Partner, the
Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Units that were not voted.
If approval of the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is solicited by any Person other
than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals shall have no force and effect
unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care of the General Partner, (b)
approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date not more than 90 days prior
to the date sufficient approvals are deposited with the Partnership and (c) an Opinion of Counsel
is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of such right and the action
proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not cause the Limited Partners
to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and affairs of the
Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability, (ii) will
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not jeopardize the status of the Partnership as a partnership under applicable tax laws and
regulations and (iii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights,
duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.
Section 15.12 Voting and Other Rights.
(a) Only those Record Holders of Units on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 15.6 (and
also subject to the limitations contained in the definition of “Outstanding”) shall be entitled to
notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to
which the holders of the Outstanding Units have the right to vote or to act. All references in
this Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Outstanding Units shall be
deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such Outstanding Units.
(b) With respect to Units that are held for a Person’s account by another Person (such as a
broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation, or an agent of any of the foregoing),
in whose name such Units are registered, such broker, dealer or other agent shall, in exercising
the voting rights in respect of such Units on any matter, and unless the arrangement between such
Persons provides otherwise, vote such Units in favor of, and at the direction of, the Person who is
the beneficial owner, and the Partnership shall be entitled to assume it is so acting without
further inquiry. The provisions of this Section 15.12(b) (as well as all other provisions of this
Agreement) are subject to the provisions of Section 10.4.
(c) With respect to any vote or act that may be taken by the Record Holders of the Outstanding
Common Units as specified in this Agreement, each Outstanding Common Unit shall be entitled to one
(1) vote per that Outstanding Common Unit. The Record Holders of the Outstanding Common Units
shall always vote together as a class upon any matter which they have the right to vote or act
pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 15.13 Voting Rights of Senior Units. Except as provided in Sections
4.3(c)(i), 9.7, 14.1, 15.3(c), 16.1(b), 17.1, this Section 15.13 or otherwise as required by law,
the Senior Units shall have no voting rights. So long as any Senior Units remain outstanding,
unless a greater percentage shall then be required by law, the Partnership shall not, without the
approval of the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Senior Units voting separately as
a class, (i) amend the Partnership Agreement so as to affect adversely the specified rights,
preferences or privileges of the Senior Units, including any amendment made in order to issue
additional Senior Units other than as provided for in this Agreement as in effect on the WNGL
Closing Date, (ii) except as permitted pursuant to Section 6.12 and Section 11.6, purchase, redeem
or otherwise acquire for value any Common Units or (iii) permit any of its Subsidiaries to issue
equity interests to any Person (other than the Partnership and its Subsidiaries and an interest not
to exceed a percentage equal to one percent divided by ninety-nine percent to the General Partner).
The holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Senior Units, voting separately as one
class, may waive compliance with any provision of this Agreement. In exercising any voting rights
provided for in this Agreement, each Outstanding Senior Unit shall be entitled to one vote.
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Section 15.14 Amendment of Arrearage Requirements. Without limitation of the General
Partner’s authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement as contemplated in Section 15.1 with
respect to the interests of the Common Units:
(a) any amendment to the provisions of this Agreement related to the Arrearage Period or the
Arrearage that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the rights or
preferences of the Outstanding Common Units (other than the FCI Common Units) must be approved by
the holders of not less than a majority of the Outstanding Common Units (excluding for purposes of
such determination the FCI Common Units); and
(b) any amendment to the provisions of this Agreement related to the Arrearage Period or the
Arrearage that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the rights or
preferences of the Outstanding FCI Common Units must be approved by FCI or the holder of the last
FCI Common Unit as specified in Section 4.5(c).
