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10-07-2014 - Loan Agreement Concerning Litigation Fees Incurred - Item SA2 (2).pdfCity of West Covina Memorandum AGENDA TO: Chair and Board Members of the Successor Agency ITEM NO. SA2 FROM: Christopher J. Chung DATE October 7, 2014 Executive Director BY: Kimberly Hall Barlow Successor Agency Counsel SUBJECT: LOAN AGREEMENT CONCERNING LITIGATION FEES INCURRED FOR '111E ROPS PERIODS OF FEBRUARY 2012 TO JUNE 2012, JULY 2012 TO DECEMBER 2012, AND JANUARY 2014 TO JUNE 2014 WHICH EXCEEDED THE LITIGATION COST ESTIMATES FOR THOSE SAME PERIODS. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council, acting as the Successor Agency to the West Covina Redevelopment Agency, approve the Loan Agreement concerning Litigation Fees incurred for the ROPS periods of February 2012 to June 2012, July 2012 to December 2012, and January 2014 to June 2014 which exceeded the litigation cost estimates for those same periods. DISCUSSION: The former-West Covina Redevelopment Agency was dissolved pursuant to state law on February 1, 2012. In the wake of this dissolution, the City elected to perform the functions of the "Successor Agency" to the former-West Covina Redevelopment Agency as permitted by the redevelopment dissolution statutes. Because the City elected to perform such functions, Health & Safety Code section 34173(h) permits the City to loan funds to the Successor Agency for the purpose covering the Successor Agency's "administrative costs, enforceable obligations, or project-related expenses at the city's discretion." Additionally, pursuant to Part 1.85 of the California Health & Safety Code, the Successor Agency is permitted to engage in activities, including litigation, for the purpose of protecting its assets and liabilities for the purpose of ensuring that the taxing entities receiving maximum benefit from the wind down of the former-West Covina Redevelopment Agency's affairs. In pursuit of those activities for the purpose of protecting its assets and liabilities to ensure that the taxing entities receive maximum benefit from the wind down of the former-West Covina Redevelopment Agency's affairs, the Successor Agency was required to engage in litigation to protect such assets. As part of the Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule process, the Successor Agency, in engaging in such litigation, provided estimates for its litigation costs on its Recognized Obligation Payment Schedules ("ROPS") for the periods February 2012 to June 2012, July 2012 to December 2012, and January 2014 to June 2014. However, such estimates for litigation costs were not sufficient to cover the actual costs of litigation occurring during the ROPS periods mentioned above. Thus, in order to continue to protect the assets of the Successor Agency during the ROPS periods mentioned above to the benefit of the Successor Agency's taxing entities, the City loaned the Agency funds in the amounts of $821,365.00 and $109,000.00 to cover such litigation costs discussed above as authorized under Health & Safety Code section 34173(h). To date, the City has only received $60,000.00 in repayment on the $109,000.00 loan it made to the Successor Agency. The purpose of the attached Loan Agreement is to formalize the loan authorized under the authority of Health & Safety Code section 34173(h) such that the City can be repaid for the costs it incurred on behalf of the Successor Agency in performing and assisting in the performance of the Successor Agency's obligations under the redevelopment dissolution statutes. This loan was recommended by Department of Finance in order to legally effectuate reimbursement to City. Prepared by: Reviewed and Approved by: Kimberly Hall Barlow Successor Agency Counsel Approved via Email Mike Lee Assistant City Manager/Community Development Commission Director The Loan Agreement covers a variety of litigation costs incurred by the City on behalf of the Successor Agency during the ROPS periods of February 2012 to June 2012, July 2012 to December 2012, and January 2014 to June 2014. They are as follows: $821,365.00 Loan (February 2012 to June 2012 and July 2012 to December 2012) Payee ROPS Period Amount Squire Sanders February 2012 to June 2012 $587,509.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin February 2012 to June 2012 $22,204.00 Eminent Domain Law Group February 2012 to June 2012 $7,946.00 Hunsucker Goldstein February 2012 to June 2012 $429.00 Squire Sanders July 2012 to December 2012 $172,343.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin July 2012 to December 2012 $17,602.00 Eminent Domain Law Group July 2012 to December 2012 $13,182.00 Hunsucker Goldstein July 2012 to December 2012 $150.00 Total: $821,365.00 $109,000.00 Loan (January 2014 to June 2014) Payee ROPS Period Amount Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $18,661.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $14,447.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $67,459.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $4,456.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $3,977.00 Subtotal: $109,000.00 Payment Received: ($60,000.00) Total: $49,000.00 If approved by the City Council and Successor Agency Board, this Loan Agreement must then be approved by the Oversight Board, and then the California Department of Finance. LEGAL REVIEW: The City Attorney and Successor Agency Counsel have prepared the proposed loan agreement and this report. FISCAL IMPACT: Upon approval by the California Department of Finance, the loan will be repaid by the Successor Agency based on available funds distributed to the Successor Agency. Attachment 1 — Loan Agreement ATTACHMENT 1 LOAN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE WEST COVINA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THIS AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made this day of , 2014, by and between the City of West Covina, a Municipal Corporation of the State of California (the "City"); and Successor Agency to the