EXHIBIT 1(a)
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
THE DLB FUND GROUP
THIS AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made in Boston, Massachusetts
this 1st day of August, 1994 by the Trustee hereunder and the holders of shares
of beneficial interest issued hereunder and to be issued hereunder as
hereinafter provided:
WITNESSETH that
WHEREAS the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into
their hands as trustees of a Massachusetts business trust in accordance with the
provisions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby direct that this Agreement and
Declaration of Trust be filed with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and with the Clerk of every city or town where such association or
trust has a usual place of business, and do 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 pro rata benefit of the holders
from time to time of Shares in this trust as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
Section 1. This Trust shall be known as The DLB Fund Group, and the
Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any other
name as they may from time to time determine.
Section 2. Definitions. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required
by the context or specifically provided
(a) "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust established by
this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time;
(b) "Trustees" refers to the Trustee of the Trust named in Article IV
hereof or any Trustees elected in accordance with such Article;
(c) "Shares" means the equal proportionate units or interest into which
the beneficial interest in the Trust or in the Trust property belonging to any
Series of the Trust (or in the property belonging to any Series allocable to any
Class of that Series) (as the context may require) shall be divided from time to
time;
(d) "Shareholder" means a record owner of Shares;
(e) "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(f) The terms "Commission" and "principal underwriter" shall have the
meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
(g) "Declaration of Trust" and "this Declaration" shall mean this
Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;
(h) "Bylaws" shall mean the Bylaws of the Trust as amended from time to
time;
(i) "Series Company" refers to the form of registered open-end
investment company described in Section 18(f)(2) of the 1940 Act or in any
successor statutory provision;
(j) "Series" refers to Series of Shares established and designated
under or in accordance with the provisions of Article III; and
(k) "Class" refers to any Class of Shares of a Series established and
designated under or in accordance with the provisions of Article III. The Shares
of a Class shall represent a subset of Shares of a Series and the Shares of each
Class, together with the Shares of all other Classes of the same Series, shall
constitute all Shares of that Series.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to provide investors a managed investment
primarily in securities (including options), debt instruments, money market
instruments, commodities, commodity contracts and options thereon.
ARTICLE III
Shares
Section 1. Division of Beneficial Interest. The beneficial interest in
the Trust shall at all times be divided into an unlimited number of Shares,
without par value. Subject to the provisions of Section 6 of this Article III,
each Share shall have the voting rights as provided in Article V hereof, and
holders of the Shares of any Series or Class shall be entitled to receive
dividends, when and as declared with respect thereto in the manner provided in
Article VI, Section 1 hereof. No Share shall have any priority or preference
over any other Share of the same Series and Class with respect to dividends or
distributions upon termination of the Trust or of such Series or Class made
pursuant to Article IX, Section 4 hereof. Unless the Trustees have authorized
the issuance of Shares of a Series in two or more Classes, all dividends and
distributions shall be made ratably among all Shareholders of a particular
Series from the assets belonging to such Series according to the number of
Shares of such Series held of record by such Shareholders on the record date for
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any dividend or on the date of termination, as the case may be. The Trustees may
from time to time divide or combine the Shares of any particular Series or Class
into a greater or lesser number of Shares of that Series or Class without
thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest of the Shares of that
Series or Class in the assets belonging to that Series (or allocable to the
Shares of that Class) or in any way affecting the rights of Shares of any other
Series or Class.
Section 2. Ownership of Shares. The ownership of Shares shall be
recorded on the books of the Trust or a transfer or similar agent for the Trust,
which books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of each Series. No
certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the
Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may make such
rules as they consider appropriate for the transfer of Shares of each Series and
Class and similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or
any transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to who
are the Shareholders of each Series and Class and as to the number of Shares of
each Series and Class held from time to time by each.
Section 3. Investments in the Trust. The Trustees shall accept
investments in the Trust from such persons and on such terms and for such
consideration as they from time to time authorize.
Section 4. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability.
Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided
in this instrument. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder
shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to
have become a party hereto. The death of a Shareholder during the continuance of
the Trust shall not operate to terminate the same nor entitle the representative
of any deceased Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or
elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but entitles such representative
only to the rights of said deceased Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of
Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any
part of the Trust property or right to call for a partition or division of the
same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the
Shareholders partners of each other. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any
officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally
any Shareholders, nor except as specifically provided herein to call upon any
Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other
than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay.
