UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
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¨ | Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12 | |||
CAPITAL PROPERTIES INC | ||||
(Name of registrant as specified in its charter) | ||||
(Name of person(s) filing proxy statement, if other than the registrant) | ||||
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Capital Properties, Inc.
100 Dexter Road
East Providence, Rhode Island 02914
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
April 29, 2014
The 2014 annual meeting of shareholders of Capital Properties, Inc. (the Company) will be held at the offices of Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP, 50 Kennedy Plaza, Suite 1500 in Providence, Rhode Island, on Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at 3:00 oclock P.M., local time, for the following purposes:
(1) | To elect five directors to serve for terms of one year and until their successors are elected and qualified; and |
(2) | To transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or adjournments thereof. |
Holders of record of the Class A Common Stock on the books of the Company as of the close of business on March 3, 2014 will be entitled to vote.
By Order of the Board of Directors |
STEPHEN J. CARLOTTI |
Secretary |
East Providence, Rhode Island
March 12, 2014
Kindly fill in, date and sign the enclosed proxy card and promptly return the same in the enclosed addressed envelope, which requires no postage if mailed in the United States.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 29, 2014.
The Companys Proxy Statement, sample proxy cards and Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at:
http://materials.proxyvote.com/140430
Capital Properties, Inc.
PROXY STATEMENT
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
April 29, 2014
SOLICITATION AND REVOCATION OF PROXIES
The accompanying proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of Capital Properties, Inc. (the Company), in connection with the annual meeting of shareholders to be held April 29, 2014. The Company will bear the cost of such solicitation. It is expected that the solicitation of proxies will be primarily by mail. Proxies may also be solicited personally by regular employees of the Company at nominal cost. The Company may reimburse brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries holding stock for others in their names, or in those of their nominees, for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in sending proxy materials to their principals or beneficial owners and obtaining their proxies. Any shareholder giving a proxy has the power to revoke it at any time prior to its exercise, by (i) filing a written revocation of the proxy with the Secretary of the Company, (ii) submitting a signed proxy card bearing a later date or (iii) attending and voting in person at the meeting provided the shareholder is the holder of record of the underlying shares and a written revocation of the shareholders grant of proxy has been filed with the Secretary of the Company. Notice of revocation may be delivered in writing to the Secretary at Capital Properties, Inc., 100 Dexter Road, East Providence, Rhode Island 02914, Attn: Secretary. Every properly signed proxy will be voted in accordance with the specifications made thereon.
This proxy statement and the accompanying proxy are expected to be first sent to shareholders on or about March 14, 2014.
VOTING AT MEETING
Only shareholders of record at the close of business on March 3, 2014, will be entitled to vote at the meeting. Under the Companys Restated Articles of Incorporation, the holders of the Companys Class A Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held. On the record date, there were 6,599,912 shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding. There were no other outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote.
Shares represented by proxies which are marked withhold authority with respect to the election of any particular nominee for director, or to deny discretionary authority on any other matters will be counted as shares present and entitled to vote, and accordingly any such marking of a proxy will have the same effect as a vote against the proposal to which it relates. Brokers who hold shares in street name lack authority to vote such shares for the election of directors, absent specific instructions from their customers. Shares subject to such broker non-votes will not be treated as shares entitled to vote on the matters to which they relate and therefore will be treated as not present at the meeting for those purposes, but otherwise will have no effect on the outcome of the voting on such matters. Accordingly, shareholders are encouraged to provide instructions to their brokers regarding the voting of their shares.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
At the annual meeting, five directors are to be elected to hold office until the next annual meeting and until their respective successors are elected and qualified. The proxies named in the accompanying proxy, who have been designated by the Board of Directors, intend to vote, unless otherwise instructed, for the election to the Board of Directors of the persons named below who are now directors of the Company. Mr. Matthew C. Baum, who had been a director of the Company since 2009, resigned in 2013 for personal reasons. The Board of Directors has determined that the number of directors shall be five. Certain information concerning such nominees is set forth below:
Director Name and Age |
Since |
Principal Occupation During Past Five Years | ||
Alfred J. Corso (77) |
2005 | Consultant, 2001 to present | ||
Robert H. Eder (81) |
1995 | President of the Company since January 1, 2008; Chairman of the Company, 1995 to present; Chairman, Providence and Worcester Railroad Company, 1988 to present | ||
Harris N. Rosen (81) |
2001 | Consultant and Mediator, 2001 to present | ||
Craig M. Scott (50) |
2011 | Attorney, Scott & Bush, Ltd., 2009 to present; Attorney, Duffy, Sweeney & Scott, 1998-2009 Director, Providence and Worcester Railroad Company, 2004 to 2011 | ||
Todd D. Turcotte (42) |
2008 | Vice President of the Company and President of Capital Terminal Company since January 1, 2008; Principal, RT Group, Inc., 2002-2007 |
Mr. Eder is also a director of Providence and Worcester Railroad Company.