West Covina Redevelopment Agency ("Agency"), a public entity. RECITALS WHEREAS, in June of 2011, the California State Legislature enacted legislation which resulted in the dissolution of all redevelopment agencies in the State of California, including the West Covina Redevelopment Agency, on February 1,2012 ("Dissolution Law"); WHEREAS, Dissolution Law created successor agencies for the purpose of winding down the affairs of the dissolved redevelopment agencies; WHEREAS, the City elected to perform the functions of the Successor Agency to the West Covina Redevelopment Agency; WHEREAS, the Agency and the City are distinct legal governmental entities pursuant to Health & Safety Code section 34173(g); WHEREAS, pursuant to Part 1.85 of the California Health & Safety Code, the Agency is permitted to engage in activities, including litigation, for the purpose of protecting its assets and liabilities for the purpose of ensuring that the taxing entities receiving maximum benefit from the wind down of the former-West Covina Redevelopment Agency's affairs; WHEREAS, in pursuit of those activities for the purpose of protecting its assets and liabilities to ensure that the taxing entities receive maximum benefit from the wind down of the former-West Covina Redevelopment Agency's affairs, the Agency was required to engage in litigation to protect such assets; WHEREAS, the Agency, in engaging in litigation, provided estimates for its litigation costs on its Recognized Obligation Payment Schedules ("ROPS") for the periods February 2012 to June 2012, July 2012 to December 2012, and January 2014 to June 2014; WHEREAS, such estimates for litigation costs were not sufficient to cover the actual costs of litigation occurring during the ROPS periods mentioned above; WHEREAS, in order to continue to protect the assets of the Agency during the ROPS periods mentioned above to the benefit of the Agency's taxing entities, the City loaned the Agency funds in the amounts of $821,365.00 and $109,000.00 to cover those litigation costs discussed above pursuant to Health & Safety Code section 34173(h) ("Loan"); 1 WHEREAS, the City has already received $60,000.00 repayment on the $109,000.00 loaned to the Agency; WHEREAS, the parties now desire to memorialize the Loan such that the City may be reimbursed for such litigation costs incurred. NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained the parties agree as follows: 1. Recitals The recitals set forth above are true and correct and incorporated herein by this reference. 2. Loan and Repayment. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Agency agrees and promises to pay the City in the amounts of $821,365.00 and $49,000.00. These amounts represent the following loans made by the City to the Agency to cover the Agency's litigation costs and constitutes the Loan discussed above: $821,365.00 Loan (February 2012 to June 2012 and July 2012 to December 2012) Payee ROPS Period Amount Squire Sanders February 2012 to June 2012 $587,509.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin February 2012 to June 2012 $22,204.00 Eminent Domain Law Group February 2012 to June 2012 $7,946.00 Hunsucker Goldstein February 2012 to June 2012 $429.00 Squire Sanders July 2012 to December 2012 $172,343.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin July 2012 to December 2012 $17,602.00 Eminent Domain Law Group July 2012 to December 2012 $13,182.00 Hunsucker Goldstein July 2012 to December 2012 $150.00 Total: $821,365.00 $109,000.00 Loan (January 2014 to June 2014) Payee ROPS Period Amount Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $18,661.00 Alvarez-Gfasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $14,447.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $67,459.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $4,456.00 Alvarez-Glasman Colvin January 2014 to June 2014 $3,977.00 Subtotal: $109,000.00 2 Payment Received: ($60,000.00) Total: $49,000,00 (b) Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule. Agency has listed the Loan on its Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule ("ROPS") 14-15B (covering period January 2015 to June 2015) and shall continue to list the Loan on its future ROPS as an enforceable obligation until the Loan has been fully repaid. (c) Payment. Agency shall pay City the amounts due on the Loan immediately upon allocation of funds to Agency pursuant to the Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule process under the California Health & Safety Code. 3. General Terms. (a) Books and Accounts. The Agency will keep or cause to be kept proper books of record and accounts showing the use of the Loan funds, Loan repayments and any amount outstanding. (b) Default. The City understands and agrees that the Agency's ability to repay the Loan depends upon the California Department of Finance's approval of the Loan as an enforceable obligation on Agency's relevant ROPS. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of Agency to repay the Loan will result in a default of the terms of this Agreement. (c) Severability. If any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase of this Loan Agreement is found for any reason to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the remaining terms of the Loan Agreement will continue in the same force or effect. (d) Amendment. This Agreement may be amended at any time in writing, signed by both parties and with Agency's Oversight Board's approval. [Signatures on the following page] 3 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the day and year first above written. SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE WEST CITY OF WEST COVINA COVINA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY Christopher J. Chung Christopher J. Chung Executive Director City Manager APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO FORM: Kimberly Hall Barlow Kimberly Hall Barlow Successor Agency Counsel City Attorney ATTEST: ATTEST: Nickolas S. Lewis, Agency Secretary Nickolas S. Lewis, City Clerk 4