Section 5. Power of Trustees to Change Provisions Relating to Shares.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust and without
limiting the power of the Trustees to amend the Declaration of Trust as provided
elsewhere herein, the Trustees shall have the power to amend this Declaration of
Trust, at any time and from time to time, in such manner as the Trustees may
determine in their sole discretion, without the need for Shareholder action, so
as to add to, delete, replace or otherwise modify any provisions relating to the
Shares contained in this Declaration of Trust for the purpose of (i) responding
to or complying with any regulations, orders, rulings or interpretations of any
governmental agency or any laws, now or hereafter
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applicable to the Trust, or (ii) designating and establishing Series or Classes
in addition to the Series or Classes established in Section 6 of this Article
III; provided that before adopting any such amendment in clause (i) without
Shareholder approval the Trustees shall determine that it is consistent with the
fair and equitable treatment of all Shareholders. The establishment and
designation of any Series or Class of Shares in addition to the Series or
Classes established and designated in Section 6 of this Article III shall be
effective upon the execution by a majority of the then Trustees of an amendment
to this Declaration of Trust, taking the form of a complete restatement or
otherwise, setting forth such establishment and designation and the relative
rights and preferences of such Series or Class, or as otherwise provided in such
instrument.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Trustees may, for
the above-stated purposes, amend the Declaration of Trust to:
(a) create one or more Series or Classes of Shares (with respect to or
in addition to any Series or Classes already existing or otherwise) with such
rights and preferences and such eligibility requirements for investment therein
as the Trustees shall determine, and reclassify any or all outstanding Shares as
shares of particular Series or Classes in accordance with such eligibility
requirements;
(b) amend any of the provisions set forth in paragraphs (a) through (j)
of Section 6 of this Article III;
(c) combine one or more Series or Classes of Shares into a single
Series or Class on such terms and conditions as the Trustees shall determine;
(d) change or eliminate any eligibility requirements for investment in
Shares of any Series or Class, including without limitation the power to provide
for the issue of Shares of any Series or Class in connection with any merger or
consolidation of the Trust with another trust or company or any acquisition by
the Trust of part or all of the assets of another trust or company;
(e) change the designation of any Series or Class of Shares;
(f) change the method of allocating dividends among the various Series
and Classes of Shares;
(g) allocate any specific assets or liabilities of the Trust or any
specific items of income or expense of the Trust to one or more Series or
Classes of Shares;
(h) specifically allocate assets to any or all Series or Classes of
Shares or create one or more additional Series or Classes of Shares which are
preferred over all other Series or Classes of Shares in respect of assets
specifically allocated thereto or any dividends paid by the Trust with respect
to any net income, however determined, earned from the investment and
reinvestment of
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any assets so allocated or otherwise and provide for any special voting or other
rights with respect to such Series or Classes; or
(i) divide one or more Series of Shares into one or more Classes on
such terms and conditions as the Trustees may determine.
Section 6. Establishment and Designation of Series. Without limiting
the authority of the Trustees set forth in Section 5, inter alia, to establish
and designate any further Series or Classes or to modify the rights and
preferences of any Series or Classes, the "DLB Fixed Income Fund," the "DLB
Global Small Capitalization Fund," the "DLB Value Fund," and the "DLB Mid
Capitalization Fund" shall be, and hereby are, established and designated as
separate Series of the Trust.
Shares of each Series established in this Section 6 shall have the
following relative rights and preferences:
(a) Assets Belonging to Series. All consideration received by the Trust
for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series, together with all assets
in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings,
profits, and proceeds thereof from whatever source derived, including, without
limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such
assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds
in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to that Series for
all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors, and shall be so recorded
upon the books of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income,
earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including,
without limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation
of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such
proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as "assets
belonging to" that Series. In the event that there are any assets, income,
earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular Series (collectively "General
Assets"), the Trustees shall allocate such General Assets to, between or among
any one or more of the Series established and designated from time to time in
such manner and on such basis as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and
equitable, and any General Asset so allocated to a particular Series shall
belong to that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive
and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes.
(b) Liabilities Belonging to Series. The assets belonging to each
particular Series shall be charged solely with the liabilities of the Trust in
respect to that Series, expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to
that Series, and any general liabilities of the Trust which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular Series but which are allocated and
charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the Series established
and designated from time to time in a manner and on such basis as the Trustees
in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable. The liabilities, expenses,
costs, charges, and reserves so charged to a Series are herein referred to as
"liabilities belonging to" that Series. Each allocation of liabilities,
expenses, costs, charges
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and reserves by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the
shareholders of all Series for all purposes.
(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and Repurchases.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration, including, without
limitation, Article VI, no dividend or distribution (including, without
limitation, any distribution paid upon termination of the Trust or of any
Series) with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of any
Series shall be effected by the Trust other than from the assets belonging to
such Series, nor shall any Shareholder of any particular Series otherwise have
any right or claim against the assets belonging to any other Series except to
the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or claim hereunder as a
Shareholder of such other Series.
