EXHIBIT 10.50
CONFORMED COPY
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AMENDED AND RESTATED NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
by and among
THE CHILLICOTHE TELEPHONE COMPANY
and
AMERICAN UNITED LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
and
THE STATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
Dated as of November 1, 2002
The Chillicothe Telephone Company
$12,000,000 6.72% Amended and Restated Senior Notes
Due June 1, 2018
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION HEADING PAGE
SECTION 1. ISSUANCE OF NOTES.............................................1
(a) The Notes.....................................................1
(b) Note Exchanges to Be Several..................................2
(c) Late Payments.................................................2
(d) Manner of Payment.............................................2
(e) Payment on Non-Business Days..................................2
SECTION 2. PREPAYMENTS OF THE NOTES......................................2
(a) Voluntary Payments with Premium...............................2
(b) Manner of Effecting Voluntary Prepayment......................2
SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES................................4
(a) Corporate Organization........................................4
(b) Conflicting Agreements and Other Matters......................4
(c) Due Authorization, etc........................................5
(d) Legal Proceedings; Compliance with Law........................5
(e) Title to Assets...............................................5
(f) Securities Matters............................................6
(g) Licenses and Permits..........................................6
(h) No Defaults on Indebtedness...................................6
(i) Tax Returns...................................................6
(j) ERISA Matters.................................................6
(k) Investment Company Act........................................7
(l) Public Utility................................................7
(m) Full Disclosure...............................................7
(r) Regulatory Approval...........................................7
(n) Existing Debt and Restricted Investments......................7
(o) Status under Certain Statutes.................................7
SECTION 4. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS.........................................8
(a) Payment.......................................................8
(b) Maintenance of Books and Records..............................8
(c) Inspection of Books and Records...............................8
(d) Financial Information.........................................8
(e) Quarterly Financial Statements................................8
(f) Annual Financial Statements...................................9
(g) Financial Certification.......................................9
(h) Copies of Management Letters, etc............................10
(i) Copies of Regulatory Reports.................................10
(j) Corporate Existence..........................................10
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(k) Payment of Taxes and Claims..................................10
(l) Maintenance of Properties and Licenses.......................11
(m) Insurance....................................................11
(n) Net Worth....................................................11
(o) Notice of Default............................................11
(p) Exchange of Notes............................................11
(q) Qualified Retirement Plans...................................11
SECTION 5. NEGATIVE COVENANTS...........................................12
(a) Limitation on Consolidated Total Debt........................12
(b) Limitations on Debt of Restricted Subsidiaries...............12
(c) Subordination of Claims......................................12
(d) Sale of Assets...............................................12
(e) Merger and Consolidation.....................................13
(f) Maintenance of Present Business..............................13
(g) Transactions with Affiliates.................................13
(h) Permitted Liens..............................................13
(i) Restricted Payments and Restricted Investments...............15
(j) Fixed Charges................................................15
(k) Sale of Accounts.............................................15
(l) Guaranties; Etc..............................................16
(m) Restricted Subsidiaries......................................16
SECTION 6. CLOSING CONDITIONS...........................................16
SECTION 7. DEFAULTS.....................................................17
SECTION 8. PAYMENTS ON AND REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER OF NOTES...........19
SECTION 9. EXPENSES.....................................................19
SECTION 10. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS; PRO RATA PAYMENTS;
AMENDMENTS AND CONSENTS....................................19
(a) Delivery of Documents........................................19
(b) Pro Rata Payments............................................19
(c) Amendments and Consents......................................20
SECTION 11. INVESTMENT PURPOSE...........................................20
SECTION 12. DEFINITIONS..................................................21
SECTION 13. DESIGNATION OF SUBSIDIARIES..................................27
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SECTION 14. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES...................27
SECTION 15. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.......................................27
SECTION 16. NOTICES......................................................28
SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW................................................28
SECTION 18. COUNTERPARTS.................................................28
SECTION 19. CAPTIONS.....................................................28
APPENDIX I -- Noteholders, Note Allocations and Wire Instructions
SCHEDULE 3(d) -- Legal Proceedings
EXHIBIT A -- Form of Amended and Restated Note
EXHIBIT B -- Subsidiaries
EXHIBIT C -- Existing Debts and Liens
EXHIBIT D -- Existing Restricted Investments
EXHIBIT E -- Form of Opinion of Counsel to the Company
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AMENDED AND RESTATED NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT
RE: THE CHILLICOTHE TELEPHONE COMPANY
$12,000,000 6.72% AMENDED AND RESTATED SENIOR NOTES
DUE JUNE 1, 2018
DATED AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2002
TO THE NOTEHOLDERS NAMED IN APPENDIX I HERETO:
Dear Sirs:
Reference is hereby made to the Note Purchase Agreement dated as of June 1,
1998 (as amended by the First Amendment dated as of April 1, 1999, the "Original
Note Purchase Agreement") by and between The Chillicothe Telephone Company, an
Ohio corporation (herein called the "Company"), and each of you (herein called
the "Noteholders"), pursuant to which the Company issued and sold to the
Noteholders $12,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.62% Senior Notes due
June 1, 2018 (the "Original Notes").
The Company and the Noteholders now desire that the Original Note Purchase
Agreement be amended and restated in its entirety to be in the form of this
Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement (the or this "Agreement"). The
Company and the Noteholders also desire that the Original Notes be amended and
restated in their entirety in the form of Exhibit A hereto, and that, in
accordance with Section 1(a) hereof, each Noteholder exchange the existing
Original Note or Original Notes held by such Noteholder for a new Amended and
Restated Note or Amended and Restated Notes in the form of Exhibit A hereto
(said Amended and Restated Notes, together with any note or notes issued in
substitution therefor, being herein collectively referred to as the "Notes" and
individually a "Note").
In accordance with the foregoing, the Company hereby confirms its
agreements set forth below with the Noteholders. Reference is made to Section 12
hereof for definitions of capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise
defined.
SECTION 1. ISSUANCE OF NOTES.
(a) The Notes. Subject to the terms and conditions herein, the Company will
issue to each of the Noteholders on November [12], 2002, or such later date as
may be fixed by the Noteholders on at least three days' prior written notice to
the Company, or as may be mutually agreed upon with the Noteholders (the date of
such issuance being herein called the "Closing Date"), the Notes in the
principal amount specified on Appendix I hereto, dated September 1, 2002, in
exchange for the Original Note or Original Notes held by such Noteholder, which
Original Notes shall cease to accrue interest as of September 1, 2002. The
principal amount of the Notes shall be due in ten consecutive equal annual
installments, each in an aggregate amount equal to $1,200,000 payable on the 1st
day of June in each of the years 2009 through 2018, inclusive. The Notes shall
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
bear interest from September 1, 2002 until payment in full of the principal
amount thereof at the rate of 6.72% per annum (provided that solely for the
purpose of determining the portion of annual interest allocable to any interest
payment period, it shall be assumed that a year is comprised of 360 days and
twelve 30-day months), payable quarterly on the 1st day of March, June,
September and December, commencing December 1, 2002, and continuing until
payment in full of the principal amount of the Notes. The Notes shall be subject
to optional and mandatory prepayment as herein provided, shall in all respects
be subject to the terms of this Agreement, and shall be substantially in the
form of Exhibit A hereto.
(b) Note Exchanges to Be Several. The exchange by the respective
Noteholders of each of the Original Notes in return for the Notes shall be
separate and several, but the exchange of each Original Note for a new Note
shall be a condition concurrent to the exchange of each other Original Note for
a new Note.
(c) Late Payments. Any payment of principal or (to the extent permitted by
applicable law) interest on the Notes not paid when due, whether at stated
maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, shall thereafter bear interest at a rate
per annum equal to 8.72% (provided that in no event shall such rate exceed the
maximum rate permitted by law).
(d) Manner of Note Exchange. The Noteholders will exchange the Original
Notes against delivery of the Notes to Noteholders' special counsel, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and
▇▇▇▇▇▇, which exchange will be made at the offices of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ at 10:00 A.M., Chicago, Illinois
time on the Closing Date.
(e) Payment on Non-Business Days. Whenever any payment to be made hereunder
or under the Notes shall be stated to be due on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday
for banks under the laws of the States of New York, Indiana or Ohio, such
payment may be made on the next succeeding business day.
SECTION 2. PREPAYMENTS OF THE NOTES.
(a) Voluntary Payments with Premium. The Company may, at its option, at any
time, prepay the Notes in whole or in part (but if in part only in the aggregate
amount of $1,000,000 or integral multiples thereof), upon 30 days' prior written
notice to the holders of the Notes, and upon payment of a prepayment premium
equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the amount equal to the present value of all
installments of principal and interest which are avoided by such prepayment,
determined by discounting such payments of principal and interest at a rate per
annum equal to .25% plus the Treasury Yield Percentage, over (ii) the principal
amount to be prepaid. In no event shall such prepayment premium be less than
zero.
(b) Manner of Effecting Voluntary Prepayment. In the event the Company
shall give notice of any prepayment in accordance with Section 2(a) above, such
notice shall specify the principal amount of the Notes to be prepaid, the
Section pursuant to which prepayment is being made, and the date of proposed
prepayment, and thereupon such principal amount, together with accrued and
unpaid interest thereon to the prepayment date and together with the applicable
premium, if any, shall become due and payable on the prepayment date. In the
event any prepayment pursuant to Section 2(a) shall be less than the entire
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The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
unpaid principal amount of the Notes, the amounts of the prepayments (and the
payment at maturity) required by Section 1(a) shall be reduced by an amount
which is the same percentage of such required prepayment or payment as the
percentage that the principal amount of Notes prepaid pursuant to Section 2(a)
is of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes immediately prior to
such prepayment.
