EX-99.2(a)
BLACKROCK MUNICIPAL
2018 TERM TRUST
AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
DATED AS OF OCTOBER 15, 2001
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE I
The Trust ................................1
1.1 Name.................................................................1
1.2 Definitions..........................................................2
ARTICLE II
Trustees ..................................3
2.1 Number and Qualification..............................................3
2.2 Term and Election.....................................................4
2.3 Resignation and Removal...............................................4
2.4 Vacancies.............................................................5
2.5 Meetings..............................................................5
2.6 Trustee Action by Written Consent.....................................6
2.7 Officers..............................................................6
ARTICLE III
Powers and Duties of Trustees .......................7
3.1 General...............................................................7
3.2 Investments...........................................................7
3.3 Legal Title...........................................................7
3.4 Issuance and Repurchase of Shares.....................................8
3.5 Borrow Money or Utilize Leverage......................................8
3.6 Delegation; Committees................................................8
3.7 Collection and Payment................................................9
3.8 Expenses..............................................................9
3.9 By-Laws...............................................................9
3.10 Miscellaneous Powers..................................................9
3.11 Further Powers.......................................................10
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PAGE
ARTICLE IV
Advisory, Management and Distribution Arrangements ............10
4.1 Advisory and Management Arrangements.................................10
4.2 Distribution Arrangements............................................11
4.3 Parties to Contract..................................................11
ARTICLE V
Limitations of Liability
and Indemnification ...........................12
5.1 No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc.................12
5.2 Mandatory Indemnification............................................12
5.3 No Bond Required of Trustees.........................................14
5.4 No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, etc...........14
5.5 Reliance on Experts, etc.............................................15
ARTICLE VI
Shares of Beneficial Interest ......................15
6.1 Beneficial Interest..................................................15
6.2 Other Securities.....................................................15
6.3 Rights of Shareholders...............................................15
6.4 Trust Only...........................................................16
6.5 Issuance of Shares...................................................16
6.6 Register of Shares...................................................16
6.7 Transfer Agent and Registrar.........................................17
6.8 Transfer of Shares...................................................17
6.9 Notices..............................................................17
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PAGE
ARTICLE VII
Custodians ................................18
7.1 Appointment and Duties...............................................18
7.2 Central Certificate System...........................................18
ARTICLE VIII
Redemption ................................19
8.1 Redemptions..........................................................19
8.2 Disclosure of Holding................................................19
ARTICLE IX
Determination of Net Asset Value
Net Income and Distributions .......................19
9.1 Net Asset Value......................................................19
9.2 Distributions to Shareholders........................................19
9.3 Power to Modify Foregoing Procedures.................................20
ARTICLE X
Shareholders ...............................21
10.1 Meetings of Shareholders.............................................21
10.2 Voting...............................................................21
10.3 Notice of Meeting and Record Date....................................21
10.4 Quorum and Required Vote.............................................22
10.5 Proxies, etc.........................................................22
10.6 Reports..............................................................23
10.7 Inspection of Records................................................23
10.8 Shareholder Action by Written Consent................................23
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PAGE
ARTICLE XI
Limited Term of Existence; Termination;
Amendment; Mergers, Etc. .........................23
11.1 Limited Term of Existence............................................23
11.2 Termination..........................................................24
11.3 Amendment Procedure..................................................25
11.4 Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets.............................26
11.5 Subsidiaries.........................................................27
11.6 Conversion...........................................................27
11.7 Certain Transactions.................................................27
ARTICLE XII
Miscellaneous ..............................29
12.1 Filing...............................................................29
12.2 Resident Agent.......................................................30
12.3 Governing Law........................................................30
12.4 Counterparts.........................................................30
12.5 Reliance by Third Parties............................................30
12.6 Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation........................30
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BLACKROCK MUNICIPAL 2018 TERM TRUST
AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARA TION OF TRUST made as of
the 15th day of October, 2001, by the Trustees hereun der, and by the holders of
shares of beneficial interest issued hereunder as hereinafter provided.
WHEREAS, this Trust has been formed to carry on business as set
forth more particularly hereinafter;
WHEREAS, this Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of
its shares of beneficial interest all in accordance with the provisions
hereinafter set forth;
WHEREAS, the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into
their hands as Trustees of a Delaware business trust in accordance with the
provisions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend that the Trust created by this
Declaration and the Certificate of Trust filed with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware on September 7, 2001 shall constitute a business trust
under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Business Trust Act and that this Declaration shall
constitute the governing instrument of such business trust.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all
cash, securities, and other assets which they may from time to time acquire in
any manner as Trustees hereunder IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon
the following terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders from time to
time of shares of beneficial interest in this Trust as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
THE TRUST
1.1 NAME. This Trust shall be known as the " BlackRock Municipal
2018 Term Trust" and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under
that name or any other name or names as they may from time to time determine.
1.2 DEFINITIONS. As used in this Declaration, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
The "1940 ACT" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and exemptions granted therefrom,
as amended from time to time.
The terms "AFFILIATED PERSON", "ASSIGNMENT", "COMMISSION", "INTER
ESTED PERSON" and "PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER" shall have the meanings given them in
the 1940 Act.
"BY-LAWS" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time
to time by the Trustees.
"CODE" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and
the regulations promulgated thereunder.
"COMMISSION" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"DECLARATION" shall mean this Amended and Restated Agreement and
Declaration of Trust, as amended, supplemented or amended and restated from time
to time.
"DELAWARE BUSINESS TRUST STATUTE" shall mean the provisions of the
Delaware Business Trust Act, 12 DEL. C. ss. 3801, ET. SEQ., as such Act may be
amended from time to time.
"DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW" means the Delaware General
Corporation Law, 8 DEL. C.ss.100, ET. SEQ., as amended from time to time.
"FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES" shall mean the investment policies and
restrictions as set forth from time to time in any Prospectus or contained in
any current Registration Statement of the Trust filed with the Commission or as
other wise adopted by the Trustees and the Shareholders in accordance with the
require ments of the 1940 Act and designated as fundamental policies therein as
they may be amended from time to time in accordance with the requirements of the
1940 Act.
"MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER VOTE" shall mean a vote of "a majority of the
outstanding voting securities" (as such term is defined in the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of the
Trust with each class and series of Shares voting together as a single class,
except to the extent otherwise required by the 1940 Act or this Declaration with
respect to any one
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or more classes or series of Shares, in which case the applicable proportion of
such classes or series of Shares voting as a separate class or series, as the
case may be, also will be required.
"PERSON" shall mean and include individuals, corporations, partner
ships, trusts, limited liability companies, associations, joint ventures and
other entities, whether or not legal entities, and governments and agencies and
political subdivisions thereof.
"PROSPECTUS" shall mean the Prospectus of the Trust, if any, as in
effect from time to time under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"SHAREHOLDERS" shall mean as of any particular time the holders of
record of outstanding Shares of the Trust, at such time.
"SHARES" shall mean the transferable units of beneficial interest
into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to
time and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares. In addition,
Shares also means any preferred shares or preferred units of beneficial interest
which may be issued from time to time, as described herein. All references to
Shares shall be deemed to be Shares of any or all series or classes as the
context may require.
"TRUST" shall mean the trust established by this Declaration, as
amended from time to time, inclusive of each such amendment.
"TRUST PROPERTY" shall mean as of any particular time any and all
property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, which at such time is owned
or held by or for the account of the Trust or the Trustees in such capacity.
"TRUSTEES" shall mean the signatories to this Declaration, so long
as they shall continue in office in accordance with the terms hereof, and all
other persons who at the time in question have been duly elected or appointed
and have qualified as trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof and are
then in office.