The Board of Directors has reviewed the relationship that each director and nominee for director, which includes each of the nominees standing for election at the 2014 annual meeting, has with the Company and determined that all directors and nominees for director, other than Robert H. Eder and Todd D. Turcotte, are independent as defined under the NASDAQ listing standards.
The Board of Directors does not have a policy with respect to diversity and does not specifically consider issues of diversity, such as gender, race, origin, or sex when determining whether to nominate a person to be a director of the Company. When considering whether directors and nominees have the experience, qualifications, attributes and skills, taken as a whole, to enable the Board of Directors to satisfy its oversight responsibilities effectively in light of the Companys business and structure, the Board of Directors focuses primarily on each directors and nominees individual background and experience as it relates to the Companys business. Historically, when vacancies have occurred, each director has been requested to suggest potential nominees and each potential nominee is vetted with the entire Board.
2
In particular, with regard to Mr. Corso, the Board of Directors considered his training, work experience as a partner of Ernst & Young and his service as a controller of a publicly-held corporation which activities qualify him as a financial expert. With regard to Mr. Eder, the Board of Directors considered that he is the Companys founder, he has been actively involved with the Company or its predecessors since 1966 and is the majority shareholder. With regard to Mr. Rosen, the Board of Directors considered his history as the owner of his own business and his substantial community contacts which the Board believes assists in assessing the Companys role in the community and furthering its community contacts and relationships. With regard to Mr. Scott, the Board of Directors considered Mr. Scotts experience as a trial lawyer in the area of complex business litigation. The Board noted that Mr. Scott has on occasion served as counsel to the Company and as lead trial counsel for various business clients in a variety of industries in the federal courts throughout the country and internationally. The Board concluded that his experience as a commercial litigator as well as his community involvement would be of assistance to the Company in assessing business and legal controversies that might arise with various tenants under the Companys long and short term leases. With regard to Mr. Turcotte, the Board of Directors considered his strong background in engineering and insights as Vice President of the Company and President of Capital Terminal Company.
Communications with the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has established a process for shareholders to communicate with members of the board. If you have any concern, question or complaint regarding our compliance with any policy or law, or would otherwise like to contact the Board of Directors, you may reach the Companys Board of Directors by writing directly to those individuals c/o Capital Properties, Inc., 100 Dexter Road, East Providence, Rhode Island 02914.
Any inquiries received will not be screened by the Company and will be forwarded directly to the director to which such inquiry is addressed, unless it is believed that a particular inquiry may pose a security risk. The Board of Directors sits as a committee of the whole to address any inquiries made by shareholders.
Board Leadership Structure
Robert H. Eder serves as both the President and the Chairman of the Board of the Company. The Board of Directors believes that the Companys Chief Executive Officer is best situated to serve as Chairman because he is the director most familiar with the Companys business and industry, and most capable of effectively identifying strategic priorities and leading the discussion and execution of strategy. Independent directors and management have different perspectives and roles in strategy development. The Companys independent directors bring experience, oversight and expertise from outside the Company and industry, while the Chief Executive Officer brings Company-specific experience and expertise. The Board of Directors believes that the combined role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer promotes strategy development and execution and facilitates information flow between management and the Board, which are essential to effective governance.
