The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these consolidated financial statements.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE A — ORGANIZATION
Central Energy Partners LP (“
Partnership
”),
is a Delaware limited partnership, which was formed by Penn Octane Corporation (“
Penn Octane
”) on July 10, 2003.
The limited partnership interests in the Partnership (“
Common Units”)
represent 98% of the interest in the Partnership.
The General Partner is Central Energy GP LLC (“
General Partner
”) (see Note H — Partner’ Capital
- General Partner Interest), which holds the remaining 2% interest in the Partnership. The General Partner is entitled to receive
distributions from the Partnership on its General Partner interest and additional incentive distributions (see Note G – Partners’
Capital — Distributions of Available Cash) as provided in the Partnership’s partnership agreement (“
Partnership
Agreement
”). The General Partner has sole responsibility for conducting the Partnership’s business and for managing
the Partnership’s operations in accordance with the Partnership Agreement. Common Unitholders do not participate in the management
of the Partnership. The General Partner does not receive a management fee in connection with its management of the Partnership’s
business, but is entitled to be reimbursed for all direct and indirect expenses incurred on the Partnership’s behalf.
On November 17, 2010, the Partnership,
Penn Octane and Central Energy, LP, as successor in interest to Central Energy LLC, completed the transactions contemplated by
the terms of a Securities Purchase and Sale Agreement, as amended. At closing, the Partnership sold 12,724,019 Common Units (“
Newly
Issued Common Units
”) to Central Energy, LP for $3,950,000 and Penn Octane sold 100% of the limited liability company
interests in the General Partner (“
GP Interests
”) to Central Energy, LP for $150,000 (“
Sale
”).
As a result, Penn Octane no longer had any interest in the General Partner or any control over the operations of the Partnership.
On November 26, 2013 (“
Closing
”),
the Partnership, the General Partner and CEGP Acquisition, LLC (“
CEGP
”) executed a definitive Purchase and Sale
Agreement (“
PSA
”) and certain other transaction documents (“
Other Transaction Documents
”)
all for an aggregate purchase price of $2,750,000
(“
Purchase Price
”). The PSA and Other Transaction Documents
provided for (1) the sale of a 55% interest in the General Partner to CEGP through the purchase of newly issued membership interests
of the General Partner by CEGP, and the issuance of 3,000,000 Common Units to CEGP, (2) the issuance of performance warrants that
provide the holders thereof with the opportunity, but not the obligation, to acquire, in the aggregate, an additional 3,000,000
Common Units at an exercise price of $0.093478, subject to adjustment, in the event the Partnership successfully completes one
or more asset acquisition transactions with an aggregate gross purchase price of at least $20 million within 12 months after closing
(“
Performance Warrants
”), (3) amending and restating the Registration Rights Agreement, (4) amending and restating
the Company Agreement, and (5) amending and restating the Partnership Agreement. At the Closing, net proceeds of $2,350,000 (“
Net
Proceeds
”) were delivered to the General Partner and the Partnership (the Purchase Price less credits for prior payments
of $400,000 made to the General Partner and the Partnership in connection with stand-still agreements in place until the execution
of the PSA (“
Stand-Still Payments
”). Of the total Purchase Price, the amount of $280,434 was allocated to the
price paid for the 3,000,000 Common Units. CEGP paid $240,434 to the Partnership at Closing from the Net Proceeds, with the $40,000
balance of the purchase price for the 3,000,000 Common Units being a portion of the Stand-Still Payments. The remaining amount
of the Purchase Price, or $2,469,566, was allocated to the value of the 55% Membership Interest of the General Partner, represented
by 136,888.89 Units issued to CEGP, and $2,109,566 was paid to the General Partner at Closing from the Net Proceeds with the balance
of $360,000 being the attributed portion of the Stand-Still Payments.
Effective November 26, 2013, with the execution
of the PSA, CEGP now holds 55% of the issued and outstanding membership interests in the General Partner, and appoints five (5)
of the nine (9) members of the Board of the General Partner. As a result, CEGP controls the General Partner. In addition, CEGP
holds 3,000,000 Common Units, which represent 15.7% of the issued and outstanding Common Units of the Partnership. Prior to execution
of the PSA, Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba and Carter R. Montgomery and the Cushing Fund controlled the General Partner and had controlling
authority over the Partnership. CEGP is a newly-formed Texas limited liability company controlled by John L. Denman, Jr. and G.
Thomas Graves III. Upon completion of the CEGP Investment, Mr. Denman replaced Mr. Anbouba as CEO and President of the General
Partner and Mr. Graves was appointed as the Chairman of the Board replacing Mr. Jerry V. Swank. JLD Services, Ltd., a company controlled
by Messrs. Denman and Graves, and Mr. Graves were each granted a Performance Warrant which when combined with the Common Units
acquired by CEGP in connection with the CEGP Investment would represent 27.1% of the issued and outstanding Common Units of the
Partnership.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE A — ORGANIZATION
- continued
Central’s strategy is to acquire
assets with a focus on gas transportation and services assets, including gas gathering, dehydration and compression systems, pipelines,
fractionation and condensate stabilization facilities and related assets, but may include producing oil and gas properties.
In July 2007, the Partnership acquired
the business of Regional Enterprises, Inc. (“
Regional
”). The principal business of Regional is the storage,
transportation and railcar trans-loading of bulk liquids, including hazardous chemicals and petroleum products owned by its customers.
Regional’s facilities are located on the James River in Hopewell, Virginia, where it receives bulk chemicals and petroleum
products from ships and barges into approximately 10 million gallons of available storage tanks for delivery throughout the mid-Atlantic
region of the United States. Regional also receives product from a rail spur which is capable of receiving 18 rail cars at any
one time for trans-loading of chemical and petroleum liquids for delivery throughout the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
Regional operated a trans-loading facility in Johnson City, Tennessee, with 6 rail car slots until March 31, 2013. Regional also
provides transportation services to customers for products which don’t originate at any of Regional’s terminal facilities.
For the fiscal year ended December 31,
2012, General Chemical Corporation, Suffolk Sales, and SGR Energy LLC accounted for approximately 16%, 15% and 11% of Regional’s
revenues, respectively, and approximately 14%, 13% and 8% of Regional’s accounts receivable, respectively. MeadWestvaco Specialty
Chemicals, Inc., accounted for 7% of Regional's revenues and 15% of Regional's accounts receivables. Honeywell International, Inc.
accounted for 3% of Regional’s revenues and 22% of Regional’s accounts receivables.
For the fiscal year ended December 31,
2013, Suffolk Sales, SGR Energy LLC, and MeadWestvaco Specialty Chemicals, Inc., accounted for approximately 22%, 16% and 15% of
Regional’s revenues, respectively, and approximately 33%, 0% and 13% of Regional’s accounts receivable, respectively.
Noble Oil Services, Inc., accounted for 3% of Regional's revenues and 18% of Regional's accounts receivables.
The accompanying consolidated balance sheets
include goodwill in the amount of $3,941,000 at December 31, 2012 and 2013, resulting from the acquisition of Regional.
NOTE B — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying consolidated financial
statements include the Partnership and its only operating subsidiary, Regional. The Partnership has two other subsidiaries that
have no operations – Rio Vista Operating Partnership L.P. (see Note J – Commitments and Contingencies – TransMontaigne
Dispute) and Rio Vista Operating GP LLC. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated. The Partnership
and its consolidated subsidiaries are hereinafter referred to as “Central” and/or “Company”.
New Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04,
"Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs." This ASU is
a result of joint efforts by the FASB and IASB to develop a single, converged framework on how to measure fair value and what disclosures
to provide about fair value measurements. This ASU is largely consistent with existing fair value measurement principles of U.S.
GAAP, however, it expands existing disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The ASU is effective for interim and annual
reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and applied prospectively. Central adopted this ASU beginning with the reporting
period ended March 31, 2012, as required. Adoption of this guidance resulted in expanded disclosures on fair value measurements,
but did not have an impact on the Central's measurements of fair value.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE B — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES – Continued
New Accounting Pronouncements - continued
In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-12,
“Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income”. This guidance is the culmination
of the board's redeliberation on reporting reclassification adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income. The standard
requires that companies present information about reclassification adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income in their
interim and annual financial statements in a single note or on the face of the financial statements. This ASU is effective for
interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The Company did not have any transactions requiring
application of this ASU for any reporting period beginning with the quarter ended March 31, 2013 through the year ended December
31, 2013.
In July 2013, the Financial Accounting
Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2013-11, "Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit
When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists." The ASU was issued to eliminate
diversity in practice in the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss ("NOL") carryforward,
a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward exists. Under the new guidance, an entity should present an unrecognized tax benefit
as a reduction of the deferred tax asset for an NOL or similar tax loss or tax credit carryforward rather than as a liability when
the uncertain tax position would reduce the NOL or other carryforward under the tax law. The new standard is effective for fiscal
years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013, with early adoption permitted. The amendments
in this ASU should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date, but retrospective
application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the provisions of ASU 2013-11, but does not
expect the standard to have a significant impact on its financial statements.
A summary of the significant accounting
policies consistently applied in the preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements are as follows.
1. Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment are recorded
at historical cost. After being placed into service, assets are depreciated using the straight-line method over their estimated
useful lives as follows:
Terminal Facility and improvements
|
5–30 years
|
Automotive equipment
|
5–20 years
|
Machinery and equipment
|
5–10 years
|
Office equipment
|
3–10 years
|
Maintenance and repair costs are charged
to expense as incurred.
The Company reviews long-lived assets for
impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If
it is determined that an impairment has occurred, the amount of the impairment is charged to operations.
2. Income Taxes
The Partnership’s operations are
treated as a partnership with each partner being separately taxed on its share of the Partnership’s federal taxable income.
Therefore, no provision for current or deferred federal income taxes has been provided for in the accompanying consolidated financial
statements. However, the Partnership is subject to the Texas margin tax. Accordingly, the Partnership reflects its tax positions
associated with the tax effects of the Texas margin tax in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. See Note G for additional
information regarding the current and deferred tax provisions and obligations.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE B — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES -
Continued
2. Income Taxes - continued
Regional accounts for income taxes in accordance
with ASC 740 “Income Taxes” (formerly SFAS No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes and FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes — An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109” (“FIN 48”)). ASC 740 requires
the use of the asset and liability method whereby deferred tax assets and liability account balances are determined based on differences
between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that
will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities,
which are included in the consolidated balance sheet.
Regional then assesses the likelihood of
realizing benefits related to such assets by considering factors such as historical taxable income and Regional’s ability
to generate sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character within the relevant jurisdictions in future years. Based on
the aforementioned factors, if the realization of these assets is not likely a valuation allowance is established against the deferred
tax assets.
Regional accounts for its position in tax
uncertainties under ASC 740-10. ASC 740-10 establishes standards for accounting for uncertainty in income taxes. ASC 740-10 provides
several clarifications related to uncertain tax positions. Most notably, a “more likely-than-not” standard for initial
recognition of tax positions, a presumption of audit detection and a measurement of recognized tax benefits based on the largest
amount that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of realization. ASC 740-10 applies a two-step process to determine the amount
of tax benefit to be recognized in the financial statements. First, Regional must determine whether any amount of the tax benefit
may be recognized. Second, Regional determines how much of the tax benefit should be recognized (this would only apply to tax positions
that qualify for recognition.) No additional liabilities have been recognized as a result of the implementation. Regional has not
taken a tax position that, if challenged, would have a material effect on the financial statements or the effective tax rate during
the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013.
3. (Loss) Income Per Common Unit
Net (loss) income per Common Unit is computed
on the weighted average number of Common Units outstanding in accordance with ASC 260. During periods in which Central incurs losses
from continuing operations, giving effect to common unit equivalents is not included in the computation as it would be antidilutive.
See Note I – Unit Options.
4. Cash Equivalents
For purposes of the cash flow statement,
the Company considers cash in banks and securities purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
5. Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated
financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ
from those estimates.
6. Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The estimated fair value of the Company’s
financial instruments approximates their carrying value as reflected in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets due to (i)
the short-term nature of financial instruments included in the current assets and liabilities or (ii) for non-short term financial
instruments, the recording of such financial instruments at fair value.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE B — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES -
Continued
7. Unit-Based Payment
The Partnership may issue options, warrants,
rights or appreciation rights with respect to Common Units for any Partnership purpose, including to non-employees for goods and
services and to acquire or extend debt, without approval of the Limited Partners. The Partnership applies the provisions of ASC
505 to account for such transactions. ASC 505 requires that such transactions be accounted for at fair value. If the fair value
of the goods and services or debt related transactions are not readily measurable, the fair value of the options, warrants, rights
or appreciation rights is used to account for such transactions. Central did not record any unit-based payment costs for non-employees
for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013 under the fair-value provisions of ASC 505.
As described in Note I – Unit Options,
in connection with the CEGP Investment, the Partnership issued Performance Warrants to the Warrant Purchasers to acquire up to
3,000,000 Common Units, contingent on achievement of certain milestones. The Partnership will record the value of the Performance
Warrants upon such time as the contingency associated with the exercise of the Performance Warrants no longer exists. In accordance
with 505-50 Equity Based payments, the Partnership has not recognized any trigger events in connection with the Performance Warrants
that would require measurement as of the balance sheet date.
The Partnership applies ASC 718 for options
and/or Common Units granted to employees and directors of the General Partner. During the quarter ended March 31, 2006, Central
adopted the provisions of ASC 718 for unit-based payments to employees using the modified prospective application transition method.
Under this method, previously reported amounts should not be restated to reflect the provisions of ASC 718. ASC 718 requires measurement
of all employee unit-based payment awards using a fair-value method and recording of such expense in the consolidated financial
statements over the requisite service period. The fair value concepts have not changed significantly in ASC 718; however, in adopting
this standard, companies must choose among alternative valuation models and amortization assumptions. After assessing alternative
valuation models and amortization assumptions, Central will continue using both the Black-Scholes valuation model and straight-line
amortization of compensation expense over the requisite service period for each separately vesting portion of the grant. Central
will reconsider use of this model if additional information becomes available in the future that indicates another model would
be more appropriate, or if grants issued in future periods have characteristics that cannot be reasonably estimated using this
model.
As described in Note I, on March 20, 2013,
the Partnership agreed to issue a grant of 200,000 Common Units to an executive officer of the General Partner which fully vested
upon issuance. The Partnership recorded unit-based compensation of $16,000 during the year ended December 31, 2013 in connection
with this issuance under the fair-value provisions of ASC 718. In addition, on December 19, 2013, the Board of Directors of the
General Partner authorized a grant of an aggregate of 187,500 Common Units to certain outside directors of the General Partner
which will be effective upon the execution of unit grant agreements with each of the recipients. As of the filing of this Annual
Report, the unit grant agreements had not been finalized or executed by the recipients. Central did not record any unit-based compensation
for employees for the year ended December 31, 2012 under the fair-value provisions of ASC 718.