ARTICLE II
TRUSTEES
2.1 NUMBER AND QUALIFICATION. Prior to a public offering of Shares
there may be a sole Trustee. Thereafter, the number of Trustees shall be
determined by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees then in
office, provided
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that the number of Trustees shall be no less than two or more than nine. No
reduc tion in the number of Trustees shall have the effect of removing any
Trustee from office prior to the expiration of his term. An individual nominated
as a Trustee shall be at least 21 years of age and not older than 80 years of
age at the time of nomina tion and not under legal disability. Trustees need not
own Shares and may succeed themselves in office.
2.2 TERM AND ELECTION. The Board of Trustees shall be divided into
three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall
consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of
trustees constituting the entire Board of Trustees. Within the limits above
specified, the number of the Trustees in each class shall be determined by
resolution of the Board of Trustees. The term of office of the first class shall
expire on the date of the first annual meeting of Shareholders or special
meeting in lieu thereof following the effective date of the Registration
Statement relating to the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
The term of office of the second class shall expire on the date of the second
annual meeting of Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof following the
effective date of the Registration Statement relating to the Shares under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The term of office of the third class shall
expire on the date of the third annual meeting of Shareholders or special
meeting in lieu thereof following the effective date of the Registration
Statement relating to the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Upon expiration of the term of office of each class as set forth above, the
number of Trustees in such class, as determined by the Board of Trustees, shall
be elected for a term expiring on the date of the third annual meeting of
Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof following such expiration to
succeed the Trustees whose terms of office expire. The Trustees shall be elected
at an annual meeting of the Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof
called for that purpose, except as provided in Section 2.3 of this Article and
each Trustee elected shall hold office until his or her successor shall have
been elected and shall have qualified. The term of office of a Trustee shall
terminate and a vacancy shall occur in the event of the death, resignation,
removal, bankruptcy, adjudicated incompetence or other incapacity to perform the
duties of the office, or removal, of a Trustee.
2.3 RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL. Any of the Trustees may resign their
trust (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in
writing signed by such Trustee and delivered or mailed to the Trustees or the
Chairman, if any, the President or the Secretary and such resignation shall be
effective upon such delivery, or at a later date according to the terms of the
instrument. Any of the Trustees may be removed (provided the aggregate number of
Trustees after such removal shall not be less than the minimum number required
by Section 2.1 hereof) for cause only, and not without cause, and only by action
taken by a majority of the
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remaining Trustees followed by the holders of at least seventy-five percent
(75%) of the Shares then entitled to vote in an election of such Trustee. Upon
the resignation or removal of a Trustee, each such resigning or removed Trustee
shall execute and deliver such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require
for the purpose of conveying to the Trust or the remaining Trustees any Trust
Property held in the name of such resigning or removed Trustee. Upon the
incapacity or death of any Trustee, such Trustee's legal representative shall
execute and deliver on such Trustee's behalf such documents as the remaining
Trustees shall require as provided in the preceding sentence.
2.4 VACANCIES. Whenever a vacancy in the Board of Trustees shall
occur, the remaining Trustees may fill such vacancy by appointing an individual
having the qualifications described in this Article by a written instrument
signed by a majority of the Trustees then in office or may leave such vacancy
unfilled or may reduce the number of Trustees; provided the aggregate number of
Trustees after such reduction shall not be less than the minimum number required
by Section 2.1 hereof; provided, further, that if the Shareholders of any class
or series of Shares are entitled separately to elect one or more Trustees, a
majority of the remaining Trustees or the sole remaining Trustee elected by that
class or series may fill any vacancy among the number of Trustees elected by
that class or series. Any vacancy created by an increase in Trustees may be
filled by the appointment of an individual having the qualifications described
in this Article made by a written instrument signed by a majority of the
Trustees then in office. No vacancy shall operate to annul this Declaration or
to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration.
Whenever a vacancy in the number of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is
filled as provided herein, the Trustees in office, regardless of their number,
shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the
duties imposed upon the Trustees by this Declaration.
2.5 MEETINGS. Meetings of the Trustees shall be held from time to
time upon the call of the Chairman, if any, or the President or any two
Trustees. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held without call or notice at
a time and place fixed by the By-Laws or by resolution of the Trustees. Notice
of any other meeting shall be given by the Secretary and shall be delivered to
the Trustees orally not less than 24 hours, or in writing not less than 72
hours, before the meeting, but may be waived in writing by any Trustee either
before or after such meeting. The attendance of a Trustee at a meeting shall
constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting except where a Trustee attends a
meeting for the express purpose of object ing to the transaction of any business
on the ground that the meeting has not been properly called or convened. A
quorum for all meetings of the Trustees shall be one- third, but not less than
two, of the Trustees. Unless provided otherwise in this Declaration and except
as required under the 1940 Act, any action of the Trustees
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may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the Trustees present (a
quorum being present) or without a meeting by written consent of a majority of
the Trustees.
Any committee of the Trustees, including an executive committee, if
any, may act with or without a meeting. A quorum for all meetings of any such
committee shall be one-third, but not less than two, of the members thereof.
Unless provided otherwise in this Declaration, any action of any such committee
may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the members present (a quorum
being present) or without a meeting by written consent of all of the members.
With respect to actions of the Trustees and any committee of the
Trustees, Trustees who are Interested Persons in any action to be taken may be
counted for quorum purposes under this Section and shall be entitled to vote to
the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.
All or any one or more Trustees may participate in a meeting of the
Trustees or any committee thereof by means of a conference telephone or similar
communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other; participation in a meeting pursuant to any such
commu nications system shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
2.6 TRUSTEE ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT. Any action which may be
taken by Trustees by vote may be taken without a meeting if that number of the
Trustees, or members of a committee, as the case may be, required for approval
of such action at a meeting of the Trustees or of such committee consent to the
action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the
meetings of Trust ees. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote
taken at a meeting of Trustees.
2.7 OFFICERS. The Trustees shall elect a President, a Secretary
and a Treasurer and may elect a Chairman who shall serve at the pleasure of the
Trustees or until their successors are elected. The Trustees may elect or
appoint or may autho rize the Chairman, if any, or President to appoint such
other officers or agents with such powers as the Trustees may deem to be
advisable. A Chairman shall, and the President, Secretary and Treasurer may, but
need not, be a Trustee.
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ARTICLE III
POWERS AND DUTIES OF TRUSTEES
3.1 GENERAL. The Trustees shall owe to the Trust and its
Shareholders the same fiduciary duties as owed by directors of corporations to
such corporations and their stockholders under the Delaware General Corporation
Law. The Trustees shall have exclusive and absolute control over the Trust
Property and over the business of the Trust to the same extent as if the
Trustees were the sole owners of the Trust Property and business in their own
right, but with such powers of delegation as may be permitted by this
Declaration. The Trustees may perform such acts as in their sole discretion are
proper for conducting the business of the Trust. The enumeration of any specific
power herein shall not be construed as limiting the aforesaid power. Such powers
of the Trustees may be exercised without order of or resort to any court.
3.2 INVESTMENTS. The Trustees shall have power, subject to the
Fundamental Policies in effect from time to time with respect to the Trust to:
(a) manage, conduct, operate and carry on the business of an
investment company;
(b) subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or
otherwise acquire, hold, pledge, sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute or
otherwise deal in or dispose of any and all sorts of property, tangible or
intangible, including but not limited to securities of any type whatsoever,
whether equity or non-equity, of any issuer, evidences of indebtedness of any
person and any other rights, interests, instruments or property of any sort and
to exercise any and all rights, powers and privileges of ownership or interest
in respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description,
including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with
respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons to exercise any of
said rights, powers and privileges in respect of any of said investments. The
Trustees shall not be limited by any law limiting the investments which may be
made by fiduciaries.