One of the key responsibilities of the Board of Directors is to develop strategic direction and hold management accountable for the execution of strategy once it is developed. The Board of Directors believes the combined role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer is in the best interest of shareholders because it provides the appropriate balance between strategy development and independent oversight of management.
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Committees of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee and a Compensation Committee, both of which are currently comprised of Messrs. Corso, Rosen and Scott, each of whom is independent as defined under applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and NASDAQ listing requirements.1 Each of the Audit and Compensation Committees has a written charter approved by the Board of Directors. Pursuant to Rule 402 of Regulation S-K, a copy of the Audit Committee Charter, which was amended January 28, 2014, is attached hereto as Appendix A.
The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing the establishment and maintenance of an effective financial control environment for the Company, for establishing procedures for evaluating the system of internal accounting control and for evaluating audit performance.
The Board of Directors has determined that the members of the Audit Committee satisfy the financial literacy requirements of the NASDAQ listing standards and are independent as defined under the NASDAQ listing requirements and applicable rules of the SEC. Additionally, the Board of Directors has determined that Mr. Corso qualifies as an audit committee financial expert as defined by the SEC rules.
The Compensation Committee assists the Board of Directors in discharging the Boards responsibilities relating to director and executive compensation. The Compensation Committees responsibilities include establishing and reviewing the Companys executive and director compensation philosophy, strategies, plans and policies, and evaluating the performance and determining the compensation of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company and advising and assisting the CEO in formulating and implementing programs to facilitate the selection and development of other key managers. The Compensation Committee also reviews and approves the compensation of other executive officers of the Company.
The Company does not maintain a nominating committee or a committee performing a similar function due to the fact that Mr. Eder owns a controlling interest in the Company. The Board of Directors sits as a committee of the whole to consider any recommendations made by shareholders and/or other directors of persons to be directors of the Company. In determining whether to nominate any such person for election by the shareholders, the Board of Directors considers the experience of such person as it relates to the business of the Company, together with such persons age, reputation and ability to carry out the requirements to serve as a director of the Company. The Board of Directors does not have a policy with respect to diversity and does not specifically consider issues of diversity, such as gender, race, origin or sex when determining whether to nominate a person to be a director of the Company.
1 | On December 11, 2008, the Company delisted from the AMEX and listed its shares of Class A Common Stock for trading on the OTCQX. For purposes of determining the independence of directors and members of the Audit Committee, however, the Board of Directors determined to use the applicable independence standards as defined under the NASDAQ listing requirements. |
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During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, the Board of Directors held six meetings, the Audit Committee held four meetings and the Compensation Committee held one meeting. All directors attended every meeting of the Board of Directors and meetings of committees on which such director serves. The independent directors held one meeting. The Board of Directors has adopted a policy that requires members of the Board of Directors to make every effort to attend each annual shareholders meeting. All then current members of the Board of Directors attended the 2013 annual shareholders meeting.
Risk Management
The Board of Directors has an active role, as a whole and also at the Audit Committee level, in overseeing management of the Companys risks. The Board of Directors regularly meets with management and reviews information regarding the Companys overall risks. The Audit Committee oversees management of financial and operational risks and oversees management of risks associated with regulatory, environmental, health and safety. The Board of Directors does not believe there is any high degree of risk associated with its compensation practices as the Company does not provide for any incentive-based compensation other than infrequent cash bonuses which have only been paid in connection with extraordinary events. Furthermore, salary increases for employees of the Company are based primarily on increases in the cost of living.
Compensation of Directors
The Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Compensation Committee, is responsible for determining compensation of the directors. Directors, other than directors who are employed by the Company, received a fee for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors, together with related transportation and living expenses. During the 2013 fiscal year, outside directors received an annual retainer fee of $12,000 payable in quarterly installments and fees per meeting as follows: Board, $1,000; Audit Committee, $750 and Compensation Committee, $500. The maximum fees payable for attendance at Board and committee meetings occurring on the same day is $1,500. These rates were established in 2005 based on the recommendations of Effective Pay Practices, a compensation consultant retained by the Compensation Committee.
The following Director Compensation table provides information regarding the compensation paid or accrued by each director during the 2013 fiscal year.