8. Revenue Recognition
Regional records revenue for storage, transportation
and trans-loading as the services are performed and delivery occurs. Revenues are recorded based on the following criteria:
|
(1)
|
Persuasive evidence of an arrangement existed and the price is determined
|
|
(3)
|
Collectability is reasonably assured
|
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE B — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES -
Continued
9. Reclassifications
Certain reclassifications have been made
to prior year balances to conform to the current presentation.
10. Trade Accounts Receivable and Allowance
for Doubtful Accounts
Trade accounts receivable are accounted
for at fair value. Trade accounts receivable do not bear interest and are short-term in nature. An allowance for doubtful accounts
for trade accounts receivable is established when the fair value is less than the carrying value. Trade accounts receivable are
charged to the allowance when it is determined that collection is remote.
11. Environmental Matters
Regional is subject to various federal,
state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. Regional has established procedures for the
ongoing evaluation of its operations, to identify potential environmental exposures and to comply with regulatory policies and
procedures. Regional accounts for environmental contingencies in accordance with ASC 450. Environmental expenditures that relate
to current operations are expensed or capitalized as appropriate. Expenditures that relate to an existing condition caused by past
operations, and do not contribute to current or future revenue generation, are expensed. Liabilities for environmental contingencies
are recorded when environmental assessments and/or clean-ups are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. Central maintains
insurance which may cover in whole or in part certain types of environmental contingencies. For the years ended December 31, 2012
and 2013, Regional had no environmental contingencies requiring specific disclosure or the recording of a liability.
12. Segment Information
The Company reports segment information
in accordance with ASC 280. Under ASC 280, all publicly traded companies are required to report certain information about the operating
segments, products, services and geographical areas in which they operate and their major customers. Operating segments are components
of the Company for which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by management in deciding how
to allocate resources and assess performance. This information is reported on the basis that it is used internally for evaluating
segment performance. The Company had only one operating segment (transportation and terminaling business) during the years ended
December 31, 2012 and 2013. The following are amounts related to the transportation and terminaling business included in the accompanying
consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31:
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue from external customers
|
|
$
|
5,470,000
|
|
|
$
|
4,750,000
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
$
|
571,000
|
|
|
$
|
771,000
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
$
|
565,000
|
|
|
$
|
537,000
|
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
$
|
378,000
|
|
|
$
|
218,000
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(727,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1,261,000
|
)
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
8,927,000
|
|
|
$
|
7,922,000
|
|
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE B — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES -
Continued
13. Fair Value Measurements
Effective January 1, 2008, the Company
adopted the provisions of ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements” (ASC 820), for financial assets and financial liabilities.
ASC 820 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value under GAAP, and expands disclosure about fair value
measurements. ASC 820 applies to all financial instruments that are being measured and reported on a fair value basis. ASC 820
defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction
between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 also establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs
used in valuation methodologies into the following three levels:
|
·
|
Level 1 Inputs – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
|
|
·
|
Level 2 Inputs – Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar
assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated
by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.
|
|
·
|
Level 3 Inputs – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and
that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Level 3 assets and liabilities include financial instruments
whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or other valuation techniques, as well as instruments
for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation.
|
14. Subsequent Events
The Company has evaluated subsequent events
that occurred after December 31, 2013 through the filing of this Form 10-K. Any material subsequent events that occurred during
this time have been properly recognized or disclosed in the Company’s financial statements.
15. Business Combinations
The Partnership accounts for business combinations
in accordance with ASC 805, “Business Combinations”(ASC 805), which address the recognition and measurement of (i)
identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling interest in the acquire, and (ii) goodwill acquired
or gain from a bargain purchase. In addition, acquisition-related costs are accounted for as expenses in the period in which the
costs are incurred and the services are received.
Management is required to address the initial
recognition, measurement and subsequent accounting for assets and liabilities arising from contingencies in a business combination,
and requires that such assets acquired or liabilities assumed be initially recognized at fair value at the acquisition date if
fair value can be determined during the measurement period. If the acquisition date fair value cannot be determined, the asset
acquired or liability assumed arising from a contingency is recognized only if certain criteria are met. A systematic and rational
basis for subsequently measuring and accounting for the assets or liabilities is required to be developed depending on their nature.
16. Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase
price over the estimated fair value of identifiable net assets associated with acquisition transactions. Under ASC 350, goodwill
is not amortized. The Company is required to make at least an annual test of the fair value of the intangible to determine if impairment
has occurred. The Company performs an annual impairment test for goodwill in the fourth quarter of each calendar year. No impairment
charges were incurred during the years ended December 31, 2012 or 2013.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE B — SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT
ACCOUNTING POLICIES -
Continued
17. Concentration of Credit Risk
The balance sheet items that potentially
subject Central to concentrations of credit risk are primarily cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. Central maintains
cash balances in different financial institutions. Balances in accounts are insured up to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(“
FDIC”
) limits of $250,000 per institution. At December 31, 2013, Central did not have any cash balances in
financial institutions in excess of FDIC insurance coverage. Concentrations of credit risk with Regional’s accounts receivable
are mitigated by Regional’s ongoing credit evaluations of its customers. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful
accounts based upon the expected collectability of all accounts receivable.
NOTE C — LOSS PER COMMON UNIT
The following tables present reconciliations
from net loss per Common Unit to net income loss per Common Unit assuming dilution:
|
|
For the year ended December 31, 2012
|
|
|
|
Loss
(Numerator)
|
|
|
Units
(Denominator)
|
|
|
Per-Unit
Amount
|
|
Net loss available to the Common Units
|
|
$
|
(1,007,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic EPS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss available to the Common Units
|
|
$
|
(1,007,000
|
)
|
|
|
15,866,482
|
|
|
$
|
(0.06
|
)
|
Effect of Dilutive Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Diluted EPS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss available to the Common Units
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
For the year ended December 31, 2013
|
|
|
|
Loss
(Numerator)
|
|
|
Units
(Denominator)
|
|
|
Per-Unit
Amount
|
|
Net loss available to the Common Units
|
|
$
|
(510,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic EPS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss available to the Common Units
|
|
$
|
(510,000
|
)
|
|
|
16,319,633
|
|
|
$
|
(0.03
|
)
|
Effect of Dilutive Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Diluted EPS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss available to the Common Units
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
NOTE D — 401K
Regional sponsors a defined contribution
retirement plan (401(k) Plan) covering all eligible employees effective November 1, 1988. The 401(k) Plan allows eligible employees
to contribute, subject to Internal Revenue Service limitations on total annual contributions, up to 60% of their compensation as
defined in the 401(k) Plan, to various investment funds. Regional matches, on a discretionary basis, 50% of the first 6% of employee
contributions. Furthermore, Regional may make additional contributions on a discretionary basis at the end of the Plan year for
all eligible employees. Regional did not make any discretionary contributions for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE E — PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
|
|
December 31, 2012
|
|
|
December 31, 2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Land
|
|
$
|
512,000
|
|
|
$
|
512,000
|
|
Terminal and improvements
|
|
|
4,818,000
|
|
|
|
4,955,000
|
|
Automotive equipment
|
|
|
1,341,000
|
|
|
|
1,297,000
|
|
|
|
|
6,671,000
|
|
|
|
6,764,000
|
|
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(3,109,000
|
)
|
|
|
(3,606,000
|
)
|
|
|
$
|
3,562,000
|
|
|
$
|
3,158,000
|
|
Depreciation expense of property, plant
and equipment from operations totaled $565,000 and $537,000 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Sale of Regional’s Owned Tractor
Fleet
On February 17, 2012, in connection
with Regional’s Vehicle Lease Service Agreement (see Note J- Commitments and Contingencies – Penske Truck Lease), Regional
sold six of its owned tractors for proceeds of $97,000 of which $90,000 was used to fund the deposit required pursuant to the aforementioned
agreement and the remainder was used for working capital.
During May 2012 and June 2012, in connection
with Regional’s Vehicle Lease Service Agreement (see Note J- Commitments and Contingencies – Penske Truck Lease), Regional
sold 21 of its owned tractors for total proceeds of $410,000. The proceeds were used to meet ongoing debt service obligations.
In connection with the sale of the
tractor fleet, a gain of $256,000 was recorded during the year ended December 31, 2012.
Regional’s truck fleet currently
consists of fifteen leased tractors and five owned tractors.
NOTE F — DEBT OBLIGATIONS
|
|
December 31, 2012
|
|
|
December 31,
2013
|
|
Long-term debt obligations were as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hopewell Note
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
2,500,000
|
|
RZB Note
|
|
|
1,970,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
1,970,000
|
|
|
|
2,500,000
|
|
Less current portion
|
|
|
1,970,000
|
|
|
|
188,000
|
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
2,312,000
|
|
RZB Loan
In connection with the acquisition of Regional
during July 2007, the Partnership funded a portion of the acquisition through a loan of $5,000,000 (“
RZB Loan
”)
from RB International Finance (USA) LLC, formerly known as RZB Finance LLC (“
RZB
”), dated July 26, 2007 (“
Loan
Agreement
”). The RZB Loan was due on demand and if no demand, with a one-year maturity. In connection with the RZB Loan,
Regional granted to RZB a security interest in all of Regional’s assets, including a deed of trust on real property owned
by Regional, and the Partnership delivered to RZB a pledge of the outstanding capital stock of Regional.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE F — DEBT OBLIGATIONS -
Continued
RZB Loan -
continued
The RZB Loan was converted to a term loan
in June 2009 in connection with the Sixth Amendment, Assumption of Obligations and Release Agreement between Regional, the Partnership
and RZB (the “
Sixth Amendment
”). The Sixth Amendment provided for an increase in the principal amount of the
RZB Loan to $4,250,000 as the result of an “incremental loan” of $250,000, established a monthly amortization for the
principal amount of the Loan, increased the annual interest rate to 8%, and extended the Maturity Date to April 30, 2012, among
other terms and conditions. Regional assumed all obligations of the Partnership under the RZB Loan and related collateral agreements
upon execution of the Sixth Amendment. The Maturity Date of the RZB Loan was extended to May 31, 2014 in connection with the Seventh
Amendment to the Loan Agreement among the parties dated May 21, 2010. On November 29, 2012, Regional and RZB entered into a “Limited
Waiver and Ninth Amendment” (“
Ninth Amendment
”) to the Loan Agreement. The Ninth Amendment waived the
defaults existing at the time of the Ninth Amendment and reduced required monthly amortization payments to $50,000 per month beginning
January 31, 2013. The Ninth Amendment also shortened the maturity date of the RZB Loan from May 31, 2014 to March 31, 2013. Regional
made the January 31, 2013 monthly amortization payment but failed to make the February 28, 2013 monthly amortization payment. On
March 1, 2013, Regional received a “Notice of Default, Demand for Payment and Reservation of Rights” (“
March
1, 2013 Demand Notice
”) from RZB in connection with the Loan Agreement.
The March 1, 2013 Demand Notice was delivered
as the result of Regional’s failure to pay the monthly principal payment in the amount of $50,000 due and payable on February
28, 2013 as prescribed under the Ninth Amendment and the continued default with respect to the non-payment of interest and principal
due under the Loan Agreement which had been previously waived pursuant to the Ninth Amendment. The March 1, 2013 Demand Notice
declared all Obligations (as defined in the Loan Agreement) immediately due and payable and demanded immediate payment in full
of all Obligations, including fees, expenses and other costs of RZB. The March 1, 2013 Demand Notice also (1) contemplated the
initiation of foreclosure proceedings in respect of the property owned by Regional and covered by that certain Mortgage, Deed of
Trust and Security Agreement dated as of July 26, 2007 and (2) demanded immediate payment of all rents due upon the property pursuant
to the terms of the Assignment of Leases and Rents dated July 26, 2006. On March 20, 2013, all obligations unpaid and outstanding
under the RZB Loan Agreement totaling $1,975,000 were paid in full. RZB provided Regional with a payoff letter and released all
of the collateral previously held as security. The interest rate related to the RZB Loan for the period January 1, 2013 through
March 20, 2013 approximated 9.5%.
Hopewell Loan
On March 20, 2013, Regional entered into
a Term Loan and Security Agreement (“
Hopewell Loan Agreement
”) with Hopewell Investment Partners, LLC (“
Hopewell
”)
pursuant to which Hopewell would loan Regional up to $2,500,000 (“
Hopewell Loan
”), of which $1,998,000 was advanced
on such date and an additional $252,000 and $250,000 was advanced on March 26, 2013 and July 19, 2013, respectively. At the time
the Hopewell Loan was obtained, William M. Comegys III, was a member of the Board of Directors of the General Partner, as well
as the managing member of Hopewell. As a result of this affiliation, the terms of the Hopewell Loan were reviewed by the Conflicts
Committee of the Board of Directors of the General Partner. The committee determined that the Hopewell Loan was on terms better
than could be obtained from a third-party lender.
The principal purpose of the Hopewell Loan
was to repay the entire amounts due by Regional to RZB in connection with the Loan Agreement totaling $1,975,000 at the time of
payoff, including principal, interest, legal fees and other expenses owed in connection with the Loan Agreement. The remaining
amounts provided under the Hopewell Loan to Regional were used for working capital.
In connection with the Hopewell Loan, Regional
issued Hopewell a promissory note (“
Hopewell Note
”) and granted Hopewell a security interest in all of Regional’s
assets, including a first lien mortgage on the real property owned by Regional and an assignment of rents and leases and fixtures
on the remaining assets of Regional. In connection with the Hopewell Loan, the Partnership delivered to Hopewell a pledge of the
outstanding capital stock of Regional and the Partnership entered into an unlimited guaranty for the benefit of Hopewell.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE F — DEBT OBLIGATIONS -
Continued
Hopewell Loan -
continued
In addition, Regional and the Partnership
entered into an Environmental Certificate with Hopewell representing as to the environmental condition of the property owned by
Regional, agreeing to clean up or remediate any hazardous substances from the property, and agreeing, jointly and severally, to
indemnify Hopewell from and against any claims whatsoever related to any hazardous substance on, in or impacting the property of
Regional.
The Hopewell Loan matures in three years
and carries a fixed annual rate of interest of 12%. Under the terms of the Hopewell Loan, Regional was required to make interest
payments only for the six months beginning April 2013 through September 2013 and then 29 equal monthly payments of $56,000 (principal
and interest) from the seventh month through the 35
th
month with a balloon payment due on March 19, 2016. The Hopewell
Loan was subsequently amended to provide for the extension of the interest only period through June 2014. As a result, Regional
is required to make interest payments only through June 2014 and then 20 equal monthly payments of $56,000 (principal and interest)
from the 16th month through the 35
th
month with a balloon payment of $1,844,000 due on March 19, 2016.