ARTICLE XVI
MERGER
Section 16.1 Authority. (a) Subject to (b) below, 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 XVI;
(b) Without the approval of the holders of at least the majority of the Outstanding Senior
Units, the Partnership shall not, in a single transaction or series of related transactions,
consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise
dispose of all or substantially all of its or the Operating Partnership’s (which includes the sale
by the Partnership of its limited partnership interests in the Operating Partnership) assets to,
another Person unless: (A) either (1) the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity or (2) the
Person (if other than the Partnership) formed by such consolidation or into which the Partnership
is merged or to which the properties and assets of the Partnership or Operating Partnership are
sold, assigned, transferred, leased, conveyed or otherwise disposed of shall be an entity organized
under the laws of the United States or any State thereof or the District of Columbia and shall
expressly assume all of the obligations of the Partnership under this Agreement, the WNGL Purchase
Agreement and the WNGL Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the Senior Units; and (B) if
the Partnership is not the Surviving Business Entity, the Senior Units shall be converted into or
exchanged for and shall become equity interests of such Surviving Business entity, having in
respect of such Surviving Business Entity the same powers, preferences and relative, participating,
optional or other special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereon, that
the Senior Units had immediately prior to such transactions.
Section 16.2 Procedure for Merger or Consolidation. Merger or consolidation of the
Partnership pursuant to this Article XVI requires the prior approval of the General Partner. If
the
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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”);
(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 partnership 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 16.4 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 16.3 Approval by Holders of Common Units of Merger or Consolidation.
(a) The General Partner of the Partnership, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement, shall
direct that the Merger Agreement be submitted to a vote of the Limited Partners holding Common
Units whether at a meeting or by written consent, in either case in
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accordance with the requirements of Article XV. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement
shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a meeting or the written consent.
(b) The Merger Agreement shall be approved upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of
the holders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Common Units unless the Merger Agreement
contains any provision which, if contained in an amendment to this Agreement, the provisions of
this Agreement or the Delaware Act would require the vote or consent of a greater percentage of the
Outstanding Common Units or of any class of Limited Partners, in which case such greater percentage
vote or consent shall be required for approval of the Merger Agreement; provided that, in the case
of a merger or consolidation in which the surviving entity is a corporation or other entity
intended to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity
for federal income tax purposes, if in the opinion of the General Partner it is necessary to
effect, in contemplation of such merger or consolidation, an amendment that would otherwise require
a vote pursuant to Section 15.3(d), no such vote pursuant to Section 15.3(d) shall be required
unless such amendment by its terms will be applicable to the Partnership in the event the merger or
consolidation is abandoned or unless such amendment will be applicable to the Partnership during a
period in excess of ten days prior to the merger or consolidation.
(c) After such approval by vote or consent of the holders of the Common Units, and at any time
prior to the filing of the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 16.4, the merger or
consolidation may be abandoned pursuant to provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger
Agreement.
Section 16.4 Certificate of Merger. Upon the required approval by the General Partner
and the Limited Partners 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.
Section 16.5 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 interests in
property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved
unimpaired; and
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(iv) 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.
(b) 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 XVII
RIGHT TO ACQUIRE UNITS
Section 17.1 Right to Acquire Units.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if at any time not more than 20% of
the total Units of any class then Outstanding are held by Persons other than the General Partner
and its Affiliates, the General Partner shall, upon the approval of the holders of at least a
majority of the Outstanding Senior Units, have the right, which right it may assign and transfer to
the Partnership or any Affiliate of the General Partner, exercisable in its sole discretion, to
purchase all, but not less than all, of the Units of such class then Outstanding held by Persons
other than the General Partner and its Affiliates, at the greater of (x) the Current Market Price
as of the date three days prior to the date that the notice described in Section 17.1(b) is mailed,
and (y) the highest cash price paid by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates for any such
Unit purchased during the 90 day period preceding the date that the notice described in Section
17.1(b) is mailed.
