- Bookmark
- Share
- CaseIQ
MATTER OF OMNI CONTRACTING CO., INC.,(Bankr.M.D.Fla. 1987)
Opinion Summary: In the Matter of Omni Contracting Company, Inc., Bankruptcy No. 86-3081 (M.D. Fla., Tampa Div., Mar. 4, 1987)
Factual and Procedural Background
Gerald Courington was the sole stockholder of Omni Contracting Company, Inc. ("Omni"). On September 5, 1985, Courington sold Omni common stock: 15 shares to Sybol Reid and 1,185 shares back to Omni. The parties executed documents reflecting cash and promissory note consideration, including a $200,000 note and a $100,000 note, and recorded a UCC-1 financing statement. Subsequent modifications were made by an Amended Sale and Purchase of Corporate Stock Agreement dated April 11, 1986, which restated the transaction to reflect a $395,000 sale to Omni and $5,000 for the Reid shares, and resulted in execution of two promissory notes (one in the principal amount of $350,000 and the other $5,669.27). The parties conceded that certain cash payments were not made as stated in the Amended Agreement, but payments of $50,000 (Dec. 1985) and $35,000 (Mar. 1986) were made and credited.
The Court found that, after credits, a principal balance of $265,000 remained owing to Courington as of April 11, 1986. Interest accrued at 10% from April 1, 1986, producing interest through the final hearing; the Court computed total principal and interest as $280,707.40 as of the January 24, 1987 evidentiary hearing. The per diem interest was computed at $72.60 per day on the $265,000 principal.
Courington obtained an Amended Security Agreement and perfected a security interest by UCC-1 in various collateral, including receivables, contract rights, general intangibles, and equipment. Omni filed for Chapter 11 and sought to use cash collateral. The Court previously held hearings and on December 4, 1986 entered an Order Authorizing Use of Cash Collateral conditioned on (1) periodic payments of $8,000 per month and (2) a post-petition security interest in Omni's accounts receivable to the extent such interest existed at filing.
The Couringtons filed three motions for adequate protection or for relief from the automatic stay. The first motion was the subject of a proposed settlement disapproved by the Court. The second motion was denied without prejudice due to insufficient service of process. The present opinion concerns the Couringtons' Third Motion, which was the subject of a final evidentiary hearing on January 24, 1987, and additional proceedings resulting in an order entered February 2, 1987 (partial relief granted then). The present dispute focuses on equipment listed on a UCC-1 Financing Statement (Exh. #10) and whether Omni's use of that equipment (and related post-petition treatment) requires additional adequate protection.
Legal Issues Presented
- Whether the $3,000.00 monthly adequate protection payments being paid by Omni sufficiently protect the Couringtons' security interest in the equipment described in Exhibit #10.
- Whether further relief from the automatic stay with respect to equipment (other than equipment covered by the Court's prior order entered February 2, 1987) is warranted.
Arguments of the Parties
Couringtons' Arguments
- The Couringtons contended that the monthly $3,000.00 payments were insufficient to adequately protect their security interest in the equipment and sought at least an additional $7,500.00 per month for equipment protection (in addition to the existing $3,000.00 payments).
- The Couringtons presented expert testimony (Mr. Nanz) estimating depreciation/rates that would support greater adequate protection payments for diminution in value of the equipment.
- The Couringtons relied on their perfected security interest (Amended Security Agreement and UCC-1) and the need to preserve collateral value when authorizing Omni's use of cash collateral and equipment.
Omni's Arguments
- Omni presented testimony (Mr. Reid) that, with proper maintenance, the equipment would not depreciate, and therefore the $3,000.00 monthly payments (and other protections) were adequate.
- Omni emphasized historical maintenance expenditures: pre-petition maintenance (exclusive of fuel) of approximately $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 per month, and post-petition maintenance reduced to approximately $8,000.00 to $10,000.00 per month.
- Omni was already making periodic adequate protection payments (including $3,000.00 monthly directed to equipment) and had been authorized to use cash collateral conditioned on other protections; Omni argued additional monetary adequate protection for equipment was not warranted so long as maintenance and insurance were preserved.
Table of Precedents Cited
No precedents were cited in the provided opinion.
Court's Reasoning and Analysis
The Court framed the "sole question" regarding adequate protection as whether the existing $3,000.00 monthly adequate protection payments sufficiently protected Couringtons' security interest in the equipment listed in Exhibit #10. The Court examined the evidentiary record, including the parties' documentary submissions and testimony from competing experts on depreciation and maintenance practices.