3.3 LEGAL TITLE. Legal title to all the Trust Property shall be
vested in the Trustees as joint tenants except that the Trustees shall have
power to cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the name of
one or more of the Trust ees, or in the name of the Trust, or in the name of any
other Person as nominee, custodian or pledgee, on such terms as the Trustees may
determine, provided that the interest of the Trust therein is appropriately
protected.
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The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the Trust Property
shall vest automatically in each person who may hereafter become a Trustee upon
his due election and qualification. Upon the ceasing of any person to be a
Trustee for any reason, such person shall automatically cease to have any right,
title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and the right, title and
interest of such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in the
remaining Trustees. Such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective
whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered.
3.4 ISSUANCE AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES. The Trustees shall have the
power to issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, retire, cancel, acquire, hold, resell,
reissue, dispose of, transfer, and otherwise deal in, Shares, including Shares
in fractional denominations, and, subject to the more detailed provisions set
forth in Articles VIII and IX, to apply to any such repurchase, redemption,
retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or property whether
capital or surplus or otherwise, to the full extent now or hereafter permitted
corporations formed under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
3.5 BORROW MONEY OR UTILIZE LEVERAGE. Subject to the Fundamental
Policies in effect from time to time with respect to the Trust, the Trustees
shall have the power to borrow money or otherwise obtain credit or utilize
leverage to the maximum extent permitted by law or regulation as such may be
needed from time to time and to secure the same by mortgaging, pledging or
otherwise subjecting as security the assets of the Trust, including the lending
of portfolio securities, and to endorse, guarantee, or undertake the performance
of any obligation, contract or engagement of any other person, firm, association
or corporation.
3.6 DELEGATION; COMMITTEES. The Trustees shall have the power,
consistent with their continuing exclusive authority over the management of the
Trust and the Trust Property, to delegate from time to time to such of their
number or to officers, employees or agents of the Trust the doing of such things
and the execu tion of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the
names of the Trustees or otherwise as the Trustees may deem expedient, to at
least the same extent as such delegation is permitted to directors of
corporations formed under the Delaware General Corporation Law and is permitted
by the 1940 Act, as well as any further delegations the Trustees may determine
to be desirable, expedient or necessary in order to effect the purpose hereof.
The Trustees may designate an executive commit tee which shall have all
authority of the entire Board of Trustees except such com mittee cannot declare
dividends except to the extent specifically delegated by the Board of Trustees
and cannot authorize removal of a trustee or any merger, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ dation or sale
of substantially all of the assets of the Trust.
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3.7 COLLECTION AND PAYMENT. The Trustees shall have power to
collect all property due to the Trust; to pay all claims, including taxes,
against the Trust Property or the Trust, the Trustees or any officer, employee
or agent of the Trust; to prosecute, defend, compromise or abandon any claims
relating to the Trust Property or the Trust, or the Trustees or any officer,
employee or agent of the Trust; to foreclose any security interest securing any
obligations, by virtue of which any property is owed to the Trust; and to enter
into releases, agreements and other instruments. Except to the extent required
for a corporation formed under the Delaware General Corporation Law, the
Shareholders shall have no power to vote as to whether or not a court action,
legal proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or maintained
derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders.
3.8 EXPENSES. The Trustees shall have power to incur and pay out
of the assets or income of the Trust any expenses which in the opinion of the
Trustees are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the purposes of this
Declaration, and the business of the Trust, and to pay reasonable compensation
from the funds of the Trust to themselves as Trustees. The Trustees shall fix
the compensation of all officers, employees and Trustees. The Trustees may pay
themselves such compensa tion for special services, including legal,
underwriting, syndicating and brokerage services, as they in good faith may deem
reasonable and reimbursement for expenses reasonably incurred by themselves on
behalf of the Trust. The Trustees shall have the power, as frequently as they
may determine, to cause each Shareholder to pay directly, in advance or arrears,
for charges of distribution, of the custodian or transfer, Shareholder servicing
or similar agent, a pro rata amount as defined from time to time by the
Trustees, by setting off such charges due from such Shareholder from declared
but unpaid dividends or distributions owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing
the number of shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full
and/or fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such charges
due from such Shareholder.
3.9 BY-LAWS. The Trustees shall have the exclusive authority to
adopt and from time to time amend or repeal By-Laws for the conduct of the
business of the Trust.
3.10 MISCELLANEOUS POWERS. The Trustees shall have the power to:
(a) employ or contract with such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for
the transaction of the business of the Trust; (b) enter into joint ventures,
partnerships and any other combinations or associations; (c) purchase, and pay
for out of Trust Property, insurance policies insuring the Shareholders,
Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment advisors, distributors,
selected dealers or independent contractors of the Trust against all claims
arising by reason of holding any such position or by
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reason of any action taken or omitted by any such Person in such capacity,
whether or not constituting negligence, or whether or not the Trust would have
the power to indemnify such Person against such liability; (d) establish
pension, profit-sharing, share purchase, and other retirement, incentive and
benefit plans for any Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust; (e)
make donations, irrespective of benefit to the Trust, for charitable, religious,
educational, scientific, civic or similar purposes; (f) to the extent permitted
by law, indemnify any Person with whom the Trust has dealings, including without
limitation any advisor, administrator, manager, transfer agent, custodian,
distributor or selected dealer, or any other person as the Trustees may see fit
to such extent as the Trustees shall determine; (g) guarantee indebtedness or
contractual obligations of others; (h) determine and change the fiscal year of
the Trust and the method in which its accounts shall be kept; (i) notwithstand
ing the Fundamental Policies of the Trust, convert the Trust to a master-feeder
structure; provided, however, the Trust obtains the approval of shareholders
holding at least a majority of the Trust's Shares present at a meeting of
Shareholders at which a quorum is present and (j) adopt a seal for the Trust but
the absence of such seal shall not impair the validity of any instrument
executed on behalf of the Trust.
3.11 FURTHER POWERS. The Trustees shall have the power to conduct
the business of the Trust and carry on its operations in any and all of its
branches and maintain offices both within and without the State of Delaware, in
any and all states of the United States of America, in the District of Columbia,
and in any and all commonwealths, territories, dependencies, colonies,
possessions, agencies or instrumentalities of the United States of America and
of foreign governments, and to do all such other things and execute all such
instruments as they deem necessary, proper or desirable in order to promote the
interests of the Trust although such things are not herein specifically
mentioned. Any determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust made by
the Trustees in good faith shall be conclusive. In construing the provisions of
this Declaration, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the
Trustees. The Trustees will not be required to obtain any court order to deal
with the Trust Property.
ARTICLE IV
ADVISORY, MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS
4.1 ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS. Subject to the
requirements of applicable law as in effect from time to time, the Trustees may
in their discretion from time to time enter into advisory, administration or
management contracts (including, in each case, one or more sub-advisory,
sub-administration or sub-management contracts) whereby the other party to any
such contract shall
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undertake to furnish the Trustees such advisory, administrative and management
services, with respect to the Trust as the Trustees shall from time to time
consider desirable and all upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in
their discretion determine. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Declaration,
the Trustees may authorize any advisor, administrator or manager (subject to
such general or specific instructions as the Trustees may from time to time
adopt) to effect investment transactions with respect to the assets on behalf of
the Trustees to the full extent of the power of the Trustees to effect such
transactions or may authorize any officer, employee or Trustee to effect such
transactions pursuant to recommendations of any such advisor, administrator or
manager (and all without further action by the Trustees). Any such investment
transaction shall be deemed to have been authorized by all of the Trustees.
4.2 DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS. Subject to compliance with the 1940
Act, the Trustees may retain underwriters and/or placement agents to sell Trust
Shares. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or
more contracts, providing for the sale of the Shares of the Trust, whereby the
Trust may either agree to sell such Shares to the other party to the contract or
appoint such other party its sales agent for such Shares. In either case, the
contract shall be on such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their
discretion determine not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article IV or
the By-Laws; and such contract may also provide for the repurchase or sale of
Shares of the Trust by such other party as principal or as agent of the Trust
and may provide that such other party may enter into selected dealer agreements
with registered securities dealers and brokers and servicing and similar
agreements with persons who are not registered securities dealers to further the
purposes of the distribution or repurchase of the Shares of the Trust.