Name |
Total | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash |
Option Awards |
All Other Compensation | ||||||||
Matthew C. Baum |
$ | 12,500 | $ | 12,500 | N/A | N/A | ||||||
Alfred J. Corso |
20,750 | 20,750 | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
Robert H. Eder |
| | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
Harris N. Rosen |
20,250 | 20,250 | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
Craig M. Scott |
20,750 | 20,750 | N/A | N/A | ||||||||
Todd D. Turcotte |
| | N/A | N/A |
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Corporate Governance
The Board of Directors is committed to ethical business practices and believes that strong corporate governance is important to ensure that the Company is managed for the long-term benefit of its shareholders. The Company regularly monitors developments in the area of corporate governance and has implemented a number of best practices, including the following:
Code of Ethics. The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to all directors, officers and employees, which meets the requirements of a code of ethics as defined in Item 406 of Regulation S-K.
Procedures for the Receipt, Retention and Handling of Complaints. The Company maintains procedures for the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of any complaints or concerns about the Company, including complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
AND MANAGEMENT
The table set forth below reflects the only persons (including any group as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) who, to the best of the Companys knowledge were, on March 3, 2014, the beneficial owners of more than five percent of the Companys outstanding Class A Common Stock, $.01 par value.
Name and Address |
Number of shares held1 |
Percent of Class |
||||||
Robert H. Eder Trust and Linda Eder Trust 130 Sunrise Avenue, Apt.507 |
3,453,420 | 2 | 52.3 | % | ||||
TowerView LLC 500 Park Avenue |
596,500 | 9.0 | % | |||||
Morris Propp 366 Eagle Drive |
408,166 | 6.2 | % | |||||
Lance S. Gad 1250 Fence Row Drive |
382,096 | 5.8 | % | |||||
Philip V. Oppenheimer Carl K. Oppenheimer |
330,636 | 3 | 5.0 | % |
1 | All information is based upon ownership of record as reflected on the stock transfer books of the Company or as reported on Schedule 13G or Schedule 13D filed under Rule 13d-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
2 | Robert H. Eder and Linda Eder are husband and wife, and each is a co-trustee of the Robert H. Eder Trust and Linda Eder Trust. |
3 | Based solely on information in Schedule 13G, as of December 31, 2013, filed by P. Oppenheimer Investment Partnership L.P. with respect to Class A Common Stock owned by Mr. Philip V. Oppenheimer and Mr. Carl K. Oppenheimer, as managing members of both Oppvest, LLC and Oppenheimer & Close, LLC, and other affiliated entties, Philip V. Oppenheimer and Mr. Carl K. Oppenheimer may be deemed beneficial owners of 330,636 shares of Companys Class A Common Stock, which include the 257,022 shares held by Philip Oppenheimer, 5,091 shares held by Oppenheimer-Close Investment Partnership L.P., 18,830 shares held by Oppenheimer International, Ltd, 47,143 shares held in Advisory Client Accounts, and 2,550 shares held in brokerage accounts owned by Oppenheimer & Close LLC members or their immediate family members. |
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The following table reflects as of March 3, 2014, the beneficial ownership of shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company by directors and officers of the Company, all shares being owned directly except as otherwise noted:
Name of Individual or Identification of Group |
Number of shares held |
Percent of Class |
||||||
Alfred J. Corso |
2,043 | * | ||||||
Barbara J. Dreyer |
13,200 | * | ||||||
Robert H. Eder |
3,453,420 | (a) | 52.3 | % | ||||
Harris N. Rosen |
10,120 | (b) | * | |||||
Craig M. Scott |
500 | * | ||||||
Todd D. Turcotte |
200 | * | ||||||
All directors and officers as a group |
3,479,703 | 52.7 | % |
* | Less than 1% |
(a) | Includes 1,726,710 shares held by the Robert H. Eder Trust and 1,726,710 shares held by the Linda Eder Trust. |
(b) | Consists of 10,120 shares held by Mr. Rosens spouse. |
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires executive officers and directors and persons who beneficially own more than ten percent of the Companys common stock to file initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership with the SEC and any national securities exchange on which the Companys securities are registered. Based solely on a review of the copies of forms furnished to the Company and written representations from the executive officers and directors of the Company, the Company believes that, during 2013, its executive officers, directors and greater than ten percent beneficial owners complied with all applicable Section 16(a) requirements.