Per the Hopewell Loan Agreement, Regional
is required to provide annual audited and certified quarterly financial statements to Hopewell. The failure to provide those financial
statements as prescribed is an event of default, and Hopewell may, by written notice to Regional, declare the Hopewell Note immediately
due and payable.
At December 31, 2013
,
maturities
of long-term debt were as follows:
2014
|
|
$
|
188,000
|
|
2015
|
|
|
412,000
|
|
2016
|
|
|
1,900,000
|
|
2017
|
|
|
-
|
|
2018
|
|
|
-
|
|
Thereafter
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
$
|
2,500,000
|
|
NOTE G — INCOME TAXES
The tax effects of temporary differences
and carry-forwards that give rise to deferred tax assets and liabilities for Regional were as follows at:
|
|
December 31, 2012
|
|
|
December 31, 2013
|
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
Depreciation (basis difference in fixed assets)
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
1,092,000
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
845,000
|
|
Accrued Expenses
|
|
|
36,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
14,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Net operating loss carry-forward
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
407,000
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Other
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
36,000
|
|
|
|
1,092,000
|
|
|
|
421,000
|
|
|
|
845,000
|
|
Less: valuation allowance
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(421,000
|
)-
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
$
|
36,000
|
|
|
$
|
1,092,000
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
845,000
|
|
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE G — INCOME TAXES -
Continued
|
|
December 31,
2012
|
|
|
December 31,
2013
|
|
Net Deferred Tax Assets (Current)
|
|
$
|
36,000
|
|
|
$
|
14,000
|
|
Net Deferred Tax Assets (Non-Current)
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
407,000
|
|
Valuation Allowance
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
$
|
(421,000
|
)
|
Net Deferred Tax Liabilities (Current)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
—
|
|
Net Deferred Tax Liabilities (Non-Current)
|
|
$
|
(1,092,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
(845,000
|
)
|
Tax Expense for Regional, was as follows
at:
|
|
December 31, 2012
|
|
|
December 31, 2013
|
|
Current Tax Expense
|
|
$
|
(82,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
Deferred Tax Benefit
|
|
|
(296,000
|
)
|
|
|
(218,000
|
)
|
Total
|
|
$
|
(378,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
(218,000
|
)
|
U.S. and State income taxes were entirely
associated with the taxable subsidiary of the Partnership – Regional.
The ultimate realization of deferred tax
assets depends on various factors including the generation of taxable income in future periods. Regional has concluded that the
allowable sources of taxable income do not assure the realization of the deferred tax assets. Therefore, Regional has recorded
a valuation allowance in the amount of the deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty of realizing the deferred tax assets.
The tax years that remain open to examination
are 2007 to 2013.
A reconciliation of the U.S. Federal statutory
tax rate to Central’s effective tax rate is as follows:
|
|
December 31, 2012
|
|
|
December 31, 2013
|
|
Net loss before taxes
|
|
$
|
(1,406,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
(739,000
|
)
|
Financial statement income taxed at partner level
|
|
|
(300,000
|
)
|
|
|
740,000
|
|
Loss from Regional
|
|
|
(1,106,000
|
)
|
|
|
(1,479,000
|
)
|
Income tax expense at statutory rate (34%)
|
|
|
(376,000
|
)
|
|
|
(503,000
|
)
|
NOL valuation reserve
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
421,000
|
|
Permanent differences and other
|
|
|
(2,000
|
)
|
|
|
22,000
|
|
Deferred and payables reclass
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
(158,000
|
)
|
Income tax benefit
|
|
$
|
(378,000
|
)
|
|
$
|
(218,000
|
)
|
The Partnership is taxed as a partnership
under Code Section 701 of the Internal Revenue Code. All of the Partnership’s subsidiaries except for Regional are taxed
at the partner level, therefore, the Partnership has no U.S. income tax expense or liability. The Partnership’s significant
basis differences between the tax bases and the financial statement bases of its assets and liabilities are depreciation of fixed
assets. Compensation expense may or may not be recognized for tax purposes depending on the exercise of related options prior to
their expiration.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE G — INCOME TAXES -
Continued
Tax Liabilities
The Partnership does not file a consolidated
tax return with Regional since this wholly-owned subsidiary is a corporation.
Federal Tax Liabilities
On February 18, 2013, in response to the
IRS’s demand for $160,000 of past due income taxes for the tax year December 2011 and remaining portions due in connection
with $55,000 of penalties and interest owed by Regional for the tax years ended December 2008 and December 2011, Regional requested
from the IRS an installment agreement arrangement and had agreed to make monthly installments of $5,000 until the time that the
installment agreement was approved. During June 2013, Regional filed its 2012 federal income tax return and filed forms to request
a refund of $160,000 of income taxes as a result of the carryback of losses incurred during the 2012 tax year which effectively
eliminated the $160,000 of taxes associated with the December 31, 2011 tax return. During August 2013, the IRS confirmed to Regional
that the recently filed 2012 tax return and application for refund were processed and such amounts were offset against the amounts
reflected as owing to the IRS described above.
Late Filings and Delivery of Schedules
K-1 to Unitholders
On June 14, 2011, the Partnership filed
the previously delinquent federal partnership tax returns for the periods from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 and January
1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. On June 23, 2011, the Partnership also distributed the previously delinquent Schedules K-1 for
such taxable periods to its Partners. The Partnership also filed all of the previously delinquent required state partnership tax
returns for the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009 during 2011. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“
Code
”),
provides for penalties to be assessed against taxpayers in connection with the late filing of the federal partnership returns and
the failure to furnish timely the required Schedules K-1 to investors. Similar penalties are also assessed by certain states for
late filing of state partnership returns. The Code and state statutes also provide taxpayer relief in the form of reduction and/or
abatement of penalties assessed for late filing of the returns under certain circumstances. The Internal Revenue Service (“
IRS
”)
previously notified the Partnership that its calculation of penalties for the delinquent 2008 and 2009 tax returns was approximately
$2.5 million.
During September 2011, the Partnership
submitted to the IRS its request for a waiver of the penalties for failure to timely file the Partnership’s federal tax returns
and associated K-1’s for the tax years 2008 and 2009. The waiver request was made pursuant to Code Section 6698(a)(2) which
provides that the penalty will not apply if the taxpayer establishes that its failure to file was due to reasonable cause. The
Partnership also requested a waiver based on the IRS’s past administrative policies towards first offenders. On November
19, 2012, the Partnership received a notice from the IRS that its request for a waiver of the penalties for failure to timely file
the Partnership’s federal tax returns and associated K-1’s for tax years 2008 and 2009, was denied (“
Notice
”).
The Notice indicated that the information submitted in connection with the request did not establish reasonable cause or show due
diligence. On January 11, 2013, the Partnership submitted its appeal of the Notice. On February 8, 2013 and June 10, 2013, the
Partnership received notice from the IRS that its request to remove the 2008 and 2009 penalties, respectively, were granted.
During November 2013, the Partnership received
a notice from the IRS that indicated the Partnership was liable for penalties (“
2012 IRS Penalties
”) of approximately
$296,000 in connection with the late filing of the 2012 federal partnership tax return (“
2012 Tax Return
”) and
approximately $142,000 in connection with failing to file the 2012 Tax Return electronically. During January 2014, the Partnership
submitted an appeal to the IRS to have the 2012 IRS Penalties removed. On February 25, 2014, the Partnership received written notice
from the IRS that the appeal of the late filing penalty was approved and the appeal of the failure to file the 2012 Tax Return
electronically was denied. The Partnership believes that there existed reasonable cause for the Partnership’s failure to
file the 2012 Tax Return electronically and as a result the Partnership intends to appeal the decision to deny. During the year
ended December 31, 2013, Central has accrued a reserve of $142,000 in connection with the remaining 2012 IRS Penalties.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE G — INCOME TAXES -
Continued
Late Filings and Delivery of Schedules
K-1 to Unitholders - continued
There can be no assurance that the Partnership’s
request for relief from the remaining outstanding 2012 IRS Penalties will be approved by the IRS or that the Partnership will have
adequate financial resources to pay the remaining outstanding 2012 IRS Penalties.
State Tax Liabilities
The Partnership previously estimated that
the maximum penalty exposure for all state penalties for delinquent 2008 and 2009 tax returns was $940,000. Since filing the delinquent
2008 and 2009 state partnership tax returns, the Partnership had also (i) submitted a request for abatement of penalties based
on reasonable cause and/or (ii) applied for participation into voluntary disclosure and compliance programs for first offenders
which provide relief of the penalties to those states which impose significant penalties for late filing of state returns (“
Requests
”).
During 2012, the Partnership received notices from all of the applicable states that the Requests to have the penalties abated
and/or waived through participation in voluntary disclosure and compliance programs were granted.
During 2013, The Commonwealth of Virginia,
Department of Taxation (“
VDOT
”) notified Regional that approximately $62,000 and $63,000 of income tax, penalties
and interest related to the tax periods ended October 2006 and July 2007, respectively, were outstanding (“
2006 and 2007
Taxes
”) and $42,000 of income tax, penalties and interest related to the tax year ended December 31, 2011 (“
2011
Taxes
”) were also outstanding. During June 2013, Regional made arrangements with the VDOT to pay the 2011 Taxes due in
installments of $6,500 per month until such amounts were fully paid. The VDOT had also included approximately $26,000 of sales
taxes owed by Regional as part of this payment arrangement. During June 2013, Regional filed its 2012 Virginia state income tax
return and filed forms to request a refund of $29,000 of state income taxes as a result of the carryback of losses incurred during
the 2012 tax year which effectively eliminated the $29,000 of taxes associated with the 2011 Taxes. The VDOT has confirmed to Regional
that the payment amounts owed in connection with the 2011 Taxes were offset by the refund request referred to above and a portion
of the associated penalties and interest were removed. During September 2013, Regional received notice from the VDOT that the amounts
owed in connection with the 2006 and 2007 Taxes were reduced from $125,000 to $40,000. During January 2014, Regional made a payment
arrangement with the VDOT to pay the amounts due in connection with the 2006 and 2007 Taxes through monthly payments of $3,000
beginning February 2014 and continuing until all amounts have been paid. As of December 31, 2013, Regional has accrued $40,000
in connection with the 2006 and 2007 Taxes and $10,000 for estimated Virginia sales and use taxes for the period August 2012 through
December 2013.
During May 2013, the Partnership received
a notice from the State of California Franchise Tax Board (“
CAFTB
”) that indicated the Partnership was liable
for late filing penalties of approximately $316,000 (“
CA Penalties
”) in connection with the short tax year return
(“
Short Tax Year Return
”) filed for the period January 1, 2011 through May 26, 2011 as a result of a technical
termination that occurred under Section 708(b) of the Code. The Partnership had previously been granted an extension by the IRS
to file the federal Short Year Tax Return to the time that the Partnership’s 2011 federal tax return would have been due
had a technical termination not occurred. The Partnership filed a request with the CAFTB to have the penalties removed based on
the hardship that the IRS had considered in granting the Partnership its extension for filing the federal Short Tax Year Return.
During September 2013, the Partnership received confirmation from the CAFTB that the CA Penalties were removed.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE G — INCOME TAXES -
Continued
Included in selling, general, administrative
expenses and other during the year ended December 31, 2013, the Partnership has recorded a net reduction of tax penalties totaling
$977,000 which is comprised of $1,119,000 related to reductions of the prior accrual of penalties associated with delinquent 2008
and 2009 partnership federal and state tax returns, partially offset by the additional reserve of $142,000 in connection with the
remaining outstanding 2012 IRS Penalties.
The Partnership is required to deliver
Schedules K-1 for the 2013 Tax Year to its Unitholders by April 15, 2014 unless the Partnership applies for an automatic extension
to September 15, 2014, which it intends to do. Regional is required to file its federal and state income tax returns for the 2013
Tax Year by March 17, 2014 unless the Partnership applies for an automatic extension to September 15, 2014, which it intends to
do.
NOTE H — PARTNERS’ CAPITAL
General Partner Interest
The General Partner owns a 2% general partner
interest in the Partnership (“
GP Interests
”). The General Partner generally has unlimited liability for the
obligations of the Partnership, such as its debts and environmental liabilities, except for those contractual obligations of the
Partnership that are expressly made without recourse to the General Partner. Losses incurred by Regional are allocated to the capital
accounts of Unitholder’s of the Partnership in the accompanying consolidated financial statements based on the overall Unitholder’s
ownership interest in the Partnership even though such losses will not be recognized in the Unitholder’s Partnership capital
accounts until the Partnership’s investment in Regional is realized. The Partnership Agreement provides that capital
accounts of Unitholder’s of the Partnership cannot reflect a deficit balance, and that the General Partner shall be allocated
any amount of losses not allocated to the Unitholder’s individual capital accounts.
CEGP Investment
On November 26, 2013 (“
Closing
”),
the Partnership, the General Partner and CEGP Acquisition, LLC (“
CEGP
”) executed a definitive Purchase and Sale
Agreement (“
PSA
”) and certain other transaction documents (“
Other Transaction Documents
”)
all for an aggregate purchase price of $2,750,000
(“
Purchase Price
”). The PSA and Other Transaction Documents
provided for (1) the sale of a 55% interest in the General Partner to CEGP through the purchase of newly issued membership interests
of the General Partner by CEGP, and the issuance of 3,000,000 Common Units to CEGP, (2) the issuance of performance warrants that
provide the holders thereof with the opportunity, but not the obligation, to acquire, in the aggregate, an additional 3,000,000
Common Units at an exercise price of $0.093478, subject to adjustment, in the event the Partnership successfully completes one
or more asset acquisition transactions with an aggregate gross purchase price of at least $20 million within 12 months after closing
(“
Performance Warrants
”), (3) amending and restating the Registration Rights Agreement, (4) amending and restating
the Company Agreement, and (5) amending and restating the Partnership Agreement. At the Closing, net proceeds of $2,350,000 (“
Net
Proceeds
”) were delivered to the General Partner and the Partnership (the Purchase Price less credits for prior payments
of $400,000 made to the General Partner and the Partnership in connection with stand-still agreements in place until the execution
of the PSA (“
Stand-Still Payments
”). Of the total Purchase Price, the amount of $280,434 was allocated to the
price paid for the 3,000,000 Common Units. CEGP paid $240,434 to the Partnership at Closing from the Net Proceeds, with the $40,000
balance of the purchase price for the 3,000,000 Common Units being a portion of the Stand-Still Payments. The remaining amount
of the Purchase Price, or $2,469,566, was allocated to the value of the 55% Membership Interest of the General Partner, represented
by 136,888.89 Units issued to CEGP, and $2,109,566 was paid to the General Partner at Closing from the Net Proceeds with the balance
of $360,000 being the attributed portion of the Stand-Still Payments.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE H – PARTNERS’
CAPITAL -
Continued
CEGP Investment -
continued
In addition to the conditions set forth
above, the PSA provided, as a condition to closing, (a) the execution of a general release of claims in favor of the General Partner
by Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba, Chief Executive Officer and President of the General Partner, and Carter R. Montgomery, Executive
Vice President of Corporate Development of the General Partner, in exchange for the payment of (1) 20% of the accrued but
unpaid salaries and business expenses of Messrs. Anbouba and Montgomery and (2) the severance payment of $240,000 owed to
each such officer under the terms of their respective employment agreements in connection with a “change of control”
event, (b) the payment to Mr. Ian T. Bothwell, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the
General Partner for all accrued but unpaid salary and business expenses, as well as all accrued and unpaid office rent associated
with the agreement between the General Partner and Rover Technologies, LLC, an affiliate of Mr. Bothwell, for the lease of
office space in Manhattan Beach, California, where he resides, as of the date of the PSA, (c) the termination of the existing Buy-Sell
Agreement between Cushing and Messrs. Anbouba and Montgomery, (d) the appointment of G. Thomas Graves III as Chairman of the Board
of Directors and John L. Denman, Jr. as the Chief Executive Officer and President of the General Partner and (e) reconstituting
the Board of Directors of the General Partner to nine (9) members, five (5) of which were to be appointed by the Buyer.