(b) If the General Partner, any Affiliate of the General Partner or the Partnership elects to
exercise the right to purchase Units granted pursuant to Section 17.1(a), the General Partner shall
deliver to the Transfer Agent notice of such election to purchase (the “Notice of Election to
Purchase”) and shall cause the Transfer Agent to mail a copy of such Notice of Election to Purchase
to the Record Holders of Units (as of a Record Date selected by the General Partner) at least 10,
but not more than 60, days prior to the Purchase Date. Such Notice of Election to Purchase shall
also be published for a period of at least three consecutive days in at least two daily newspapers
of general circulation printed in the English language and published in the Borough of Manhattan,
New York. The Notice of Election to Purchase shall specify the Purchase Date and the price
(determined in accordance with Section 17.1(a)) at which Units will be purchased and state that the
General Partner, its Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, elects to purchase such
Units, upon surrender of Certificates representing such Units in exchange for payment, at such
office or offices of the Transfer Agent as the Transfer Agent may specify, or as may be required by
any National Securities Exchange on which the Units are listed or admitted to trading. Any such
Notice of Election to Purchase mailed to a Record Holder of Units at his address as reflected in
the records of the Transfer Agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been given whether or not
the owner receives such notice. On or prior to the Purchase Date, the General Partner, its
Affiliate or the Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent cash in an
amount sufficient to pay the aggregate purchase price of all of the Units to be purchased in
accordance with this Section 17.1. If the Notice of Election to Purchase shall have been duly
given as aforesaid at least 10 days prior to
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the Purchase Date, and if on or prior to the Purchase Date the deposit described in the
preceding sentence has been made for the benefit of the holders of Units subject to purchase as
provided herein, then from and after the Purchase Date, notwithstanding that any Certificate shall
not have been surrendered for purchase, all rights of the holders of such Units (including, without
limitation, any rights pursuant to Articles IV, V and XIV) shall thereupon cease, except the right
to receive the purchase price (determined in accordance with Section 17.1(a)) for Units therefor,
without interest, upon surrender to the Transfer Agent of the Certificates representing such Units,
and such Units shall thereupon be deemed to be transferred to the General Partner, its Affiliate or
the Partnership, as the case may be, on the record books of the Transfer Agent and the Partnership,
and the General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner, or the Partnership, as the case
may be, shall be deemed to be the owner of all such Units from and after the Purchase Date and
shall have all rights as the owner of such Units (including, without limitation, all rights as
owner of such Units pursuant to Articles IV, V and XIV).
(c) At any time from and after the Purchase Date, a holder of an Outstanding Unit subject to
purchase as provided in this Section 17.1 may surrender his Certificate, as the case may be,
evidencing such Unit to the Transfer Agent in exchange for payment of the amount described in
Section 17.1(a), therefor, without interest thereon.
Section 17.2 Right to Acquire Senior Units.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Partnership shall have the
right, which it may assign to any of its Affiliates, exercisable in its sole discretion, to
purchase for cash, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, Senior Units at the
Senior Unit Redemption Price. The right of the Partnership and its permitted assigns to purchase
Outstanding Senior Units at the Senior Unit Redemption Price shall not apply to Common Units issued
upon conversion of the Senior Units in accordance with Section 5.7; provided, however, that the
Partnership and its permitted assigns shall have the right to exercise such right at any time prior
to the date of conversion.
(b) If the Partnership or its permitted assigns exercises the right to purchase Senior Units
granted pursuant to Section 17.2(a), the Partnership shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the
holder or holders of Senior Units, a Senior Unit Redemption Notice at least three, but not more
than thirty (30) Business Days prior to the Senior Unit Redemption Date.