(d) Voting. Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this
Declaration, including, without limitation, Section 1 of Article V, the
Shareholders of any particular Series or Class shall not be entitled to vote on
any matters as to which such Series or Class is not affected. On any matter
submitted to a vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to
vote shall be voted by individual Series, unless otherwise required by the 1940
Act or other applicable law or as specifically required under this Declaration
or the Bylaws or as otherwise determined by the Trustees.
(e) Equality. All the Shares of each particular Class of a Series shall
represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets and liabilities
belonging to that Series allocable to that Class and all Shares of each
particular Series shall represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets
belonging to that Series (subject to the liabilities belonging to that Series),
and each Share of any particular Series shall be equal to each other Share of
that Series.
(f) Fractions. Any fractional Share of a Series or Class shall carry
proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole share of that Series
or Class, including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and
distributions, redemption of Shares and termination of the Trust.
(g) Exchange Privilege. The Trustees shall have the authority to
provide that the holders of Shares of any Series shall have the right to
exchange said Shares for Shares of one or more other Series of Shares in
accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be established by the
Trustees.
(h) Combination of Series. The Trustees shall have the authority,
without the approval of the Shareholders of any Series or Class unless otherwise
required by applicable law, to combine the assets and liabilities belonging to
any two or more Series or Classes into assets and liabilities belonging to a
single Series or Class.
(i) Elimination of Series. At any time that there are no Shares
outstanding of any particular Series previously established and designated, the
Trustees may amend this Declaration
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of Trust to abolish that Series and to rescind the establishment and designation
thereof, such amendment to be effected in the manner provided in Section 5 of
this Article III.
(j) Assets and Liabilities Allocable to a Class. The assets and
liabilities belonging to a Series shall be fully allocated among all the Classes
of that Series. For purposes of determining the assets and liabilities belonging
to a Series which are allocable to a Class of that Series, subject to the
provisions of paragraph (f) of Section 5 of this Article III, the provisions of
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 6 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, as if
each Class were a Series.
Section 7. Indemnification of Shareholders. In case any Shareholder or
former Shareholder shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his
or her being or having been a Shareholder of the Trust or of a particular Series
and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other reason, the
Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors,
administrators or other legal representatives or in the case of a corporation or
other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled out of
the assets of the Series of which he is a Shareholder or former Shareholder to
be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from
such liability.
Section 8. No Preemptive Rights. Shareholders shall have no preemptive
or other right to subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued
by the Trust.
Section 9. Derivative Claims. No Shareholder shall have the right to
bring or maintain any court action, proceeding or claim on behalf of this Trust
or any Series without first making demand on the Trustees requesting the
Trustees to bring or maintain such action, proceeding or claim. Such demand
shall be excused only when the plaintiff makes a specific showing that
irreparable injury to the Trust or Series would otherwise result. Such demand
shall be mailed to the Clerk of the Trust at the Trust's principal office and
shall set forth in reasonable detail the nature of the proposed court action,
proceeding or claim and the essential facts relied upon by the Shareholder to
support the allegations made in the demand. The Trustees shall consider such
demand within 45 days of its receipt by the Trust. In their sole discretion, the
Trustees may submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders of the Trust or Series,
as appropriate. Any decision by the Trustees to bring, maintain or settle (or
not to bring, maintain or settle) such court action, proceeding or claim, or to
submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders shall be made by the Trustees in
their business judgment and shall be binding upon the Shareholders. Any decision
by the Trustees to bring or maintain a court action, proceeding or suit on
behalf of the Trust or a Series shall be subject to the right of the
Shareholders under Article V, Section 1 hereof to vote on whether or not such
court action, proceeding or suit should or should not be brought or maintained.
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ARTICLE IV
The Trustees
Section 1. Election and Tenure. The initial Trustee shall be ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇. Trustees may fix the number of Trustees, fill vacancies in the
Trustees, including vacancies arising from an increase in the number of
Trustees, or remove Trustees with or without cause. Each Trustee shall serve
during the continued lifetime of the Trust until he dies, resigns or is removed,
or, if sooner, until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of
electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his successor. Any
Trustee may resign at any time by written instrument signed by him and delivered
to any officer of the Trust or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation
shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other
time. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the
Trust, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed shall have any right to any
compensation for any period following his resignation or removal, or any right
to damages on account of such removal. The Shareholders may fix the number of
Trustees and elect Trustees at any meeting of Shareholders called by the
Trustees for that purpose.