TRANSACTIONS WITH MANAGEMENT
Potential conflicts of interest and related party transactions are referred by the Board of Directors to the Audit Committee for review and approval. In reviewing and evaluating potential conflicts of interest and related party transactions, the Audit Committee uses applicable SEC rules as a guide.
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
During 2010, the Compensation Committee engaged Effective Pay Practices of Gloucester, Massachusetts to update its prior study on executive compensation. After receipt of the study and review of its recommendations, the Compensation Committee approved executive compensation for each of the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer (the Chairman); the Treasurer; and the Vice President and President of Capital Terminal Company effective January 1, 2011 as follows:
Chairman |
$ | 263,000 | ||
Vice President and President of Capital Terminal Company |
170,000 | |||
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer |
181,000 |
The Committee also approved a further increase effective January 1, 2012 in the Treasurers compensation to $192,500 and to the Vice President and President of Capital Terminal Companys compensation to $182,500.
The following table summarizes the compensation paid or accrued by the Company during the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2013, to the Chairman and Treasurer, and one other most highly compensated executive officer other than the Chairman and Treasurer who earned more than $100,000 in total compensation in 2013 and were employed by the Company on December 31, 2013.
Annual Compensation
Name and Principal Position |
Year | Salary | Bonus | All Other Compensation4 |
Total Compensation |
|||||||||||||||
Robert H. Eder, |
|
2013 2012 |
|
$
|
263,500 263,500 |
|
$
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
$
|
263,500 263,500 |
| |||||
Barbara J. Dreyer, |
|
2013 2012 |
|
|
192,500 192,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
14,438 14,438 |
|
|
206,938 206,938 |
| |||||
Todd D. Turcotte, |
|
2013 2012 |
|
|
182,500 182,500 |
|
|
|
|
|
13,688 13,688 |
|
|
196,188 196,188 |
|
Contributions by the Company under the Companys SEP are fully vested when made. Each employee directs the investment of amounts in his or her SEP account. The Company does not have any employment agreements and has no severance or change of control arrangements with any of its executive officers.
4 | Amounts paid directly to the retirement accounts of employees under the Companys SEP. |
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AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
Management is responsible for the Companys internal controls and financial reporting process. The independent registered public accountants are responsible for performing an audit of the Companys consolidated financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and to issue a report thereon. The Audit Committees responsibility is to monitor and oversee these processes.
The Audit Committee has sole authority to select, evaluate and when appropriate, to replace the Companys independent registered public accountants. Additionally, and as appropriate, the Audit Committee reviews and evaluates, and discusses and consults with the Companys management and independent registered public accountants regarding the scope of the audit plan, the results of the audit, the Companys financial statement disclosure documents, the adequacy and effectiveness of the Companys accounting and financial controls and changes in accounting principles.
In connection with these responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited consolidated financial statements with management and the Companys independent registered public accountants, LGC&D LLP. The Audit Committee also discussed with such firm the matters required by the PCAOB Auditing Standard No. 16. The Audit Committee received from LGC&D LLP written disclosures and the letter regarding its independence as required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, wherein LGC&D LLP confirmed its independence within the meaning of the SEC and Independence Standards Board Rules and disclosed the fees charged for professional services in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013. The Audit Committee discussed this information with LGC&D LLP and also considered the compatibility of non-audit services provided by such firm with its independence. Based on the review of the audited consolidated financial statements and these various discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K, to be filed with the SEC.
Audit Committee: Alfred J. Corso (Chair), Harris N. Rosen and Craig M. Scott.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has sole authority to engage, manage and discharge the Companys independent registered public accountants. The Committee engaged LGC&D LLP as independent registered public accountants of the accounts of the Company for the year 2014. The Company has recently been advised by LGC&D LLP that it has no direct financial interest or any material indirect financial interest in the Company, nor have they had any connection during the past three years with the Company in the capacity of promoter, underwriter, voting trustee, director, officer or employee.