(c) On or prior to the Senior Unit Redemption Date, the General Partner, its Affiliate or the
Partnership, as the case may be, shall deposit with the Transfer Agent (or if all of the
Outstanding Senior Units are held by one Holder (including Affiliates of such Holder), pay to such
Holder and its Affiliates) cash in an amount sufficient to pay the aggregate Senior Unit Redemption
Price of all of the Senior Units acquired pursuant to this Section 17.2. On the Senior Unit
Redemption Date, each holder of Senior Units shall surrender the Certificates representing the
number of Senior Units set forth in the Senior Unit Redemption Notice, in proper transfer form, in
the manner and place designated in such notice. On the Senior Unit Redemption Date, the Senior
Unit Redemption Price shall be payable in cash to the person whose name appears on such
Certificates as the owner thereof, and, if purchased by the Partnership and not any of its
Affiliates, each surrendered Certificate shall be canceled and retired. In the event that less
than all of the Senior Units represented by any such Certificates are
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being acquired by the Partnership or any of its Affiliates, new Certificates shall be issued
representing the number of Senior Units to remain Outstanding.
(d) On and after the Senior Unit Redemption Date, unless the Partnership or any of its
Affiliates defaults in the payment in full of the Senior Unit Redemption Price, all distributions
on the Senior Units to be purchased shall cease, and all rights associated with the Senior Units to
be purchased shall terminate other than the right to receive the Senior Unit Redemption Price.
ARTICLE XVIII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 18.1 Addresses and Notices. Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy
materials required or permitted to be given or made to a Partner or Assignee under this Agreement
shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by
first class United States mail or by other means of written communication to the Partner or
Assignee at the address described below. Any notice, payment or report to be given or made to a
Partner or Assignee hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have been given or made, and the
obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall be deemed conclusively to
have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report to the Record Holder of
such Unit at his address as shown on the records of the Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the
records of the Partnership, regardless of any claim of any Person who may have an interest in such
Unit or the Partnership Interest of a General Partner by reason of any assignment or otherwise. An
affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 18.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the mailing
organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment or
report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such
Record Holder appearing on the books and records of the Transfer Agent or the Partnership is
returned by the United States Post Office marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service
is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and
reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as
such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in
his address) if they are available for the Partner or Assignee at the principal office of the
Partnership for a period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment
or report to the other Partners and Assignees. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given
if received by the General Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant
to Section 1.3. The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or
other document from a Partner, Assignee or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.
Section 18.2 References. Except as specifically provided otherwise, references to
“Articles” and “Sections” are to Articles and Sections of this Agreement.
Section 18.3 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 18.4 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 18.5 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 18.6 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 18.7 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 18.8 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 18.9 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 or, in the case
of a Person acquiring a Unit, upon accepting the certificate evidencing such Unit or executing and
delivering a Transfer Application as herein described, independently of the signature of any other
party.
Section 18.10 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 18.11 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.
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GENERAL PARTNER:
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FERRELLGAS, INC.
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Name: |
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx |
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Title: |
Senior Vice President and CFO |
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LIMITED PARTNERS: |
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All Limited Partners now and hereafter admitted as
limited partners of the Partnership, pursuant to
Powers of Attorney now and hereafter executed in favor
of, and granted and delivered to, the General Partner. |
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By: |
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FERRELLGAS, INC. |
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General Partner, as attorney-in-fact for all
Limited Partners pursuant to the Powers of
Attorney granted pursuant to Section 1.4. |
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Title: Senior Vice President and CFO |
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Fourth Amended and Restated LP Agreement of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
Signature Page
EXHIBIT A
to the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of
Limited Partnership of
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
Certificate Evidencing Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
No.
___ Common Units
FERRELLGAS, INC., a Delaware corporation, as the General Partner of FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.,
a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”),
hereby certifies that
(the
"Holder") is the registered owner of ___ Common Units representing limited partner interests in
the Partnership (the “Common Units") transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by
duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed and accompanied by a
properly executed application for transfer of the Common Units represented by this Certificate. The
rights, preferences and limitations of the Common Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and
the Common Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms
and provisions of, the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of FERRELLGAS
PARTNERS, L.P., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “Partnership
Agreement"). Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without
charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the
Partnership located at Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000. Capitalized terms used herein
but not defined shall have the meaning given them in the Partnership Agreement.