(c) Change in Control.
(i) Notice of Change in Control or Control Event. The Company will, within
10 business days after any Responsible Officer has knowledge of the occurrence
of any Change in Control or Control Event, give written notice of such Change in
Control or Control Event to each holder of Notes. In the case that a Change in
Control has occurred, such notice shall contain and constitute an offer to
prepay the Notes as described in clause (ii) of this Section 2(c) and shall be
accompanied by the certificate described in clause (v) of this Section 2(c).
(ii) Offer to Prepay Notes. The offer to prepay Notes contemplated by
clause (i) of this Section 2(c) shall be an offer to prepay, in accordance with
and subject to this Section 2(c), all, but not less than all, the Notes held by
each holder (in this case only, "holder" in respect of any Note registered in
the name of a nominee for a disclosed beneficial owner shall mean such
beneficial owner) on a date specified in such offer (the "Proposed Prepayment
Date") that is not less than 15 business days and not more than 30 business days
after the date of such offer (if the Proposed Prepayment Date shall not be
specified in such offer, the Proposed Prepayment Date shall be the 30th business
day after the date of such offer).
(iii) Acceptance; Rejection. A holder of Notes may accept the offer to
prepay made pursuant to this Section 2(c) by causing a notice of such acceptance
to be delivered to the Company at least 5 business days prior to the Proposed
Prepayment Date. A failure by a holder of Notes to respond to an offer to prepay
made pursuant to this Section 2(c) shall be deemed to constitute an acceptance
of such offer by such holder.
(iv) Prepayment. Prepayment of the Notes to be prepaid pursuant to this
Section 2(c) shall be at 100% of the principal amount of such Notes, plus the
premium specified in Sections 2(a) and (b) hereof determined for the date of
prepayment with respect to such principal amount, together with interest on such
Notes accrued to the date of prepayment. On the business day preceding the date
of prepayment, the Company shall deliver to each holder of Notes being prepaid a
statement showing the prepayment premium due in connection with such prepayment
and setting forth the details of the computation of such amount. The prepayment
shall be made on the Proposed Prepayment Date.
(v) Officer's Certificate. Each offer to prepay the Notes pursuant to this
Section 2(c) shall be accompanied by a certificate, executed by a Senior
Financial Officer of the Company and dated the date of such offer, specifying:
(A) the Proposed Prepayment Date; (B) that such offer is made pursuant to this
Section 2(c); (C) the principal amount of each Note offered to be prepaid; (D)
the estimated prepayment premium due in connection with such prepayment
(calculated as if the date of such notice were the date of the prepayment),
setting forth the details of such computation; (E) the interest that would be
due on each Note offered to be prepaid, accrued to the Proposed Prepayment Date;
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The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
(F) that the conditions of this Section 2(c) have been fulfilled; and (G) in
reasonable detail, the nature and date of the Change in Control.
(vi) "Change in Control" Defined. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to
have occurred if any Person or Persons (other than members of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Family)
acting in concert, together with Affiliates thereof, (individually, an
"Acquiring Person" and collectively, "Acquiring Persons") shall in the
aggregate, directly or indirectly, control or own (beneficially or otherwise)
more than 50% (by number of shares) of the issued and outstanding Voting Stock
of the Company; provided, however, that if (A) the long-term senior unsecured
debt of each Acquiring Person is rated "A-" or above by Standard & Poor's (or
the equivalent by any other nationally recognized rating service) or (B) at the
time of the acquisition by an Acquiring Person or Acquiring Persons of control
or ownership of more than 50% (by number of shares) of the issued and
outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, the Notes are rated "A-" or above by
Standard & Poor's (or the equivalent by any other nationally recognized rating
service), then and in either such event, a "Change of Control" shall be deemed
not to have occurred.
(vii) "Control Event" Defined. "Control Event" means:
(A) the execution by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
Affiliates of any agreement or letter of intent with respect to any
proposed transaction or event or series of transactions or events which,
individually or in the aggregate, may reasonably be expected to result in a
Change in Control, or
(B) the execution of any written agreement which, when fully performed
by the parties thereto, would result in a Change in Control.
SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
The Company represents and warrants to the Noteholders as follows:
(a) Corporate Organization. The Company and its Subsidiaries are
corporations organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of
the State of Ohio, and are duly qualified to do business and are in good
standing under the laws of each state where the nature of the business done
or property owned require such qualification. The Company is organized
under the laws of the State of Ohio. Exhibit B hereto correctly sets forth
the name of each Subsidiary, its state of incorporation and the percentage
of the outstanding capital stock of such Subsidiary owned by the Company or
another Subsidiary, and indicates whether such Subsidiary is a Restricted
Subsidiary. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, more than 1%
of the total outstanding capital stock of any class of any other
corporation except for the capital stock of ComNet, Inc. of which the
Company owns approximately 5% of the outstanding capital stock thereof.
(b) Conflicting Agreements and Other Matters. Neither the execution
and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the Notes, nor the
performance or observance by the Company or any Subsidiary of any of the
terms or conditions of this Agreement or the Notes, will (i) conflict with,
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The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
or result in a breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, or result in any violation of, or result in the
creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or
any Subsidiary pursuant to, the Certificate of Incorporation or Code of
Regulations of the Company or any Subsidiary, any award of any arbitrator,
or any indenture, contract or agreement (including any agreement with
stockholders), instrument, order, judgment, decree, statute, law, rule or
regulation to which the Company or any Subsidiary is subject, or (ii)
require any registration or filing with, or any consent or approval of, any
Federal, state or local governmental agency or authority, except for the
Application for Consent and Authority to issue and exchange $12,000,000 of
Amended and Restated Senior Unsecured Notes to the Public Utilities
Commission of Ohio (the "Commission") which was filed September 13, 2002
(the "Application") and the approval thereof by the Commission which was
obtained by the Company on October 10, 2002.
(c) Due Authorization, etc. The issuance of the Notes and the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Notes are within the
corporate powers of the Company and have been duly authorized by all
necessary action of the Company and its Subsidiaries. The Notes and this
Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and
constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations, contracts and
agreements of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective
terms.
(d) Legal Proceedings; Compliance With Law. Except as listed on
Schedule 3(d) hereto, there are no actions, suits, or proceedings pending
or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any
of its Subsidiaries or any property of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in any court or before any federal, state, municipal or other
governmental agency, which, if decided adversely to the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries, would have a materially adverse effect upon the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries or upon the business or properties of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in default with respect to any order of any court or
governmental agency.
Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary (1) is in violation of any law,
ordinance, franchise, governmental rule or regulation to which it is
subject; or (2) has failed to obtain any license, permit, franchise or
other governmental authorization necessary to the ownership of its property
or to the conduct of its business, which violation or failure to obtain
would materially affect adversely the business, prospects, profits,
properties or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or impair the ability of the Company to
perform its obligations contained in this Agreement or the Notes.
(e) Title to Assets. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and
marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good title to all
personal property they purport to own, including (except as they have been
affected by transactions in the ordinary course of business) all properties
and assets reflected in the most recent balance sheet furnished to the
Noteholders pursuant to Section 4 of the Original Note Purchase Agreement.
In the case of property used in their trades or businesses but not owned by
5
them, the Company and its Subsidiaries have a valid, binding and
enforceable right to use such property pursuant to a written lease, license
or other agreement. All of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries
are free and clear of all Liens (other than Liens permitted by Section 5(h)
hereof).
(f) Securities Matters. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries nor any agent acting on the behalf of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries has offered the Notes or any part thereof, or any similar
obligation for sale to, or solicited any offers to buy such Notes, or any
part thereof, or any similar obligation from, any Person or Persons so as
to bring the issue of the Notes within the provisions of Section 5 of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries will sell or offer for sale any note or any similar obligation
of the Company or any Subsidiary to, or solicit any offer to buy any
similar obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary from, any Person or
Persons so as to bring the issue or sale of the Notes within the provisions
of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(g) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its Subsidiaries have
procured and are now in possession of all licenses or permits required by
federal, state or local laws for the operation of the business of the
Company and its Subsidiaries in each jurisdiction wherein the Company or
any Subsidiary is now conducting or proposes to conduct business.
(h) No Defaults on Indebtedness. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is in default in the payment of the principal of or interest
on any indebtedness for borrowed money nor is in default under any
instrument or agreement under and subject to which any indebtedness for
borrowed money has been issued, and no event has occurred under the
provisions of any such instrument or agreement which with or without the
passing of time or the giving of notice, or both, constitutes or would
constitute an event of default thereunder.
(i) Tax Returns. The Company and its Subsidiaries have filed all
federal and state income tax returns which, to the knowledge of the
officers of the Company, are required to be filed, and have paid all taxes
shown on said returns and all assessments received by them to the extent
that they have become due. The federal income tax returns of the Company
have been finally determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be
satisfactory (or have been closed by the applicable statute of limitations)
for all years prior to and including the year ended 1997. No claims have
been asserted against the Company in respect of Federal income tax returns
for any subsequent year.