In evaluating the expert testimony, the Court found the record inconclusive as to the proper rate of depreciation for the equipment. It explicitly found the Couringtons' expert (Mr. Nanz) unpersuasive because his depreciation estimate relied on rates lessors use to compute rental charges for similar equipment, which the Court considered an improper basis for depreciation here. Conversely, the Court found Omni's expert (Mr. Reid) more reliable, including his testimony that equipment properly maintained would not necessarily depreciate.
The Court also considered evidence of maintenance expenditures. Mr. Reid testified that pre-petition maintenance (excluding fuel) was approximately $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 per month, while post-petition maintenance had fallen to $8,000.00 to $10,000.00 per month. The Court concluded that maintaining the equipment at pre-petition levels was necessary both to preserve Omni's ability to use the equipment and to preserve the Couringtons' collateral value.
Based on the credibility determinations (favoring Omni's expert) and the inconclusive depreciation evidence, the Court determined that no additional monetary adequate protection payments (beyond the existing monthly payments) were required at that time to compensate for diminution in value of the equipment. Instead, the Court fashioned non-monetary and maintenance-oriented adequate protection measures: proof of insurance on the equipment, a minimum monthly maintenance expenditure requirement of $15,000.00 with records kept, and periodic monthly inspections by a Couringtons' representative at pre-determined times (not to interfere with Omni's commercial operations) to verify maintenance.
The Court noted it had previously granted partial relief from the automatic stay at the January 24 hearing (subject to a written order entered February 2, 1987) and reaffirmed that the stay would remain in effect until further order. With respect to equipment listed on Exhibit #10, the Court found that no further relief from the automatic stay was warranted at this time beyond what had already been ordered.
Holding and Implications
GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART.
Holding (direct effects):
- The Couringtons' Third Motion for Adequate Protection or for Relief From Stay is granted in part and denied in part.
- The motion is denied as to relief from stay for all equipment not covered by the Court's prior order entered February 2, 1987.
- The motion is granted to the extent of imposing the following adequate protection measures for equipment covered by Couringtons' security interest:
- Proof of insurance on all equipment covered by Couringtons' security interest;
- Minimum monthly maintenance on the equipment of $15,000.00, with records maintained to document such maintenance;
- Periodic monthly inspections of the equipment by a representative of the Couringtons at pre-determined times, provided such inspections do not interfere with Omni's commercial operations.
- The Court declined to require additional monetary adequate protection payments specifically for equipment diminution (i.e., it did not require the additional $7,500.00 monthly payment sought by the Couringtons) based on its evaluation of the evidence and experts' credibility.
- The Court reaffirmed that prior partial relief from stay (granted at the January 24 hearing and entered February 2, 1987) remained in effect as ordered and that no further relief from the automatic stay was warranted as to the equipment listed on Exhibit #10 at that time.
Implications: The decision imposes non-monetary and maintenance-focused protections to preserve collateral value rather than additional monthly cash payments. The opinion does not state or announce any new binding precedent; its effect is to resolve the parties' pending motions in this bankruptcy proceeding by specifying ongoing obligations (insurance, maintenance budget and records, and inspection rights) to protect the secured creditor's interest.
This summary is limited to information explicitly contained in the provided opinion and does not add or infer facts beyond that opinion.
ALEXANDER L. PASKAY, Chief Judge.
THE MATTER under consideration is a Third Motion for Adequate Protection or for Relief From Stay filed by Gerald Courington and Louise Courington (Couringtons), creditors in the above-captioned case. The Couringtons' First Motion for Relief From Stay was sought to be settled by the parties, but this Court disapproved the proposed settlement. The Second Motion for Relief From Stay was denied without prejudice because of insufficient service of process. In due course, this Court held a final evidentiary hearing on Couringtons' Third Motion for Adequate Protection or for Relief From Stay. The facts relevant and germane to a resolution of this controversy, as they appear from the record, are as follows:
Gerald Courington (Courington), at the time relevant, was the sole stockholder of Omni Contracting Company, Inc. (Omni), the Debtor in the above-captioned case. On September 5, 1985, Courington sold 1200 shares of common stock, fifteen (15) shares of Omni common stock to Sybol Reid and 1,185 shares of common stock back to Omni (Exh. # 5). Courington testified that he received $50,000.00 as a cash downpayment, a $200,000.00 promissory note (Exh. # 1), and a $100,000.00 promissory note (Exh. # 2). Courington testified that the intended purchase price was $400,000.00, however, there is no evidence in this record to support the claim of an additional $50,000.00 of consideration agreed upon. The security interest was properly perfected by recordation of the UCC-1 Financing Statement (Exh. # 4). In December of 1985, Courington received a $50,000.00 down payment and an additional $35,000.00 in March of 1986.
