Operating Agreement
Operating Agreement
B. The Members enter into this Agreement to provide for the governance of
the Company and the conduct of its business, and to specify their relative rights and
obligations.
ARTICLE 1: DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings specified in this
Article 1 or elsewhere in this Agreement and if not so specified, have the meanings set forth
in the Florida Limited Liability Company Act.
“Capital Account” means, with respect to any Member, an account consisting of such
Member’s Capital Contribution, (1) increased by such Member’s allocated share of income
and gain, (2) decreased by such Member’s share of losses and deductions,
(3) decreased by any distributions made by the Company to such Member, and
(4) otherwise adjusted as required in accordance with applicable tax laws.
“Capital Contribution” means, with respect to any Member, the total value of
(1) cash and the fair market value of property other than cash and (2) services that are
contributed and/or agreed to be contributed to the Company by such Member, as listed on
Exhibit A, as may be updated from time to time according to the terms of this Agreement.
“Percentage Interest” means the percentage of ownership in the Company that, with
respect to each Member, entitles the Member to a Membership Interest and is expressed as
either:
(1) the number of Units owned by the Member (expressed as “MU” in the
equation below) divided by
(2) the total number of Units owned by all of the Members of the Company
(expressed as “TU” in the equation below).
MU
Percentage Interest =
TU
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ARTICLE 2: CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS, ADDITIONAL MEMBERS,
CAPITAL ACCOUNTS AND LIMITED LIABILITY
2.1 Initial Capital Contributions. The names of all Members and each of
their respective addresses, initial Capital Contributions, and Ownership Interests must
be set forth on Exhibit A. Each Member has made or agrees to make the initial Capital
Contribution set forth next to such Member’s name on Exhibit A to become a Member of the
Company.
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ARTICLE 3: ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
3.2 Distributions. The Company will have the right to make distributions of
cash and property to the Members on a pro rata basis in proportion to the respective
Percentage Interest held by each Member. The timing and amount of distributions will be
determined by the Members in accordance with the Florida Limited Liability Company Act.
No distribution may be made if, after the distribution, the Company would be insolvent.
A. The Company would be unable to pay its debts as they become due in the
usual course of business; or
B. The fair value of the Company’s total assets would be less than the sum
of its total liabilities plus the amount that would be needed, if the Company were to be
dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of
Members, if any, whose preferential rights are superior to those of the Members receiving
the distribution.
ARTICLE 4: MANAGEMENT
4.1 Management.
A. Generally. Subject to the terms of this Agreement and the Florida Limited
Liability Company Act, the business and affairs of the Company will be managed by the
Members.
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C. Certain Decisions Requiring Greater Authorization. Notwithstanding clause
B above, the following matters require unanimous approval of the Members in a consent in
writing to constitute an act of the Company:
(iii) The merger of the Company with any other entity or the sale of all or
substantially all of the Company’s assets; and
4.2 Officers. The Members are authorized to appoint one or more officers from
time to time. The officers will have the titles, the authority, exercise the powers, and
perform the duties that the Members determine from time to time. Each officer will continue
to perform and hold office until such time as (a) the officer’s successor is chosen and
appointed by the Members; or (b) the officer is dismissed or terminated by the Members,
which termination will be subject to applicable law and, if an effective employment
agreement exists between the officer and the Company, the employment agreement. Subject
to applicable law and the employment agreement (if any), each officer will serve at the
direction of Members, and may be terminated, at any time and for any reason, by the
Members.
5.1 Accounts. The Company must maintain complete accounting records of the
Company’s business, including a full and accurate record of each Company transaction.
The records must be kept at the Company’s principal executive office and must be open to
inspection and copying by Members during normal business hours upon reasonable notice
by the Members wishing to inspect or copy the records or their authorized representatives,
for purposes reasonably related to the Membership Interest of such Members. The
Company will provide former Members and their agents and attorneys access for proper
purposes to records pertaining to the period during which they were Members. The
Company may impose a reasonable charge, limited to the costs of labor and material, for
copies of records furnished.
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5.2 Records. The Members will keep or cause the Company to keep the following
business records.
(i) An up to date list of the Members, each of their respective full legal
names, last known business, residential, or mailing address, Capital
Contributions, the amount and terms of any agreed upon future
Capital Contributions, and Ownership Interests, and Voting Interests;
(ii) A copy of the Company’s federal, state, and local tax information and
income tax returns and reports, if any, for the six most recent taxable
years;
5.3 Income Tax Returns. Within 45 days after the end of each taxable year, the
Company will use its best efforts to send each of the Members all information necessary for
the Members to complete their federal and state tax information, returns, and reports and
a copy of the Company’s federal, state, and local tax information or income tax returns and
reports for such year.
5.4 Subchapter S Election. The Company may, upon unanimous consent of the
Members, elect to be treated for income tax purposes as an S Corporation. This designation
may be changed as permitted under the Internal Revenue Code Section 1362(d) and
applicable Regulations.
5.5 Tax Matters Member. Anytime the Company is required to designate or select
a tax matters partner or partnership representative, pursuant to Section 6223 of the Internal
Revenue Code and any regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service, the Members
must designate one of the Members as the tax matters partner or partnership representative
of the Company and keep such designation in effect at all times.
5.6 Banking. All funds of the Company must be deposited in one or more bank
accounts in the name of the Company with one or more recognized financial institutions.
The Members are authorized to establish such accounts and complete, sign, and deliver any
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banking resolutions reasonably required by the respective financial institutions in order to
establish an account.