Section 2. Effect of Death, Resignation, Etc. of a Trustee. The death,
declination, resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of the Trustees, or
any of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any existing
agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust.
Section 3. Powers. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of
Trust, the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and they
shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility
including the power to engage in securities transactions of all kinds on behalf
of the Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may adopt Bylaws not
inconsistent with this Declaration of Trust providing for the regulation and
management of the affairs of the Trust and may amend and repeal them to the
extent that such Bylaws do not reserve that right to the Shareholders; they may
fill vacancies in or remove from their number (including any vacancies created
by an increase in the number of Trustees); they may remove from their number
with or without cause; they may elect and remove such officers and appoint and
terminate such agents as they consider appropriate; they may appoint from their
own number and terminate one or more committees consisting of two or more
Trustees which may exercise the powers and authority of the Trustees to the
extent that the Trustees determine; they may employ one or more custodians of
the assets of the Trust and may authorize such custodians to employ
subcustodians and to deposit all or any part of such assets in a system or
systems for the central handling of securities or with a Federal Reserve Bank;
they may retain a transfer agent or a shareholder servicing agent, or both; they
may provide for the distribution of Shares by the Trust, through one or more
principal underwriters or otherwise; they may set record dates for the
determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters; and in general
they may delegate such authority as they consider desirable to any officer of
the Trust, to any committee of the Trustees and to any agent or employee of the
Trust or to any such custodian or underwriter.
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Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have power and
authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, and to hold cash uninvested;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease, or
write options with respect to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating
to any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(c) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with
respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute and deliver
proxies or powers of attorney to such person or persons as the Trustees shall
deem proper, granting to such person or persons such power and discretion with
relation to securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) To exercise powers and rights of subscription or otherwise which in
any manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(e) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any
trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its own
name or in the name of a custodian or subcustodian or a nominee or nominees or
otherwise;
(f) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization,
consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any security which is
held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale
of property by such corporation or issuer; and to pay calls or subscriptions
with respect to any security held in the Trust;
(g) To join with other security holders in acting through a committee,
depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any
security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depositary or
trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any
security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem
proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and
compensation of such committee, depositary or trustee as the Trustees shall deem
proper;
(h) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or
against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including but not limited to
claims for taxes;
(i) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and
any other combinations or associations;
(j) To borrow funds or other property;
(k) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other
obligations of any person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or
otherwise assume liability for payment thereof;
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(l) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust property such
insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the
business, including without limitation, insurance policies insuring the assets
of the Trust and payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio
investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees,
officers, employees, agents, investment advisers, principal underwriters, or
independent contractors of the Trust individually against all claims and
liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding, being or having held
any such office or position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been
taken or omitted by any such person as Trustee, officer, employee, agent,
investment adviser, principal underwriter, or independent contractor, including
any action taken or omitted that may be determined to constitute negligence,
whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such person against
liability; and
(m) To pay pensions as deemed appropriate by the Trustees and to adopt,
establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase,
savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and
provisions, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as
a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or all of the
Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust.
(n) To enter into forward commitments, futures contracts and swap
contracts and to buy and sell options on futures contracts or swap contracts and
to buy and or to enter into transactions with respect to any other securities or
derivative instruments.
(o) To engage in any other lawful act or activity in which corporations
organized under the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act may engage.
The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or
future law or custom in regard to investments by Trustees. The Trustees shall
not be required to obtain any court order to deal with any assets of the Trust
or take any other action hereunder.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses by the Trust. The Trustees are
authorized to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the
Trust, or partly out of principal and partly out of income, as they deem fair,
all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in
connection with the Trust, or in connection with the management thereof,
including but not limited to, the Trustee's compensation and such expenses and
charges for the services of the Trust's officers, employees, investment adviser
or manager, principal underwriter, auditor, counsel, custodian, transfer agent,
shareholder servicing agent, and such other agents or independent contractors
and such other expenses and charges as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper
to incur.
Section 5. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. The Trustees shall have
the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder, or
each Shareholder of any particular Series, to pay directly, in advance or
arrears, for charges of the Trust's custodian or transfer, shareholder servicing
or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to time by the
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Trustees, by setting off such charges due from such Shareholder from declared
but unpaid dividends owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of
Shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full and/or
fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such charges due
from such Shareholder.
Section 6. Ownership of Assets of the Trust. Title to all of the assets
of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees.