4.3 PARTIES TO CONTRACT. Any contract of the character described
in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 of this Article IV or in Article VII hereof may be
entered into with any Person, although one or more of the Trustees, officers or
employees of the Trust may be an officer, director, trustee, shareholder, or
member of such other party to the contract, and no such contract shall be
invalidated or rendered voidable by reason of the existence of any such
relationship, nor shall any Person holding such relationship be liable merely by
reason of such relationship for any loss or expense to the Trust under or by
reason of said contract or accountable for any profit realized directly or
indirectly therefrom, provided that the contract when entered into was
reasonable and fair and not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article IV
or the By-Laws. The same Person may be the other party to contracts entered into
pursuant to Sections 4.1 and 4.2 above or Article VII, and any individual may be
financially interested or otherwise affiliated with Persons who are parties to
any or all of the contracts mentioned in this Section 4.3.
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ARTICLE V
LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY
AND INDEMNIFICATION
5.1 NO PERSONAL LIABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS, TRUSTEES, ETC. No
Share holder of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal
liability whatso ever to any Person in connection with Trust Property or the
acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. Shareholders shall have the same
limitation of personal liability as is extended to stockholders of a private
corporation for profit incorporated under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
No Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any
personal liability whatsoever to any Person, save only liability to the Trust or
its Shareholders arising from bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence
or reckless disregard for his duty to such Person; and, subject to the foregoing
exception, all such Persons shall look solely to the Trust Property for
satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the affairs of
the Trust. If any Shareholder, Trustee or officer, as such, of the Trust, is
made a party to any suit or proceeding to enforce any such liability, subject to
the foregoing exception, he shall not, on account thereof, be held to any
personal liability. Any repeal or modifi cation of this Section 5.1 shall not
adversely affect any right or protection of a Trustee or officer of the Trust
existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or
omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.
5.2 MANDATORY INDEMNIFICATION. (a) The Trust hereby agrees to
indemnify each person who at any time serves as a Trustee or officer of the
Trust (each such person being an "indemnitee") against any liabilities and
expenses, including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or
as fines and penalties, and reasonable counsel fees reasonably incurred by such
indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or
other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative
or investigative body in which he may be or may have been involved as a party or
otherwise or with which he may be or may have been threatened, while acting in
any capacity set forth in this Article V by reason of his having acted in any
such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall not have
acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best
interest of the Trust or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which he
shall have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful,
provided, however, that no indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any
liability to any person or any expense of such indemnitee arising by reason of
(i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross negligence, or
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(iv) reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his position
(the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being sometimes
referred to herein as "disabling conduct"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, with
respect to any action, suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any
indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the
prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such indemnitee (1) was
authorized by a majority of the Trustees or (2) was instituted by the indemnitee
to enforce his or her rights to indemnification hereunder in a case in which the
indemnitee is found to be entitled to such indemnifi cation. The rights to
indemnification set forth in this Declaration shall continue as to a person who
has ceased to be a Trustee or officer of the Trust and shall inure to the
benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives.
No amendment or restatement of this Declaration or repeal of any of its
provisions shall limit or eliminate any of the benefits provided to any person
who at any time is or was a Trustee or officer of the Trust or otherwise
entitled to indemnification hereun der in respect of any act or omission that
occurred prior to such amendment, restate ment or repeal.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification shall
be made hereunder unless there has been a determination (i) by a final decision
on the merits by a court or other body of competent jurisdiction before whom the
issue of entitlement to indemnification hereunder was brought that such
indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or, (ii) in the absence of
such a decision, by (1) a majority vote of a quorum of those Trustees who are
neither "interested persons" of the Trust (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) nor parties to the proceed ing ("Disinterested Non-Party Trustees"),
that the indemnitee is entitled to indemnifi cation hereunder, or (2) if such
quorum is not obtainable or even if obtainable, if such majority so directs,
independent legal counsel in a written opinion concludes that the indemnitee
should be entitled to indemnification hereunder. All determina tions to make
advance payments in connection with the expense of defending any proceeding
shall be authorized and made in accordance with the immediately succeeding
paragraph (c) below.
(c) The Trust shall make advance payments in connection with
the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification might
be sought hereunder if the Trust receives a written affirmation by the
indemnitee of the indemnitee's good faith belief that the standards of conduct
necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to
reimburse the Trust unless it is subsequently determined that the indemnitee is
entitled to such indemnification and if a majority of the Trustees determine
that the applicable standards of conduct necessary for indemnification appear to
have been met. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be
met: (i) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking,
(ii) the Trust shall be insured
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against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of
a quorum of the Disinterested Non-Party Trustees, or if a majority vote of such
quorum so direct, independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall
conclude, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full
trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial reason to believe that the
indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
(d) The rights accruing to any indemnitee under these provi
sions shall not exclude any other right which any person may have or hereafter
acquire under this Declaration, the By-Laws of the Trust, any statute,
agreement, vote of stockholders or Trustees who are "disinterested persons" (as
defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) or any other right to which he or
she may be lawfully entitled.
(e) Subject to any limitations provided by the 1940 Act and
this Declaration, the Trust shall have the power and authority to indemnify and
provide for the advance payment of expenses to employees, agents and other
Persons providing services to the Trust or serving in any capacity at the
request of the Trust to the full extent corporations organized under the
Delaware General Corporation Law may indemnify or provide for the advance
payment of expenses for such Persons, provided that such indemnification has
been approved by a majority of the Trustees.
5.3 NO BOND REQUIRED OF TRUSTEES. No Trustee shall, as such, be
obligated to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his
duties hereunder.
5.4 NO DUTY OF INVESTIGATION; NOTICE IN TRUST INSTRUMENTS, ETC. No
purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person dealing with the Trustees or
with any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be bound to make any
inquiry concern ing the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the
Trustees or by said officer, employee or agent or be liable for the application
of money or property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the
Trustees or of said officer, employee or agent. Every obligation, contract,
undertaking, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust, and
every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust shall
be conclusively taken to have been executed or done by the executors thereof
only in their capacity as Trustees under this Declaration or in their capacity
as officers, employees or agents of the Trust. The Trustees may maintain
insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, its Shareholders, Trustees,
officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem
adequate to cover possible tort liability, and such other insurance as the
Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable or is required by the 1940
Act.
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5.5 RELIANCE ON EXPERTS, ETC. Each Trustee and officer or employee
of the Trust shall, in the performance of its duties, be fully and completely
justified and protected with regard to any act or any failure to act resulting
from reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the
Trust, upon an opinion of counsel, or upon reports made to the Trust by any of
the Trust's officers or employees or by any advisor, administrator, manager,
distributor, selected dealer, accountant, appraiser or other expert or
consultant selected with reasonable care by the Trustees, officers or employees
of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a
Trustee.
ARTICLE VI
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
6.1 BENEFICIAL INTEREST. The interest of the beneficiaries
hereunder shall be divided into an unlimited number of transferable shares of
beneficial interest, par value $.001 per share. All Shares issued in accordance
with the terms hereof, including, without limitation, Shares issued in
connection with a dividend in Shares or a split of Shares, shall be fully paid
and, except as provided in the last sentence of Section 3.8, nonassessable when
the consideration determined by the Trustees (if any) therefor shall have been
received by the Trust.