(j) ERISA Matters. Each Plan of the Company and each ERISA Affiliate
in which any employees of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate participate
that is subject to any provisions of ERISA is being administered in
accordance with the documents and instruments governing such Plan, and such
documents and instruments are consistent with those provisions of ERISA and
the Internal Revenue Code which have become effective and operative with
respect to such Plan as of the date of this Agreement. No such Plan has
incurred any material accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of
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The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
Section 302 of ERISA (whether or not waived), and neither the Company nor
any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any material liability (including any
material contingent liability) to the PBGC in connection with any such
Plan. No such Plan nor any trust created thereunder nor any trustee or
administrator thereof has engaged in a "prohibited transaction" within the
meaning of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code and the
issuance and sale of the Notes as contemplated hereby will not constitute a
"prohibited transaction". No such Plan nor any trust created thereunder has
been terminated, nor have there been any "reportable events" within the
meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA with respect to any such Plan. Neither the
Company nor any ERISA Affiliate contributes to or has any employees who are
covered by any "multiemployer plan," as such term is defined in Section
3(37) of ERISA, and neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate has
incurred any withdrawal liability with respect to any such multiemployer
plan.
(k) Investment Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its
Subsidiaries is an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an
"investment company" (as each of the quoted terms is defined or used in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended).
(l) Public Utility. The Company is an operating public utility subject
to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the
Federal Communications Commission.
(m) Full Disclosure. Neither this Agreement nor any other document,
certificate or instrument delivered to the Noteholders on behalf of the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby contains any untrue statement of a material fact or
omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
contained therein not misleading.
(n) Regulatory Approval. The issue and sale of the Notes have, to the
extent required by law, been duly authorized by the Public Utilities
Commission of Ohio which authorization is not subject to any appeal or
modification which could affect the validity or terms of the Notes, and no
other consent, exemption, approval or authorization by any other
governmental authority is required in connection with the execution and
delivery of this Agreement or the issue and sale of the Notes.
(o) Existing Debt and Restricted Investments. Exhibit C hereto
correctly describes all Debt of the Company and Liens securing any such
Debt as of October 1, 2002. Exhibit D hereto correctly describes the
Restricted Investments of the Company as of September 30, 2002, all of
which were made prior to September 30, 2002.
(o) Status under Certain Statutes. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is subject to regulation under the Public Utility Holding
Company Act of 1935, as amended, the ICC Termination Act of 1995, as
amended, or the Federal Power Act, as amended.
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The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
SECTION 4. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS.
The Company covenants and agrees that, so long as any amount shall remain
unpaid on any of the Notes, it will:
(a) Payment. Duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal
of and interest on the Notes and will duly and punctually perform or cause
to be performed all things on its part or on the part of any Subsidiary to
be done or performed under this Agreement and the Notes.
(b) Maintenance of Books and Records. At all times keep and cause each
Subsidiary to keep proper books of record and account in which full, true
and correct entries will be made of their transactions in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis
throughout the periods involved.
(c) Inspection of Books and Records. At all reasonable times permit
and cause each Subsidiary to permit the holders of the Notes and their
representatives to inspect its books and records and to make extracts
therefrom and to inspect its properties and operations.
(d) Financial Information. From time to time furnish and cause each
Subsidiary to furnish the holders of the Notes with such information and
statements as the holders of the Notes may reasonably request concerning
performance by it of the covenants and agreements contained in this
Agreement and the Notes, and with copies of all financial statements and
reports that it shall send or make available to its stockholders; and in
the event that an Event of Default has occurred, and the Company shall have
notified the holders of the Notes that such Event of Default has been
corrected, the Company shall, upon request of the holders of at least
66-2/3% of the unpaid principal amount of the Notes at the time
outstanding, for the purpose of showing that such Event of Default has been
corrected, furnish to the holders of the Notes a signed copy of an audit
report or, if such matter may be covered in a special report, a special
report prepared and certified by an independent certified public accountant
selected by the Company and satisfactory to the holders of the Notes,
confirming that such Event of Default has been corrected. All expenses
incurred in connection with such report shall be borne by the Company.
Nothing in this Section 4(d), however, shall diminish, defer, postpone or
otherwise limit the right of the holders of the Notes to take any action
permitted by Section 7 hereof.
(e) Quarterly Financial Statements. Furnish to the holders of the
Notes, within 60 days after the close of each quarterly accounting period
in each fiscal year of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (i) a consolidated
balance sheet and consolidated statement of income and retained earnings
reflecting the financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries at
the end of each such quarterly period and the results of operations during
such period, all in reasonable detail, and setting forth comparable figures
for the same accounting period in the preceding fiscal year, and (ii) a
separate balance sheet, statement of income and retained earnings for each
Subsidiary reflecting the financial condition of each Subsidiary at the end
8
of such quarterly period and the results of operation during such period,
all in reasonable detail, and setting forth comparable figures for the same
accounting period in the preceding fiscal year.
The Company shall also furnish to the holders of the Notes, within 60
days after the close of each quarterly accounting period in each fiscal
year of Telcom, a consolidated balance sheet and consolidated statement of
income and retained earnings reflecting the financial condition of Telcom
and its subsidiaries at the end of each quarterly period and the results of
operations during such period, all in reasonable detail, and setting forth
comparable figures for the same accounting period in the preceding fiscal
year.
(f) Annual Financial Statements. Furnish to the holders of the Notes,
as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the close of
each fiscal year of the Company, duplicate signed copies of an audit report
prepared and certified (without qualification as to the scope of the audit)
by KPMG, LLP or another firm of independent certified public accountants of
national standing selected by the Company and satisfactory to the holders
of the Notes, which report shall include a consolidated and consolidating
balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such
year, consolidated and consolidating statements of income and retained
earnings of the Company and its Subsidiaries and consolidated and
consolidating statements of cash flows of the Company and its Subsidiaries
reflecting the operations during said year, all in reasonable detail and
setting forth comparable figures for the preceding fiscal year, which
report shall be accompanied by a statement by such accounting firm
certifying that in making the examination upon which such report was based,
no information came to its attention which to its knowledge indicated a
default under this Agreement had occurred or specifying any such default.
The Company shall also furnish to the holders of the Notes, as soon as
available, but in any event within 120 days after the close of each fiscal
year of Telcom, duplicate signed copies of an audit report prepared and
certified (without qualification as to the scope of the audit) by KPMG, LLP
or another firm of independent certified public accountants of national
standing selected by Telcom and satisfactory to the holders of the Notes,
which report shall include a consolidated and accompanying supplementary
consolidating balance sheet of Telcom and its subsidiaries as at the end of
such year, consolidated and accompanying supplementary consolidating
statements of income and retained earnings of Telcom and its subsidiaries
and consolidated and accompanying supplementary consolidating statements of
cash flows of Telcom and its subsidiaries reflecting the operations during
said year, all in reasonable detail and setting forth comparable figures
for the preceding fiscal year.
(g) (i) Financial Certification. At the time of the delivery to the
holders of the Notes of the reports referred to in Sections 4(e) and 4(f)
hereof, deliver to the holders of the Notes a certificate signed by its
chief financial officer, certifying that (s)he has reviewed the provisions
of this Agreement and stating, in his or her opinion, if such be the fact,
that the Company and its Subsidiaries have not been and are not in default
as to any of the provisions contained in this Agreement, or, in the event
the Company or its Subsidiaries is or was in default, setting forth the
details of such default. Such certificate shall set forth the computations
upon which such officer based the conclusion that the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries are and have been in compliance with Sections 4(n)
and (r), and 5(b), (d), (h), (i) and (j) hereof.
9
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
(ii) Restricted Subsidiaries. If and so long as Unrestricted
Subsidiaries constitute, in the aggregate, more than 10% of Consolidated
Total Assets or contribute, in the aggregate, more than 10% of Consolidated
Net Earnings in any fiscal period, then for such fiscal periods, and within
the respective periods provided in paragraphs (e) and (f) above, deliver to
the holders of the Notes consolidated financial statements of the character
and for the dates and periods as provided in said paragraphs (e) and (f)
covering the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries.
(h) Copies of Management Letters, etc. Furnish to the holders of the
Notes, promptly after the receipt thereof by the Company, copies of all
management letters or similar documents submitted to the Company by
independent certified public accountants in connection with each annual and
any interim audit of the accounts of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(i) Copies of Regulatory Reports. Furnish to the holders of the Notes,
promptly after transmittal or filing thereof by the Company, copies of all
proxy statements, notices and reports as it shall send to its stockholders,
copies of all registration statements (without exhibits) and all reports
which it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other
regulatory agency, other than routine reports filed with respect to
employee benefit plans (excepting those annual reports with respect to each
such plan requested by the holders of the Notes in writing pursuant to
Section 4(q) hereof).
(j) Corporate Existence. Maintain and cause each Subsidiary to
maintain its corporate existence in good standing (except that the
corporate existence of any Restricted Subsidiary may be terminated pursuant
to a merger or consolidation permitted under Section 5(e) of this
Agreement) and comply with all applicable laws and regulations of the
United States and of each state thereof and of each political subdivision
thereof and of any and all other governmental authorities.