The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and
agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have
executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right,
power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership
Agreement, (iii) granted the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement and (iv)
made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
This Certificate shall not be valid for any purpose unless it has been countersigned and
registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
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Dated: |
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Countersigned and Registered by: |
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FERRELLGAS, INC., |
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as General Partner |
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By: |
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Transfer Agent and Registrar |
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President |
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By: |
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Authorized Signature |
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Secretary |
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Page 2 of Exhibit A
[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate,
shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:
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TEN COM
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as tenants in common
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UNIF GIFT MIN ACT-
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TEN ENT
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as tenants by the entireties
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Custodian
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JT TEN
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as joint tenants with right
of survivorship and not as
tenants in common
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(Cust) (Minor)
under Uniform Gifts to Minors
Act
State |
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Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.
ASSIGNMENT OF COMMON UNITS
in
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING INVESTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
DUE TO TAX SHELTER STATUS OF FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
You have acquired an interest in Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000, whose taxpayer identification number is 00-0000000. The Internal Revenue Service
has issued Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. the following tax shelter registration number 94201000010:
YOU MUST REPORT THIS REGISTRATION NUMBER TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IF YOU CLAIM ANY
DEDUCTION, LOSS, CREDIT, OR OTHER TAX BENEFIT OR REPORT ANY INCOME BY REASON OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
You must report the registration number as well as the name and taxpayer identification number
of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. on Form 8271. FORM 8271 MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE RETURN ON WHICH YOU
CLAIM THE DEDUCTION, LOSS, CREDIT, OR OTHER TAX BENEFIT OR REPORT ANY INCOME BY REASON OF YOUR
INVESTMENT IN FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
If you transfer your interest in Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. to another person, you are required
by the Internal Revenue Service to keep a list containing (a) that person’s name, address and
taxpayer identification number, (b) the date on which you transferred the interest and (c) the
name, address and tax shelter registration number of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. If you do not want
to keep such a list, you must (1) send the information specified above to the Partnership, which
will keep the list for this tax shelter, and (2) give a copy of this notice to the person to whom
you
Page 3 of Exhibit A
transfer your interest. Your failure to comply with any of the above-described
responsibilities could result in the imposition of a penalty under Section 6707(b) or 6708(a) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, unless such failure is shown to be due to reasonable
cause.
ISSUANCE OF A REGISTRATION NUMBER DOES NOT INDICATE THAT THIS INVESTMENT OR THE CLAIMED TAX
BENEFITS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, EXAMINED, OR APPROVED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.
FOR VALUE RECEIVED,
hereby assigns,
conveys, sells and transfers unto
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(Please print or typewrite name and
address of Assignee)
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(Please insert Social Security or
other identifying number of
Assignee) |
Common Units representing limited partner interests evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the
Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to transfer the same on the books of
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
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Date:
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NOTE: The signature to any
endorsement hereon must correspond
with the name as written upon the
face of this Certificate in every
particular, without alteration,
enlargement or change. |
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SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY A MEMBER FIRM
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OF THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS,
INC. OR BY A COMMERCIAL BANK OR
TRUST COMPANY
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(Signature)
(Signature) |
SIGNATURE(S) GUARANTEED
No transfer of the Common Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the
Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Common Units to be transferred is surrendered
for registration or transfer and an Application for Transfer of Common Units has been executed by a
transferee either (a) on the form set forth below or (b) on a separate application that the
Partnership will furnish on request without charge. A transferor of the Common Units shall have no
duty to the transferee with respect to execution of the transfer application in order for such
transferee to obtain registration of the transfer of the Common Units.
Page 4 of Exhibit A
APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF COMMON UNITS
The undersigned (“Assignee”) hereby applies for transfer to the name of the Assignee of the
Common Units evidenced hereby.
