UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8‑K

CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): December 30, 2014 (December 22, 2014)

Commission File Number 0-8084

Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Connecticut
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
06-0739839
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
 
93 West Main Street, Clinton, CT
(Address of principal executive office)
06413
(Zip Code)

(860) 669-8636
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable
(Former name, address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2. below):

o      Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o      Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o      Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))





Item 1.01     Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

Entry into New Term Loan for Maine Water Company

On December 22, 2014, the Maine Water Company, a Maine corporation (“Maine Water”), and CoBank, ACB, a federally chartered instrumentality of the United States (“CoBank”) entered into an amendment (the “Amendment”) to that certain Amended and Restated Master Loan Agreement by and between Maine Water and CoBank, dated as of December 1, 2012 (the “Agreement”).   Maine Water is an operating water utility subsidiary of Connecticut Water Service, Inc., a Connecticut corporation (“CTWS”), the registrant.

Maine Water also delivered to CoBank a new Promissory Note and Single Advance Term Loan Supplement, dated December 22, 2014 (the “Promissory Note”).  On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Promissory Note issued pursuant to the Agreement as amended by the Amendment, CoBank agreed to make an unsecured loan (the “Loan”) to Maine Water in the principal amount of $4,500,000, as follows:

Promissory Note
Principal Amount
Maturity Date
Promissory Note and Single Advance Term Loan Supplement No. RI0042T03
$4,500,000
Dec. 20, 2024

The Amendment modifies certain restrictive covenants contained in the Agreement pursuant to which Maine may not take certain actions with respect to the creation, assumption or incurrence of (1) indebtedness by Maine Water and (2) liens upon Maine Water’s personal and real property, in each case without the prior written consent of CoBank during the term of the Agreement, as amended by the Amendment.

Under the Promissory Note, Maine Water will pay interest on the Loan in accordance with either of the following interest rate options, as selected periodically by Maine Water: (1) at a weekly quoted variable rate, a rate per annum equal to the rate of interest established by CoBank on the first business day of each week; (2) at a fixed rate per annum to be quoted by CoBank in its sole discretion in each instance for periods of 180 days or more. Interest shall be calculated on the actual number of days each Loan is outstanding on the basis of a year consisting of 360 days.

Maine Water intends to use the proceeds of the above described Loan from CoBank to refinance existing debt and to finance capital expenditures.

The above summary of the material terms of the Amendment and the Promissory Note is qualified in its entirety by reference to: (1) the Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2012 and effective as of December 6, 2012, (2) the Amendment dated as of December 22, 2014 and (3) the Promissory Note dated as of December 22, 2014. A copy of the Agreement was attached to CTWS’s current report on Form 8-K filed on December 7,




2012. Each of the Amendment and the Promissory Note is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2 and Exhibit 10.3 , respectively, and each is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Item 2.03
Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

The information set forth in Item 1.01 is incorporated herein by reference in response to this Item 2.03.

Item 9.01     Financial Statements and Exhibits

The following documents are filed herewith as exhibits hereto:

(d)    Exhibits

10.1
Amended and Restated Master Loan Agreement between the Maine Water Company and CoBank, ACB, dated December 1, 2012 and effective as of December 6, 2012, incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1  to CTWS’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 7, 2012.
10.2
Amendment to Amended and Restated Master Loan Agreement by and between the Maine Water Company and CoBank, ACB, dated as of December 22, 2014, is filed herewith.
10.3
Promissory Note and Single Advance Term Loan Supplement between the Maine Water Company and CoBank, ACB, dated as of December 22, 2014, is filed herewith.


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SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 
 
 
 
Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
(Registrant)

Date: December 30, 2014
By: David C. Benoit

David C. Benoit
Senior Vice President – Finance and
Chief Financial Officer




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EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.
Description
10.1
Amended and Restated Master Loan Agreement between the Maine Water Company and CoBank, ACB, dated December 1, 2012 and effective as of December 6, 2012, incorporated by reference from Exhibit 10.1 to CTWS’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 7, 2012.
10.2
Amendment to Amended and Restated Master Loan Agreement by and between the Maine Water Company and CoBank, ACB, dated as of December 22, 2014, is filed herewith.
10.3
Promissory Note and Single Advance Term Loan Supplement between the Maine Water Company and CoBank, ACB, dated as of December 22, 2014, is filed herewith.