(k) Payment of Taxes and Claims. Pay and cause each Subsidiary to pay
before they become delinquent (a) all taxes, assessments and governmental
charges or levies imposed on the Company, any Subsidiary or upon the
property of the Company or any Subsidiary, (b) all claims or demands of
materialmen, mechanics, carriers, warehousemen, landlords and other like
persons which, if unpaid, might result in the creation of a Lien or charge
upon any property of the Company or any Subsidiary, and (c) all claims,
assessments or levies required to be paid by the Company or any Subsidiary
pursuant to any agreement, contract, law, ordinance or governmental rule or
regulation governing any pension, retirement, profit-sharing or any similar
plan of the Company or any Subsidiary, provided that the Company or such
Subsidiary shall have the right to contest in good faith, by appropriate
10
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
proceedings promptly initiated and diligently conducted which will prevent
the forfeiture or sale of any property of the Company or such Subsidiary or
any material interference with the use thereof by the Company or such
Subsidiary, the validity, amount or imposition of any of the foregoing
items and upon such good faith contest to delay or refuse payment thereof,
if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be
required by generally accepted accounting principles shall have been made
therefor.
(l) Maintenance of Properties and Licenses. Maintain and cause each
Subsidiary to maintain and keep its properties in good repair, working
order and condition, and from time to time make all needful and proper
repairs, renewals and replacements so that the business carried on in
connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all
times. The Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to
preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect the rights, licenses,
permits, agency agreements, and trade names material to the conduct of its
business and maintain and operate such business properly and efficiently
and in substantially the manner in which it is presently conducted and
operated.
(m) Insurance. Maintain and cause each Subsidiary to maintain, in
financially sound insurance companies of recognized standing, insurance of
types and in amounts usually maintained by similar companies in similar
businesses.
(n) Net Worth. At all times during each twelve-month period ending on
December 31 in each year, commencing with the twelve-month period ending on
December 31, 2002, maintain Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth in an amount at
least equal to $30,000,000, plus 25% of Consolidated Net Income, if any,
determined on a cumulative basis for each fiscal year of the Company ending
on or after December 31, 2002 and prior to the twelve-month period for
which such determination is being made (without reduction for any
Consolidated Net Loss incurred in any such fiscal year).
(o) Notice of Default. Give the holders of Notes prompt notice in
writing of any condition or event which constitutes an Event of Default
under Section 7 hereof, or which, after notice or lapse of time, or both,
would constitute such an Event of Default.
(p) Exchange of Notes. At any time, at its expense upon written
request of the holder of a Note and surrender of the Note for such purpose,
issue new Notes in exchange therefor in such denominations of at least
$1,000,000 (or such smaller amount equal to the then outstanding principal
amount of such Note) as shall be specified by the holder of such Note, in
an aggregate principal amount equal to the then unpaid principal amount of
the Note surrendered and substantially in the form of Exhibit A, with
appropriate insertions and variations, and bearing interest from the date
to which interest has been paid on the Note surrendered.
(q) Qualified Retirement Plans. Cause each Plan of the Company and any
ERISA Affiliate in which any employees of the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate participate that is subject to any provisions of ERISA and the
documents and instruments governing each such Plan to be conformed to when
11
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
necessary, and to be administered in a manner consistent with those
provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code which may, from time to
time, become effective and operative with respect to such Plans; and if
requested by the holders of the Notes in writing from time to time, furnish
to the holders of the Notes a copy of any annual report with respect to
each such plan that the Company files with the Internal Revenue Service
pursuant to ERISA. The Company will not, and will not permit any ERISA
Affiliate to (i) engage in any "prohibited transaction," (ii) incur any
"accumulated funding deficiency," whether or not waived, (iii) terminate
any Plan in a manner which could result in the imposition of a Lien on any
property of the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, or (iv) incur any
withdrawal liability in connection with any "multiemployer plan."
SECTION 5. NEGATIVE COVENANTS.
The Company covenants and agrees that so long as any amount shall remain
unpaid on the Notes, it will not and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary
to:
(a) Limitation on Consolidated Total Debt. Permit, at the end of any
fiscal quarter of the Company, Consolidated Total Debt to exceed 60% of
Consolidated Total Capitalization as of such fiscal quarter end.
(b) Limitations on Debt of Restricted Subsidiaries. In the case of any
Restricted Subsidiary, create, assume, incur, guarantee or otherwise become
liable in respect of any Debt (other than Debt to the Company or another
Restricted Subsidiary), unless at the time such Debt is incurred, and after
giving effect thereto and the application of the proceeds thereof, the
aggregate amount of all Debt of Subsidiaries, plus the aggregate amount of
all other Debt secured by Liens permitted by Section 5(h)(ix) hereof, would
not exceed 20% of Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth.
(c) Subordination of Claims. Subordinate or permit to be subordinated
any claim against, or obligation of another Person held or owned by it to
any other claim against, or obligation of, such other Person.
(d) Sale of Assets. Sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of
(collectively, a "Disposition"), all or any part of its assets (other than
sales or dispositions in the ordinary course of business) if either (i) the
aggregate amount of all Dispositions in any fiscal year exceeds 10% of
Consolidated Total Assets determined as of the end of the immediately
preceding fiscal year, or (ii) the aggregate amount of all Dispositions
from and after the date of this Agreement exceeds 25% of Consolidated Total
Assets determined as of the end of the immediately preceding fiscal year (a
Disposition of assets described in clause (i) or (ii) above is referred to
herein as a "substantial part"), except: (i) any Restricted Subsidiary may
sell, lease or otherwise dispose of, all or a substantial part of its
assets to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; (ii) the Company may
sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of, all or a substantial part of
its assets if the net proceeds of such sales are used to purchase other
property of a similar nature of at least equivalent value within one year
of such sale; and (iii) the Company may sell, lease, transfer or otherwise
12
dispose of all or a substantial part of its assets if the net proceeds of
such sale are used to prepay Senior Debt (including the Notes) on a pro
rata basis; provided that any prepayment of the Notes must be in accordance
with the terms of and with the premium specified in Sections 2(a) and (b)
hereof.
(e) Merger and Consolidation. Merge or consolidate with any
corporation provided that (i) any Restricted Subsidiary may be merged or
consolidated with the Company (if the Company is the surviving corporation)
or with another Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) the Company may merge or
consolidate with another corporation if (A) the surviving corporation would
be organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof, (B)
the surviving corporation expressly assumes the obligations of the Company
under this Agreement and the Notes, (C) the surviving corporation shall
have caused to be delivered to each holder of the Notes an opinion of
nationally recognized independent counsel, or other independent counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the holders of the Notes, to the effect that all
agreements or instruments effecting such assumption are enforceable in
accordance with their terms and comply with the terms of hereof, and (D)
immediately following the merger or consolidation and after giving effect
thereto (1) no event or condition would exist which, with or without the
lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute an Event
of Default, and (2) the Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth of the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries would be no less than the Consolidated Adjusted
Net Worth of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries immediately prior
to the merger or consolidation.
(f) Maintenance of Present Business. Engage in any business other than
Existing Lines of Business, nor purchase or invest, directly or indirectly,
in any substantial amount of assets or property other than assets or
property useful and to be used in Existing Lines of Business.
(g) Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into or be a party to any
transaction or arrangement with any Affiliate (including, without
limitation, the purchase from, sale to or exchange of property with, or the
rendering of any service by or for, any Affiliate), except in the ordinary
course of and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the business of
the Company or its Subsidiaries and upon fair and reasonable terms no less
favorable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries than would be obtained
in a comparable arm's-length transaction with a Person other than an
Affiliate.
(h) Permitted Liens. Create, assume, or suffer to exist any Liens upon
any of its property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired,
except:
(i) Liens for taxes or assessments or other governmental charges
or levies not yet due or which are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings promptly initiated and diligently conducted,
if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be
required by generally accepted accounting principles shall have been
made therefor;
13
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
(ii) other Liens incidental to the conduct of their business or
the ownership of their respective properties which were not incurred
in connection with borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or
credit and which do not in the aggregate materially detract from the
value of their properties or materially impair the use thereof in the
operation of the business;
(iii) Liens on assets of any Restricted Subsidiary securing Debt
of such Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to another Restricted
Subsidiary;
(iv) Liens (i) on property of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary securing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of
construction of such property created contemporaneously with, or
within 270 days after, the acquisition or completion of construction,
(ii) on any property existing at the time of acquisition thereof by
the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, and (iii) existing on the
property of any Person at the time such Person is acquired (whether by
purchase of stock or assets, by merger or consolidation, or otherwise)
by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (A) none of
such Liens shall encumber any other property or assets of the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries, and (B) the principal amount of the
Debt secured by any such Lien shall not exceed 100% of the fair market
value of the property subject thereto at the time such Lien was
created;
(v) presently existing Liens described in Exhibit C hereto
securing existing Debt described in Exhibit C, and any replacements,
extensions or renewals of such Debt; provided that no such
replacement, extension or renewal shall increase the principal amount
thereof;
(vi) Liens of or resulting from any judgment or award, the time
for the appeal or petition for rehearing of which shall not have
expired, or in respect of which the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary
shall at any time in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or proceeding
for a review and in respect of which a stay of execution pending such
appeal or proceeding for review shall have been secured;
(vii) Liens incurred in connection with obtaining or performing
government contracts;
(viii) Liens on any property of the Company; provided that the
Company shall have granted to the holders of the Notes a pari passu
Lien on the same property, and the holders of any such Lien and the
holders of the Notes shall have entered into an intercreditor
agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the holders
of the Notes providing for such pari passu ranking; and
(ix) Liens in addition to those permitted by clauses (i) through
(viii) above, securing Debt of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary, provided that at the time of the incurrence of any such
Lien the sum of (i) the aggregate principal amount of all Debt secured
by Liens permitted by this clause (ix), plus (ii) the aggregate amount
14
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
of Debt of Subsidiaries incurred within the limitations of Section
5(b), shall not exceed 20% of Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth.