It is expected that a representative of LGC&D LLP will be present at the annual meeting and will be provided the opportunity to make a statement if he so desires and that such representative will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
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Audit and Non-Audit Fees:
The aggregate fees for professional services rendered for the Company by LGC&D LLP for fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 are set forth below.
2013 | 2012 | |||||||
Audit fees |
$ | 76,000 | $ | 77,000 | ||||
Audit-related fees |
| | ||||||
Tax fees |
19,000 | 20,000 | ||||||
All other fees |
| | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total |
$ | 95,000 | $ | 97,000 | ||||
|
|
|
|
Audit Fees for fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were for professional services rendered for the audits of the Companys annual financial statements and the reviews of interim financial statements included in the Companys Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, consents and other assistance required to complete the year end audit of the Companys financial statements.
Audit-Related Fees for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012: there were no audit-related fees.
Tax Fees for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 were for services related to tax return preparation.
All Other Fees for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012: there were no other fees.
The Audit Committee (or in the case of minor matters, the Chairman) pre-approves all audit and non-audit services provided by the independent auditors prior to the engagement of the independent auditors with respect to such services.
The Audit Committee has determined that the provision of such services is compatible with maintaining LGC&D LLPs independence.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
A copy of the Companys annual report to the SEC on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 is enclosed. Such report is not part of this proxy statement.
PROPOSALS FOR 2015 ANNUAL MEETING
The 2015 annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company is scheduled to be held April 28, 2015. If a shareholder intending to present a proposal at that meeting wishes to have a proper proposal included in the Companys proxy statement and form of proxy relating to the meeting, the shareholder must submit the proposal to the Company not later than November 28, 2014. Shareholder proposals that are to be considered at the 2015 annual meeting but not requested to be included in the Companys Proxy Statement must be submitted no later than January 28, 2015.
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OTHER MATTERS
No business other than that set forth in the attached Notice of Meeting is expected to come before the annual meeting, but should any other matters requiring a vote of shareholders arise, including a question of adjourning the meeting, the persons named in the accompanying proxy will vote thereon according to their best judgment in the interests of the Company. In the event any of the nominees for the office of director should withdraw or otherwise become unavailable for reasons not presently known, the persons named as proxies will vote for other persons in their place in what they consider the best interests of the Company.
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Appendix A
CAPITAL PROPERTIES, INC.
CHARTER OF AUDIT COMMITTEE
1. | ORGANIZATION |
The Audit Committee (the Committee) of Capital Properties, Inc. (the Company) shall be appointed by the Board of Directors (the Board) of the Company. The Committee shall be composed of at least three directors each of whom satisfies the independence standards specified in Rule 5605(c) of the NASDAQ Listing Standards and Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and all other legal requirements. Each member shall be free of any relationship which, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment as members of the Committee.
All members of the Committee shall have a working familiarity with basic finance and accounting practices and be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements and at least one member shall have an accounting or related financial management expertise, such that he or she is financially sophisticated within the meaning of Rule 5605(c) of the NASDAQ Listing Standards.
Determination of independence, audit committee financial expertise, financial literacy and accounting or related financial management expertise shall be made by the Board as the Board interprets such qualifications in its business judgment and in accordance with applicable law and the listing requirements of the NASDAQ.
The Committee shall have the power to adopt its own operating rules and procedures and to call upon assistance from officers and employees of the Company and outside counsel and consultants without the consent of management.
2. | STATEMENT OF POLICY |
The Committee shall provide assistance to the directors of the company in fulfilling their responsibilities to the shareholders and investment community relating to corporate accounting, reporting practices of the Company and the quality and integrity of the financial reports of the Company. In so doing, the committee shall maintain free and open means of communication between the directors, the Companys independent auditors, and the financial management of the Company.
The Committee, and each member of the Committee in his or her capacity as such, shall be entitled to rely, in good faith, on information, opinions, reports or statements, or other information prepared or presented to them by officers and employees of the Company, whom such member believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented and on counsel, public accountants or other persons as to matters which the member believes to be within the professional competence of such person.