6.2 OTHER SECURITIES. The Trustees may, subject to the Fundamental
Policies and the requirements of the 1940 Act, authorize and issue such other
securities of the Trust as they determine to be necessary, desirable or
appropriate, having such terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and
restrictions as the Trustees see fit, including preferred interests, debt
securities or other senior securi ties. To the extent that the Trustees
authorize and issue preferred shares of any class or series, they are hereby
authorized and empowered to amend or supplement this Declaration as they deem
necessary or appropriate, including to comply with the requirements of the 1940
Act or requirements imposed by the rating agencies or other Persons, all without
the approval of Shareholders. Any such supplement or amend ment shall be filed
as is necessary. The Trustees are also authorized to take such actions and
retain such persons as they see fit to offer and sell such securities.
6.3 RIGHTS OF SHAREHOLDERS. The Shares shall be personal property
giving only the rights in this Declaration specifically set forth. The ownership
of the Trust Property of every description and the right to conduct any business
herein before described are vested exclusively in the Trustees, and the
Shareholders shall have no interest therein other than the beneficial interest
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conferred by their Shares, and they shall have no right to call for any
partition or division of any property, profits, rights or interests of the Trust
nor can they be called upon to share or assume any losses of the Trust or,
subject to the right of the Trustees to charge certain expenses directly to
Shareholders, as provided in the last sentence of Section 3.8, suffer an
assessment of any kind by virtue of their ownership of Shares. The Shares shall
not entitle the holder to preference, preemptive, appraisal, conversion or
exchange rights (except as specified in this Section 6.3, in Section 11.4 or as
speci fied by the Trustees when creating the Shares, as in preferred shares).
6.4 TRUST ONLY. It is the intention of the Trustees to create only
the relationship of Trustee and beneficiary between the Trustees and each
Shareholder from time to time. It is not the intention of the Trustees to create
a general partner ship, limited partnership, joint stock association,
corporation, bailment or any form of legal relationship other than a trust.
Nothing in this Declaration shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either
by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock
association.
6.5 ISSUANCE OF SHARES. The Trustees, in their discretion, may
from time to time without vote of the Shareholders issue Shares including
preferred shares that may have been established pursuant to Section 6.2, in
addition to the then issued and outstanding Shares and Shares held in the
treasury, to such party or parties and for such amount and type of
consideration, including cash or property, at such time or times, and on such
terms as the Trustees may determine, and may in such manner acquire other assets
(including the acquisition of assets subject to, and in connection with the
assumption of, liabilities) and businesses. The Trustees may from time to time
divide or combine the Shares into a greater or lesser number without thereby
changing the proportionate beneficial interest in such Shares. Issuances and
redemp tions of Shares may be made in whole Shares and/or l/l,000ths of a Share
or multi ples thereof as the Trustees may determine.
6.6 REGISTER OF SHARES. A register shall be kept at the offices of
the Trust or any transfer agent duly appointed by the Trustees under the
direction of the Trustees which shall contain the names and addresses of the
Shareholders and the number of Shares held by them respectively and a record of
all transfers thereof. Separate registers shall be established and maintained
for each class or series of Shares. Each such register shall be conclusive as to
who are the holders of the Shares of the applicable class or series of Shares
and who shall be entitled to receive dividends or distributions or otherwise to
exercise or enjoy the rights of Sharehold ers. No Shareholder shall be entitled
to receive payment of any dividend or distribu tion, nor to have notice given to
him as herein provided, until he has given his address to a transfer agent or
such other officer or agent of the Trustees as shall keep the register for entry
thereon. It is not contemplated that certificates will be
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issued for the Shares; however, the Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize
the issuance of share certificates and promulgate appropriate fees therefore and
rules and regula tions as to their use.
6.7 TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR. The Trustees shall have power to
employ a transfer agent or transfer agents, and a registrar or registrars, with
respect to the Shares. The transfer agent or transfer agents may keep the
applicable register and record therein, the original issues and transfers, if
any, of the said Shares. Any such transfer agents and/or registrars shall
perform the duties usually performed by transfer agents and registrars of
certificates of stock in a corporation, as modified by the Trustees.
6.8 TRANSFER OF SHARES. Shares shall be transferable on the
records of the Trust only by the record holder thereof or by its agent thereto
duly authorized in writing, upon delivery to the Trustees or a transfer agent of
the Trust of a duly executed instrument of transfer, together with such evidence
of the genuineness of each such execution and authorization and of other matters
as may reasonably be required. Upon such delivery the transfer shall be recorded
on the applicable register of the Trust. Until such record is made, the
Shareholder of record shall be deemed to be the holder of such Shares for all
purposes hereof and neither the Trustees nor any transfer agent or registrar nor
any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be affected by any notice of
the proposed transfer.
Any person becoming entitled to any Shares in consequence of the
death, bankruptcy, or incompetence of any Shareholder, or otherwise by operation
of law, shall be recorded on the applicable register of Shares as the holder of
such Shares upon production of the proper evidence thereof to the Trustees or a
transfer agent of the Trust, but until such record is made, the Shareholder of
record shall be deemed to be the holder of such for all purposes hereof, and
neither the Trustees nor any transfer agent or registrar nor any officer or
agent of the Trust shall be affected by any notice of such death, bankruptcy or
incompetence, or other operation of law.
6.9 NOTICES. Any and all notices to which any Shareholder
hereunder may be entitled and any and all communications shall be deemed duly
served or given if mailed, postage prepaid, addressed to any Shareholder of
record at his last known address as recorded on the applicable register of the
Trust.
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ARTICLE VII
CUSTODIANS
7.1 APPOINTMENT AND DUTIES. The Trustees shall at all times employ
a custodian or custodians, meeting the qualifications for custodians for
portfolio securities of investment companies contained in the 1940 Act, as
custodian with respect to the assets of the Trust. Any custodian shall have
authority as agent of the Trust with respect to which it is acting as determined
by the custodian agreement or agreements, but subject to such restrictions,
limitations and other requirements, if any, as may be contained in the By-Laws
of the Trust and the 1940 Act:
(1) to hold the securities owned by the Trust and deliver the same
upon written order;
(2) to receive any receipt for any moneys due to the Trust and
deposit the same in its own banking department (if a bank) or elsewhere as
the Trustees may direct;
(3) to disburse such funds upon orders or vouchers;
(4) if authorized by the Trustees, to keep the books and accounts
of the Trust and furnish clerical and accounting services; and
(5) if authorized to do so by the Trustees, to compute the net
income or net asset value of the Trust;
all upon such basis of compensation as may be agreed upon between the Trustees
and the custodian.
The Trustees may also authorize each custodian to employ one or more
sub-custodians from time to time to perform such of the acts and services of the
custodian and upon such terms and conditions, as may be agreed upon between the
custodian and such sub-custodian and approved by the Trustees, provided that in
every case such sub-custodian shall meet the qualifications for custodians
contained in the 1940 Act.
7.2 CENTRAL CERTIFICATE SYSTEM. Subject to such rules, regulations
and orders as the Commission may adopt, the Trustees may direct the custodian to
deposit all or any part of the securities owned by the Trust in a system for the
central handling of securities established by a national securities exchange or
a national securities association registered with the Commission under the
Securities Exchange
18
Act of 1934, or such other Person as may be permitted by the Commission, or
otherwise in accordance with the 1940 Act, pursuant to which system all
securities of any particular class of any issuer deposited within the system are
treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry
without physical delivery of such securities, provided that all such deposits
shall be subject to withdrawal only upon the order of the Trust.
ARTICLE VIII
REDEMPTION
8.1 REDEMPTIONS. The Shares of the Trust are not redeemable by the
holders.
8.2 DISCLOSURE OF HOLDING. The holders of Shares or other
securities of the Trust shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing
such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares or
other securities of the Trust as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the
provisions of the Code, the 1940 or other applicable laws or regulations, or to
comply with the requirements of any other taxing or regulatory authority.