(i) Restricted Payments and Restricted Investments.
(1) Declare or make, or incur any liability to make any
Restricted Payments or Restricted Investments, except:
(A) a Restricted Subsidiary may pay dividends to the
Company; and
(B) subject to the limitation in clause (2) below, the
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may declare or make
Restricted Payments and Restricted Investments, provided
that immediately after giving effect to any such action, (x)
no Event of Default or event which with the passing of time
or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute an Event
of Default shall exist, and (y) the aggregate amount of all
Restricted Payments and Restricted Investments made on or
after August 14, 2002 to and including the date such
Restricted Payment or Restricted Investment is declared or
made, as the case may be, would not exceed the sum of (i)
$7,500,000, plus (ii) 60% of any Cumulative Consolidated Net
Income, minus (iii) 100% of any Cumulative Consolidated Net
Loss, plus (iv) the net proceeds to the Company from any
issuance of capital stock from and after the August 14,
2002;
(2) In addition to the limitations contained in clause (1) above,
the aggregate amount of all Restricted Investments of the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding at any time on or after August
14, 2002 shall not exceed the greater of (a) $7,500,000 or (b) 15% of
Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth.
In valuing any Investments for the purpose of applying the limitations set
forth in this Section 5(i), Investments shall be taken at the original cost
thereof, without allowance for any subsequent write-offs or appreciation or
depreciation therein, but less any amount repaid or recovered in cash on account
of capital or principal.
(j) Fixed Charges. Permit, as of the end of each fiscal quarter,
Consolidated Net Income Available for Fixed Charges for the immediately
preceding twelve-month period to be less than 200% of Fixed Charges for
such twelve-month period.
(k) Sale of Accounts. Sell with recourse, discount or otherwise sell
to an Affiliate any notes receivable or accounts receivable for an amount
less than the face amount thereof, less a reserve factor for credit losses
adjusted from time to time to reflect actual credit loss experience.
15
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
(l) Guaranties; Etc. Be or become liable in respect of any Guaranty of
any obligation of any Affiliate, or grant any security interest in or
otherwise pledge any of its assets to secure any obligation of any
Affiliate.
(m) Restricted Subsidiaries. Permit at any time all of the then
designated Restricted Subsidiaries, together with the Company, to
constitute less than 75% of the total amount of all assets of the Company
and its Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles.
SECTION 6. CLOSING CONDITIONS.
The effectiveness of this Agreement shall be subject to the satisfaction,
on or before the Closing Date, of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties contained in Section 3 hereof
shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date; the Company shall not be
in default with respect to any of the provisions hereof, and there shall
exist no event which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice, or
both, would constitute such a default; and the Company shall have delivered
to the Noteholders a certificate signed by a responsible officer of the
Company to such effects.
(b) The Noteholders shall have received from ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ &
▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel for the Company, a favorable opinion in form and substance
satisfactory to the Noteholders as to all matters specified in Exhibit E
hereto and such other matters incident to the transaction herein
contemplated as the Noteholders may reasonably request.
(c) The Company shall have provided the Purchasers with copies of all
approvals from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and any other state
or federal governmental agency or agencies from whom regulatory approvals
are necessary for the consummation of all of the transactions contemplated
hereby and which approvals are not subject to appeal or modification which
could affect the validity or terms of the Notes.
(d) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall have suffered a
material adverse change in financial condition, nor shall there exist any
material action, suit or proceeding pending, or to the knowledge of the
Company threatened, against the Company nor any Subsidiary which, if
decided adversely to the Company or any Subsidiary, would have a materially
adverse effect upon the Company or any Subsidiary or upon any of their
businesses or properties.
(e) The Company shall have authorized, issued and delivered to each of
the Noteholders, Notes which shall amend and restate the Original Notes
held by the Noteholders.
(f) The Company shall have paid to each Noteholder an amendment fee
equal to 0.125% of the aggregate unpaid principal balances under all
outstanding Original Notes delivered by such Noteholder as of the Closing
Date in exchange for the Notes.
16
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
(g) The Company shall have paid to the Noteholders the interest
accrued on the Original Notes from the date to which interest has been paid
thereon to September 1, 2002 at the rate of 6.62% per annum.
(h) The Company shall have paid the fees and expenses of ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and
▇▇▇▇▇▇, counsel to the Noteholders, in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(i) All proceedings to be taken in connection with the transaction
contemplated by this Agreement and all documents incident thereto shall be
satisfactory in form and substance to the Noteholders and their counsel and
the Noteholders shall have received copies of all documents which the
Noteholders may reasonably request.
SECTION 7. DEFAULTS.
If one or more Events of Default shall occur, that is to say, if
(a) default shall be made in the punctual payment of the principal of
or premium, if any, on any of the Notes when due, whether by regular
installment, upon prepayment, by acceleration, at maturity or otherwise; or
(b) default shall have been made in the punctual payment of any
interest on any of the Notes when due, whether by regular installment, upon
prepayment, by acceleration at maturity or otherwise, and such default
shall have continued for a period of five days; or
(c) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary defaults in any payment
of principal of or interest on any other obligation for borrowed money
beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto or in the
performance of any other agreement, term or condition contained in any
agreement under which any such obligation is created if the effect of such
default is to cause, or permit the holder or holders of any obligation of
the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in excess of $1,000,000 (or a
trustee on behalf of such holder or holders) to cause, such obligation to
become due prior to its stated maturity; or
(d) an order for relief shall be entered in any Federal Bankruptcy
proceeding in which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is the debtor;
or bankruptcy, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, relief,
dissolution, liquidation or other similar proceedings shall be instituted
by or against the Company or any Subsidiary or all or any part of the
property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary under the Federal
Bankruptcy Code or any other law of the United States or any bankruptcy or
insolvency law of any state of competent jurisdiction; or
(e) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have become
insolvent or unable to pay its debts as they mature, cease doing business
as a going concern, make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, admit
in writing its inability to pay its debts as they become due, or if a
17
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
trustee, receiver or liquidator shall be appointed for the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary or for any substantial portion of the assets of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; or
(f) default shall be made in the performance or observance of any
covenant contained in Section 5 of this Agreement; or
(g) default shall be made in the performance or observance of any
other of the terms, covenants or conditions of this Agreement and such
default shall continue for a period of thirty days after written notice
thereof shall have been given by the holders of Notes to the Company; or
(h) final judgments or orders for the payment of money in excess of
$1,000,000 in the aggregate shall be rendered against the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary and such judgments or orders shall remain
unsatisfied, unstayed and unbonded for a period of 30 days after the date
such judgments or orders are required to be paid; or
(i) if any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or
in any other document supplied to the holders of Notes by the Company or
any Subsidiary in connection with this transaction proves to be false as of
the time this Agreement was made (provided that, if the Company shall have
given the holders of the Notes written notice that any such representation
or warranty was false at the time this Agreement was made, which notice
shall describe the facts giving rise to the breach of any such
representation or warranty, and the holders of the Notes shall not have
declared an Event of Default under this clause (i) based on the information
contained in the notice from the Company within sixty (60) days of such
notice, then the holders of the Notes shall be deemed to have waived any
Event of Default under this clause (i) based on the information contained
in the notice from the Company),
then the holder of the Note if only one Note shall be outstanding, or the
holders of at least two-thirds of the principal amount of the Notes, if more
than one Note shall be outstanding, may at its or their option, by notice in
writing to the Company, declare the Note or all of the Notes, as the case may
be, to be forthwith due and payable and thereupon the Note, or all of the Notes,
shall be and become due and payable, together with interest accrued thereon and
the premium specified in Section 2(a) hereof (whether or not prepayment would
then be permitted by said Section 2(a)) (provided that if an Event of Default
results from the filing of a voluntary or involuntary petition in any bankruptcy
proceeding in which the Company or any Subsidiary is the debtor, the Notes
thereupon shall immediately become due and payable, with interest accrued
thereon and the premium specified in Section 2(a) hereof (whether or not
prepayment would then be permitted by said Section 2(a)), without any notice
from the holders of the Notes or otherwise), and the holder or holders of the
Note or Notes may take any action or proceeding at law or in equity which it or
they deem advisable for the protection of its or their interests to collect and
enforce payment, and the Company shall pay all expenses, court costs and
reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in connection with or arising out of any
default hereunder.
18
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
SECTION 8. PAYMENTS ON AND REGISTRATION AND TRANSFER OF NOTES.
The Company agrees that it will make payment of the principal of, premium,
if any and interest on the Notes by wire transfer of immediately available
federal funds with sufficient information to identify the source and application
of funds to each of the Noteholders in accordance with the wire transfer
instructions set forth in Appendix I hereto, or to such other accounts or in
such other manner as may from time to time be designated by the holder of a
Note, without presentment of the Notes and without the rendering of any bills
therefor. The Company shall keep at its principal office a register in which the
Company shall provide for the registration of the Notes and of transfers of the
Notes (the "Note Register"). Upon surrender of any Note for transfer at the
office of the Company, the Company shall execute and deliver, in the name of the
designated transferee a new Note in a principal amount equal to the unpaid
principal amount of, and dated the date to which interest has been paid on, the
Note so surrendered. When a Note shall be presented or surrendered for transfer
it shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer
duly executed, by the holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
The Company may treat the Person in whose name the Note is registered on the
Note Register as the owner of the Note for the purpose of receiving payment of
principal of and interest on the Note and for all other purposes and the Company
shall not be affected by notice to the contrary.