Shortly after the sale of the controlling interest in Omni, disputes arose between the parties. In order to resolve the disputes, additional documents were executed on April 11, 1986, which modified the September 5, 1985 transaction. The "Amended Sale and Purchase of Corporate Stock Agreement" (Exh. #5) restated the purchase price to be $395,000.00 for the common stock purchased by Omni from Courington and an additional $5,000.00 for fifteen (15) shares of Omni common stock purchased by Sybol Reid from Courington. The Amended Agreement provides for the purchase of the Sybol Reid shares by a payment of $5,000.00 in cash at closing and for the purchase of the redemption shares of Omni common stock by delivery of a $350,000.00 promissory note (Exh. * 6), and payment of $45,000.00 in cash at closing. In fact, two promissory notes were executed; one in the principal amount of $350,000.00 (Exh. # 6) and the other in the principal amount of $5,669.27 (Exh.# 7). It is without dispute that no cash downpayment of $45,000.00 was ever made. The Amended Agreement (Exh. # 5) recited that a principal reduction payment of $50,000.00 was to be made on or before December 31, 1985, and an additional $35,000.00 principal reduction on or before April 11, 1986.
There is disagreement between the parties as to the amount of the purchase price and the outstanding balance owed to Courington. This Court, however, is satisfied from the documents executed on April 11, 1986, that the Omni stock purchase was redrafted as a $400,000.00 transaction, toward which the original $50,000.00 paid in September of 1985, was credited against the $45,000.00 cash payment required at closing, the $50,000.00 paid in December of 1985 was credited toward the payment required in the Amended Agreement to be made on December 31, 1985, and the $35,000.00 paid in March of 1986 was credited toward the payment required in the Amended Agreement to be made on or before April 11, 1986. Thus, $135,000.00 in principal was paid by Omni to Courington which left a principal balance owing to Courington after April 11, 1986 of $265,000.00.
This leaves for consideration the amount of interest which has accrued on the unpaid balance in order to compute the total amount of indebtedness owed to Courington by Omni. Pursuant to the Amended Agreement (Exh. # 5), interest accrued at the rate of ten percent (10%) from April 1, 1986, at which time the principal indebtedness was $265,000.00. The principal and interest as of the final evidentiary hearing on January 24, 1987 totaled $280,707.40. This sum is computed as follows:
Total Principal Indebtedness: $400,000.00
(i) September payment (50,000.00)
(ii) December payment (50,000.00)
(iii) March payment (35,000.00)
Total Outstanding Principal: S265,000.00
Interest on Debt: 21,707.40
Adequate Protection Payments: (6,000.00)
Total Indebtedness: $280,707.40
The per diem interest is accruing at the rate of ten percent (10%) on a principal indebtedness of $265,000.00, or in other words, at the rate of $72.60 per day.
As noted earlier, the unpaid portion of the purchase price in the sum of $265,000.00 was secured by virtue of an Amended Security Agreement (Exh. #8) and perfected by a UCC-1 Financing Statement (Exh. # 9). The Security Agreement encumbered the collateral enumerated in the original security agreement of September 5, 1985 (Exh. * 3), and expanded the collateral description to include the following:
All accounts, contract rights, chattel paper, instruments, and other rights to receive payment of moneys, now existing or hereafter acquired by the Debtor (hereinafter referred to as the "Receivables") and all other contract rights, general intangibles and other intangible property of any kind, now owned or hereafter acquired by the Debtor (hereinafter referred to as "Contract Rights") including without limitation (sic) its rights under the Sale of Assets Agreement. In addition to the grant of the security interest herein, the Debtor hereby assigns the Receivables and Contract Rights to the Secured Party.