Section 7. Advisory, Management and Distribution Contracts. Subject to
such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws, the
Trustees may, at any time and from time to time, contract for exclusive or
nonexclusive advisory and/or management services for the Trust or for any Series
with ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., Inc. or any other partnership, corporation, trust,
association or other organization (the "Manager"); and any such contract may
contain such other terms as the Trustees may determine, including without
limitation, authority for a Manager to determine from time to time without prior
consultation with the Trustees what investments shall be purchased, held, sold
or exchanged and what portion, if any, of the assets of the Trust shall be held
uninvested and to make changes in the Trust's investments. The Trustees may
also, at any time and from time to time, contract with the Manager or any other
partnership, corporation, trust, association or other organization, appointing
it exclusive or nonexclusive distributor, principal underwriter or placement
agent for the Shares, every such contract to comply with such requirements and
restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws; and any such contract may
contain such other terms as the Trustees may determine.
The fact that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the Trust
is a shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee, employee,
manager, adviser, principal underwriter, placement agent, distributor
or affiliate or agent of or for any partnership, corporation, trust,
association, or other organization, or of or for any parent or
affiliate of any organization, with which an advisory or management
contract, or principal underwriter's or distributor's contract, or
placement agreement, or transfer, shareholder servicing or other agency
contract may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such
organization, or any parent or affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder or
has an interest in the Trust, or that
(ii) any partnership, corporation, trust, association or other
organization with which an advisory or management contract or principal
underwriter's or distributor's contract, or placement agreement, or
transfer, shareholder servicing or other agency contract may have been
or may hereafter be made also has an advisory or management contract,
or principal underwriter's or distributor's contract, or transfer,
shareholder servicing or other agency contract with one or more other
corporations, trusts, associations, or other organizations, or has
other business or interests,
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shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any
Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or
executing the same or create any liability or accountability to the
Trust or its Shareholders.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
Section 1. Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have power to vote
only (i) for the election of Trustees as provided in Article IV, Section 1, (ii)
with respect to any amendment of this Declaration of Trust to the extent and as
provided in Article IX, Section 8, (iii) to the same extent as the stockholders
of a Massachusetts business corporation as to whether or not a court action,
proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or maintained derivatively
or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders, (iv) with
respect to the termination of the Trust or any Series to the extent and as
provided in Article IX, Section 4, and (v) with respect to such additional
matters relating to the Trust as may be required by this Declaration of Trust,
the Bylaws or any registration of the Trust with the Commission (or any
successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees may consider necessary or
desirable. Each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as to any matter on
which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall be entitled to a
proportionate fractional vote. There shall be no cumulative voting in the
election of Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with
respect to Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if
executed by any one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy the
Trust receives a specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A
proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed
valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving
invalidity shall rest on the challenger. At any time when no Shares of a Series
or Class are outstanding the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders of
that Series or Class with respect to matters affecting that Series or Class and
may with respect to that Series or Class take any action required by law, this
Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws to be taken by the Shareholders.
Section 2. Voting Power and Meetings. Meetings of the Shareholders may
be called by the Trustees for the purpose of electing Trustees as provided in
Article IV, Section 1 and for such other purposes as may be prescribed by law,
by this Declaration of Trust or by the Bylaws. Meetings of the Shareholders may
also be called by the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of taking
action upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or
desirable. A meeting of Shareholders may be held at any place designated by the
Trustees. Written notice of any meeting of Shareholders shall be given or caused
to be given by the Trustees by mailing such notice at least seven days before
such meeting, postage prepaid, stating the time and place of the meeting, to
each Shareholder at the Shareholder's address as it appears on the records of
the Trust. Whenever notice of a meeting is required to be given to a Shareholder
under this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws, a written waiver thereof,
executed before or after the meeting by such Shareholder or his attorney
thereunto authorized and filed with the records of the meeting, shall be deemed
equivalent to such notice.
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Section 3. Quorum and Required Vote. Except when a larger quorum is
required by law, by the Bylaws or by this Declaration of Trust, 10% of the
Shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholders' meeting.
When any one or more Series or Class is to vote as a single class separate from
any other Shares which are to vote on the same matters as a separate class or
classes, 10% of the Shares of each such class entitled to vote shall constitute
a quorum at a Shareholder's meeting of that class. Any meeting of Shareholders
may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of the votes properly cast upon
the question, whether or not a quorum is present, and the meeting may be held as
adjourned within a reasonable time after the date set for the original meeting
without further notice. When a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority of
the Shares voted shall decide any questions and a plurality shall elect a
Trustee, except when a larger vote is required by any provision of this
Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws or by law. If any question on which the
Shareholders are entitled to vote would adversely affect the rights of any
Series or Class of Shares, the vote of a majority (or such larger vote as is
required as aforesaid) of the Shares of such Series or class which are entitled
to vote, voting separately, shall be required to decide such question.