11


Exhibit 10.2
Amendment No. RI0042B


AMENDMENT
TO THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED MASTER LOAN AGREEMENT


THIS AMENDMENT is entered into as of December 22, 2014, between CoBANK, ACB (“CoBank”) and The Maine Water Company, Saco, Maine , a Maine corporation (the “Company”).
BACKGROUND

CoBank and the Company are parties to an Amended and Restated Master Loan Agreement dated as of December 1, 2012 (such agreement is hereinafter referred to as the “MLA”). CoBank and the Company now desire to amend the MLA. For that reason, and for valuable consideration (the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged), CoBank and the Company agree as follows:

1.
Sections 8(A) and 8(B) of the MLA are hereby amended and restated to read as follows:

SECTION 8.      Negative Covenants. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by CoBank, while this Agreement is in effect, the Company will not:

(A)      Borrowings. Create, incur, assume, or allow to exist, directly or indirectly, any indebtedness or liability for borrowed money, letters of credit, or the deferred purchase price of property or services (including leases which should be capitalized on the books of the lessee in accordance with GAAP (or the appropriate standards of the regulatory agency having jurisdiction over the Company)), except for: (1) debt to CoBank; (2) accounts payable to trade creditors incurred in the ordinary course of business; (3) current operating liabilities (other than for borrowed money) incurred in the ordinary course of business; (4) existing indebtedness for borrowed money, including existing debt issued under the Indenture, and any refinance thereof in an amount not to exceed the then outstanding principal amount thereof; (5) unsecured debt of the Company to other lenders; (6) purchase money indebtedness in connection with the acquisition or leasing of equipment or other property; and (7) secured debt to the State Revolving Fund ("SRF") .

(B)      Liens. Create, incur, assume, or allow to exist any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, lien (including the lien of an attachment, judgment, or execution), security interest, or other encumbrance of any kind upon any of its property, real or personal (collectively, “Liens”). The foregoing restrictions shall not apply to: (1) Liens in favor of CoBank; (2) Liens for taxes, assessments, or governmental charges that are not past due; (3) pledges and deposits under workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, and social security Laws; (4) pledges and deposits to secure the performance of bids, tenders, contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money), and like obligations arising in the ordinary course of business as conducted on the date hereof; (5) Liens imposed by Law in favor of mechanics, material suppliers, warehouses, and like persons that secure obligations that are not past due; (6) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions, and other similar encumbrances which, in the aggregate, do not materially interfere with the occupation, use, and enjoyment of the property or assets encumbered thereby in the normal course of business or materially impair the value of the property subject thereto; (7) existing liens, including liens and mortgages securing indebtedness issued pursuant to the Indenture; (8) purchase money liens so long as the lien is limited to the property being financed; and (9) secured liens in favor of SRF.

2.      Except as set forth in this amendment, the MLA, including all amendments thereto, shall continue in full force and effect as written.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this amendment to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date shown above.








CoBANK, ACB
The Maine Water Company
 
 
By: /s/ Shannon Devoran
By: /s/ Judith E. Wallingford
 
 
Title: Assistant Corporate Secretary
Title: President





Exhibit 10.3
Loan No. RI0042T03


PROMISSORY NOTE AND
SINGLE ADVANCE TERM LOAN SUPPLEMENT


THIS PROMISSORY NOTE AND SUPPLEMENT (this “Promissory Note and Supplement”) to the Amended and Restated Master Loan Agreement dated as of December 1, 2012, as amended (the “MLA”) is entered into as of December 22, 2014 between The Maine Water Company, Saco, Maine , a Maine corporation (the “Company”) and CoBANK, ACB, a federally chartered instrumentality of the United States (“CoBank”).