With the completion of the CEGP Investment,
CEGP now holds 55% of the issued and outstanding membership interests in the General Partner, and appoints five (5) of the nine
(9) members of the Board of the General Partner. As a result, CEGP controls the General Partner. In addition, CEGP holds 3,000,000
Common Units, which represent 15.7% of the issued and outstanding Common Units of the Partnership. Prior to execution of the PSA,
Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba and Carter R. Montgomery and the Cushing Fund controlled the General Partner and had controlling authority
over the Partnership. CEGP is a newly-formed Texas limited liability company controlled by John L. Denman, Jr. and G. Thomas Graves
III. Upon completion of the CEGP Investment, Mr. Denman replaced Mr. Anbouba as CEO and President of the General Partner and Mr.
Graves was appointed as the Chairman of the Board replacing Mr. Jerry V. Swank. As a result of the issuance of new membership interests
in the General Partner described above, Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba and Carter R. Montgomery and the Cushing MLP Opportunity Fund,
L.P. (“
Cushing Fund
”) interests in the General Partner were reduced from 30.17%, 30.17% and 25.0% to 13.58%,
13.58% and 11.25%, respectively.
Common Units
The Common Units represent limited partner
interests in the Partnership and 98% of its outstanding capital. The holders of Common Units (“
Unitholders
”)
are entitled to participate in the Partnership’s distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited
partners under the Partnership Agreement. The Unitholders have only limited voting rights on matters affecting the Partnership.
Unitholders have no right to elect the General Partner or its directors on an annual or other continuing basis. CEGP, as the “Majority
Member” of the General Partner, has the right to appoint five (5) persons to serve as directors of the General Partner, including
not less than two (2) persons who qualify as “independent” under the rules and regulations of the SEC. Each of Messrs.
Imad K. Anbouba and Carter R. Montgomery and the Cushing Fund, as the “Appointing Minority Members”, have the right
to appoint one (1) person to serve as a director of the General Partner. In addition, the Appointing Minority Members collectively
have the right to appoint one (1) person to serve as a director from time to time, which person qualifies as “independent”
under the rules and regulations of the SEC. Although the General Partner has a fiduciary duty to manage the Partnership in a manner
beneficial to the Partnership and its Unitholders, the directors of the General Partner also have a fiduciary duty to manage the
General Partner in a manner beneficial to the holders of the membership interests in the General Partner.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE H – PARTNERS’ CAPITAL
-
Continued
Common Units -
continued
The General Partner generally may not be
removed except upon the vote of the holders of at least 80% of the outstanding Common Units; provided, however, if at any time
any person or group, other than the General Partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of the
General Partner or its affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units of the
Partnership then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on
any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of Unitholders, calculating required
votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes, unless such provision is waived by the General Partner.
(The General Partner has waived this provision with respect to the 7,413,013 Common Units held by the Cushing Fund as described
below.) In addition, the Partnership Agreement contains provisions limiting the ability of holders of Common Units to call meetings
or to acquire information about Central’s operations, as well as other provisions limiting the Unitholders ability to influence
the manner or direction of management.
Private Placement of Common Units
On November 17, 2010, the Partnership sold
the Newly Issued Common Units to Central Energy LP for $3,950,000 in cash pursuant to the terms of the Securities Purchase and
Sale Agreement dated May 25, 2010, as amended, by and among the Partnership, Penn Octane and Central Energy LP.
On May 26, 2011, pursuant to the terms
of its limited partnership agreement, Central Energy LP distributed the Newly Issued Common Units of the Partnership to its limited
partners. As a result, the Cushing Fund holds 7,413,013 Common Units of the Partnership (representing approximately 46.7% of the
total outstanding Common Units of the Partnership at the time of the Sale). Sanctuary Capital LLC holds 1,017,922 Common Units
of the Partnership (representing approximately 6.4% of the total outstanding Common Units of the Partnership at the time of the
Sale). Messrs. Anbouba and Montgomery were not distributed any Newly Issued Common Units from Central Energy, LP.
In connection with the CEGP Investment,
the Partnership sold 3,000,000 Common Units to CEGP for $280,434 in cash. In addition, under the terms of the PSA, the Partnership
issued Performance Warrants to JLD and Mr. G. Thomas Graves III, for consideration of $500.00 each (see Note I – Unit Options).
Distributions of Available Cash
Until December 2010, all Unitholders had
the right to receive distributions from the Partnership of “available cash” as defined in the partnership agreement
in an amount equal to at least the minimum distribution of $0.25 per quarter per unit, plus any arrearages in the payment of the
minimum quarterly distribution on the Common Units from prior quarters subject to any reserves determined by the General Partner.
The General Partner has a right to receive a distribution corresponding to its 2% General Partner interest and the incentive distribution
rights described below. The distributions are to be paid within 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter.
The Partnership has not made any distributions
since August 18, 2008 for the quarter ended December 31, 2008 due to the lack of available cash.
In December 2010, the General Partner
and Unitholders holding more than a majority in interest of the Common Units of the Partnership approved an amendment to the
Partnership Agreement to provide that the Partnership was no longer obligated to make distributions of “Common Unit
Arrearage” or “Cumulative Common Unit Arrearages” pursuant to the terms of the Partnership Agreement in
respect of any quarter prior to the quarter beginning October 1, 2011. The impact of this amendment is that the Partnership
was not obligated to Unitholders for unpaid minimum quarterly distributions prior to the quarter beginning October 1, 2011
and Unitholders would only be entitled to minimum quarterly distributions arising from the quarter beginning October 1, 2011
and thereafter. This amendment was incorporated into the Partnership Agreement in April 2011.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE H – PARTNERS’
CAPITAL -
Continued
Distributions of Available Cash –
continued
Based on Central’s expected cash
flow constraints and the likelihood of a restriction on distributions as a result of anticipated acquisitions, on March 28,
2012, the General Partner and Limited Partners holding a majority of the issued and outstanding Common Units of the Partnership
voted to amend the Partnership Agreement to change the commencement of the payment of Common Unit Arrearages from the first quarter
beginning October 1, 2011, until an undetermined future quarter to be established by the Board of Directors of the General
Partner. At the present time, the limited partners of Central Energy, LP and the limited partners of CEGP collectively hold 82.5%
of the total issued and outstanding Common Units of the Partnership and, therefore, control any Limited Partner vote on Partnership
matters. The ability of the Partnership to make distributions can be further impacted by many factors including the ability to
successfully complete an acquisition, the financing terms of debt and/or equity proceeds received to fund the acquisition and the
overall success of the Partnership and its operating subsidiaries.
The impact of this amendment is that the
Partnership is not obligated to Unitholders for unpaid minimum quarterly distributions until such time as the Board of Directors
of the General Partner reinstates the obligation to make minimum quarterly distributions. Unitholders will only be entitled to
minimum quarterly distributions arising from and after the date established by the Board of Directors for making such distributions.
In addition to eliminating the obligation
to make payments of any unpaid minimum quarterly distributions until an undetermined future date to be established by its Board
of the General Partner, the General Partner expects that the minimum quarterly distribution amount and/or the target distribution
levels will be adjusted to a level which reflects the existing economics of the Partnership and provides for the desired financial
targets, including Common Unit trading price, targeted cash distribution yields and the participation by the General Partner in
incentive distribution rights. The Partnership’s current cash flow will not support the minimum quarterly distribution of
$0.25 per Common Unit. As a result, management anticipates adjusting the current minimum quarterly distribution in connection with
its next acquisition to more accurately reflect he cash flows of the partnership and the additional Common Units or other securities
issued in connection with such acquisition. In connection with an acquisition, the General Partner will be able to better determine
the future capital structure of the Partnership and the amounts of “distributable cash” that the Partnership may generate
in the future. The establishment of a revised target distribution rate may be accomplished by a reverse split of the number of
Partnership Common Units issued and outstanding and/or a reduction in the actual amount of the target distribution rate per Common
Unit.
In addition to its 2% General Partner interest,
the General Partner is currently the holder of incentive distribution rights which entitled the holder to an increasing portion
of cash distributions as described in the Partnership Agreement. As a result, cash distributions from the Partnership are shared
by the Unitholders and the General Partner based on a formula whereby the General Partner receives disproportionately more distributions
per percentage interest than the holders of the Common Units as annual cash distributions exceed certain milestones.
The General Partner has the right, at any
time when Unitholders have received distributions for each of the four most recently completed quarters and the amount of each
such distribution did not exceed the adjusted operating surplus of the Partnership for such quarter, to reset the minimum quarterly
distribution and the target distribution levels based on the average of the distributions actually made for the two most recent
quarters immediately preceding the reset election. Following a reset election, the minimum quarterly distribution will be adjusted
to equal the reset minimum quarterly distribution, and the target distribution levels will be reset to correspondingly higher levels
based on percentage increases above the reset minimum quarterly distribution.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE H – PARTNERS’
CAPITAL -
Continued
Distributions of Available Cash –
continued
If the General Partner elects to reset
the target distribution levels, the holder of the incentive distribution rights will be entitled to receive their proportionate
share of a number of Common Units derived by dividing (i) the average amount of cash distributions made by the Partnership for
the two full quarters immediately preceding the reset election by (ii) the average of the cash distributions made by the Partnership
in respect of each Common Unit for the same period. Our General Partner will also be issued the number of general partner units
necessary to maintain its 2% general partner’s interest in the Partnership that existed immediately prior to the reset election
at no cost to the General Partner. We anticipate that our General Partner would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate
acquisitions or internal growth projects that would not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per Common Unit without
such conversion. It is possible, however, that our General Partner could exercise this reset election at a time when it is experiencing,
or expects to experience, declines in the cash distributions it receives related to its incentive distribution rights and may,
therefore, desire to be issued Common Units rather than retain the right to receive distributions based on the initial target distribution
levels. This risk could be elevated if our incentive distribution rights have been transferred to a third party. As a result, a
reset election may cause our Unitholders to experience a reduction in the amount of cash distributions that they would have otherwise
received had we not issued new Common Units and general partner interests in connection with resetting the target distribution
levels. Additionally, our General Partner has the right to transfer our incentive distribution rights at any time, and such transferee
shall have the same rights as the General Partner relative to resetting target distributions if our General Partner concurs that
the tests for resetting target distributions have been fulfilled.
NOTE I — UNIT OPTIONS
Performance Warrants
On November 26, 2013, in connection with
the Closing of the CEGP Investment, the Partnership issued Performance Warrants to JLD and Mr. G. Thomas Graves III (“
Warrant
Purchasers
”), for consideration of $500.00 each. Each Performance Warrant, grants the holder thereof the right, but not
the obligation, to acquire up to 1,500,000 Common Units at a price of $0.093478, which was the average closing bid price for a
Common Unit as reported by the “Pink Sheets” published by Pink OTC Markets, Inc. for the 30-day period ended November
22, 2013, in the event the Partnership successfully completes one or more asset acquisition transactions, approved by the Board
of the General Partner (acting in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership), with an aggregate gross purchase price of
at least $20 million within 12 months after the Closing of the CEGP Investment. The Performance Warrants do not provide for any
anti-dilution protection of the Warrant Purchasers. Each Warrant Purchaser or its assigns is granted registration rights with respect
to the Common Units issuable upon exercise of a Performance Warrant. The Partnership will record the value of the Performance Warrants
upon such time as the milestones are achieved.
Incentive Plans
On March 9, 2005, the Board of Directors
of the General Partner (“
Board
”) approved the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (“
2005 Plan
”). The
2005 Plan permits the grant of common unit options, common unit appreciation rights, restricted Common Units and phantom Common
Units to any person who is an employee (including to any executive officer) or consultant of Central or the General Partner or
any affiliate of Central or the General Partner. The aggregate number of Common Units authorized for issuance as awards under the
2005 Plan was 750,000. The 2005 Plan shall remain available for the grant of awards until March 9, 2015, or such earlier date as
the Board of Directors may determine.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE I — UNIT OPTIONS -
Continued
Incentive Plans - continued
On March 20, 2013, the Board of Directors
of the General Partner (the “
Board
”), approved the entering into an employment agreement (“
Agreement
”)
with Mr. Ian T. Bothwell (“
Executive
”), Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the
General Partner and President of Regional (see Note J). The Board approved an amendment to the Agreement during December 2013.
Under the terms of the Agreement, the Executive was granted 200,000 Common Units of the Partnership under the 2005 Plan which vested
immediately upon such grant as set forth in a separate Unit Grant Agreement between the Executive and the General Partner.
In addition to any grants of Common Units
or other securities of the Partnership as the Compensation Committee of the Board may determine from time to time pursuant to one
or more of the General Partner’s benefit plans, the General Partner shall provide to the Executive one or more future grants
of Common Units upon the completion of an acquisition which gross amount shall exceed $35 million (“
Initial Acquisition
”),
equal to the number of common units determined by dividing (1) one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the gross amount paid for each
of the next one or more acquisitions completed by the Partnership and/or an affiliate of the Partnership during the term of the
Agreement, which gross amount shall not exceed $200 million (each an “
Acquisition
”), by (2) the average value
per common unit assigned to the equity portion of any consideration issued by the Partnership and/or an affiliate of the Partnership
to investors in connection with each Acquisition or the Initial Acquisition, whichever is lower, including any provisions for adjustment
to equity as offered to investors, if applicable (“
Contingent Unit Grant
”). The Common Units subject to issuance
above will be issued pursuant to a Unit Grant Agreement, which grant will be governed by the terms and conditions of the 2005 Plan
(or its successor). The right to receive the full amount of the Contingent Unit Grant will not terminate until fully issued, except
for certain instances as more fully described in the Agreement.