Section 4. Action by Written Consent. Any action taken by Shareholders
may be taken without a meeting if Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares
entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be
required by any express provision of this Declaration of Trust or by the Bylaws)
and/or holding a majority (or such larger proportion as aforesaid) of the Shares
of any Series or Class entitled to vote separately on the matter consent to the
action in writing and such written consents are filed with the records of the
meetings of Shareholders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a
vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.
Section 5. Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the
Shareholders of any Series or Class who are entitled to vote or act at any
meeting or any adjournment thereof, the Trustees may from time to time fix a
time as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series or Class
having the right to notice of and to vote at such a meeting and any adjournment
thereof, and in such case only Shareholders of record on such record date shall
have such right, notwithstanding any transfer of Shares on the books of the
Trust after the record date. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders of
any Series or Class who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of
any other distribution, the Trustees may from time to time fix a date, which
shall be before the date for the payment of such dividend or such other payment,
as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series or Class
having the right to receive such dividend or distribution. Without fixing a
record date the Trustees may for voting and/or distribution purposes close the
register or transfer books for one or more Series or Class for all or any part
of the period between a record date and a meeting of shareholders or the payment
of a distribution. Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding the
Trustees from setting different record dates for different Series or Classes.
Section 6. Additional Provisions. The Bylaws may include further
provisions for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters.
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ARTICLE VI
Net Income, Distributions, and Redemptions and Repurchases
Section 1. Distributions of Net Income. The Trustees shall each year,
or more frequently if they so determine in their sole discretion, distribute to
the Shareholders of each Series or Class, in shares of that Series or Class,
cash or otherwise, an amount approximately equal to the net income attributable
to the assets belonging to such Series or Class and may from time to time
distribute to the Shareholders of each Series or Class, in shares of that Series
or Class, cash or otherwise, such additional amounts, but only from the assets
belonging to such Series (or allocable to such Class), as they may authorize.
All dividends and distributions on Shares of a particular Series or Class shall
be distributed pro rata to the holders of that Series or Class in proportion to
the number of Shares of that Series or Class held by such holders and recorded
on the books of the Trust at the date and time of record established for that
payment of such dividend or distributions.
The manner of determining net income, income, asset values, capital
gains, expenses, liabilities and reserves of any Series or Class may from time
to time be altered as necessary or desirable in the judgment of the Trustees to
conform such manner of determination to any other method prescribed or permitted
by applicable law. Net income shall be determined by the Trustees or by such
person as they may authorize at the times and in the manner provided in the
Bylaws. Determinations of net income of any Series or Class and determination of
income, asset values, capital gains, expenses, and liabilities made by the
Trustees, or by such person as they may authorize, in good faith, shall be
binding on all parties concerned. The foregoing sentence shall not be construed
to protect any Trustee, officer or agent of the Trust against any liability to
the Trust or its security holders to which he would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
If, for any reason, the net income of any Series or Class determined at
any time is a negative amount, in the discretion of the Trustees the pro rata
share of such negative amount allocable to each Shareholder of such Series or
Class may constitute a liability of such Shareholder to that Series or Class
which shall be paid out of such Shareholder's account at such times and in such
manner as the Trustees may from time to time determine (x) out of the accrued
dividend account of such Shareholder, (y) by reducing the number of Shares of
that Series or Class in the account of such Shareholder, or (z) otherwise.
Section 2. Redemptions and Repurchases. The Trust shall purchase such
Shares as offered by any Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation of a
proper instrument of transfer together with a request directed to the Trust or a
person designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such Shares or in
accordance with such other procedures for redemption as the Trustees may from
time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the net asset value
thereof, as determined in accordance with the Bylaws, the 1940 Act and the rules
of the Commission. Payment for said Shares shall be made by the Trust to the
Shareholder within seven
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days after the date on which the request is made or in accordance with such
other procedures, consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules of the Commission,
as the Trustees may from time to time authorize. The obligation set forth in
this Section 2 is subject to the provision that in the event that at any time
the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is closed for other than weekends
or holidays, or if permitted by the rules of the Commission during periods when
trading on the Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it
impracticable for the Trust to dispose of the investments of the applicable
Series or to determine fairly the value of the net assets belonging to such
Series or during any other period permitted by order of the Commission for the
protection of investors, such obligations may be suspended or postponed by the
Trustees. The Trust may also purchase or repurchase Shares at a price not
exceeding the net asset value of such Shares in effect when the purchase or
repurchase or any contract to purchase or repurchase is made.