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3. | RESPONSIBILITIES |
The Committee shall have responsibility for overseeing the establishment and maintenance of an effective financial control environment for the Company, for overseeing procedures for evaluating the system of internal accounting control, and for evaluating audit performance. The Committee shall report on its actions to the full Board at each regular quarterly meeting and at the annual meeting of the Board.
In carrying out the foregoing responsibilities, the Committee shall
(a) | Be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of any independent auditor engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services. The accounting firm shall report directly to the Committee. |
(b) | Approve on an annual basis the estimated fees to be paid to the independent auditor for the annual audit of the consolidated financial statements of the Company and limited reviews of its quarterly financial statements and in this connection, review the independent auditors engagement letter and discuss the general audit approach. |
(c) | Preapprove audit and non-audit services performed on behalf of the Company by the independent auditors that are not prohibited by law or regulation pursuant to such processes as the Committee determines to be advisable. The Committee may delegate pre-approval authority for any permissible non-audit service to one or more members of the Committee, provided that any pre-approval granted by such member or members pursuant to such delegated authority is presented to the Committee at its next scheduled meeting. |
(d) | Meet with the independent auditor and the financial management of the Company to review the scope of the proposed audit for the current year and the audit procedures to be utilized, and at the conclusion thereof review such audit, including any comments or recommendations of the independent auditors. |
(e) | Review any non-audit services performed on behalf of the Company by the independent auditor that meet the de minimis exception under applicable law and regulations. |
(f) | Review quarterly with the Companys financial and accounting personnel and outside consultants, if any, the adequacy and effectiveness of the internal accounting and financial controls of the Company, and solicit from them any recommendations for the improvement of such internal control procedures. Particular emphasis shall be given to the adequacy of such internal controls to expose any payments, transactions, or procedures that might be deemed illegal or otherwise improper. |
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(g) | Review the internal audit functions of the Company, the proposed audit plans for the current year and the coordination of such plans with the independent auditors. |
(h) | Review quarterly and annually with management and outside consultants, if any, the basis for the disclosures made in the Companys SEC filings regarding the Companys internal controls for financial reporting. |
(i) | Review any deficiencies identified by management in the design and operation of internal control for financial reporting and at least quarterly consider, in consultation with management and outside consultants, if any, the adequacy of the Companys internal control for financial reporting, including the resolution of identified material weaknesses and reportable conditions, if any. |
(j) | Review with management and the independent auditors the financial statements proposed to be contained in the annual report to shareholders to determine that the independent auditors are satisfied with the disclosure and content of such financial statements, and review and discuss: |
| Changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or the SEC that have an impact on the financial statements; |
| Estimates made by management having a material impact on the financial statements; |
| Analyses of the effect of alternative assumptions, estimates or GAAP methods on the Companys financial statements; |
| Any changes from prior years in accounting principles applied in the preparation of such financial statement; |
| Receive from the independent auditors all communications required by the applicable auditing standards and discuss and act upon any recommendations made by the independent auditors; and |
| Any material written communications between the independent auditor and the Companys management, including any management letter provided by the independent auditor and the Companys response to that letter. |
(k) | Ensure that retention of the independent auditor to perform audit and nonaudit services is properly disclosed in the Companys proxy statement and filings with the SEC. |
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(l) | Review, at least annually, with management and with the independent auditor, the qualifications, performance and independence and objectivity of the independent auditor. In connection with such review and evaluation, the Committee should |
| Obtain and review a written report from the independent auditor at least annually regarding the auditors internal quality-control procedures and any material issues raised by the most recent quality-control review; |
| Obtain and review a written report from the independent auditor regarding |
a. | Whether the auditor was the subject of a PCAOB examination during the prior year and if so, was the Companys audit reviewed by the PCAOB? |
b. | What were the results of the PCAOB audit generally and specifically with respect to the review of the Companys audit, if any? |