This Court has previously conducted three evidentiary hearings concerning Omni's right to use cash collateral and the appropriate adequate protection for the Couringtons if Omni was authorized to use the proceeds of its accounts receivable. After two hearings on these matters, this Court entered on December 4, 1986, its Order Authorizing Use of Cash Collateral and authorized Omni to use the cash collateral provided it furnishes the following adequate protection to the Couringtons:
(1) Periodic payments of $8,000.00 per month:
(2) A post-petition security interest in favor of the Couringtons, in Omni's accounts receivable to the extent and in such amount as such security interest existed at the time of filing the Chapter 11 Petition.
At the January 24 hearing, a specified list of equipment from a UCC-1 Financing Statement executed by Omni in favor of the Couringtons was introduced into evidence (Exh. # 10). The present matter for consideration is Omni's right to use the equipment on which the Couringtons have a security interest, and if authorized what would be the proper measure of adequate protection of the interest of the Couringtons in the collateral.
The sole question with regard to adequate protection is whether the $3,000.00 monthly adequate protection being paid by Omni sufficiently protects the Couringtons' security interest in the equipment.
The record in this matter is at best inconclusive on the amount of depreciation on the equipment in question. Mr. Nanz, expert for Courington, testified as to rates of depreciation of the equipment, however this Court finds his estimation unpersuasive. The rate of depreciation on the equipment claimed by this witness was based on the proposition that this is the rate lessors use when they compute the rent for similar equipment. This Court is satisfied this is not the proper rate of depreciation. Mr. Reid, expert for Omni, testified that the equipment would not depreciate at all with proper maintenance. While the testimony on the proper rate of depreciation leaves much to be desired, this Court finds the testimony of Mr. Reid to be more reliable than that of Mr. Nanz.
The Couringtons seek a minimum of at least $7,500.00 for adequate protection on the equipment only, in addition to the monthly $3,000.00 payments currently being paid by Omni. Mr. Reid testified that prior to the Chapter 11 Petition, Omni was spending from $25,000.00 to $50,000.00 per month on maintenance on the equipment, but these figures also included payments for fuel. Mr. Reid clarified these figures and testified that for straight maintenance, Omni spent $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 pre-petition per month on maintenance. Mr. Reid further testified that currently post-petition Omni spends $8,000.00 to $10,000.00. The post-petition maintenance figures are significantly less than the pre-petition figures.
Based on the foregoing, this Court finds that no additional adequate protection payments shall be required to be paid by Omni at this time to compensate the Couringtons for any alleged dimunition in value of the equipment. It is clear, however, that maintenance of the equipment is necessary both to preserve its usefulness to Omni and to preserve its value to the Couringtons. As a result, in addition to the adequate protection previously ordered by this Court, this Court is satisfied that proper maintenance and proof of insurance on the equipment shall be required as part of the adequate protection for the Couringtons. Furthermore, Omni shall expend a minimum of $15,000.00 for maintenance per month and keep records of the same in order to maintain the level of maintenance performed by Omni pre-petition. Adequate protection shall also include regular monthly inspection of the equipment at pre-determined times by a representative of the Couringtons in order to provide the Couringtons with a method of verifying that maintenance on the equipment is being properly performed. These periodic monthly inspections shall not interfere with the commercial operations of Omni. The adequate protection fashioned above is without prejudice to additional relief to the Couringtons if the equipment is not properly maintained as ordered by this Court.
At the hearing on January 24, 1987, this Court granted partial relief from the automatic stay, subject to a written order to be entered, and the order was entered on February 2, 1987. The order provided that the automatic stay of ยง 362 shall remain in effect until further order of this Court. At this time, the Court finds that no further relief from the automatic stay is warranted as to equipment listed on Exhibit # 10.
Accordingly, it is
ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that Gerald Courington and Louise Courington's Third Motion for Adequate Protection or for Relief From Stay be, and the same is hereby, granted in part and denied in part. It is further
ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the Motion as it pertains to relief from stay be, and the same is hereby, denied as to all equipment not covered by this Court's previous order entered on February 2, 1987. It is further
ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the Motion as it pertains to adequate protection be, and the same is hereby, granted and the same is fashioned as follows:
(1) proof of insurance on all equipment covered by Courington's security interest;
(2) minimum monthly maintenance on the equipment in the amount of $15,000.00 together with records of the same; and
(3) periodic monthly inspection of the equipment by a representative of the Couringtons at pre-determined times in order to ensure that proper maintenance is being performed by Omni.
Alert