SECTION 9. EXPENSES.
The Company agrees, whether or not the purchase of the Notes herein
contemplated shall be consummated, to pay and save the Noteholders harmless
against liability for the payment of all out-of-pocket expenses arising in
connection with this transaction including any documentary stamp taxes (and
including interest and penalties, if any), which may be determined to be due and
payable with respect to the execution and delivery of the Notes, and the
reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Noteholders. The Company also
agrees to pay, and to save the Noteholders harmless against liability for the
payment of, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Noteholders in
connection with any documentation and related services arising after the Closing
Date in connection with the preparation of waivers or amendments of any
provisions of this Agreement and the Notes. In addition, the Company agrees to
pay, and to save the holders of the Notes harmless against, all brokerage or
finders fees incurred in the transaction contemplated by this Agreement.
SECTION 10. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS; PRO RATA PAYMENTS; AMENDMENTS AND CONSENTS.
(a) Delivery of Documents. All notices, certificates, requests, statements
and other documents required or permitted to be delivered to the Noteholders or
the holders of Notes by any provision hereof shall also be delivered to each
holder of a Note.
(b) Pro Rata Payments. All interest payments and payments or prepayments of
principal shall be made and applied pro rata on all Notes outstanding in
accordance with the respective unpaid principal amounts thereof.
19
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
(c) Amendments and Consents. (1) The registered holder or holders of at
least two-thirds of the unpaid principal amount of the Notes at the time
outstanding may by agreement with the Company amend this Agreement, and any
consent, notice, request or demand required or permitted to be given by the
Noteholders or the holders of the Notes by any provision hereof shall be
sufficient if given by the holder or holders of at least two-thirds of the
unpaid principal amount of Notes at the time outstanding except that, without
the written consent of the holders of all Notes at the time outstanding, no
amendment to this Agreement shall extend the maturity of any Note, or alter the
rate of interest or any premium payable with respect to any Note, or affect the
amount of any required prepayments, or reduce the proportion of the principal
amount of the Notes required with respect to any consent.
(2) The Company will provide each holder of the Notes (irrespective of the
amount of Notes then owned by it) with sufficient information, sufficiently far
in advance of the date a decision is required, to enable such holder to make an
informed and considered decision with respect to any proposed amendment, waiver
or consent in respect of any of the provisions hereof or of the Notes. The
Company will deliver originally executed copies of each amendment, waiver or
consent effected pursuant to the provisions of this Section 10(c) to each holder
of outstanding Notes promptly following the date on which it is executed and
delivered by, or receives the consent or approval of, the requisite holders of
Notes.
(3) The Company will not directly or indirectly pay or cause to be paid any
remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or additional interest, fee or
otherwise, or grant any security, to any holder of Notes as consideration for or
as an inducement to the entering into by any holder of Notes of any waiver or
amendment of any of the terms and provisions hereof unless such remuneration is
concurrently paid, or security is concurrently granted, on the same terms,
ratably to each holder of Notes then outstanding even if such holder did not
consent to such waiver or amendment.
(4) Solely for the purpose of determining whether the holders of the
requisite percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then outstanding
approved or consented to any amendment, waiver or consent to be given under this
Agreement or the Notes, or have directed the taking of any action provided
herein or in the Notes to be taken upon the direction of the holders of a
specified percentage of the aggregate principal amount of Notes then
outstanding, Notes directly or indirectly owned by the Company or any of its
Affiliates shall be deemed not to be outstanding.
SECTION 11. INVESTMENT PURPOSE.
Each Noteholder represents that its acquisition of the Notes by it will be
for investment and not with a view to resale in connection with any distribution
thereof, it being understood, however, that the disposition of the property of
each Noteholder shall at all times be within its control.
20
SECTION 12. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Agreement the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
"Affiliate" shall mean any Person (i) which directly or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
control with, the Company, (ii) which beneficially owns or holds 5% or more of
any class of the voting stock of the Company, (iii) 5% or more of any class of
the voting stock (or in the case of a Person which is not a corporation, 5% or
more of the equity interest) of which is beneficially owned or held by the
Company or a Subsidiary, (iv) any director, officer of employee of the Company
or any Subsidiary or other Person described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii)
hereof, and (v) any spouse, lineal descendant or ascendant, brother or sister,
by blood, adoption or marriage, of any Person listed in clauses (i) through (iv)
hereof, and spouses of such ascendants, descendants, brothers and sisters. The
term "control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power or
cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through
the ownership of voting stock, by contract or otherwise.
"Capital Lease" shall mean any lease of property which in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles should be capitalized on the lessee's
balance sheet or for which the amount of the asset and liability thereunder as
if so capitalized should be disclosed in a note to such balance sheet.
"Capitalized Lease Obligations" shall mean lease payment obligations under
Capital Leases.
"Closing Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section l(a).
"Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth" shall mean Consolidated Stockholders'
Equity less all Investments in Affiliates.
"Consolidated Net Income (Net Loss)" shall mean, for any period, the net
after-tax income (or net loss) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on
a consolidated basis determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles consistent with those followed in preparation of the financial
statements referred to in Sections 4(e) and (f), excluding (i) extraordinary
gains and losses and (ii) any equity interest of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries in the unremitted earnings of any corporation which is not a
Restricted Subsidiary.
"Consolidated Net Income Available for Fixed Charges" shall mean, for any
period, Consolidated Net Income for such period, plus (i) all deductions for
taxes levied in respect of income deducted in computing Consolidated Net Income
for such period, and (ii) Fixed Charges deducted in computing Consolidated Net
Income for such period.
"Consolidated Stockholders' Equity" shall mean Consolidated Stockholders'
Equity of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles.
21
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
"Consolidated Total Assets" shall mean, as of any date, the total amount of
all assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistent with those followed in preparation of the financial statements
referred to in Sections 4(e) and (f).
"Consolidated Total Capitalization" shall mean the sum of Consolidated
Adjusted Net Worth and Consolidated Total Debt.
"Consolidated Total Debt" shall mean, as of any date, the aggregate amount
of all Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries determined on a
consolidated basis in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
consistent with those followed in preparation of the financial statements
referred to in Sections 4(e) and (f).
"Cumulative Consolidated Net Income" shall mean the excess, if any, of:
(i) the sum of (A) Consolidated Net Income, if any, for each completed
fiscal year of the Company commencing on or after January 1, 2002 and (B)
Consolidated Net Income, if any, for each completed quarter ending after
the end of the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company; over
(ii) the sum of (A) Consolidated Net Loss, if any, for each completed
fiscal year of the Company commencing on or after January 1, 2002 and (B)
Consolidated Net Loss, if any, for each completed quarter ending after the
end of the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company.
"Cumulative Consolidated Net Loss" shall mean the excess, if any, of:
(i) the sum of (A) Consolidated Net Loss, if any, for each completed
fiscal year of the Company commencing on or after January 1, 2002 and (B)
Consolidated Net Loss, if any, for each completed quarter ending after the
end of the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company; over
(ii) the sum of (A) Consolidated Net Income, if any, for each
completed fiscal year of the Company commencing on or after January 1, 2002
and (B) Consolidated Net Income, if any, for each completed quarter ending
after the end of the most recently completed fiscal year of the Company.
"Debt" shall mean (i) indebtedness for borrowed money or for the deferred
purchase price of property or services, including without limitation Capitalized
Lease Obligations, but excluding trade accounts payable and accrued liabilities
arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) any other indebtedness
evidenced by a promissory note or other instrument, (iii) the face amount of all
letters of credit issued for the account of any Person and, without duplication
all drafts drawn thereunder, (iv) any indebtedness for borrowed money or the
deferred purchase price of property or services secured by a Lien on any
property of any Person, whether or not such indebtedness has been assumed, and
(v) Guaranties or other contingent obligations for any indebtedness described in
clauses (i) through (iv).
22
"ERISA" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and
the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
"ERISA Affiliate" shall mean each trade or business (whether or not
incorporated) which, together with the Company, would be deemed to be a single
employer within the meaning of Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA.
"Event of Default" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.
"Existing Lines of Business" shall mean operations in the voice, video and
data communications and information technology industry.
"Fixed Charges" shall mean, for any period, all consolidated interest
expense on all Debt and all rental expense on all operating leases deducted in
computing Consolidated Net Income for such period, determined in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles consistent with those followed in
preparation of the financial statements referred to in Sections 4(e) and (f).
"Funded Debt" shall mean any Debt payable more than one year from the date
of its creation (or which is renewable at the option of the obligor to a date
more than one year from the date of its creation), including the current portion
thereof, which under generally accepted accounting principles is shown on the
balance sheet as a liability, including but not limited to the Notes, any Debt
outstanding under a revolving credit or similar agreement providing for
borrowings (and renewables and extensions thereof) over a period of more than
one year notwithstanding that any such Debt may be payable on demand or within
one year after the creation thereof, any Capitalized Lease Obligations and any
Guaranty with respect to Funded Debt of another Person.