ARTICLE IX
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
NET INCOME AND DISTRIBUTIONS
9.1 NET ASSET VALUE. The net asset value of each outstanding Share
of the Trust shall be determined at such time or times on such days as the
Trustees may determine, in accordance with the 1940 Act. The method of
determination of net asset value shall be determined by the Trustees and shall
be as set forth in the Prospectus or as may otherwise be determined by the
Trustees. The power and duty to make the net asset value calculations may be
delegated by the Trustees and shall be as generally set forth in the Prospectus
or as may otherwise be determined by the Trustees.
9.2 DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS. (a) The Trustees shall from
time to time distribute ratably among the Shareholders of any class of Shares,
or any series of any such class, in accordance with the number of outstanding
full and fractional Shares of such class or any series of such class, such
proportion of the net profits, surplus (including paid-in surplus), capital, or
assets held by the Trustees as they may
19
deem proper or as may otherwise be determined in accordance with this
Declaration. Any such distribution may be made in cash or property (including
without limitation any type of obligations of the Trust or any assets thereof)
or Shares of any class or series or any combination thereof, and the Trustees
may distribute ratably among the Shareholders of any class of Shares, or series
of any such class, in accordance with the number of outstanding full and
fractional Shares of such class or any series of such class, additional Shares
of any class or series in such manner, at such times, and on such terms as the
Trustees may deem proper or as may otherwise be determined in accordance with
this Declaration.
(b) Distributions pursuant to this Section 9.2 may be among
the Shareholders of record of the applicable class or series of Shares at the
time of declaring a distribution or among the Shareholders of record at such
later date as the Trustees shall determine and specify.
(c) The Trustees may always retain from the net profits such
amount as they may deem necessary to pay the debts or expenses of the Trust or
to meet obligations of the Trust, or as they otherwise may deem desirable to use
in the conduct of its affairs or to retain for future requirements or extensions
of the busi ness.
(d) Inasmuch as the computation of net income and gains for
Federal income tax purposes may vary from the computation thereof on the books,
the above provisions shall be interpreted to give the Trustees the power in
their discretion to distribute for any fiscal year as ordinary dividends and as
capital gains distributions, respectively, additional amounts sufficient to
enable the Trust to avoid or reduce liability for taxes.
9.3 POWER TO MODIFY FOREGOING PROCEDURES. Notwithstanding any of
the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, the Trustees may prescribe, in
their absolute discretion except as may be required by the 1940 Act, such other
bases and times for determining the per share asset value of the Trust's Shares
or net income, or the declaration and payment of dividends and distributions as
they may deem necessary or desirable for any reason, including to enable the
Trust to comply with any provision of the 1940 Act, or any securities exchange
or association registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or any
order of exemption issued by the Commission, all as in effect now or hereafter
amended or modified.
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ARTICLE X
SHAREHOLDERS
10.1 MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS. The Trust shall hold annual meetings
of the Shareholders. A special meeting of Shareholders may be called at any time
by a majority of the Trustees or the President and shall be called by any
Trustee for any proper purpose upon written request of Shareholders of the Trust
holding in the aggregate not less than 51% of the outstanding Shares of the
Trust or class or series of Shares having voting rights on the matter, such
request specifying the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is to be
called. Any shareholder meeting, including a Special Meeting, shall be held
within or without the State of Delaware on such day and at such time as the
Trustees shall designate.
10.2 VOTING. Shareholders shall have no power to vote on any matter
except matters on which a vote of Shareholders is required by applicable law,
this Declaration or resolution of the Trustees. Except as otherwise provided
herein, any matter required to be submitted to Shareholders and affecting one or
more classes or series of Shares shall require approval by the required vote of
all the affected classes and series of Shares voting together as a single class;
provided, however, that as to any matter with respect to which a separate vote
of any class or series of Shares is required by the 1940 Act, such requirement
as to a separate vote by that class or series of Shares shall apply in addition
to a vote of all the affected classes and series voting together as a single
class. Shareholders of a particular class or series of Shares shall not be
entitled to vote on any matter that affects only one or more other classes or
series of Shares. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election or removal
of Trustees.
10.3 NOTICE OF MEETING AND RECORD DATE. Notice of all meetings of
Shareholders, stating the time, place and purposes of the meeting, shall be
given by the Trustees by mail to each Shareholder of record entitled to vote
thereat at its registered address, mailed at least 10 days and not more than 90
days before the meeting or otherwise in compliance with applicable law. Only the
business stated in the notice of the meeting shall be considered at such
meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned one or more times
without further notice not later than 120 days after the record date. For the
purposes of determining the Sharehold ers who are entitled to notice of and to
vote at any meeting the Trustees may, without closing the transfer books, fix a
date not more than 90 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of such meeting of
Shareholders as a record date for the determination of the Persons to be treated
as Shareholders of record for such purposes.
21
10.4 QUORUM AND REQUIRED VOTE. (a) The holders of a majority of the
Shares entitled to vote on any matter at a meeting present in person or by proxy
shall constitute a quorum at such meeting of the Shareholders for purposes of
conducting business on such matter. The absence from any meeting, in person or
by proxy, of a quorum of Shareholders for action upon any given matter shall not
prevent action at such meeting upon any other matter or matters which may
properly come before the meeting, if there shall be present thereat, in person
or by proxy, a quorum of Shareholders in respect of such other matters.
(b) Subject to any provision of applicable law, this
Declaration or a resolution of the Trustees specifying a greater or a lesser
vote requirement for the transaction of any item of business at any meeting of
Shareholders, (i) the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares present in
person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall
be the act of the Shareholders with respect to such matter, and (ii) where a
separate vote of one or more classes or series of Shares is required on any
matter, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares of such class or series
of Shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the
act of the Shareholders of such class or series with respect to such matter.
10.5 PROXIES, ETC. At any meeting of Shareholders, any holder of
Shares entitled to vote thereat may vote by properly executed proxy, provided
that no proxy shall be voted at any meeting unless it shall have been placed on
file with the Secretary, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as the
Secretary may direct, for verification prior to the time at which such vote
shall be taken. Pursuant to a resolution of a majority of the Trustees, proxies
may be solicited in the name of one or more Trustees or one or more of the
officers or employees of the Trust. No proxy shall be valid after the expiration
of 11 months from the date thereof, unless other wise provided in the proxy.
Only Shareholders of record shall be entitled to vote. Each full Share shall be
entitled to one vote and fractional Shares shall be entitled to a vote of such
fraction. When any Share is held jointly by several persons, any one of them may
vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in respect of such Share, but if more
than one of them shall be present at such meeting in person or by proxy, and
such joint owners or their proxies so present disagree as to any vote to be
cast, such vote shall not be received in respect of such Share. A proxy
purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid
unless challenged at or prior to its exercise, and the burden of proving
invalidity shall rest on the chal ▇▇▇▇▇▇. If the holder of any such Share is a
minor or a person of unsound mind, and subject to guardianship or to the legal
control of any other person as regards the charge or management of such Share,
he may vote by his guardian or such other person appointed or having such
control, and such vote may be given in person or by proxy.
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10.6 REPORTS. The Trustees shall cause to be prepared at least
annually and more frequently to the extent and in the form required by law,
regula tion or any exchange on which Trust Shares are listed a report of
operations contain ing a balance sheet and statement of income and undistributed
income of the Trust prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles and an opinion of an independent public accountant on such financial
statements. Copies of such reports shall be mailed to all Shareholders of record
within the time required by the 1940 Act, and in any event within a reasonable
period preceding the meeting of Shareholders. The Trustees shall, in addition,
furnish to the Shareholders at least semi-annually to the extent required by
law, interim reports containing an unaudited balance sheet of the Trust as of
the end of such period and an unaudited statement of income and surplus for the
period from the beginning of the current fiscal year to the end of such period.