During December 2013, the Board authorized
the issuance of 187,500 Common Units to certain outside directors of the General Partner pursuant to the terms of the 2005 Plan
which will be effective upon the execution of unit grant agreements with each of the recipients. At December 31, 2013, the unit
grant agreements had not been finalized or executed by the recipients and there were 234,810 Common Units available for issuance
under the 2005 Plan.
On March 26, 2014, the Board authorized
and approved the 2014 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan of the Partnership (“
2014 Plan
”). The 2014 Plan
permits the grant of incentive and non-incentive Common Unit Options, Common Unit Appreciation Rights, Restricted Common Unit Grants,
Common Units, Common Unit Value Equivalents and Substitute Awards to employees and directors of the General Partner and any entity
in which the Partnership holds 50% or more of the equity interests, directly or indirectly, of such entity. In each case other
than a Restricted Common Unit award or a Common Unit award, the Compensation Committee may also grant the recipient of the award
the right to receive an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distributions associated with such Common Units. All awards, except
an outright grant of Common Units, is subject to forfeiture upon termination of an executive officer, employee or director for
any reason unless the Compensation Committee establishes other criteria in the grant of an award. The 2014 Plan authorizes the
issuance of up to 3,300,000 Common Units, subject to amendment to increase the amount of authorized Common Units. The plan provides
anti-dilution protection for the recipient of an award in the case of a reorganization, combination, exchange or extra-ordinary
distribution of Common Units, a merger, consolidation or combination of the Partnership with another entity, or a “change
of control” of the Partnership or the General Partner. The 2014 Plan shall remain in effect until December 31, 2023, unless
sooner terminated by the Board of the General Partner in accordance with its terms.
On March 26, 2014, the Board of the General
Partner approved an authorization by its Compensation Committee to issue Common Units totaling 225,000 and 112,500 under the 2005
Plan and the 2014 Plan, respectively, to certain directors of the General Partner in the form of Common Unit grants. In addition,
the Board approved an authorization by its Compensation Committee to issue non-qualified Common Unit options to each executive
officer of the General Partner under the 2014 Plan as compensation. The authorization entitles such executive officers to acquire
an aggregate of up to 1,200,000 Common Units. The options are to vest over a three-year period pro rata commencing on the first
anniversary date of the grant. Each of the Common Unit grants and the Common Unit options are effective on the date that agreements
for such grants and options are executed by the recipients and are to be priced at either (i) the closing price of Common Units
as quoted on the OTC Pink on the date of execution of such agreements or (ii) the average bid and asked price of the Common Units
as quoted on the OTC Pink on that date. As a result, 9,810 and 1,987,500 Common Units remain available for issuance under the
2005 Plan and 2014 Plan, respectively.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE I — UNIT OPTIONS -
Continued
Incentive Plans
- continued
Each of the 2005 Plan and the 2014 Plan
are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of the General Partner. In addition, the Board may exercise any authority
of the Compensation Committee under the 2005 Plan. The Compensation Committee has broad discretion in issuing awards under either
plan and amending or terminating either plan. Under the terms of the Partnership Agreement, no approval of either the 2005 Plan
or the 2014 Plan by the Limited Partners of the Partnership is required.
Options and Warrants Outstanding
A summary of the status of the Partnership’s
options and warrants for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013, and changes during the years ending on these dates are presented
below. There were no options or warrants granted during the year ended December 31, 2012. There were no options or warrants granted
during the year ended December 31, 2013, except for the Performance Warrants. The Partnership has not reflected the issuance of
the Performance Warrants below as the contingency associated with the exercise of the Performance Warrants still exists:
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2013
|
|
Options
|
|
Common Units
|
|
|
Weighted Average Exercise Price
|
|
|
Common Units
|
|
|
Weighted Average Exercise Price
|
|
Outstanding at beginning of year
|
|
|
13,542
|
|
|
$
|
16.66
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
$
|
-
|
|
Granted
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Exercised
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Expired
|
|
|
(13,542
|
)
|
|
$
|
16.66
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Outstanding at end of year
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
Options exercisable at end of year
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
-
|
|
______________
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Legal Proceedings
VOSH Actions
On July 25, 2005, an equipment failure
during the loading of nitric acid from a railcar to a tanker truck resulted in a release of nitric acid and injury to an employee
of Regional. Cleanup costs totaled approximately $380,000 in 2005 and were covered entirely by reimbursement from Regional’s
insurance carrier. Several lawsuits against Regional were filed by property owners in the area. All of these suits were settled
for an aggregate amount of $115,000, which was within insurance coverage limits. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry,
Occupational Safety and Health Compliance (“
VOSH
”) issued a citation against Regional on October 7, 2005 seeking
a fine of $4,500. Regional requested withdrawal of the citation and disputed the basis for the citation and the fine. On June 18,
2007, the Commissioner of Labor and Industry filed suit against Regional in the Circuit Court for the City of Hopewell for collection
of the unpaid fine. The citation arose from allegations that Regional had failed to evaluate properly the provision and use of
employer-supplied equipment. During September 2012, the Court dismissed the citations after a bench trial. In January 2013,
the final order in the matter was issued by the Court. VOSH did not request an appeal of the decision by the required due date.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
-
Continued
Legal Proceedings -
continued
VOSH Actions - continued
On November 27, 2005, an employee of Regional
died following inhalation of turpentine vapors. Under Virginia law, recovery by the deceased employee’s estate was limited
to a workers compensation claim, which was closed on April 20, 2007 for the amount of $11,000. The Virginia Department of Labor
and Industry, Occupational Safety and Health Compliance issued a citation against Regional on May 24, 2006 seeking a fine of $28,000.
Regional requested withdrawal of the citation and disputed the basis for the citation and the fine. The amount of the fine is not
covered by insurance. On June 18, 2007, the Commissioner of Labor and Industry for the Commonwealth of Virginia filed suit against
Regional in the Circuit Court for the City of Hopewell for collection of the unpaid fine. There were four citations involved in
the case referenced above.
One of the citations arose from the Commissioner's
allegations that Regional had exposed this employee to levels of hydrogen sulfide gas in excess of the levels permitted by applicable
regulations. Another citation arose from the Commissioner's allegations that Regional had not provided respiratory protection equipment
needed to protect this employee from hazards in the workplace. The other two citations arose from the Commissioner's allegations
that Regional had not evaluated the need for respiratory equipment in this work environment and had not evaluated the need to create
a confined-space permit entry system for the employee's work in taking a sample of turpentine from the top of the railcar. During
September 2012, the Court dismissed the first two citations after a bench trial. The Court subsequently dismissed the remaining
two citations. In April 2013, the final order in the matter was issued by the Court. VOSH did not request an appeal of the
decision by the required due date.
TransMontaigne Dispute
Rio Vista Operating Partnership L.P. (“
RVOP
”)
is a subsidiary of the Partnership which held liquid petroleum gas assets located in southern Texas and northern Mexico contributed
(“
LPG Assets
”) to it by Penn Octane Corporation upon formation of the Partnership. It sold all of the LPG Assets
to TransMontaigne in two separate transactions. The first transaction included the sale of substantially all of its U.S. assets,
including a terminal facility and refined products tank farm located in Brownsville, Texas and associated improvements, leases,
easements, licenses and permits, an LPG sales agreement and its LPG inventory in August 2006. In a separate transaction, RVOP sold
its remaining LPG Assets to affiliates of TransMontaigne, including Razorback L.L.C. (“
Razorback
”) and TMOC
Corp., in December 2007. These assets included the U.S. portion of two pipelines from the Brownsville terminal to the U.S. border
with Mexico, along with all associated rights-of-way and easements and all of the rights for indirect control of an entity owning
a terminal site in Matamoros, Mexico. The Purchase and Sale Agreement dated December 26, 2007 (“
Purchase and Sale Agreement
”)
between Razorback and RVOP provided for working capital adjustments and indemnification under certain circumstances.
In connection with previous demands for
indemnification by Razorback received by RVOP under the Purchase and Sale Agreement, RVOP and certain of its affiliated parties
(“
Seller Affiliates
”) and Razorback and certain of its affiliated parties (“
Buyer Affiliates
”)
executed a Compromise Settlement Agreement and General Release (“
Settlement Agreement
”) effective as of October
14, 2013. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, the Seller Affiliates paid $125,000 to Razorback in full satisfaction of
all claims asserted by Razorback or Buyer Affiliates against RVOP or Seller Affiliates as of the date of the Settlement Agreement
or any future claims that may be asserted by Razorback or any of the Buyer Affiliates against RVOP or any of the Seller’s
Affiliates other than the claim asserted against Razorback by Cardenas Development Co. (“
Cardenas Claim
”). RVOP
remains responsible for any Losses (as defined in the Settlement Agreement) resulting from the Cardenas Claim in an amount not
to exceed $50,000 (“
Contingent Payment
”). In connection with the Settlement Agreement, each of the parties released
each other from any other future claims that may arise as a result of the Purchase and Sale Agreement (except for the Contingent
Payment). For the year ended December 31, 2013, RVOP has recorded other income of approximately $108,000 representing the reduction
of accrued reserve amounts to reflect RVOP’s maximum remaining exposure under the Settlement Agreement of $50,000.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND
CONTINGENCIES -
Continued
Legal Proceedings –
continued
SGR Energy LLC
On July 1, 2013, Regional filed suit in
the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, “Regional Enterprises, Inc. v. SGR Energy, LLC, Civil
Action No. 3:13v418” (“
Litigation
”) in connection with SGR Energy, LLC’s (“
SGR
”)
failure to make the required payments due to Regional under the terms of a services agreement between the parties pursuant to which
Regional stored and transported product for SGR. In connection with the Litigation, Regional was seeking payment of all amounts
owing under the services agreement including the costs associated with removal of the product stored at Regional’s facilities
on behalf of SGR and the cleanup of the facilities as provided for under the terms of the services agreement.
On August 16, 2013, SGR filed an answer
and counterclaim to the Litigation (“
Counterclaim
”), which denied certain claims made by Regional in the Litigation
and made counter claims against Regional including, breach of contract and tortious interference with contract. SGR was seeking
actual and compensatory damages.
On August 20, 2013, Regional and SGR entered
into a Settlement and Mutual Release agreement (“Settlement Agreement”). Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement,
SGR agreed to make payments to Regional of all past due amounts in exchange for Regional agreeing to release the product from storage.
SGR also agreed to place proceeds to be received from the sale of the product in the amount of $290,000 (“
Escrow Amount
”)
into an escrow account to be distributed by an escrow agent (“
Escrow Agent
”) in accordance with the Settlement
Agreement.
The Escrow Amount was to be used to secure
SGR’s obligation to clean and vacate the tank by October 1, 2013 and the payment of the minimum rents as prescribed under
the services agreement, which provide for rents to continue until the time that SGR has satisfactorily completed the cleanup of
the facilities and vacated the tank. In connection with the Settlement Agreement, SGR and Regional agreed to dismiss the Litigation
and Counterclaim without prejudice by agreed stipulation. SGR did not make all of the payments required and did not clean and vacate
the tank as prescribed under the Settlement Agreement and the Escrow Agent did not distribute the Escrow Amount to Regional as
prescribed under the Settlement Agreement.
On October 15, 2013, Regional, SGR and
the Escrow Agent entered into a final settlement and mutual release agreement (“
Final Release
”) whereby the
parties agreed that Regional would receive $250,000 of the Escrow Amount and SGR would receive $40,000 of the Escrow Amount. In
addition, Regional agreed to be responsible for cleaning the tank, although SGR agreed that it would accept responsibility as the
generator of any wastes which were collected and disposed of in connection with the cleaning of the facilities and the services
agreement was terminated. Under the terms of the Final Release, all parties provided full releases to each other. The Escrow Amount
received by Regional was sufficient to cover all the costs required to complete the cleaning of the tank, all amounts owing from
SGR as of the date of the Final Release, and to pay the costs of litigation which Regional incurred in connection with the aforementioned
litigation.
Other
Central is involved with other proceedings,
lawsuits and claims in the ordinary course of its business. Central believes that the liabilities, if any, ultimately resulting
from such proceedings, lawsuits and claims should not materially affect its consolidated financial results.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
-
Continued
Terminal Operator Status of Regional
Facility
In May 2011, Regional was contacted by
the IRS regarding whether its Hopewell, Virginia facility would qualify as a “terminal operator” which handles “taxable
fuels” and accordingly is required to register through a submission of Form 637 to the IRS. Code Section 4101 provides that
a “fuel terminal operator” is a person that (a) operates a terminal or refinery within a foreign trade zone or within
a customs bonded storage facility or, (b) holds an inventory position with respect to a taxable fuel in such a terminal. In June
2011, an agent of the IRS toured the Hopewell, Virginia facility and notified the plant manager verbally that he thought the facility
did qualify as a “terminal operator.” As a result, even though Regional disagrees with the IRS agent’s analysis,
it elected to submit, under protest, to the IRS a Form 637 registration application in July 2011 to provide information about the
Hopewell facility. Regional believes that its Form 637 should be rejected by the IRS because (1) the regulations do not apply to
Regional’s facility, (2) the items stored do not meet the definition of a “taxable fuel” and (3) there were no
taxable fuels being stored or expected to be stored in the foreseeable future that would trigger the registration requirement.
Regional had not received a response with respect to its Form 637 submission or arguments that it is not subject to the Requirements.
During December 2012, Regional received
notification from IRS’ appeals unit (“
Appeals Unit
”) that the above matter was under review. A telephonic
meeting took place in January 2013 whereby the Appeal Unit determined that Regional did not meet the conditions of a terminal operator
which handled taxable fuels and that the matter was dismissed. During March 2013, Regional received formal notification from the
IRS that the matter was dismissed with no further action required by Regional. As indicated above, should Regional’s operations
in the future include activities which qualify Regional as a terminal operator which handles taxable fuels as defined in the Code,
Regional would be subject to additional administrative and filing requirements, although the costs associated with compliance are
not expected to be material and Regional would be subject to penalties for the failure to file timely with the IRS any future required
reports or forms.
Leases
Penske Truck Lease
Effective January 18, 2012, Regional entered
into a Vehicle Maintenance Agreement (“
Maintenance Agreement
”) with Penske Truck Leasing Co., L. P. (“
Penske
”)
for the maintenance of its owned tractor and trailer fleet. The Maintenance Agreement provides for (i) fixed servicing as described
in the agreement, which is basically scheduled maintenance, at the fixed monthly rate for tractors and for trailers and (ii) additional
requested services, such as tire replacement, mechanical repairs, physical damage repairs, tire replacement, towing and roadside
service and the provision of substitute vehicles, at hourly rates and discounts set forth in the agreement. Pricing for the fixed
services is subject to upward adjustment for each rise of at least one percent (1%) for the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers for the United States published by the United States Department of Labor. The term of the agreement is 36 months. Regional
is obligated to maintain liability insurance coverage on all vehicles naming Penske as a co-insured and indemnify Penske for any
loss it or its representatives may incur in excess of the insurance coverage. Penske has the right to terminate the Maintenance
Agreement for any breach by Regional upon 60 days written notice, including failure to pay timely all fees owing Penske, maintenance
of Regional’s insurance obligation or any other breach of the terms of the agreement. Regional, in certain instances, continues
to perform minor maintenance to its owned tractor and tanker fleet.