The Assignee (a) requests admission as a Substituted Limited Partner and agrees to comply with
and be bound by, and hereby executes, the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (the
“Partnership”), as amended, supplemented or restated
to the date hereof (the “Partnership Agreement”), (b) represents and warrants that the Assignee has
all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the
Partnership Agreement, (c) grants the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement
and (d) makes the waivers and gives the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership
Agreement.
Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the
Partnership Agreement.
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Date: |
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Signature of Assignee
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Social Security or other identifying number
of Assignee |
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Name and Address of Assignee |
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Purchase Price |
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including commissions, if any |
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Type of Entity (check one)
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Individual
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Partnership
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Corporation |
Trust
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Other (specify)
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Nationality (Check One):
U.S Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity ___
Foreign Corporation, or Non-resident
alien
If the U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity box is checked, the following certification
must be completed.
Page 5 of Exhibit A
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the
Partnership must withhold tax with respect to certain transfers of property if a holder of an
interest in the Partnership is a foreign person. To inform the Partnership that no withholding is
required with respect to the undersigned interest holder’s interest in it, the undersigned hereby
certifies the following (or, if applicable, certifies the following on behalf of the interest
holder).
Complete Either A or B:
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Individual Interest Holder |
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I am not a non-resident alien for purposes of U.S. income taxation. |
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My U.S. taxpayer identifying number (Social Security Number) is
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My home address is . |
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Partnership, Corporate or Other Interest-Holder |
1.
is not a
(Name of Interest-Holder)
foreign corporation, foreign partnership, foreign trust or foreign estate (as those
terms are defined in the Code and Treasury Regulations).
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The interest-holder’s U.S. employer identification number is
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The interest-holder’s office address and place of incorporation
(if applicable) is . |
The interest-holder agrees to notify the Partnership within 60 days of the date the
interest-holder becomes a foreign person.
The interest-holder understands that this certificate may be disclosed to the Internal Revenue
Service by the Partnership and that any false statement contained herein could be punishable by
fine, imprisonment or both.
Page 6 of Exhibit A
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this certification and to the best
of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct and complete and, if applicable, I further declare
that I have authority to sign this document on behalf of
(Name of Interest-Holder)
Signature and Date
Title (if applicable)
Note: If the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank, trust company, clearing corporation, other
nominee holder or an agent of any of the foregoing, and is holding for the account of any other
person, this application should be completed by an officer thereof or, in the case of a broker or
dealer, by a registered representative who is a member of a registered national securities exchange
or a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or, in the case of any other
nominee holder, a person performing a similar function. If the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank
trust company, clearing corporation, other nominee owner or an agent of any of the foregoing, the
above certification as to any person for whom the Assignee will hold the Common Units shall be made
to the best of the Assignee’s knowledge.
Page 7 of Exhibit A
EXHIBIT B
to the Agreement of
Limited Partnership of
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
Certificate Evidencing Senior Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
No.
Senior Units
FERRELLGAS, INC., a Delaware corporation, as the General Partner of FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.,
a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”),
hereby certifies that (the
“Holder”) is the registered owner of ___ Senior Units representing limited partner interests in
the Partnership (the “Senior Units”) transferable on the books of the Partnership, in person or by
duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed and accompanied by a
properly executed application for transfer of the Senior Units represented by this Certificate. The
rights, preferences and limitations of the Senior Units are set forth in, and this Certificate and
the Senior Units represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to the terms
and provisions of, the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of FERRELLGAS
PARTNERS, L.P., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time (the “Partnership
Agreement”). Copies of the Partnership Agreement are on file at, and will be furnished without
charge on delivery of written request to the Partnership at, the principal office of the
Partnership located at Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000. Capitalized terms used herein
but not defined shall have the meaning given them in the Partnership Agreement.
The Holder, by accepting this Certificate, is deemed to have (i) requested admission as, and
agreed to become, a Limited Partner and to have agreed to comply with and be bound by and to have
executed the Partnership Agreement, (ii) represented and warranted that the Holder has all right,
power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the Partnership
Agreement, (iii) granted the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement and (iv)
made the waivers and given the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership Agreement.