The redemption price may in any case or cases be paid wholly or partly
in kind if the Trustees determine that such payment is advisable in the
interests of the remaining Shareholders of the Series or Class the Shares of
which are being redeemed. In making any such payment wholly or partly in kind,
the Trust shall, so far as may be practicable, deliver assets which approximate
the diversification of all of the assets belonging at the time to the Series or
Class the Shares of which are being redeemed. Subject to the foregoing, the fair
value, selection and quantity of securities or other property so paid or
delivered as all or part of the redemption price may be determined by or under
authority of the Trustees. In no case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of
any corporation or other person in transferring securities selected for delivery
as all or part of any payment in kind.
Section 3. Redemptions at the Option of the Trust. The Trust shall have
the right at its option and at any time to redeem Shares of any Shareholder at
the net asset value thereof as described in Section 1 of this Article VI: (i) if
at such time such Shareholder owns Shares of any Series or Class having an
aggregate net asset value of less than an amount determined from time to time by
the Trustees; or (ii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns Shares equal to
or in excess of a percentage determined from time to time by the Trustees of the
outstanding Shares of the Trust or of any Series or Class.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees
Section 1. Compensation. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to
reasonable compensation from the Trust; they may fix the amount of their
compensation. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any
Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other
services and payment of the same by the Trust.
Section 2. Limitation of Liability. The Trustees shall not be
responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any
officer, agent, employee, Manager or principal underwriter of the Trust, nor
shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other
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Trustee, but nothing herein contained shall protect any Trustee against any
liability to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and
every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of
the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be
conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with
respect to their or his capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or
Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Section 1. Trustees, Officers, Etc. The Trust shall indemnify each of
its Trustees and officers (including persons who serve at the Trust's request as
directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has
any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) (hereinafter referred to
as a "Covered Person") against all liabilities and expenses, including but not
limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines
and penalties, and counsel fees reasonably incurred by any Covered Person in
connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other
proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or
legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved
as a party or otherwise or with which such Covered Person may be or may have
been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of being or having
been such a Covered Person except with respect to any matter as to which such
Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated in any such action, suit or
other proceeding to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office. Expenses,
including counsel fees so incurred by any such Covered Person (but excluding
amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines or
penalties), shall be paid from time to time by Trust in advance of the final
disposition of any such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an
undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person to repay amounts so paid to
the Trust if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses
is not authorized under this Article, provided, however, that either (a) such
Covered Person shall have provided appropriate security for such undertaking,
(b) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising from any such advance
payments or (c) either a majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on the
matter (provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office
act on the matter), or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall
have determined, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a
full trial type inquiry) that there is reason to believe that such Covered
Person will be found entitled to indemnification under this Article.
Section 2. Compromise Payment. As to any matter disposed of (whether by
a compromise payment, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) without an
adjudication by a court, or by any other body before which the proceeding was
brought, that such Covered Person
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is liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of his or her office, indemnification shall be provided if (a) approved,
after notice that it involves such indemnification, by at least a majority of
the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the
disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter) upon a determination,
based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type
inquiry) that such Covered Person is not liable to the Trust or its Shareholders
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office, or (b)
there has been obtained an opinion in writing of independent legal counsel,
based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type
inquiry) to the effect that such indemnification would not protect such Person
against any liability to the Trust to which he would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office. Any approval
pursuant to this Section shall not prevent the recovery from any Covered Person
of any amount paid to such Covered Person in accordance with this Section as
indemnification if such Covered Person is subsequently adjudicated by a court of
competent jurisdiction to have been liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office.
Section 3. Indemnification Not Exclusive. The right of indemnification
hereby provided shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which
such Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article VIII, the term
"Covered Person" shall include such person's heirs, executors and administrators
and a "disinterested Trustee" is a Trustee who is not an "interested person" of
the Trust as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (or who has been
exempted from being an "interested person" by any rule, regulation or order of
the Commission), and against whom none of such actions, suits or other
proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar
grounds is then or has been pending. Nothing contained in this Article shall
affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel of the Trust, other than
Trustees or officers, and other persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise
under law, nor the power of the Trust to purchase and maintain liability
insurance on behalf of any such person; provided, however, that the Trust shall
not purchase or maintain any such liability insurance in contravention of
applicable law, including without limitation the 1940 Act.
Section 4. Shareholders. In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder
shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or
having been a Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for
some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs,
executors, administrators or other legal representatives or in the case of a
corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be
entitled to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense
arising from such liability, but only out of the assets of the particular Series
of Shares of which he or she is or was a Shareholder.