On February 17, 2012, Regional entered
into a Vehicle Lease Service Agreement with Penske for the purpose of leasing 20 new Volvo tractors (“
Leased Tractors
”)
to be acquired by Penske and leased to Regional, and the outsourcing of the maintenance of the Leased Tractors to Penske (“
Lease
Agreement
”). Under the terms of the Lease Agreement, Regional made a $90,000 deposit, the proceeds for which were obtained
from the sale of six of Regional’s owned tractors, and will pay a monthly lease fee per tractor and monthly maintenance charge
(“
Maintenance Charge
”) which is based on the actual miles driven by each Leased Tractor during each month. The
Maintenance Charge covers all scheduled maintenance, including tires, to keep the Leased Tractors in good repair and operating
condition.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
-
Continued
Leases
– continued
Penske Truck Lease - continued
Any replacement parts and labor for repairs
which are not ordinary wear and tear shall be in accordance with Penske fleet pricing, and such costs are subject to upward adjustment
on the same terms as set forth in the Maintenance Agreement. Penske is also obligated to provide roadside service resulting from
mechanical or tire failure. Penske will obtain all operating permits and licenses with respect to the use of the Leased Tractors
by Regional. In connection with the delivery of the Leased Tractors, Regional sold its remaining owned tractor fleet, except for
several owned tractor units which were retained to be used for terminal site logistics.
The term of the Lease Agreement is for
seven years. The Leased Tractors were delivered by Penske during May 2012 and June 2012. Under the terms of the Lease Agreement,
Regional (i) may acquire any or all of the Leased Tractors after the first anniversary date of the Lease Agreement based on the
non-depreciated value of the tractor and (ii) has the option after the first anniversary date of the Lease Agreement to terminate
the lease arrangement with respect to as many as five of the Leased Tractors based on a documented downturn in business. On May
31, 2013, Regional notified Penske of its intent to terminate the lease arrangement effective June 15, 2013, for five Leased Tractors
as provided in the Lease Agreement due to a decline in Regional’s transportation business.
As a result of this partial termination,
Regional now leases 15 tractors pursuant to the Lease Agreement. Regional is obligated to maintain liability insurance coverage
on all vehicles covered by the Lease Agreement on the same basis as in the Lease Agreement.
The Lease Agreement can be terminated by
Penske upon an “event of default” by Regional. An event of default includes (i) failure by Regional to pay timely any
lease charges when due or maintain insurance coverage as required by the Lease Agreement, (ii) any representation or warranty of
Regional is incorrect in any material respect, (iii) Regional fails to remedy any non-performance under the agreement within five
(5) days of written notice from Penske, (iv) Regional or any guarantor of its obligations becomes insolvent, makes a bulk transfer
or other transfer of all or substantially all of its assets or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors or (v) Regional
files for bankruptcy protection or any other proceeding providing for the relief of debtors.
Penske may institute legal action to enforce
the Lease Agreement or, with or without terminating the Lease Agreement, take immediate possession of the Leased Tractors wherever
located or, upon five (5) days written notice to Regional, either require Regional to purchase any or all of the Leased Tractors
or
make the “alternative payment” described below. In addition, Regional is obligated to pay all lease charges
for all such Leased Tractors accrued and owing through the date of the notice from Penske as described above. Penske’s ability
to require Regional to purchase the Leased Tractors or make the “alternative payment” would place a substantial financial
burden on Regional.
The Lease Agreement can also be terminated
by either party upon 120 days written notice to the other party as to any Leased Tractor subject to the agreement on any annual
anniversary of such tractor’s in-service date. Upon termination of the Lease Agreement by either party, Regional shall, at
Penske’s option, either acquire the Leased Tractor that is the subject of the notice at the non-depreciated value of such
tractor, or pay Penske the “alternative payment.” The “alternative payment” is defined in the Lease Agreement
as the difference, if any, between the fair market value of the Leased Tractor and such tractor’s “depreciated Schedule
A value” ($738 per month commencing on the in-service date of such tractor). If the Lease Agreement is terminated by Penske
and Regional is not then in default under any term of the Lease Agreement, Regional is not obligated to either acquire the Leased
Tractor that is the subject of the termination or pay Penske the “alternative payment” as described above.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
–
Continued
Leases
– continued
Other
Regional has several leases for parking
and other facilities which are short-term in nature and can be terminated by the lessors or Regional upon giving sixty days’
notice of cancellation. Rent expense for all operating leases was $337,000 and $454,000 for the years ended December 31, 2012 and
2013, respectively.
Tank Storage and Terminal Services Agreements
On November 30, 2000, Regional renewed
a Storage and Product Handling Agreement with a customer with an effective date of December 1, 2000 (“
Asphalt Agreement
”).
The Asphalt Agreement provides for the pricing, terms and conditions under which the customer will purchase terminal services and
facility usage from Regional for the storage and handling of the customer’s asphalt products. The Asphalt Agreement was amended
on October 15, 2002 with an effective date of December 1, 2002 (“
Amended Asphalt Agreement
”). The term of the
Amended Asphalt Agreement was five years with an option by the customer for an additional five-year renewal term, which the customer
exercised in July 2007. After the additional five-year term, the Amended Asphalt Agreement has been renewed automatically for successive
one-year terms through November 30, 2013. During July 2013, Regional provided written notice in accordance with the Asphalt Agreement
that it did not intend to renew the Asphalt Agreement under the existing terms.
On March 19, 2012, one of the storage tanks
(“
Storage Tank
”) leased under the Amended Asphalt Agreement was discovered to have a leak. During April 2012,
after removal of the existing product from the Storage Tank, the customer of the Storage Tank was notified by Regional that the
Storage Tank was no longer available for use until necessary repairs were completed. During the year ended December 31, 2012 and
December 31, 2013, Regional recorded losses of approximately $238,000 and $75,000, respectively (“
Asphalt Loss
”)
in connection with the leak. Lost revenue with respect to the Storage Tank totaled approximately $200,000 and $250,000 during the
years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013, respectively. The repairs of the Storage Tank were completed and the tank became operational
during November 2013. Regional’s insurance providers have notified Regional that the incident did not fall within insurance
coverage limits.
On October 31, 2013, Regional and a new
customer entered into an agreement (“
New Asphalt Agreement
”) with a commencement date of December 1, 2013 or
the date that Regional completes certain rail upgrades as more fully described in the New Asphalt Agreement, whichever was later.
The New Asphalt Agreement provides for the pricing, terms and conditions under which the customer will purchase terminal services
and facility usage from Regional for the storage and handling of the customer’s asphalt products. In connection with the
New Asphalt Agreement, Regional will be required to fund during the first nine months of the New Asphalt Agreement up to $465,000
for refurbishments of certain assets currently idle and modifications to the existing facilities to provide for greater efficiencies
and extended logistical capabilities. The term of the New Asphalt Agreement is four years from the commencement date and automatically
extends for additional 2-year periods unless either party provides 180 days written notice to cancel. During the term of the New
Asphalt Agreement, Regional agrees to provide up to five storage tanks and certain related equipment, including rail siding, to
the customer on an exclusive basis as well as access to Regional’s barge docking facility. The New Asphalt Agreement commenced
on January 1, 2014.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
–
Continued
Tank Storage and Terminal Services Agreements
- continued
On November 16, 1998, Regional renewed
a Terminal Agreement with a customer with an effective date of November 1, 1998, as amended on April 5, 2001, October 11, 2001
and August 1, 2003 (“
Fuel Oil Agreement
”). The Fuel Oil Agreement provided for the pricing, terms and conditions
under which Regional provided terminal facilities and services to the customers for the delivery of fuel oil. Pursuant to the Fuel
Oil Agreement, Regional agreed to provide three storage tanks, certain related pipelines and equipment, and at least two tractor
tankers to the customer on an exclusive basis, as well as access to Regional’s barge docking facility. Under the terms of
the Fuel Oil Agreement, the customer paid an annual tank rental plus a product transportation fee calculated on a per 100 gallon
basis, each subject to annual adjustment for inflation. Regional agreed to deliver a minimum daily quantity of fuel oil on behalf
of the customer. During December 2008, the customer and Regional negotiated a new Fuel Oil Agreement whereby Regional was only
required to provide two storage tanks through May 2009 and one storage tank through November 30, 2011, which was subsequently extended
through February 28, 2014. In addition, under the new Fuel Oil Agreement, the customer paid an annual tank rental plus a product
transportation fee calculated on a per gallon basis, each subject to annual adjustment for inflation.
On September 27, 2007, Regional entered
into a terminal agreement with a customer with an effective date of June 1, 2008 and an expiration date of May 30, 2013 (“
Hydroxide
Agreement
”). The Hydroxide Agreement provided for the pricing, terms, and conditions under which Regional will provide
terminal facilities and services to the customer for the receipt, storage and distribution of sodium hydroxide. On May 21, 2013,
the Hydroxide Agreement was extended to August 31, 2013. On July 11, 2013, the parties entered into a new terminal agreement effective
June 28, 2013 and an expiration date of June 27, 2016, subject to being automatically renewed in one-year increments unless terminated
upon 120 days advance written notice by either party (“
New Hydroxide Agreement
”). Under the terms of the New
Hydroxide Agreement, either party may cancel the agreement at any time by providing 120 days advance written notice after the one
year anniversary of the effective date.
Pursuant to the New Hydroxide Agreement,
Regional agrees to provide two storage tanks, certain related pipelines and equipment, as well as access to Regional’s barge
docking and rail facilities. In exchange for use of Regional’s facilities and services, the customer pays an annual fixed
tank rental fee and variable fees based on excess of certain minimum levels of thru-put, plus a product transportation fee calculated
on a per run basis, each subject to annual adjustment for inflation. Regional also contracts with this customer to provide other
transportation and trans-loading services of specialty chemicals.
On March 1, 2012, Regional entered into
a services agreement with a customer with an effective date of March 1, 2012 and a termination date of February 28, 2015, subject
to being automatically renewed in one-year increments unless terminated upon 180 days advance written notice by either party (“SGR
Agreement”). The SGR Agreement provided for the pricing, terms, and conditions under which Regional would provide terminal
facilities and services to the customer for the receipt, storage and distribution of No. 6 oil. Pursuant to the SGR Agreement,
Regional provided one storage tank, certain related pipelines and equipment, necessary tractor tankers, as well as access to Regional’s
barge docking and rail facilities. In exchange for use of Regional’s facilities and services, the customer paid an annual
tank rental amount, plus loading and unloading fees. As part of the lease, Regional insulated the tank and made other modifications
to the tank and barge line. During October 2013, the SGR Agreement was terminated (see Note J – Legal Proceedings –
SGR Energy LLC).
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
–
Continued
Tank Storage and Terminal Services Agreements
-
continued
During January 1, 2013, Regional entered
into a services agreement with a customer with an effective date of January 1, 2013 and a termination date of December 31, 2015
(“Asphalt Additive Agreement”). The customer has the sole discretion to extend the term of the Asphalt Additive Agreement
prior to expiration for up to two successive one-year terms upon providing Regional 90 days advance written notice prior to expiration
of the Asphalt Additive Agreement. The Asphalt Additive Agreement provides for the pricing, terms, and conditions under which Regional
will provide terminal facilities and services to the customer for the receipt, storage and distribution of an asphalt additive.
Pursuant to the agreement, Regional agrees to provide one storage tank, certain related pipelines and equipment, necessary tractor
tankers, as well as access to Regional’s barge docking and rail facilities. In exchange for use of Regional’s facilities
and services, the customer pays an annual tank rental amount, plus loading and unloading fees.
During November 2013, Regional entered
into a services agreement with a customer with an effective date of November 1, 2013 and a termination date of April 30, 2014 (“Second
Asphalt Additive Agreement”). The Second Asphalt Additive Agreement automatically renews for 90 days unless either party
provides 60 days written notice to terminate prior to expiration. The Second Asphalt Additive Agreement provides for the pricing,
terms, and conditions under which Regional will provide terminal facilities and services to the customer for the receipt, storage
and distribution of an asphalt additive. Pursuant to the agreement, Regional agrees to provide one storage tank, certain related
pipelines and equipment, necessary tractor tankers, as well as access to Regional’s barge docking and rail facilities. In
exchange for use of Regional’s facilities and services, the customer pays an annual tank rental amount, plus loading and
unloading fees. In connection with the Second Asphalt Additive Agreement, Regional has the right of first refusal to provide trucking
services to the customer, provided Regional’s rates are competitive.
Employment Agreements
Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba and Carter R.
Montgomery
During December 2010, the Board of Directors
of the General Partner approved employment agreements with each of Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba and Carter R. Montgomery, Executive
Officers of the General Partner. The general terms of the employment agreements, which are essentially identical, include:
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the term of employment is for a period of three years unless terminated, renegotiated and/or the occurrence of an event as
more fully described in the employment agreements;
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each employee will serve as executives of the General Partner;
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each employee will receive an annual salary of $80,000 which may be adjusted upward from time to time as determined by the
Board of Managers (commencing in 2011);
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each employee may receive bonuses, commissions or other discretionary compensation payments, if any, as the Board of Managers
may determine to award from time to time;
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each employee shall be entitled to five weeks of paid vacation during each 12 month period of employment beginning upon the
effective date of the Employment Agreements;
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each employee will be entitled to other customary benefits including participation in pension plans, health benefit plans and
other compensation plans as provided by the General Partner; and
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CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
-
Continued
Employment Agreements
- continued
Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba and Carter R.
Montgomery - continued
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the employment agreements terminate (a) upon death, (b) at any time upon notice from the General Partner for cause as more
fully defined in the employment agreements, (c) by the General Partner, without cause, upon 30 days advance notice to employee,
or (d) by the employee at any time for Good Reason (as more fully defined in the employment agreements) or (e) without Good Reason
(as more fully defined in the employment agreements) upon 30 days advance notice to the General Partner.
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In the event the employee was terminated
pursuant to clauses (c) and (d) above and/or the General Partner provided written notice of its intention not to renew the employment
agreements, then the employee was entitled to receive among other things, (i) all accrued and unpaid salary, expenses, vacation,
bonuses and incentives awarded prior to termination date (and all non-vested benefits shall become immediately vested), (ii) severance
pay equal to 36 months times the employee’s current base monthly salary and (iii) for a period of 24 months following termination,
continuation of all employee benefit plans and health insurance as provided prior to termination.
Effective November 1, 2011, Messrs. Anbouba
and Montgomery, executive officers of the General Partner, agreed to forego any further compensation until such time as the General
Partner completed its plan for recapitalizing the Partnership and obtaining sufficient funds needed to conduct its operations.