c. | What was the auditors response to the PCAOB findings? |
d. | What topics were included in the Part II findings of the PCAOB to include any changes the auditor is making to address the findings, the progress of the quality control remediation, whether any final determination has been made by the PCAOB about the auditors remediation efforts and whether the PCAOB has provided initial indications that the auditor has not sufficiently remediated any items? |
| Obtain an annual written statement from the independent auditor delineating all relationships, both direct and indirect, between the independent auditor and the Company, including each non-audit service provided to the Company and at least the matters set forth in Independence Standards Board No. 1; |
| Consider whether the provision of non-audit services is compatible with maintaining the auditors independence, taking into account the opinions of management; |
| Discuss any relationships that may impair the auditors independence and take such actions as it deems appropriate or make recommendations to the Board regarding actions to be taken to remedy such impairment; and |
| Ensure appropriate audit and concurring partner rotation as required by law. |
(m) | Provide sufficient opportunity for the independent auditors to meet with the members of the Committee without members of management present. Among the items to be discussed at such meetings are the independent auditors evaluation of the Companys financial and accounting personnel and the cooperation received by the independent auditors during the course of the audit. |
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(n) | Meet on at least a quarterly basis, and establish procedures for the receipt, retention and anonymous treatment of complaints relating to internal accounting controls or auditing matters. The Committee shall be responsible for designating the individual(s) responsible for receiving such complaints. |
(o) | Administer the Companys Code of Ethics for Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officer, including consideration of any waivers and investigation of any alleged violations thereof and review and approve, where appropriate, any related party transactions. |
(p) | Cause minutes of all meetings of the Committee to be kept and submit the minutes of each Committee meeting to the Board. |
(q) | Investigate any matter brought to the Committees attention within the scope of its responsibilities, with the power to retain outside legal, accounting or other advisors and determine funding for this purpose if, in its judgment, such retention is appropriate. |
(r) | Take such other actions as it deems necessary or appropriate from time to time. |
(s) | Review and assess this Charter at least annually and amend it as appropriate. |
Amended: January 28, 2014.
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CAPITAL PROPERTIES, INC.
CLASS A COMMON STOCK PROXY
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned, a shareholder of Capital Properties, Inc., a Rhode Island corporation, hereby appoints ROBERT H. EDER and STEPHEN J. CARLOTTI (the Proxies), or either of them, the proxies of the undersigned, each with the power to appoint his substitute, and hereby authorizes them to represent and to vote for the undersigned all the Capital Properties, Inc. Class A Common Shares held of record on March 3, 2014 by the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on April 29, 2014 or any adjournment thereof as follows on the reverse side of this proxy card:
1. | ELECTION OF DIRECTORS: |
FOR | WITHHOLD | FOR all except | ||||
(01) Alfred J. Corso | ¨ | ¨ | ¨ | |||
(02) Robert H. Eder | ¨ | ¨ | ||||
(03) Harris N. Rosen | ¨ | ¨ | ||||
(04) Craig M. Scott | ¨ | ¨ | ||||
(05) Todd D. Turcotte | ¨ | ¨ |
INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee, mark For All Except and write that nominees name in the space provided below.
2. | In their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the Meeting. |
THE PROXY REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY CARD, WHEN PROPERLY EXECUTED WILL BE VOTED IN THE MANNER DIRECTED HEREIN BY THE UNDERSIGNED SHAREHOLDER. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR EACH OF THE NOMINEES LISTED.
IF BOTH THE PROXIES SHALL BE PRESENT IN PERSON OR BY SUBSTITUTE, EITHER OF THE PROXIES SO PRESENT AND VOTING SHALL HAVE AND MAY EXERCISE ALL THE POWERS HEREBY GRANTED.
Please check here if you plan to attend the meeting ( ).
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To change the address on your account, please check the box at right and indicate your new address in the address space above. Please note that changes to the registered name(s) on the account may not be submitted via this method. ( )
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON APRIL 29, 2014.
The Companys Proxy Statement, sample proxy card and Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at:
http://materials.proxyvote.com/140430
Signature of Shareholder |
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Signature of shareholder |
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Date: |
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Date: |
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NOTE: | This proxy must be signed exactly as the name appears hereon. When shares are held jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as executor, administrator, attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name by duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person. |
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