Dated:
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FERRELLGAS, INC.,
as General Partner
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By: |
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President |
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By: |
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Secretary |
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Page 1 of Exhibit B
[Reverse of Certificate]
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Certificate,
shall be construed as follows according to applicable laws or regulations:
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TEN COM
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as tenants in common
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UNIF GIFT MIN ACT- |
TEN ENT
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as tenants by the entireties
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Custodian |
JT TEN
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as joint tenants with right of
survivorship and not as tenants in
common
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(Cust) (Minor)
under Uniform Gifts to Minors
Act
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State |
Additional abbreviations, though not in the above list, may also be used.
ASSIGNMENT OF SENIOR UNITS
in
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING INVESTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
DUE TO TAX SHELTER STATUS OF FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
You have acquired an interest in Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx 00000, whose taxpayer identification number is 00-0000000. The Internal Revenue Service
has issued Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. the following tax shelter registration number 94201000010:
YOU MUST REPORT THIS REGISTRATION NUMBER TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE IF YOU CLAIM ANY
DEDUCTION, LOSS, CREDIT, OR OTHER TAX BENEFIT OR REPORT ANY INCOME BY REASON OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
You must report the registration number as well as the name and taxpayer identification number
of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. on Form 8271. FORM 8271 MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE RETURN ON WHICH YOU
CLAIM THE DEDUCTION, LOSS, CREDIT, OR OTHER TAX BENEFIT OR REPORT ANY INCOME BY REASON OF YOUR
INVESTMENT IN FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
If you transfer your interest in Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. to another person, you are required
by the Internal Revenue Service to keep a list containing (a) that person’s name, address and
taxpayer identification number, (b) the date on which you transferred the interest and (c) the
name, address and tax shelter registration number of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. If you do not want
to keep such a list, you must (1) send the information specified above to the Partnership, which
will keep the list for this tax shelter, and (2) give a copy of this notice to the person to whom
you
Page 2 of Exhibit B
transfer your interest. Your failure to comply with any of the above-described
responsibilities could result in the imposition of a penalty under Section 6707(b) or 6708(a) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, unless such failure is shown to be due to reasonable
cause.
ISSUANCE OF A REGISTRATION NUMBER DOES NOT INDICATE THAT THIS INVESTMENT OR THE CLAIMED TAX
BENEFITS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, EXAMINED, OR APPROVED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.
FOR VALUE RECEIVED,
hereby assigns, conveys, sells and transfers unto
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(Please print or typewrite name and
address of Assignee)
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(Please insert Social Security or
other identifying number of
Assignee)
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Senior Units representing limited partner
interests
evidenced by this Certificate, subject to the Partnership Agreement, and does hereby irrevocably
constitute and appoint
as its attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to
transfer the same on the books of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
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Date:
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NOTE: The signature to any endorsement hereon must correspond
with the name as written upon the face of this Certificate in
every particular, without alteration, enlargement or change. |
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(Signature)
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No transfer of the Senior Units evidenced hereby will be registered on the books of the
Partnership, unless the Certificate evidencing the Senior Units to be transferred is surrendered
for registration or transfer and an Application for Transfer of Senior Units has been executed by a
transferee either (a) on the form set forth below or (b) on a separate application that the
Partnership will furnish on request without charge. A transferor of the Senior Units shall have no
duty to the transferee with respect to execution of the transfer application in order for such
transferee to obtain registration of the transfer of the Senior Units.
Page 3 of Exhibit B
APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF SENIOR UNITS
The undersigned (“Assignee”) hereby applies for transfer to the name of the Assignee of the
Senior Units evidenced hereby.