6.1 Members and Voting Rights. The Members have the right and power to vote
on all matters with respect to which the Articles of Organization, this Agreement, or the
Florida Limited Liability Company Act requires or permits. Unless otherwise stated in this
Agreement (for example, in Section 4.1(c)) or required under the Florida Limited Liability
Company Act, the vote of the Members holding at least a majority of the Voting Interest of
the Company is required to approve or carry out an action.
7.1 Withdrawal. Members may withdraw from the Company prior to the
dissolution and winding up of the Company (a) by transferring or assigning all of their
respective Membership Interests pursuant to Section 7.2 below, or (b) if all of the Members
unanimously agree in a written consent. Subject to the provisions of Article 3, a Member
that withdraws pursuant to this Section 7.1 will be entitled to a distribution from the
Company in an amount equal to such Member’s Capital Account.
ARTICLE 8: DISSOLUTION
8.1 Dissolution. The Company will be dissolved upon the first to occur of the
following events:
(iii) At any time that there are no Members, unless and provided that
the Company is not otherwise required to be dissolved and wound
up, within 90 days after the occurrence of the event that terminated
the continued membership of the last remaining Member, the legal
representative of the last remaining Member agrees in writing to
continue the Company and (i) to become a Member; or (ii) to the
extent that the last remaining Member assigned its interest in the
Company, to cause the Member’s nominee or designee to become a
Member of the Company, effective as of the occurrence of the event
that terminated the continued membership of the last remaining
Member;
(iv) The sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets;
8.2 No Automatic Dissolution Upon Certain Events. Unless otherwise set forth
in this Agreement or required by applicable law, the death, incapacity, disassociation,
bankruptcy, or withdrawal of a Member will not automatically cause a dissolution of the
Company.
ARTICLE 9: INDEMNIFICATION
9.1 Indemnification. The Company has the power to defend, indemnify, and
hold harmless any Person who was or is a party, or who is threatened to be made a party,
to any Proceeding (as that term is defined below) by reason of the fact that such Person
was or is a Member, officer, employee, representative, or other agent of the Company, or
was or is serving at the request of the Company as a director, Governor, officer, employee,
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representative or other agent of another limited liability company, corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust, or other enterprise (each such Person is referred to as a “Company
Agent”), against Expenses (as that term is defined below), judgments, fines, settlements,
and other amounts (collectively, “Damages”) to the maximum extent now or hereafter
permitted under Florida law. “Proceeding,” as used in this Article 9, means any threatened,
pending, or completed action, proceeding, individual claim or matter within a proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative. “Expenses,” as used in this
Article 9, includes, without limitation, court costs, reasonable attorney and expert fees, and
any expenses incurred relating to establishing a right to indemnification, if any, under this
Article 9.
9.2 Mandatory. The Company must defend, indemnify and hold harmless
a Company Agent in connection with a Proceeding in which such Company Agent
is involved if, and to the extent, Florida law requires that a limited liability company
indemnify a Company Agent in connection with a Proceeding.
9.3 Expenses Paid by the Company Prior to Final Disposition. Expenses of each
Company Agent indemnified or held harmless under this Agreement that are actually
and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of a Proceeding may
be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of a Proceeding if authorized
by a unanimous vote of all of the Members that are not seeking indemnification holding
a majority of the Voting Interests (excluding the Voting Interest of the Company Agent
seeking indemnification). Before the Company makes any such payment of Expenses,
the Company Agent seeking indemnification must deliver a written undertaking to the
Company stating that such Company Agent will repay the applicable Expenses to the
Company unless it is ultimately determined that the Company Agent is entitled or required
to be indemnified and held harmless by the Company (as set forth in Sections 9.1 or 9.2
above or as otherwise required by applicable law).
10.2 Entire Agreement; Amendment. This Agreement along with the Articles of
Organization (together, the “Organizational Documents”), constitute the entire agreement
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among the Members and replace and supersede all prior written and oral understandings
and agreements with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement, except as otherwise
required by the Florida Limited Liability Company Act. There are no representations,
agreements, arrangements, or undertakings, oral or written, between or among the
Members relating to the subject matter of this Agreement that are not fully expressed in
the Organizational Documents. This Agreement may not be modified or amended in any
respect, except in a writing signed by all of the Members, except as otherwise required or
permitted by the Florida Limited Liability Company Act.
10.4 Further Action. Each Member agrees to perform all further acts and execute,
acknowledge, and deliver any documents which may be reasonably necessary, appropriate,
or desirable to carry out the provisions of this Agreement.
10.5 No Third Party Beneficiary. This Agreement is made solely for the benefit
of the parties to this Agreement and their respective permitted successors and assigns,
and no other Person or entity will have or acquire any right by virtue of this Agreement.
This Agreement will be binding on and inure to the benefit of the parties and their heirs,
personal representatives, and permitted successors and assigns.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed or caused to be executed this
Operating Agreement and do each hereby represent and warrant that their respective
signatory, whose signature appears below, has been and is, on the date of this Agreement,
duly authorized to execute this Agreement.
Dated: __________________________
____________________________________________
Signature of Joseph E Brooks
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EXHIBIT A
MEMBERS
The Members of the Company and their respective addresses, Capital Contributions,
and Ownership Interests are set forth below. The Members agree to keep this Exhibit A
current and updated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, including, but not
limited to, Sections 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 7.1, 7.2, and 10.1.
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