The Partnership has also failed to reimburse expenses to Messrs. Anbouba and Montgomery since September 2011.
In connection with the CEGP Investment,
as a condition to Closing, Messrs. Imad K. Anbouba, Chief Executive Officer and President of the General Partner, and Carter R.
Montgomery, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development of the General Partner, executed a general release of claims in favor
of the General Partner in exchange for the payment of (1) 20% of the accrued but unpaid salaries and business expenses of
Messrs. Anbouba and Montgomery and (2) the severance payment of $240,000 owed to each such officer under the terms of their
respective employment agreements in the event of a “change of control” event.
Mr. Daniel P. Matthews
On November 22, 2011, Regional Enterprises,
Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Partnership, entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Daniel P. Matthews, Vice President
and General Manager of Regional (Employee). The general provisions of the employment agreement (Agreement) include:
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the term of employment is for a period of three years unless terminated as more fully described in the Agreement; provided,
that on the third anniversary and each annual anniversary thereafter, the Agreement shall be deemed to be automatically extended,
upon the same terms and conditions, for successive periods of one year, unless either party provides written notice of its intention
not to extend the term of the Agreement at least 90 days’ prior to the applicable renewal date;
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the Employee will serve as Vice President and General Manager of Regional;
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For each calendar year of the employment term, Employee shall be eligible to receive a discretionary bonus to be determined
by Regional’s Board of Directors in its sole and absolute discretion (Annual Bonus). In addition, the Employee shall earn
an anniversary bonus (Anniversary Bonus) equal to $200 for each year that the Employee has served as an employee of Regional;
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CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
-
Continued
Employment Agreements
–
continued
Mr. Daniel P. Matthews -continued
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the Employee will receive an annual salary of $150,000 (Base Salary) which may be adjusted from time to time as determined
by the Board of Directors of Regional;
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the Employee shall be entitled to four weeks of paid vacation during each 12-month period of employment beginning upon the
effective date of the Agreement;
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the Employee will be entitled to other customary benefits including participation in pension plans, health benefit plans and
other compensation plans as provided by Regional; and
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the Agreement terminates (a) upon death, (b) at any time upon notice from Regional for cause as more fully defined in the Agreement,
(c) by Regional, without cause, upon 15 days advance notice to Employee, or (d) by the Employee at any time for Good Reason (as
more fully defined in the Agreement) or (e) by Employee without Good Reason (as more fully defined in the Agreement) upon 15 days
advance notice to Regional.
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In the event that the parties decide not
to renew the Agreement, Regional terminates the Agreement for cause or the Employee terminates the Agreement without good reason,
the Employee shall be entitled to receive all accrued and unpaid salary, expenses, vacation, bonuses and incentives awarded prior
to the termination date (Accrued Amounts). In the event the Employee is terminated pursuant to clauses (c) and (d) in the last
bullet point above, then the Employee shall be entitled to receive the Accrued amounts together with (i) severance pay equal to
two (2) times the sum of (1) the Employee’s Base Salary in the year in which the termination date occurs and (2) the amount
of the Annual and Anniversary Bonus for the year prior to the year in which the termination date occurs and (ii) for a period of
up to 18 months following termination, continuation of all employee benefit plans and health insurance as provided prior to termination.
The Agreement also contains restrictions
on the use of “confidential information” during and after the term of the Agreement and restrictive covenants that
survive the termination of the Agreement including (i) a covenant not to compete, (ii) a non-solicitation covenant with respect
to employees and customers and (iii) a non-disparagement covenant, all as more fully described in the Agreement.
Mr. Ian T. Bothwell
On March 20, 2013, the Board approved an
employment agreement with Mr. Ian T. Bothwell, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the General Partner
and President of Regional (“
Executive
”). The general provisions of the employment agreement (“
Agreement
”)
include:
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the term of employment is for a period of two years unless terminated as more fully described in the Agreement; provided, that
on the second anniversary and each annual anniversary thereafter, the Agreement shall be deemed to be automatically extended, upon
the same terms and conditions, for successive periods of one year, unless either party provides written notice of its intention
not to extend the term of the Agreement at least 90 days’ prior to the applicable renewal date;
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the Executive will serve as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the General Partner and President
of Regional;
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CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
–
Continued
Employment Agreements
– continued
Mr. Ian T. Bothwell -Continued
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the Executive will receive an annual salary of $275,000 (“
Base Salary
”) which may be adjusted from time
to time as determined by the Board of Directors of the General Partner (as more fully described in the Agreement, Regional will
pay a minimum of 75% of the Base Salary);
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for each calendar year of the employment term, the Executive shall be eligible to receive a discretionary bonus to be determined
by the General Partner’s Board of Directors in its sole and absolute discretion;
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the Executive shall be entitled to five weeks of paid vacation during each 12-month period of employment beginning upon the
effective date of the Agreement;
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the Executive will be entitled to other customary benefits including participation in pension plans, health benefit plans and
other compensation plans as provided by the General Partner;
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the Agreement terminates (a) upon death, (b) at any time upon notice from the General Partner for cause as more fully defined
in the Agreement, (c) by the General Partner, without cause, upon 15 days advance notice to the Executive, or (d) by the Executive
at any time for Good Reason (as more fully defined in the Agreement) or (e) by Executive without Good Reason (as more fully defined
in the Agreement) upon 15 days advance notice to the General Partner;
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the Executive will be granted 200,000 Common Units of the Partnership under the General Partner’s 2005 Plan which shall
vest immediately upon such grant as set forth in a separate Unit Grant Agreement between the Executive and the General Partner.
All of the terms and conditions of such grant shall be governed by the terms and conditions of the 2005 Plan and the Unit Grant
Agreement; and
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in addition to any grants of Common Units or other securities of the Partnership as the Compensation Committee of the Board
may determine from time to time pursuant to one or more of the Partnership’s benefit plans, the General Partner shall provide
to the Executive one or more future grants of Common Units (“
Contingent Grants
”) of the Partnership equal to
the number of common units determined by dividing (1) one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the gross amount paid for each of the
next one or more acquisitions completed by the Partnership, and/or an affiliate of the Partnership during the term of this Agreement,
which gross amount shall not exceed $100 million (each an “Acquisition”), by (2) the average value per common unit
assigned to the equity portion of any consideration issued by the Partnership and/or an affiliate of the Partnership to investors
in connection with each Acquisition including any provisions for adjustment to equity as offered to investors, if applicable.
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In the event the General Partner does not
extend this Agreement after the second anniversary date of this Agreement for any reason other than as provided in the Agreement,
the Partnership shall issue to Executive the number of Common Units of the Partnership determined by dividing (1) the amount calculated
by multiplying three-quarters of one percent (0.75%) times the sum determined by subtracting the gross amount paid for each of
the Acquisitions completed by the Partnership and/or an affiliate of the Partnership during the term of Executive’s employment
by the General Partner from $100 million by (2) the average value per Common Unit assigned to the equity portion of any consideration
issued by the Partnership and/or an Affiliate of the Partnership to investors in connection with each Acquisition including any
provisions for adjustment to equity as offered to investors, if applicable. The Common Units subject to issuance under this bullet
point will be issued pursuant to a Unit Grant Agreement, which grant will be governed by the terms and conditions of the 2005 Plan
(or its successor) and the Unit Grant Agreement.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
–
Continued
Employment Agreements
– continued
Mr. Ian T. Bothwell -Continued
The right to receive the Common Units pursuant
to this bullet point will not terminate until fully issued in the event the Executive is (a) terminated by the General Partner
without Cause, (b) the Executive resigns for Good Reason, (c) due to a termination resulting from Change in Control of the General
Partner, or (d) a termination resulting from Death or Disability of the Executive as more fully described in the Agreement. All
Common Units issued pursuant to this bullet point will be registered pursuant to a Form S-8 registration statement to be filed
by the Partnership or an amendment to the current Form S-8 registration statement on file with the SEC if still deemed effective
by the SEC.
In the event that the parties decide not
to renew the Agreement, the General Partner terminates the Agreement for cause or the Executive terminates the Agreement without
good reason, the Executive shall be entitled to receive all accrued and unpaid salary, expenses, vacation, bonuses and incentives
awarded prior to the termination date (Accrued Amounts). In the event the Executive is terminated pursuant to clauses (a), (b)
and (c) in the last bullet point above, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued amounts together with (i) severance
pay equal to two (2) times the sum of (1) the Executive’s Base Salary in the year in which the termination date occurs and
(2) the amount of the Annual and Anniversary Bonus for the year prior to the year in which the termination date occurs and (ii)
for a period of up to 18 months following termination, continuation of all employee benefit plans and health insurance as provided
prior to termination. The Agreement also contains restrictions on the use of “confidential information” during and
after the term of the Agreement and restrictive covenants that survive the termination of the Agreement including (i) a covenant
not to compete, (ii) a non-solicitation covenant with respect to employees and customers and (iii) a non-disparagement covenant,
all as more fully described in the Agreement.
On December 19, 2013, the Board of the
General Partner approved an amendment to the Agreement which provided for the following:
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The right to receive the Contingent Grant will occur only after the Partnership has completed one
or more Acquisitions in which the gross purchase price exceeds $35 million.
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An increase of the gross amount of Acquisitions to be used in calculating the Contingent Grant
from $100 million to $200 million.
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·
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The Executive’s right to receive the full amount of the Contingent Grant will not terminate
until fully issued, except where Executive is terminated for “cause” as defined in the amendment.
|
|
·
|
The Executive shall receive an amount of $40,769 by December 14, 2014 in connection with interest
owed for past due advances made to Regional by Executive to cover operating expenses, which advances were paid to Executive in
connection with the CEGP Investment.
|
|
·
|
The Executive shall defer 25% of his base annual salary until each anniversary date of the Agreement
at which time such amount shall be paid in full.
|
On January 1, 2012, the Chief Financial
Officer of the General Partner ceased receiving compensation. During June 2012, the Chief Financial Officer of the General Partner
began receiving a portion of his ongoing monthly salary. The Partnership had also failed to reimburse expenses to the Chief Financial
Officer since September 2011. In connection with the CEGP Investment, as a condition to Closing, the Chief Financial Officer received
a payment for all accrued but unpaid salary and business expenses through the date of Closing, as well as all accrued and unpaid
office rent associated with the agreement between the General Partner and Rover Technologies, LLC, an affiliate of the Chief Financial
Officer, for the lease of office space in Manhattan Beach, California, where he resides.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
–
Continued
Employment Agreements
– continued
Payment of Compensation
Since the closing of the CEGP Investment,
Messrs. Denman and other executive officers of the General Partner have agreed to forego receipt of any compensation as a result
of concerns over the Partnership’s and the General Partner’s available cash resources. In addition, during December
2013, the Chief Financial Officer of the General Partner agreed to have a portion of his annual salary paid on each anniversary
of his employment agreement. Management intends to resume compensation to the executive officers at such time as there are sufficient
funds from operations to make such payments or a recapitalization of the Partnership, in connection with an acquisition, is accomplished.
Central has looked at several different financing scenarios to date, each involving the acquisition of additional assets, to meet
its future capital needs. None of these acquisitions has been successfully completed. Management continues to seek acquisition
opportunities for Central to expand its assets and generate additional cash from operations.
Partnership Tax Treatment
The Partnership is not a taxable entity
for U.S. tax purposes (see below) and incurs no U.S. federal income tax liability. Regional is a corporation and as such is subject
to U.S. federal and state corporate income tax. Each Unitholder of the Partnership is required to take into account that Unitholder’s
share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the Partnership in computing that Unitholder’s federal income tax liability,
even if no cash distributions are made to the Unitholder by Partnership. Distributions by Partnership to a Unitholder are generally
not taxable unless the amount of cash distributed is in excess of the Unitholder’s adjusted basis in Partnership.
Central believes that a portion of Regional’s
income could be considered as “qualifying income”. Central believes that income derived from the storage of asphalt,
No. 2 Oil, No. 6 Oil, Fuel Blend, and/or asphalt additives could constitute “qualifying income.” Central may explore
options regarding the reorganization of some or all of its Regional assets into a more efficient tax structure to take advantage
of the tax savings that could result from the “qualified income” being generated at the Partnership level rather than
at the Regional level. Central will evaluate the potential alternatives to determine the most efficient tax structure and operational
feasibility of such proposed changes before determining whether any of Regional’s assets will be reorganized to the Partnership
level.
Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code
(Code) provides that publicly traded partnerships shall, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations despite the fact that they
are not classified as corporations under Section 7701 of the Code. Section 7704 of the Code provides an exception to this general
rule for a publicly traded partnership if 90% or more of its gross income for every taxable year consists of “qualifying
income” (“Qualifying Income Exception”). For purposes of this exception, “qualifying income” includes
income and gains derived from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation (including
pipelines and ships) or marketing of any mineral or natural resource. Other types of “qualifying income” include interest
(other than from a financial business or interest based on profits of the borrower), dividends, real property rents, gains from
the sale of real property, including real property held by one considered to be a “dealer” in such property, and gains
from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes “qualifying
income”. Non qualifying income which is held and taxed through a taxable entity (such as Regional), is excluded from the
calculation in determining whether the publicly traded partnership meets the qualifying income test. The Partnership estimates
that more than 90% of its gross income (excluding Regional) was “qualifying income.”
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE J — COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
–
Continued
Partnership Tax Treatment
- continued
No ruling has been or will be sought from
the IRS and the IRS has made no determination as to the Partnership’s classification as a partnership for federal income
tax purposes or whether the Partnership’s operations generate a minimum of 90% of “qualifying income” under Section
7704 of the Code.
If the Partnership was classified as a
corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, the Partnership’s
items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on the Partnership’s tax return rather than being passed
through to the Partnership’s Unitholders, and the Partnership’s net income would be taxed at corporate rates.
If the Partnership was treated as a corporation
for federal income tax purposes, the Partnership would pay tax on income at corporate rates, which is currently a maximum of 35%.
Distributions to Unitholders would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions, and no income, gains, losses, or deductions
would flow through to the Unitholders. Because a tax would be imposed upon the Partnership as a corporation, the cash available
for distribution to Unitholders would be substantially reduced and the Partnership’s ability to make minimum quarterly distributions
would be impaired. Consequently, treatment of the Partnership as a corporation would result in a material reduction in the anticipated
cash flow and after-tax return to Unitholders and therefore would likely result in a substantial reduction in the value of the
Partnership’s Common Units.
Current law may change so as to cause the
Partnership to be taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject the Partnership to entity-level
taxation. The Partnership Agreement provides that, if a law is enacted or existing law is modified or interpreted in a manner that
subject the Partnership to taxation as a corporation or otherwise subjects the Partnership to entity-level taxation for federal,
state or local income tax purposes, then the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution amount will be adjusted
to reflect the impact of that law on the Partnership.
NOTE K — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The General Partner has a legal duty to
manage the Partnership in a manner beneficial to the Partnership’s Unitholders.