10.7 INSPECTION OF RECORDS. The records of the Trust shall be open
to inspection by Shareholders to the same extent as is permitted shareholders of
a corporation formed under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
10.8 SHAREHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT. Any action which may be
taken by Shareholders by vote may be taken without a meeting if the holders
entitled to vote thereon of the proportion of Shares required for approval of
such action at a meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Section 10.4 consent to the
action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the
meetings of Share holders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a
vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.
ARTICLE XI
LIMITED TERM OF EXISTENCE;
TERMINATION; AMENDMENT; MERGERS, ETC.
11.1 LIMITED TERM OF EXISTENCE. (a) The Trust created hereby shall
have a limited period of existence and shall cease to exist at the close of
business on December 31, 2018, except that the Trust shall continue to exist for
the purpose of paying, satisfying, and discharging any existing debts or
obligations, collecting and distributing its assets, and doing all other acts
required to liquidate and wind up its business and affairs. After the close of
business on December 31, 2018, if the Trust has not liquidated and wound up its
business and affairs, the Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the
Trust and all of the powers of the Trustees under this Declaration shall
continue until the affairs of the Trust shall have been wound up, including the
power to fulfill or discharge the contracts of the Trust, collect its assets,
23
sell, convey, assign, exchange, merge where the Trust is not the survivor,
transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Property
to one or more Persons at public or private sale for consideration which may
consist in whole or in part in cash, securities or other property of any kind,
discharge or pay its liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate
its business.
(b) After paying or adequately providing for the payment of
all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding
agree ments, as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may
distribute the remaining Trust Property, in cash or in kind or partly each,
among the Shareholders according to their respective rights.
(c) After the winding up and termination of the Trust and
distribution to the Shareholders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees
shall execute and lodge among the records of the Trust an instrument in writing
setting forth the fact of such termination and shall execute and file a
certificate of cancella tion with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware. Upon termination of the Trust, the Trustees shall thereupon be
discharged from all further liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and
interests of all Shareholders shall thereupon cease.
(d) The Trustees may, to the extent they deem appropriate,
adopt a plan of termination at any time during the 24 months immediately
preceding December 31, 2018, which plan of termination may set forth the terms
and condi tions for implementing the termination of the Trust's existence under
the Article XI. Shareholders of the Trust shall not be entitled to vote on the
adoption of any such plan or the termination of the Trust's existence under this
Article XI.
11.2 TERMINATION (a) Prior to December 31, 2018, the Trust may be
dissolved, after a majority of the Trustees have approved a resolution therefor,
upon approval by not less than 75% of the Shares of each class or series
outstanding and entitled to vote, voting as separate classes or series, unless
such resolution has been approved by 80% of the Trustees, in which case approval
by a Majority Shareholder Vote shall be required. Upon the dissolution of the
Trust:
(i) The Trust shall carry on no business except for
the purpose of winding up its affairs.
(ii) The Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs
of the Trust and all of the powers of the Trustees under this Declaration
shall continue until the affairs of the Trust shall have been wound up,
including the power to fulfill or discharge the contracts of
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the Trust, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, merge where
the Trust is not the survivor, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any
part of the remaining Trust Property to one or more Persons at public or
private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part in
cash, securities or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its
liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business;
provided that any sale, conveyance, assignment, exchange, merger in which
the Trust is not the survivor, transfer or other disposi tion of all or
substantially all the Trust Property of the Trust shall require approval
of the principal terms of the transaction and the nature and amount of the
consideration by Shareholders with the same vote as required to open-end
the Trust.
(iii) After paying or adequately providing for the
payment of all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, in
demnities and refunding agreements, as they deem necessary for their
protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining Trust Property, in
cash or in kind or partly each, among the Shareholders according to their
respective rights.
(b) After the winding up and termination of the Trust and
distribution to the Shareholders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees
shall execute and lodge among the records of the Trust an instrument in writing
setting forth the fact of such termination and shall execute and file a
certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware. Upon termination of the Trust, the Trustees shall thereupon be
discharged from all further liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and
interests of all Shareholders shall thereupon cease.
11.3 AMENDMENT PROCEDURE. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b)
of this Section 11.3, this Declaration may be amended, after a majority of the
Trustees have approved a resolution therefor, by the affirmative vote of the
holders of not less than a majority of the affected Shares. The Trustees also
may amend this Declaration without any vote of Shareholders of any class or
series to divide the Shares of the Trust into one or more classes or additional
classes or one or more series of any such class or classes, to change the name
of the Trust or any class or series of Shares, to make any change that does not
adversely affect the relative rights or preferences of any Shareholder, as they
may deem necessary, or to conform this Declaration to the requirements of the
1940 Act or any other applicable federal laws or regulations including pursuant
to Section 6.2 or the requirements of the regulated investment company
provisions of the Code, but the Trustees shall not be liable for failing to do
so.
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(b) No amendment may be made to Section 2.1, Section 2.2,
Section 2.3, Section 3.9, Section 5.1, Section 5.2, Section 11.1, Section
11.2(a), this Section 11.3, Section 11.4, Section 11.6 or Section 11.7 of this
Declaration and no amendment may be made to this Declaration which would change
any rights with respect to any Shares of the Trust by reducing the amount
payable thereon upon liquidation of the Trust or by diminishing or eliminating
any voting rights pertaining thereto (except that this provision shall not limit
the ability of the Trustees to authorize, and to cause the Trust to issue, other
securities pursuant to Section 6.2), except after a majority of the Trustees
have approved a resolution therefor, by the affirmative vote of the holders of
not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of each affected class or
series outstanding, voting as separate classes or series, unless such amendment
has been approved by 80% of the Trustees, in which case approval by a Majority
Shareholder Vote shall be required. Nothing contained in this Declaration shall
permit the amendment of this Declaration to impair the exemption from personal
liability of the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the
Trust or to permit assessments upon Shareholders.
(c) An amendment duly adopted by the requisite vote of the
Board of Trustees and, if required, the Shareholders as aforesaid, shall become
effective at the time of such adoption or at such other time as may be
designated by the Board of Trustees or Shareholders, as the case may be. A
certification in record able form signed by a majority of the Trustees setting
forth an amendment and reciting that it was duly adopted by the Trustees and, if
required, the Shareholders as aforesaid, or a copy of the Declaration, as
amended, in recordable form, and executed by a majority of the Trustees, shall
be conclusive evidence of such amendment when lodged among the records of the
Trust or at such other time designated by the Board.
Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, until such time as a
Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering
the first public offering of Shares of the Trust shall have become effective,
this Declaration may be terminated or amended in any respect by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the Trustees or by an instrument signed by a majority of
the Trustees.
11.4 MERGER, CONSOLIDATION AND SALE OF ASSETS. Except as provided
in Section 11.7, the Trust may merge or consolidate with any other corporation,
association, trust or other organization or may sell, lease or exchange all or
substantially all of the Trust Property or the property, including its good
will, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration when and as
authorized by two- thirds of the Trustees and approved by a Majority Shareholder
Vote and any such merger, consolidation, sale, lease or exchange shall be
determined for all purposes to have been accomplished under and pursuant to the
statutes of the State of Delaware.
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11.5 SUBSIDIARIES. Without approval by Shareholders, the Trustees
may cause to be organized or assist in organizing one or more corporations,
trusts, partnerships, associations or other organizations to take over all of
the Trust Property or to carry on any business in which the Trust shall directly
or indirectly have any interest, and to sell, convey and transfer all or a
portion of the Trust Property to any such corporation, trust, limited liability
company, association or organization in exchange for the shares or securities
thereof, or otherwise, and to lend money to, subscribe for the shares or
securities of, and enter into any contracts with any such corporation, trust,
limited liability company, partnership, association or organization, or any
corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company, association or
organization in which the Trust holds or is about to acquire shares or any other
interests.