"Guaranties" by any Person shall mean all obligations (other than
endorsements in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for
deposit or collection) of such Person guaranteeing, or in effect guaranteeing,
any indebtedness, dividend or other obligation of any other Person (the "primary
obligor") in any manner, whether directly or indirectly including, without
limitation, all obligations incurred through an agreement, contingent or
otherwise, by such Person: (i) to purchase such indebtedness or obligation or
any property or assets constituting security therefor, (ii) to advance or supply
funds (x) for the purchase or payment of such indebtedness or obligation or (y)
to maintain working capital or other balance sheet condition or otherwise to
advance or make available funds for the purchase or payment of such indebtedness
or obligation, (iii) to lease property or to purchase securities or other
property or services primarily for the purpose of payment of the indebtedness or
obligation, or (iv) otherwise to assure the owner of the indebtedness or
obligation of the primary obligor against loss in respect thereof.
"Investments" shall mean with respect to any Person all investments by such
Person, in cash or by delivery of property, made directly or indirectly in any
property or assets or in any other Person, whether by acquisition of shares of
capital stock, Debt or other obligations or by loan, advance, capital
contribution or otherwise; provided, that "Investments" shall not mean or
23
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
include (i) investments by such Person in property to be used or consumed in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) receivables arising from the sale of goods and
services in the ordinary course of business, and (iii) the billing or collection
of the accounts receivable of such Person by another on behalf of such Person.
"Liens" shall mean as to any Person, any mortgage, lien, pledge, adverse
claim, charge, security interest or other encumbrance of any kind whether
presently effective or springing in or on, or any interest or title of any
vendor, lessor, lender or other secured party to or of such Person under
conditional sale or other title retention agreement or Capital Lease with
respect to, any property or asset of such Person, or the signing or filing of a
financing statement which names such Person as debtor, or the signing of any
security agreement authorizing any other party as the secured party thereunder
to file any financing statement.
"▇▇▇▇▇▇ Family" shall mean and include ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, and the heirs, legatees,
descendants and blood relatives to the third degree of consanguinity of each
such individual.
"Note" or "Notes" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1(a).
"Noteholder" or "Noteholders" shall have the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
"Note Register" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.
"Original Note Purchase Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the
introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
"Original Notes" shall have the meaning set forth in the introductory
paragraph of this Agreement.
"PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established
under ERISA, or any successor thereto.
"Permitted Investments" shall mean (i) Investments in direct obligations of
the United States government maturing within one year from the date of purchase
thereof; (ii) certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, and bankers
acceptances with final maturities of one year or less issued by U.S. commercial
banks having capital and surplus aggregating not less than $100,000,000; (iii)
if so permitted by law, savings deposits in national banks and federal savings
and loan associations having capital stock and surplus aggregating not less than
$100,000,000, provided that the aggregate of all such savings deposits at any
one bank or savings and loan association shall not exceed $150,000 at any time;
(iv) commercial paper rated A-1 or P-1 or above by recognized rating services;
(v) money market preferred stock rated "AA" or above by recognized rating
services; (vi) tax exempt, floating rate option tender bonds, backed by a letter
of credit issued by a bank rated "AA" or above by Standard & Poor's or "Aa" or
above by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Investors Service; (vii) municipal auction rate certificates
rated "AA" or above by one or more recognized rating services; (viii)
Investments in Restricted Subsidiaries; (ix) travel and expense advances of the
24
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries to their respective officers and
employees in the ordinary course of business; and (x) Securities rated "BBB" or
above by Standard & Poor's or "Baa" or above by ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Investors Service;
provided, that the aggregate value of all such Securities shall not exceed 5% of
Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth at any time.
"Person" shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, limited
liability company, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or
agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Plan" shall mean any employee pension benefit or other plan within the
meaning of Section 3(2) of ERISA that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, other
than any "multiemployer plan" within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA.
"Prohibited Transaction" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(l).
"Responsible Officer" shall mean any Senior Financial Officer and any other
officer of the Company with responsibility for the administration of the
relevant portion of this Agreement.
"Restricted Investments" shall mean all Investments other than Permitted
Investments.
"Restricted Payments" shall mean (i) payment or declaration of any dividend
or any other distribution on account of any class of stock (including in the
term "stock" any warrant or option or other right to purchase such stock of the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary) of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary excluding any distribution which may be payable solely in common
stock of the corporation making the distribution, (ii) direct or indirect
redemptions, purchases, or other acquisitions of shares of stock of the Company,
and (iii) any optional prepayment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of
any Subordinated Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary.
"Restricted Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary designated as a
"Restricted Subsidiary" on Exhibit B hereto or designated as such pursuant to
Section 13.
"Security" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(1) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Senior Debt" shall mean all Funded Debt which does not constitute
Subordinated Debt.
"Senior Financial Officer" shall mean the chief financial officer,
principal accounting officer, treasurer or comptroller of the Company.
"Standard & Poor's" shall mean Standard & Poor's Ratings Group, a division
of ▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇.
"Subordinated Debt" shall mean all Debt which is expressly subordinate in
right of payment pursuant to its terms to the Notes, whether or not it is
subordinated to other indebtedness of the Company.
25
"Subsidiary" or "Subsidiaries" shall mean the corporations listed on
Exhibit B hereto, and any other corporation or corporations more than 50% of the
outstanding capital stock of every class of which is hereafter owned, directly
or indirectly, by the Company.
"Telcom" shall mean Horizon Telcom, Inc., an Ohio corporation and corporate
parent of the Company.
"Total Capitalization" shall mean, as of any date, the sum of Consolidated
Adjusted Net Worth and Consolidated Total Debt.
"Treasury Yield Percentage" shall mean, as of any date, (i) the most recent
weekly average yield on actively traded U.S. Treasury obligations having a
constant maturity equal to the average life of the payments of principal and
interest that are avoided by any prepayment as determined by reference to the
week-ending figures published in the most recent Statistical Release which shall
have become available at least two business days prior to the date fixed for
prepayment, or (ii) if a Statistical Release is not then published, the
arithmetic average (rounded to the nearest .01%) of the per annum yields to
maturity for each business day during the week ending at least two business days
prior to the date as of which such determination is made, of all the issues of
actively traded marketable United States Treasury fixed interest rate securities
with a constant maturity equal to the average life of the payments of principal
and interest that are avoided by any prepayment (excluding all such securities
which can be surrendered at the option of the holder at face value in payment of
any Federal estate tax, which provide for tax benefits to the holder or which
were issued at substantial discount) as published in The Wall Street Journal or,
if The Wall Street Journal shall cease such publication, based on average asked
prices (or yields) as quoted by each of three United States government
securities dealers of recognized national standing selected by the holders of
the Notes. If the average life of the payments of principal and interest that
are avoided by any prepayment is not equal to the constant maturity of a U.S.
Treasury obligation for which a weekly average yield is published or quoted, the
Treasury Yield Percentage shall be calculated by linear interpolation (to the
nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the most recent weekly average yields of
actively traded U.S. Treasury obligations for which such yields are published or
quoted for the two maturities most closely corresponding to such average life;
provided, however, that if the average life of the payments of principal and
interest that are avoided by any prepayment is less than one year, the Treasury
Yield Percentage shall equal the most recent weekly average yield published or
quoted on actively traded U.S. Treasury obligations with a constant maturity of
one year.
"Unrestricted Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary which is not a
Restricted Subsidiary.
"Voting Stock" shall mean capital stock of any class or classes of a
corporation having power under ordinary circumstances to vote for election of
members of the board of directors of such corporation, or persons performing
similar functions.
26
SECTION 13. DESIGNATION OF SUBSIDIARIES.
The Company may designate or redesignate any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a
Restricted Subsidiary and may designate or redesignate any Restricted Subsidiary
as an Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that:
(a) the Company shall have given not less than 10 days' prior written
notice to the holders of the Notes that the Board of Directors of the
Company has made such determination;
(b) at the time of such designation or redesignation and immediately
after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist;
(c) in the case of the designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an
Unrestricted Subsidiary and after giving effect thereto, (i) such
Unrestricted Subsidiary so designated shall not, directly or indirectly,
own any Debt or capital stock or similar equity interests of the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) such designation shall be deemed a
Disposition under, and shall be permitted by the provisions of, Section
5(d) and (iii) such Restricted Subsidiary shall not at any time after the
date of this Agreement have previously been designated as an Unrestricted
Subsidiary more than once; and
(d) in the case of the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a
Restricted Subsidiary and after giving effect thereto, (i) all outstanding
Debt of such Restricted Subsidiary so designated shall be permitted within
the applicable limitations of Sections 5(a) and 5(b), (ii) all existing
Liens of such Restricted Subsidiary so designated shall be permitted within
the applicable limitations of Section 5(h) (other than Section 5(h)(v),
notwithstanding that any such Lien existed as of the Closing Date), and
(iii) such Unrestricted Subsidiary shall not at any time after the date of
this Agreement have previously been designated as a Restricted Subsidiary
more than once.
SECTION 14. SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
All representations and warranties contained herein or made in writing by
the Company in connection herewith shall survive the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and of the Notes.
SECTION 15. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
All covenants and agreements in this Agreement contained by or on behalf of
any of the parties hereto shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective
successors and assigns of the parties hereto whether so expressed or not.
27
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
SECTION 16. NOTICES.