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ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
Section 1. Trustees, Shareholders, Etc. Not Personally Liable; Notice.
All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against
the Trust or any Series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or to the
assets of that particular Series for payment under such credit, contract or
claim; and neither Shareholders nor the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's
officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be
personally liable therefor. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall protect
any Trustee against any liability to which such Trustee would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of
Trustee.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made
or issued on behalf of the Trust by the Trustees, by any officers or officer or
otherwise shall give notice that this Declaration of Trust is on file with the
Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and shall recite that
the same was executed or made by or on behalf of the Trust or by them as Trustee
or Trustees or as officer or officers or otherwise and not individually and that
the obligations of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or the
shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of
the Trust or upon the assets belonging to the Series for the benefit of which
the Trustees have caused the note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or
undertaking to be made or issued, and may contain such further recital as he or
they may deem appropriate, but the omission of any such recital shall not
operate to bind any Trustee or Trustees or officer or officers or Shareholders
or any other person individually.
Section 2. Trustee's Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or
Surety. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder
shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable for his or
her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and for nothing
else, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law.
The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the
meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust, and shall be under no
liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice or for failing
to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as
such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
Section 3. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees. No person
dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the
validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the
application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon
its order.
Section 4. Termination of Trust or Series. Unless terminated as
provided herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of time. The Trust
may be terminated at any time by vote of at least 50% of the Shares of each
Series entitled to vote and voting separately by Series or by the Trustees by
written notice to the Shareholders. Any Series may be terminated at any time by
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vote of at least 50% of the Shares of that Series or by the Trustees by written
notice to the Shareholders of that Series.
Upon termination of the Trust (or any Series, as the case may be),
after paying or otherwise providing for all charges, taxes, expenses and
liabilities belonging, severally, to each Series (or the applicable Series, as
the case may be), whether due or accrued or anticipated as may be determined by
the Trustees, the Trust shall in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees
consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets belonging, severally, to each
Series (or the applicable Series, as the case may be), to distributable form in
cash or shares or other securities, or any combination thereof, and distribute
the proceeds belonging to each Series (or the applicable Series, as the case may
be), to the Shareholders of that Series, as a Series, ratably according to the
number of Shares of that Series held by the several Shareholders on the date of
termination.
Section 5. Merger and Consolidation. The Trustees may cause the Trust
to be merged into or consolidated with another trust or company or its shares
exchanged under or pursuant to any state or federal statute, if any, or
otherwise to the extent permitted by law, if such merger or consolidation or
share exchange has been authorized by vote of a majority of the outstanding
Shares, as such phrase is defined in the 1940 Act; provided that in all respects
not governed by statute or applicable law, the Trustees shall have power to
prescribe the procedure necessary or appropriate to accomplish a sale of assets,
merger or consolidation.
Section 6. Filing of Copies, References, Headings. The original or a
copy of this instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be kept at the office
of the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. A copy of this
instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be filed by the Trust with the
Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and with any other
governmental office where such filing may from time to time be required. Anyone
dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as
to whether or not any such amendments have been made and as to any matters in
connection with the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the
original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy
of this instrument or of any such amendments. In this instrument and in any such
amendment, references to this instrument, and all expressions like "herein,"
"hereof" and "hereunder" shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended
or affected by any such amendments. Headings are placed herein for convenience
of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect
the meaning, construction or effect of this instrument. This instrument may be
executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be deemed an
original.
Section 7. Applicable Law. This Declaration of Trust is made in The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and it is created under and is to be governed by
and construed and administered according to the laws of said Commonwealth. The
Trust shall be of the type commonly called a Massachusetts business trust, and
without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which
are ordinarily exercised by such a trust.
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Section 8. Amendments. This Declaration of Trust may be amended at any
time by an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees when
authorized so to do by vote of a majority of the Shares entitled to vote, except
that amendments described in Article III, Section 5 hereof or having the purpose
of changing the name of the Trust or of supplying any omission, curing any
ambiguity or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective or inconsistent
provision contained herein shall not require authorization by Shareholder vote.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the initial Trustee as aforesaid does hereto set
his hand this 1st day of August, 1994.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Initial Trustee
Dated: August 1, 1994
The address of the Trust is:
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
The address of the Initial Trustee is c/o:
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co., Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
-▇▇-
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ )
: ss.
COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX )
Then personally appeared before me ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, who acknowledged
the foregoing Agreement and Declaration of Trust to be his free act and deed.
Witness my hand and notarial seal.
Dated: August 1, 1994 /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------------------
Notary Public
My commission expires: 6/3/99
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