In Re Planned Systems, Inc.

78 B.R. 852, 1987 Bankr. LEXIS 1550, 16 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 543
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedSeptember 14, 1987
DocketBankruptcy 2-87-02576
StatusPublished
Cited by42 cases

This text of 78 B.R. 852 (In Re Planned Systems, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Planned Systems, Inc., 78 B.R. 852, 1987 Bankr. LEXIS 1550, 16 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 543 (Ohio 1987).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING MOTION SEEKING ABANDONMENT AND FOR RELIEF FROM STAY, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR ADEQUATE PROTECTION

R.G. COLE, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter is before the Court upon the motion filed by Katz Management Group, Inc. (“KMG”), seeking relief from stay and abandonment, and the opposing memorandum filed by the debtor, Planned Systems, Inc., (hereinafter referred to as “debtor” or “PSI”). KMG’s motion came on for final hearing on August 19, 1987, following which the Court took this matter under advisement.

The Court has jurisdiction over this case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1334(b) and the General Order of Reference entered in this District. This is a core proceeding which the Court may hear and determine. 28 U.S.C. § 157(b)(2)(G). The following constitute findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule (“B.R.”) 7052.

I. Findings of Fact

The facts in this case are essentially undisputed. On June 11, 1986, PSI, a corporation engaged in the commercial lawn care and landscaping business, filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. KMG was listed as the holder of both a secured and an unsecured claim against PSI in the Schedules of Assets and Liabilities (Official Form No. 6) (“Schedules”) filed by the debtor. In March of 1986, KMG, a corporation involved primarily in the management of commercial real estate, agreed to the sale of the assets of its subsidiary, Lawn Group, Inc. (which conducted the lawn care and landscaping operations for the commercial properties managed by KMG), to PSI. Although a contract to purchase the assets of Lawn Group, Inc., was executed in March of 1986, the actual closing of the sale did not occur until March of 1987. KMG’s claims against the debtor arise from this transaction.

Pursuant to the terms of the sale, KMG transferred the assets of Lawn Group, Inc., to PSI for $450,000. A lump-sum cash payment was made by the debtor to KMG, and a promissory note in the amount of $250,000 was taken by KMG. The balance due and owing under the promissory note as of the date of the closing of the sale in March of 1987 was $206,125.25. To secure the payment of the balance due on this *855 note, a security agreement was executed by and between KMG and PSI. Under the terms of this agreement, KMG took a security interest in all the landscaping and lawn care equipment of Lawn Group, Inc., which consisted of various trucks (including several pick-up trucks, one dump truck and two flat-bed trucks), tractors, mowers, blowers, trimmers, spreaders, edgers and miscellaneous other lawn care/landscaping tools and equipment (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “equipment”). KMG’s security interest in the equipment was perfected through the proper filing of financing statements with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office and the Franklin County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office on March 12, 1987.

At the hearing of this matter, KMG offered the testimony of Dean Katz (“Katz”), the president and chairman of the board of directors of KMG. Katz testified that Lawn Group, Inc., conducted a detailed examination of the equipment prior to its sale to PSI, and on the basis of this examination a value of $109,000 was assigned to the equipment. Katz, who conceded that he had very little personal involvement in the operations of Lawn Group, Inc., stated that the $109,000 figure was reached by those employees who actually conducted the lawn care operations, including Charlie Hutson (“Hutson”), the head of the lawn care division of KMG. Katz indicated that Hutson and the other employees who participated in the valuation process were generally familiar with the value of lawn care and landscaping equipment, and had purchased and sold such equipment on a regular basis on behalf of Lawn Group, Inc.

In addition, Katz testified that, while the insurance records of Lawn Group, Inc., were utilized in placing a value on the equipment, he had no recollection as to whether standard industry guidelines (such as the “red book” or “green sheets”) were consulted in arriving at a valuation figure. Katz noted that, to some extent, the $109,-000 value placed upon the equipment was based upon the “gut feeling” of the employees of Lawn Group, Inc. Katz also stated that liens were held on a dump truck and several tractors by General Motors Acceptance Corporation (“G.M.A.C.”) and Bank One of Ohio, NA (“Bank One”), respectively. Regular monthly payments in the amount of $869 were required to keep the G.M.A.C. and Bank One accounts current.

Katz testified on direct examination that the equipment was purchased between 1981 and 1985. Finally, Katz testified that, in his opinion, the equipment had a total useful life of between three (3) and five (5) years and could be expected to depreciate in value at a rate of approximately 20% per year. No basis for this opinion was provided. Katz provided no opinion as to the value of the equipment as of June 11, 1987 (the date PSI’s petition was filed), or of the periodic (i.e., yearly, monthly, weekly, etc.) rate of decline in value of the equipment since the petition date.

The testimony of Chris Davis (“Davis”), who is the president of PSI and the holder of 80% of its stock, was also received. Davis’ testimony centered upon the allegation made repeatedly by PSI during the course of the hearing that the equipment sold to PSI by KMG was in a defective state at the time of its delivery in March of 1986. Davis stated that over $60,000 was spent in repairing the equipment in order to place it in workable condition for the 1986 season. Continued expenditures have been made by PSI to keep the equipment operable throughout the 1986 and 1987 seasons.

Davis indicated that the equipment is vital to the day-to-day operations of PSI and, that without such equipment, the debt- or could not continue in business. Davis testified that, in his opinion, the equipment had a value of $60,000 as of the hearing date. No basis for this opinion was offered. Davis concluded his testimony by stating that the equipment will steadily decline in value as the landscaping/lawn care season progresses (reaching a low point in November) due to the increased availability of such equipment on the market. It was this seasonal decline in value which explained Davis’ opinion that the equipment was worth only $60,000 as of the hearing date (August 19, 1987), despite the fact that such equipment had been valued at *856 $75,000 approximately two months earlier when the Chapter 11 petition had been filed.

The debtor also presented the testimony of Wayne Miller (“Miller”), the vice-president of PSI, who is currently responsible for managing the operations of the debtor. Miller testified that PSI spends between $2,000 and $4,000 per month in order to keep the equipment in proper operating condition. As to the remaining useful life of the equipment, Miller stated that, in his opinion, if the equipment were properly maintained it would “last for a long time.” Miller noted that a downturn in business occasioned by the unusually dry summer resulted in the debtor’s financial difficulties. However, Miller also noted that, for the remainder of the year, he expected that PSI’s operations would generate a small profit.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
78 B.R. 852, 1987 Bankr. LEXIS 1550, 16 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 543, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-planned-systems-inc-ohsb-1987.