11.6 CONVERSION. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
Declaration or the By-Laws of the Trust, a favorable vote of a majority of the
Trustees then in office followed by the favorable vote of the holders of not
less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of each affected class or
series outstanding, voting as separate classes or series, shall be required to
approve, adopt or authorize an amendment to this Declaration that makes the
Shares a "redeemable security" as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, unless
such amendment has been approved by 80% of the Trustees, in which case approval
by a Majority Shareholder Vote shall be required. Upon the adoption of a
proposal to convert the Trust from a "closed-end company" to an "open-end
company" as those terms are defined by the 1940 Act and the necessary amendments
to this Declaration to permit such a conversion of the Trust's outstanding
Shares entitled to vote, the Trust shall, upon complying with any requirements
of the 1940 Act and state law, become an "open-end" investment company. Such
affirmative vote or consent shall be in addition to the vote or consent of the
holders of the Shares otherwise required by law, or any agreement between the
Trust and any national securities exchange.
11.7 CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Declaration and subject to the exceptions provided in paragraph (d) of
this Section, the types of transactions described in paragraph (c) of this
Section shall require the affirmative vote or consent of a majority of the
Trustees then in office followed by the affirmative vote of the holders of not
less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of each affected class or
series outstanding, voting as separate classes or series, when a Principal
Shareholder (as defined in paragraph (b) of this Section) is a party to the
transaction. Such affirmative vote or consent shall be in addition to the vote
or consent of the holders of Shares otherwise required by law or by the terms of
any class or series of preferred stock, whether now or hereafter authorized, or
any agreement between the Trust and any national securities exchange.
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(b) The term "Principal Shareholder" shall mean any
corporation, Person or other entity which is the beneficial owner, directly or
indirectly, of five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Shares of any class
or series and shall include any affiliate or associate, as such terms are
defined in clause (ii) below, of a Principal Shareholder. For the purposes of
this Section, in addition to the Shares which a corporation, Person or other
entity beneficially owns directly, (a) any corporation, Person or other entity
shall be deemed to be the beneficial owner of any Shares (i) which it has the
right to acquire pursuant to any agreement or upon exercise of conversion rights
or warrants, or otherwise (but excluding share options granted by the Trust) or
(ii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly (including Shares
deemed owned through application of clause (i) above), by any other corporation,
Person or entity with which its "affiliate" or "associate" (as defined below)
has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring,
holding, voting or disposing of Shares, or which is its "affiliate" or
"associate" as those terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and (b) the outstanding
Shares shall include Shares deemed owned through application of clauses (i) and
(ii) above but shall not include any other Shares which may be issuable pursuant
to any agreement, or upon exercise of conversion rights or warrants, or
otherwise.
(c) This Section shall apply to the following transactions:
(i) The merger or consolidation of the Trust or any
subsidiary of the Trust with or into any Principal Shareholder.
(ii) The issuance of any securities of the Trust to any
Principal Shareholder for cash (other than pursuant to any automatic
dividend reinvestment plan).
(iii) The sale, lease or exchange of all or any
substantial part of the assets of the Trust to any Principal Shareholder
(except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than
$1,000,000, aggregating for the purpose of such computation all assets
sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a
twelve-month period.)
(iv) The sale, lease or exchange to the Trust or any
subsidiary thereof, in exchange for securities of the Trust, of any assets
of any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair
market value of less than $1,000,000, aggregating for the purposes of such
computation all
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assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions
within a twelve-month period).
(d) The provisions of this Section shall not be applicable
to (i) any of the transactions described in paragraph (c) of this Section if 80%
of the Trustees shall by resolution have approved a memorandum of understanding
with such Principal Shareholder with respect to and substantially consistent
with such transaction, in which case approval by a Majority Shareholder Vote
shall be the only vote of Shareholders required by this Section, or (ii) any
such transaction with any entity of which a majority of the outstanding shares
of all classes and series of a stock normally entitled to vote in elections of
directors is owned of record or beneficially by the Trust and its subsidiaries.
(e) The Board of Trustees shall have the power and duty to
determine for the purposes of this Section on the basis of information known to
the Trust whether (i) a corporation, person or entity beneficially owns five
percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Shares of any class or series, (ii) a
corporation, person or entity is an "affiliate" or "associate" (as defined
above) of another, (iii) the assets being acquired or leased to or by the Trust
or any subsidiary thereof constitute a substantial part of the assets of the
Trust and have an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, and (iv)
the memorandum of understanding referred to in paragraph (d) hereof is
substantially consistent with the transaction covered thereby. Any such
determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Section.
ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 FILING. (a) This Declaration and any amendment or supplement
hereto shall be filed in such places as may be required or as the Trustees deem
appropriate. Each amendment or supplement shall be accompanied by a certificate
signed and acknowledged by a Trustee stating that such action was duly taken in
a manner provided herein, and shall, upon insertion in the Trust's minute book,
be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein. A restated
Declaration, containing the original Declaration and all amendments and
supplements theretofore made, may be executed from time to time by a majority of
the Trustees and shall, upon insertion in the Trust's minute book, be conclusive
evidence of all amendments and supplements contained therein and may thereafter
be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration and the various amendments
and supplements thereto.
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(b) The Trustees hereby authorize and direct a Certificate
of Trust, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, to be executed and filed
with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance
with the Delaware Business Trust Act.
12.2 RESIDENT AGENT. The Trust shall maintain a resident agent in
the State of Delaware, which agent shall initially be The Corporation Trust
Company, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ The Trustees may
designate a successor resident agent, provided, however, that such appointment
shall not become effective until written notice thereof is delivered to the
office of the Secretary of the State.
12.3 GOVERNING LAW. This Declaration is executed by the Trustees
and delivered in the State of Delaware and with reference to the laws thereof,
and the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of every
provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to laws of said
State and reference shall be specifically made to the Delaware General
Corporation Law as to the construction of matters not specifically covered
herein or as to which an ambiguity exists, although such law shall not be viewed
as limiting the powers otherwise granted to the Trustees hereunder and any
ambiguity shall be viewed in favor of such powers.
12.4 COUNTERPARTS. This Declaration may be simultaneously executed
in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and
such counterparts, together, shall constitute one and the same instrument, which
shall be sufficiently evidenced by any such original counterpart.
12.5 RELIANCE BY THIRD PARTIES. Any certificate executed by an
individual who, according to the records of the Trust, or of any recording
office in which this Declaration may be recorded, appears to be a Trustee
hereunder, certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees or
Shareholders, (b) the name of the Trust, (c) the due authorization of the
execution of any instrument or writing, (d) the form of any vote passed at a
meeting of Trustees or Shareholders, (e) the fact that the number of Trustees or
Shareholders present at any meeting or executing any written instrument
satisfies the requirements of this Declaration, (f) the form of any By Laws
adopted by or the identity of any officers elected by the Trustees, or (g) the
existence of any fact or facts which in any manner relate to the affairs of the
Trust, shall be conclusive evidence as to the matters so certified in favor of
any person dealing with the Trustees and their successors.
12.6 PROVISIONS IN CONFLICT WITH LAW OR REGULATION. (a) The
provisions of this Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees shall
determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions is in
conflict with the 1940 Act, the
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regulated investment company provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or with
other applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed
never to have constituted a part of this Declaration; provided, however, that
such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of this
Declaration or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to
such determination.
(b) If any provision of this Declaration shall be held
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and
shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any
other provision of this Declaration in any jurisdiction.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused these presents to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.
/s/ ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Trustee Trustee
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Trustee Trustee
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇ /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇.
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▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ La Force, Jr.
Trustee Trustee
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Trustee Trustee