The Assignee (a) requests admission as a Substituted Limited Partner and agrees to comply with
and be bound by, and hereby executes, the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (the “Partnership”), as amended, supplemented or restated
to the date hereof (the “Partnership Agreement”), (b) represents and warrants that the Assignee has
all right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity necessary to enter into the
Partnership Agreement, (c) grants the powers of attorney provided for in the Partnership Agreement
and (d) makes the waivers and gives the consents and approvals contained in the Partnership
Agreement.
Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the
Partnership Agreement.
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Date: |
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Signature of Assignee |
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Social Security or other identifying
number of Assignee
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Name and Address of Assignee |
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Purchase Price
including commissions, if any
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Type of Entity (check one)
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Individual
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Partnership
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Corporation |
Trust
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Other (specify)
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Nationality (Check One):
U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity Foreign Corporation, or
Non-resident alien
Page 4 of Exhibit B
If the U.S. Citizen, Resident or Domestic Entity box is checked, the following certification
must be completed.
Under Section 1445(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the
Partnership must withhold tax with respect to certain transfers of property if a holder of an
interest in the Partnership is a foreign person. To inform the Partnership that no withholding is
required with respect to the undersigned interest holder’s interest in it, the undersigned hereby
certifies the following (or, if applicable, certifies the following on behalf of the interest
holder).
Complete Either A or B:
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Individual Interest Holder |
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I am not a non-resident alien for purposes of U.S. income
taxation. |
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My U.S. taxpayer identifying number (Social Security Number)
is. . |
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My home address is . |
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Partnership, Corporate or Other Interest-Holder |
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is not a |
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(Name of Interest-Holder) |
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foreign corporation, foreign partnership, foreign trust or foreign estate
(as those terms are defined in the Code and Treasury Regulations). |
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The interest-holder’s U.S. employer identification number is
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3. |
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The interest-holder’s office address and place of incorporation
(if applicable) is . |
The interest-holder agrees to notify the Partnership within 60 days of the date the
interest-holder becomes a foreign person.
The interest-holder understands that this certificate may be disclosed to the Internal Revenue
Service by the Partnership and that any false statement contained herein could be punishable by
fine, imprisonment or both.
Page 5 of Exhibit B
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this certification and to the best
of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct and complete and, if applicable, I further declare
that I have authority to sign this document on behalf of
(Name of Interest-Holder)
Signature and Date
Title (if applicable)
Note: If the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank, trust company, clearing corporation, other
nominee holder or an agent of any of the foregoing, and is holding for the account of any other
person, this application should be completed by an officer thereof or, in the case of a broker or
dealer, by a registered representative who is a member of a registered national securities exchange
or a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or, in the case of any other
nominee holder, a person performing a similar function. If the Assignee is a broker, dealer, bank
trust company, clearing corporation, other nominee owner or an agent of any of the foregoing, the
above certification as to any person for whom the Assignee will hold the Senior Units shall be made
to the best of the Assignee’s knowledge.
Page 6 of Exhibit B
Form of Election to Convert
To Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
The undersigned owner of the Senior Units evidenced by this Certificate hereby exercises the
option to convert all such Senior Units, or the number of Senior Units below designated, into
Common Units of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. in accordance with the terms of the Partnership Agreement
referred to in this Certificate, and directs that the Common Units issuable and deliverable upon
conversion, together with any check in payment for fractional shares, be issued with any check in
payment for fractional shares, be issued in the name of and delivered to the undersigned registered
Holder hereof, unless a different name has been indicated in the assignment below. If Common Units
are to be issued in the name of person other than the undersigned, the undersigned will pay all
transfer taxes payable with respect thereto. Any amount required to be paid by the undersigned on
account of accumulated and undistributed distributions accompanies this Certificate.
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Dated: |
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Number of Senior Units to be converted: |
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Signature (for conversion only)
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If Common Units are to be issued
and registered otherwise than to
the registered Holder named above,
please print or typewrite name and
address, including zip code, and
social security or other taxpayer
identification number. |
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Page 7 of Exhibit B