However, the General Partner also
has a legal duty to manage its affairs in a manner that benefit its members. This can create a conflict of interest between the
Unitholders of the Partnership and the members of the General Partner. The Partnership Agreement provides certain requirements
for the resolution of conflicts, but also limits the liability and reduces the fiduciary duties of the General Partner to the Unitholders.
The Partnership Agreement also restricts the remedies available to Unitholders for actions that might otherwise constitute breaches
of the General Partner’s fiduciary duty.
Advances from General Partner
During the year ended December 31,
2011 and the nine months ended September 30, 2012, the General Partner made cash advances to the Partnership of $955,000 and $30,000,
respectively, for the purpose of funding working capital.
On September 14, 2012, a Super-Majority
of the Members, as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the General Partner, dated
April 12, 2011, as amended (“
Agreement
”), approved the issuance and sale by the General Partner of 12,000 additional
Membership Interests of the General Partner (“
Additional Interests
”) at a purchase price of $50.00 per unit,
pursuant to Sections 3.2(a) and 6.13(a) of the Agreement (“
GP Sale
”). The Additional Interests were purchased
by all the existing members of the General Partner, except 144 units offered to one existing member (“
Unsubscribed Units
”),
in accordance with their pro rata ownership of the General Partner. In accordance with the Agreement, the General Partner offered
the Unsubscribed Units to those members whom participated in the GP Sale for which those members also purchased their pro rata
portion of the Unsubscribed Units.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE K — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
–
Continued
Advances from General Partner
-
continued
As of December
31, 2012 and June 30, 2013, $434,000 and $73,000, respectively, of the net proceeds from the GP Sale, which totaled $507,000 (after
the offset of $93,000 of prior advances from Messrs. Anbouba and Montgomery that were applied towards their purchase price amounts
due in connection with the GP Sale) were used by the General Partner to fund working capital requirements of Central, including
the payment of certain outstanding obligations.
In connection with the Stand-Still Payments
and the proceeds received at Closing totaling $2,750,000 (see note H – General Partner Interest), the General Partner has
advanced approximately $1,392,000 through December 31, 2013 to fund working capital requirements of Central, including the payment
of certain outstanding obligations
All funds
advanced to the Partnership by the General Partner since November 17, 2010 have been treated as a loan pursuant to the terms
of
an intercompany demand promissory note effective March 1, 2012, and amended during March 2014. The intercompany demand note provides
for advances from time to time by the General Partner to the Partnership of up to $4,000,000. Repayment of such advances, together
with accrued and unpaid interest, is to be made in 12 substantially equal quarterly installments starting with the quarter ended
March 31, 2017. The note bears interest at the imputed rate of the IRS for medium term notes. The rate at December 1, 2013 was
1.63% per annum and such rate is adjusted monthly by the IRS under IRB 625. At December 31, 2013, the total amount owed to the
General Partner by the Partnership, including accrued interest, was $3,000,000.
Intercompany Loans and Receivables
Regional Acquisition Funding
In connection with the Regional acquisition,
on July 26, 2007 Regional issued to the Partnership a promissory note in the amount of $2,500,000 (“
Central Promissory
Note
”) in connection with the remaining funding needed to complete the acquisition of Regional. Interest on the Central
Promissory Note is 10% annually and such interest is payable quarterly. The Central Promissory Note is due on demand. Regional
has not made an interest payment on the Central Promissory Note since its inception. Interest is accruing but unpaid. The balance
on the note at December 31, 2013 is $4,109,000. The payment of this amount is subordinated to the payment of the Hopewell Note
by Regional.
Allocated Expenses Charged to Subsidiary
Regional is charged for direct expenses
paid by the Partnership on its behalf, as well as its share of allocable overhead for expenses incurred by the Partnership which
are indirectly attributable for Regional related activities. For the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2013, Regional recorded
allocable expenses of $386,000 and $287,000, respectively.
Other Advances
In addition to the Central Promissory Note,
there have been other intercompany net advances made from time to time from the Partnership and/or RVOP to Regional, including
the $1.0 million advanced by the Partnership to Regional in connection with the third amendment to the RZB Loan Agreement and allocations
of corporate expenses, offset by actual cash payments made by Regional to the Partnership and/or RVOP. These intercompany amounts
were historically evidenced by book entries. Effective March 1, 2012, Regional and the Partnership entered into an intercompany
demand promissory note incorporating all advances made as of December 31, 2010 and since that date. The note bears interest at
the rate of 10% annually from January 1, 2011. At December 31, 2013, the intercompany balance owed by Regional to the Partnership
and/or RVOP is approximately $2,068,000, which includes interest. This amount is due to the Partnership and RVOP on demand; however,
as is the case with the Central Promissory Note, payment of these amounts is also subordinated to payment of the Hopewell Note
by Regional.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE K — RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
–
Continued
Reimbursement Agreements
Effective November 17, 2010, the Partnership
moved its principal executive offices to Dallas, Texas. Pursuant to a month-to-month Reimbursement Agreement, from November 2010
through December 2013, the Partnership reimbursed AirNow Compression Systems, LTD (“
Airnow
”), an affiliate
of Imad K. Anbouba, the General Partner’s Chief Executive Officer and President until November 2013 for the monthly payment
of allocable “overhead costs,” which included rent, utilities, telephones, office equipment and furnishings attributable
to the space utilized by employees of the General Partner. Effective December 31, 2013, in connection with the CEGP Investment
and the resulting change in control of the General Partner, the Partnership moved its principal executive offices to another office
location within Dallas, Texas that is leased from Katy Resources LLC (“
Katy
”), an entity controlled by C Thomas
Graves III, the Chairman of the Board of the General Partner. As a result, the Reimbursement Agreement with Airnow was terminated
and the Partnership entered into a new reimbursement agreement with Katy on a month to month basis for reimbursement of allocable
“overhead costs” and can be terminated by either party on 30 day’s advance written notice. Effective January
1, 2011, the Partnership entered into an identical agreement with Rover Technologies LLC, a limited liability company affiliated
with Ian Bothwell, the General Partner’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, located in Manhattan
Beach, California. Mr. Bothwell is a resident of California and lives in Manhattan Beach. Since June 2012, Regional has been directly
charged for its allocated portion of Rover Technologies LLC’s expenses. In connection with the CEGP Investment, the Partnership
reimbursed Rover Technologies LLC for the outstanding unpaid overhead costs as of the date of the CEGP Investment.
NOTE L — REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENTS
Effective August 1, 2011, the Partnership
and the limited partners of Central Energy, LP executed a Registration Rights Agreement. The Registration Rights Agreement provides
the limited partners of Central Energy, LP with shelf registration rights and piggyback registration rights, with certain restrictions,
for the Common Units held by them (“
Registrable Securities
”). The Partnership was required to file a “shelf
registration statement” covering the Registrable Securities as soon as practicable after April 15, 2012, and maintain the
shelf registration statement as “effective” with respect to the Registrable Securities from the date such registration
statement becomes effective until the earlier to occur of (1) all securities registered under the shelf registration statement
have been distributed as contemplated in the shelf registration statement, (2) there are no Registrable Securities outstanding
or (3) two years from the dated on which the shelf registration statement was first filed.
In connection with the CEGP Investment,
CEGP and each of the Warrant Purchasers were added as a Holder of Registrable Securities to the Registration Rights Agreement.
In order to include CEGP and the Warrant Purchasers as parties to the Registration Rights Agreement, the parties agreed to amend
and restate the Registration Rights Agreement in its entirety. The Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement (“
Registration
Rights Agreement
”) was approved by more than the needed majority of the parties to the agreement on November 20, 2013,
and Registration Rights Agreement became effective upon its execution by all parties on November 26, 2013. The major changes incorporated
into the Registration Rights Agreement include the following:
|
a.
|
holders of Registrable Securities were redefined to include CEGP, each Warrant Purchaser and the
members of the General Partner holding Common Units.
|
|
b.
|
The holders were granted two demand registration rights, with certain restrictions, and piggyback
registration rights with respect to Common Units held by each of them.
|
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE L — REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENTS
-
Continued
|
c.
|
The Partnership is required to file a shelf registration statement with the SEC on behalf of the
Holders within 180 days after it becomes eligible to use Form S-3 and maintain as effective such shelf registration statement with
respect to the Registrable Securities until the earlier to occur of: (1) all securities registered under the shelf registration
statement have been distributed as contemplated in the shelf registration statement; (2) there are no Registrable Securities outstanding;
or (3) three years from the date on which the shelf registration statement was first filed. At the present time the Partnership
is not eligible to file a registration statement using Form S-3 since its market capitalization does not meet the threshold established
by the SEC.
|
|
d.
|
The demand registration rights permit the holders of at least 3,000,000 of the Registrable Securities
to demand that the Partnership file a registration statement to register such holders’ Registrable Securities and those of
all other holders who elect to sell Registrable Securities, subject to certain conditions including the right of the Partnership
to postpone a demand registration in the event that such demand would (i) materially interfere with a significant acquisition,
merger, consolidation or reorganization involving the Partnership, (ii) require the premature disclosure of material information
regarding the Registrant, or (iii) render the Partnership unable to comply with requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The piggyback registration rights permit a holder to elect to
participate in an underwritten offering of the Partnership’s Common Units or other registrable securities. The amount of
Registrable Securities that the holders can offer for sale in a piggyback registration is subject to certain restrictions as set
forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
|
NOTE M — REALIZATION OF ASSETS
The audited consolidated balance sheets
of Central have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which
contemplate continuation of Central as a going concern.
During the year ended December 31, 2013,
Central improved its overall liquidity. Central’s deficit in working capital, excluding current maturities of long term debt,
totaled $1,208,000 at December 31, 2013 compared with $3,163,000 at December 31, 2012, a reduction of $1,955,000. In addition,
Central was successful in reducing its obligations owing under the Penske Lease Agreement and extending the interest only payment
period under the Hopewell Loan Agreement. During 2013, Central also satisfactorily resolved the TransMontaigne Dispute, the contingencies
associated with the Partnership’s late filing tax matters, and paid down and/or obtained payment arrangements with critical
accounts payable vendors.
During November 2013, Central completed
the CEGP Investment, which provided working capital of $2.75 million to the General Partner and Central. Central also recently
amended the note agreement with the General Partner which provides for an increase in the amount of advances from the General Partner
from $2.0 million to $4.0 million and extends the commencement date for amortization of the note with the General Partner to the
quarter ended March 2017.
In addition to the above, in connection
with the New Asphalt Agreement executed in October 2013 and effective January 2014, Regional has taken steps towards expanding
its capabilities and services and improving the costs to operate at its Hopewell location. During November 2013, the Storage Tank
that had been out of service since April 2012 was placed back into service. Lost revenues during the time the Storage Tank was
out of service and the cost to repair the Storage Tank were approximately $475,000 and $313,000, respectively. During February
2014, Regional began providing for the off-loading of asphalt products via rail cars, a capability it did not have previously.
CENTRAL ENERGY PARTNERS LP AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE M — REALIZATION OF ASSETS
-
Continued
Currently the General Partner’s cash
reserves are limited and the remaining available amounts (approximately $0.6 million at February 28, 2014) are intended to be used
to fund the Partnership’s ongoing working capital requirements, including necessary funding of working capital for Regional.
In connection with the Hopewell Note, Regional is currently required to make interest payments only of $25,000 per month until
June 2014 and then equal monthly payments of $56,000 (principal and interest) each month thereafter until March 2016 at which time
a balloon payment of $1,844,000 will be due. Regional also is required to make minimum monthly payments under the Penske Lease
Agreement of approximately $30,000 until May 2019. Payments under the Hopewell Note and the Penske Lease Agreement could be accelerated
in the event of a default. Regional is required to fund upgrades totaling $465,000 during the first nine months of 2014 in connection
with the New Asphalt Agreement. The amount of penalties related to the remaining 2012 Tax Return are $142,000 and will be required
to be paid if the Partnership’s appeal is unsuccessful. Since the closing of the CEGP Investment, Messrs. Denman, Graves
and Weir have agreed to forego receipt of any compensation as a result of concerns over the Partnership’s and the General
Partner’s available cash resources. In addition, during December 2013, the Chief Financial Officer of the General Partner
agreed to have a portion of his annual salary paid on each anniversary of his employment agreement.
Substantially all of Central’s assets
are pledged or committed to be pledged as collateral for the Hopewell Loan, and therefore, Central is unable to obtain additional
financing collateralized by those assets without repayment of the Hopewell Loan. In addition, the Partnership has obligations under
existing registrations rights agreements. These rights may be a deterrent to any future equity financings.
In view of the matters described in
the preceding paragraphs, recoverability of the recorded asset amounts shown in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet
assumes (1) the expected increase in revenues from recent contracts entered into by Regional, including the New Asphalt
Agreement are realized as currently projected, (2) Regional does not experience any significant disruptions in storage
revenues resulting from the timing of termination of storage tank lease agreements and identifying replacement customers
and/or disruptions resulting from the performance of maintenance on its facilities, (3) Regional’s hauling revenues
remain at current levels, (4) obligations to the Partnership’s or Regional’s creditors are not accelerated, (5)
there is adequate funding available to Regional to complete required maintenance to its facilities, (6) Regional’s
pending facility upgrades are completed timely and within estimated budgets, (7) the Partnership’s and Regional’s
operating expenses remain at current levels, (8) Regional obtains additional working capital to meet its contractual
commitments through future advances by the Partnership or a refinancing of the Hopewell Loan, and/or (9) the Partnership is able
to receive future distributions from Regional or future advances from the General Partner in amounts necessary to
fund working capital until an acquisition transaction is completed by the Partnership.
There is no assurance that the Partnership
and/or Regional will have sufficient working capital to cover ongoing cash requirements for the period of time that management
believes is necessary to complete an acquisition that will provide additional working capital for the Partnership. If the Partnership
does not have sufficient cash reserves, its ability to pursue additional acquisition transactions will be adversely impacted.
Furthermore, despite significant effort, the Partnership has thus far been unsuccessful in completing an acquisition transaction.
There can be no assurance that the Partnership will be able to complete an accretive acquisition or otherwise find additional
sources of working capital. If an acquisition transaction cannot be completed or if additional funds cannot be raised and cash
flow is inadequate, the Partnership and/or Regional would be required to seek other alternatives which could include the sale
of assets, closure of operations and/or protection under the U.S. bankruptcy laws.
It is Management’s intention to acquire
additional assets during 2014 on terms that will enable the Partnership to expand its assets and generate additional cash from
operations. Management is also seeking to obtain additional funding through a refinancing of the Hopewell Loan or from a funding
transaction completed by the Partnership and/or the General Partner. The audited consolidated financial statements do not include
any adjustments related to the recoverability and classification of recorded asset amounts or amounts and classification of liabilities
that might be necessary should Central be unable to obtain adequate funding to maintain operations and to continue in existence.