All communications provided for hereunder shall be sent by first class mail
and, if to the Noteholders, addressed to the Noteholders at the notice address
listed on Appendix I hereto, and if to the Company, addressed to The Chillicothe
Telephone Company, ▇.▇. ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
Attention: ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, or to such other address with respect to any
party as such shall notify the other parties in writing.
SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW.
This Agreement is being delivered and is intended to be performed in the
State of Ohio, and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws
of such State.
SECTION 18. COUNTERPARTS.
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute but one
agreement.
SECTION 19. CAPTIONS.
The captions in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not be
considered in the interpretation of any of the provisions hereof.
THE BALANCE OF THIS PAGE
INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
28
The Chillicothe Telephone Company Note Purchase Agreement
If the Noteholders are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign the
form of acceptance on the enclosed counterpart of this letter and return the
same to the undersigned. Upon acceptance by all the Noteholders, this letter
shall become a binding agreement between the Noteholders and the undersigned.
Very truly yours,
THE CHILLICOTHE TELEPHONE COMPANY
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Its President
The foregoing Agreement is accepted
as of the date first above written
AMERICAN UNITED LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Its Vice President Fixed Income Securities
THE STATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Its Vice President Fixed Income Securities
29
APPENDIX I
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF
NAME AND ADDRESS OF NOTEHOLDER NOTES
AMERICAN UNITED LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY $11,000,000
One American Square consisting of one (1) Note for
Post Office Box 368 $2,000,000 and three (3)
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Notes for $3,000,000 each
Attention: Securities Department
Payments
All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of
Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as "The
Chillicothe Telephone Company, 6.72% Amended and Restated Senior Notes due 2018,
PPN 169240 C@ 5" and identifying the breakdown of principal, premium and
interest and the payment date) to:
Bank of New York (ABA #▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇)
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Window A
Attention: P&I Department
for credit to: American United Life Insurance Company
BNF: IOC566
Notices
All notices and communications, including notices with respect to payments and
written confirmation of each such payment, to be addressed as first provided
above.
Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None
Taxpayer I.D. Number: ▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF
NAME AND ADDRESS OF NOTEHOLDER NOTES
THE STATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY $1,000,000
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Securities Department
Payments
All payments on or in respect of the Notes to be by bank wire transfer of
Federal or other immediately available funds (identifying each payment as "The
Chillicothe Telephone Company, 6.72% Amended and Restated Senior Notes due 2018,
PPN 169240 C@ 5" and identifying the breakdown of principal, premium and
interest and the payment date) to:
Bank of New York (ABA #▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇)
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Window A
Attention: P&I Department
for credit to: The State Life Insurance Company
BNF: IOC566/State Life c/o AUL
Notices
All notices and communications, including notices with respect to payments and
written confirmation of each such payment, to be addressed as first provided
above.
Name of Nominee in which Notes are to be issued: None
Taxpayer I.D. Number: ▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
I-2
SCHEDULE 3(D)
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
NONE
EXHIBIT A
THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED, AND MAY NOT BE SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT IN
COMPLIANCE WITH SUCH ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
THE CHILLICOTHE TELEPHONE COMPANY
6.72% AMENDED AND RESTATED SENIOR NOTE
No.________ [September 1, 2002]
________________ PPN 169240 C@ 5
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, THE CHILLICOTHE TELEPHONE COMPANY, an
Ohio corporation (the "Company"), hereby promises to pay to _________________
____________________ or registered assigns by wire transfer of immediately
available Federal funds to the account specified on Appendix I to the Agreement
(hereinafter defined) with sufficient information to identify the source and
application of funds, or to such other account or in such other manner as the
holder of this Note shall specify by notice in writing to the Company, in lawful
money of the United States, the principal sum of __________________________
DOLLARS ($____________) in ten consecutive equal annual installments in the
amount of $___________ each on the 1st day of June in each of the years 2009
through 2018, inclusive, and to pay interest in like money on the unpaid
principal balance hereof at the rate of 6.72% per annum (provided that solely
for the purpose of determining the portion of annual interest allocable to any
interest payment period, it shall be assumed that a year is comprised of 360
days and twelve 30-day months) from the date hereof, payable quarterly on the
1st day of March, June, September and December in each year, commencing December
1, 2002, and continuing until payment in full of the principal amount of this
Note.
Any payment of principal or (to the extent permitted by applicable law)
interest on this Note not paid when due, whether at stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise, shall thereafter bear interest at a rate per annum
equal to 8.72% (provided that in no event shall such rate exceed the maximum
rate permitted by law).
This Note is issued pursuant to an Amended and Restated Note Purchase
Agreement (the "Agreement") entered into among the Company, American United Life
Insurance Company and The State Life Insurance Company dated as of November 1,
2002 and is subject to optional and mandatory prepayment, in whole or in part,
in the amounts, upon the notice, with the premium, and subject to the conditions
specified in the Agreement.
As provided in the Agreement, this Note is transferable only on the Note
Register of the Company, upon surrender of this Note for transfer, duly
endorsed, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed by
the registered holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing. The
Company may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner
hereof for the purpose of receiving payment and for all other purposes, and the
Company shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary.
In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Agreement, shall occur, the
principal of this Note may be declared due and payable in the manner and with
the effect provided in the Agreement.
This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of
the State of Ohio.
THE CHILLICOTHE TELEPHONE COMPANY
By:_________________________________________
Its_______________________________________
A-2
EXHIBIT B
SUBSIDIARIES
NONE
EXHIBIT C
EXISTING DEBT AND LIENS
AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2002
1 $8,000,000 Senior Notes due November 1, 2005 owned by Relistar Life
Insurance Company.1
2 $12,000,000 Senior Notes Due June 1, 2018 owned by American United Life
Insurance Company.
3 $30,000,000 Senior Notes Due August 1, 2012 owned by The Variable
Annuity Life Insurance Company and AIG Annuity Insurance
Company.
_________________________
1 The $8,000,000 Senior Notes due November 1, 2005 were prepaid in full
on November 1, 2002.
EXHIBIT D
EXISTING RESTRICTED INVESTMENTS
AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2002
Verisign $250,000 Equity Investment
Intercompany Advances from the $1,197
Company to Horizon
Personal Communications
Intercompany Advances from the $828,646
Company to Horizon Services, Inc.
Intercompany Advances from the $405,898
Company to Horizon Telcom, Inc.
EXHIBIT E
FORM OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY
(i) The Company is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Ohio and has the corporate power to own and
operate its properties and to carry on its business and to execute, deliver and
perform the Agreement and the Notes.
(ii) Each Subsidiary is duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of its incorporation and has the corporate
power to own and operate its properties and to carry on its business.
(iii) The Company and each Subsidiary are each duly qualified to do
business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction where the nature of the
business conducted or property owned by it require such qualification, and the
Company and each such Subsidiary have all necessary licenses and permits to
carry on their businesses in each such jurisdiction.
(iv) The Agreement and the Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action of the Company, have been duly executed and delivered, and are
the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in
accordance with their respective terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be
limited by laws generally affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights and by
general principles of equity.
(v) The loans evidenced by the Notes are not usurious under Ohio law.
(vi) The execution and delivery by the Company of the Agreement and the
Notes, or the performance or observance by the Company and its Subsidiaries of
any of the terms or conditions of the Agreement or the Notes will not, (A)
conflict with, or result in a breach of the terms, covenants or provisions of,
or constitute a default under, or result in any violation of, or result in the
creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or its
Subsidiaries pursuant to, the Certificate of Incorporation or Code of
Regulations of the Company or its Subsidiaries, any award of any arbitrator, or
any indenture, contract or agreement (including any agreement with
stockholders), instrument, order, judgment, decree, statute, law, rule, or
regulation to which the Company or its Subsidiary is subject, or (B) require any
filing or registration with, or any consent or approval of, any Federal, state
or local governmental agency or authority, except the approval of the Public
Utilities Commission of Ohio.
(vii) There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or threatened
against or affecting the Company or its Subsidiaries, or any property of the
Company or its Subsidiaries, in any court or before any governmental authority
or arbitration board or tribunal which, if decided adversely to the Company or
its Subsidiaries, would involve the possibility of materially and adversely
affecting the properties, business, prospects, profits or condition (financial
other otherwise) of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
(viii) The issuance and delivery of the Notes are exempt transactions under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and do not require registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the qualification of an indenture in
respect thereof under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
(ix) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is, or will be, solely as a
result of the execution, delivery and performance of the Agreement or the
issuance and sale of the Notes, subject to regulation as a "public utility
company" or a "holding company" under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of
1935, as amended.
(x) Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is an "investment company" or a
company "controlled" by an "investment company" under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended.
(xi) No taxes, including, without limitation, intangible or documentary
stamp taxes, mortgage taxes, transfer taxes or similar charges, are payable to
the State of Ohio (or any political subdivision thereof) on account of the
execution and delivery of the Agreement, or the Notes, or the creation of the
indebtedness evidenced thereby or the creation of the estates created thereby,
except for nominal filing or recording fees.
(xii) The issue and delivery of the Notes have, to the extent required by
law, been duly authorized by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio which
authorization is not subject to any appeal or modification which could affect
the validity or terms of the Notes, and no other consent, exception, approval or
authorization by any other governmental authority is required in connection with
the execution and delivery of the Agreement or the issue of the Notes.
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