SECTION 1.      The Term Loan. On the terms and conditions set forth in the MLA and this Promissory Note and Supplement, CoBank agrees to make a loan to the Company in an amount not to exceed $4,500,000.00 (the “Commitment”). The Commitment shall expire at 12:00 noon (Company’s local time) on December 22, 2014 or on such later date as CoBank may, in its sole discretion, authorize in writing.

SECTION 2.      Purpose. The purpose of the Commitment is to refinance existing debt from a merger and to finance capital expenditures.

SECTION 3.      Availability. Notwithstanding Section 2 of the MLA and provided that each of the conditions precedent set forth herein and in the MLA have been satisfied, the loan will be made available to the Company on a date to be agreed upon by the parties (the “Closing Date”). The loan will be made available in a single advance by CoBank wire transferring the proceeds of the loan to  the Company.

SECTION 4.      Interest. The Company agrees to pay interest on the unpaid balance of the loan(s) in accordance with one or more of the following interest rate options, as selected by the Company:

(A)      Weekly Quoted Variable Rate. At a rate per annum equal at all times to the rate of interest established by CoBank on the first Business Day of each week. The rate established by CoBank shall be effective until the first Business Day of the next week. Each change in the rate shall be applicable to all balances subject to this option and information about the then current rate shall be made available upon telephonic request.

(B)      Quoted Rate Option. At a fixed rate per annum to be quoted by CoBank in its sole discretion in each instance. Under this option, rates may be fixed on such balances and for such periods, as may be agreeable to CoBank in its sole discretion in each instance, provided that: (1) the minimum fixed period shall be 180 days; (2) amounts may be fixed in increments of $100,000.00 or multiples thereof; and (3) the maximum number of fixes in place at any one time shall be five.

The Company shall select the applicable rate option at the time it requests a loan hereunder and may, subject to the limitations set forth above, elect to convert balances bearing interest at the variable rate option to one of the fixed rate options. Upon the expiration of any fixed rate period, interest shall automatically accrue at the variable rate option unless the amount fixed is repaid or fixed for an additional period in accordance with the terms hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, rates may not be fixed for periods expiring after the maturity date of the loans and rates may not be fixed in such a manner as to cause the Company to have to break any fixed rate balance in order to pay any installment of principal. All elections provided for herein shall be made telephonically or in writing and must be received by 12:00 Noon Company’s local time. Interest shall be calculated on the actual number of days each loan is outstanding on the basis of a year consisting of 360 days and shall be payable quarterly in arrears by the 20th day of the following month or on such other day in such month as CoBank shall require in a written notice to the Company.

SECTION 5.      Fees. INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.






SECTION 6.      Promissory Note. The Company promises to repay the unpaid principal balance of the loan on December 20, 2024, or such later date as CoBank may, in its sole discretion, authorize in writing. If any installment due date is not a Business Day, then such installment shall be due and payable on the next Business Day. In addition to the above, the Company promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal balance of the loan at the times and in accordance with the provisions set forth above.

SECTION 7.      Prepayment. Subject to the broken funding surcharge provision of the MLA, the Company may prepay all or any portion of the loan(s). Unless otherwise agreed, all prepayments will be applied to principal installments in the inverse order of their maturity and to such balances, fixed or variable, as CoBank shall specify.

SECTION 8.      Security. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Security, Guarantee(s) and Title Insurance Section of the MLA to the contrary, except for CoBank’s statutory first lien on all equity that the Company may now own or hereafter acquire or be allocated in CoBank, the Company’s obligations hereunder shall be unsecured.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Promissory Note and Supplement to the MLA to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date shown above.

CoBANK, ACB
The Maine Water Company
 
 
By: /s/ Shannon Devoran
By: /s/ Judith E. Wallingford
 
 
Title: Assistant Corporate Secretary
Title: President