In re NVF Co.

394 B.R. 33, 2008 WL 4386608
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Delaware
DecidedSeptember 26, 2008
DocketNo. 05-11727 (PJW)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 394 B.R. 33 (In re NVF Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re NVF Co., 394 B.R. 33, 2008 WL 4386608 (Del. 2008).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

PETER J. WALSH, Bankruptcy Judge.

This opinion is with respect to the Debtors’, NVF Company (“NVF”) and Parsons Paper Company, Inc. (“Parsons”), Third Omnibus Objection to Claims (Substantive) and Motion to Disallow, Reduce and/or Reclassify Such Claims (the “Motion to Disallow”). (Doc. # 650.) The General Unsecured Creditors Plan Trustee (“GUC Plan Trustee”) supports the Motion to Disallow. The creditors, City of Holyoke (“Holyoke”) and City of Holyoke Gas & Electric Department (“Holyoke Gas”, collectively with Holyoke the “Holyoke Parties”), oppose the Motion to Disallow. For the reasons stated below, the Court will deny the Motion to Disallow.

BACKGROUND

NVF was originally incorporated in 1905 as the National Fibre and Insulation Company. Its core product was vulcanized fiber, a converted cellulose product with valuable insulation properties. NVF Company also manufactured high pressure industrial laminates, printed circuit boards, custom-made commercial containers, and constructed numerous materials for end-users primarily in the United States and Canada. (Doc. # 650, ¶ 3.) Parsons, founded in 1853, was the first paper mill in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Through the centuries it survived the rise and fall of Holyoke’s paper manufacturing industry. By 1999, Parsons was the only paper mill operating in Holyoke. It specialized in producing high-end products such as fine grade writing and technical paper, and specialty products such as calender roll paper and art paper. (Doc. # 650, ¶ 4.)

NVF’s headquarters were located in Yorklyn, Delaware and it owned manufacturing facilities in Delaware, Pennsylvania, [35]*35and Massachusetts. The Massachusetts facility, a mill building located at 84 Sar-geant Street in Holyoke (the “Holyoke Property”), is the property at issue here. It was leased to and operated by Parsons until it was shut down in 2004. (Doc. # 650, ¶ 5.)

On June 20, 2005 the Debtors filed a voluntary petition for relief under chapter 11 of title 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq.

On November 11, 2005, the Debtors filed a Notice of Intent to Abandon Certain Real and Personal Property (the “Abandonment Notice”), which included the Ho-lyoke Property. (Doc. # 200.) Holyoke objected to the Abandonment Notice, citing that there was approximately $1.5 million in real estate taxes due and owing to Holyoke. (Doc. # 266.) On April 24, 2006, this Court held a hearing to consider, amongst other things, the Abandonment Notice. At that hearing, Holyoke withdrew its objection to the Abandonment Notice and the Holyoke Property was abandoned on that date. (Doc. # 402.)

On April 28, 2006, Holyoke Gas filed a proof of claim in the amount of $218,285.65 as a priority claim. This claim was for unpaid utility charges such as water, sewer, gas, electric, and others. Under Massachusetts law such unpaid utility charges become real estate taxes owed by the fee owner of the real estate. See MGL c. 164, § 58D. On May 19, 2006, Holyoke filed a proof of claim in the amount of $1,405,939.54 as a priority claim. It asserted that the claim was for real estate taxes owed from 1998 to 2004. (Doc. # 677, p. 2.) Both the Holyoke Gas claim and the Holyoke claim are on account of taxes assessed against Holyoke Property and were assessed against the Holyoke Property prior to the date on which the Holyoke Property was abandoned by the Debtors’ estates. (Doc. # 1111, ex. A, ¶ 8.)

On January 16, 2007, the Debtors filed the Motion to Disallow. In its Motion to Disallow, the Debtors claim that there is no basis for Holyoke’s claim of $1,405,939.54. According to the Debtors, “[t]he Debtors’ books and records show no amount owed to creditor.” (Doc. # 650, Ex. 1.) In the Motion to Disallow, the Debtors seek to reclassify the Holyoke Gas claim of $218,285.65 as an unsecured nonp-riority claim. (Doc. # 650, Ex. 3.) The Holyoke Parties filed a joint opposition to the Motion to Disallow. (Doc. # 677.) In that opposition, the Holyoke Parties cite applicable Massachusetts law, an affidavit, and municipal lien certificates to show the validity of the two claims. The Debtors and the Holyoke Parties entered into negotiations in an attempt to resolve their differences regarding the two claims. Those negotiations were unsuccessful and on December 21, 2007, the Debtors filed its Opening Brief in support of the Motion to Disallow as it relates to the Holyoke claim and the Holyoke Gas claim. (Doc. # 1057.) That brief sets forth two arguments as to why the Holyoke claim and Holyoke Gas claim should be disallowed.

First, the Debtors note that the Holyoke Parties are asserting their claims pursuant to Section 502(a) of the Bankruptcy Code.1 But according to the Debtors:

Section 502(a) does not apply to property that has been abandoned by a trustee or debtor-in-possession. See Swiatek v. [36]*36Pagliaro (In re Swiatek), 231 B.R. 26, 28 (Bankr.D.Del.1999)(noting that “once abandoned, the estate had no interest in it and § 502(a) applies only to property in which the estate has an interest”).... “As the Property in this case was abandoned by the Debtors and thus, is no longer part of the Debtors’ estates, the Objecting Parties are not entitled to assert a claim against the Property or the Debtors.

(Doc. # 1057, pp. 9-10)

The second argument offered by the Debtors is that the claims should be disallowed in their entirety pursuant to § 502(b)(3).2 Nowhere in the Debtors’ Opening Brief do they assert that the claims should be disallowed on the basis of the position taken in its original Motion to Disallow — namely, that the Holyoke claim is found nowhere in the books and records of the Debtors and that the Holyoke Gas claim is not entitled to priority. Thus, I assume that the Debtors’ original position for objecting have been abandoned and that it is relying solely on the two arguments set forth in its Opening Brief. Furthermore, it appears that the Debtors are not objecting to the amount of the two claims.

On March 30, 2007, the Debtors filed their plan of reorganization, along with their disclosure statement. This Court entered an order confirming the plan of reorganization on June 14, 2007. (Doc. # 912.)

DISCUSSION

Validity of the Creditors’ Claims

As a threshold matter, I find that the Holyoke Parties have met their burden of proof for asserting claims against the estate. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has held that “[t]he burden of proof for claims brought in the bankruptcy court under 11 U.S.C.A. § 502(a) rests on different parties at different times. Initially, the claimant must allege facts sufficient to support the claim.” Allegheny Int’l, Inc. v. Snyder (In re Allegheny Int’l, Inc.), 954 F.2d 167, 173 (3d Cir.1992). Then, the burden shifts to the objector who must produce evidence to refute the legal sufficiency of the prima facie claim. Id. at 173-74. I believe the Holyoke Parties met their initial burden of proof. In their proofs of claim against the Debtors, they provided Municipal Lien Certification and other documents for municipal water, gas, and electric services that were incurred pre-petition, and real estate taxes assessed against the Holyoke Property in the years 1998-2004.

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In Re Nvf Company
394 B.R. 33 (D. Delaware, 2008)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
394 B.R. 33, 2008 WL 4386608, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-nvf-co-deb-2008.