Lind Bonnie Cruickshank Form 4 EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC / Bonnie Cruickshank Lind ownership change

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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X

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Lind Bonnie Cruickshank

(Last) (First) (Middle)

THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY

602 S. JOPLIN AVENUE

(Street)

JOPLIN MO 64801

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC CO [ EDE ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director	10% Owner
	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/31/2016

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	01/03/2017		D		2,500	D	$34(4)	0	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Phantom Stock Units	$0	12/31/2016		A(1)		2,205.88		01/03/2017(2)	(3)	Common Stock	2,205.88	$34	24,551.69	D
Phantom Stock Units	$0	12/31/2016		A(1)		63.98		01/03/2017(2)	(3)	Common Stock	63.96	$34	24,615.67	D
Phantom Stock Units	(5)	01/03/2017		D			24,615.67	(5)	(5)	Common Stock	24,615.67	$0	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Shares of Phantom Stock Units are awarded to director pursuant to Stock Unit Plan for Directors.

2. Shares of Phantom Stock Units are exercisable upon the earliest of this election date, retirement or death.

3. Shares of Phantom Stock Units are exercisable upon the earliest of the election date, retirement or death and do not expire.

4. Reflects the disposition of shares and stock units pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among The Empire District Electric Company (Empire), Liberty Utilities (Central) Co., and Liberty Sub Corp. (the "Merger Agreement"). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, as of the effective date of the merger (January 1, 2017), the outstanding shares of Empire common stock were cancelled and converted automatically into the right to receive an amount in cash (without interest) equal to $34.00 per share (the "Per-Share Merger Consideration").

5. Reflects the disposition of Phantom Stock Units pursuant to the Merger Agreement. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, as of the effective date of the merger, the Phantom Stock Units were cancelled and converted into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the Per-Share Merger Consideration, payment to be made at the time elected or provided pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Director Stock Unit Plan.

Remarks:

	Dale W. Harrington, Attorney In Fact	01/04/2017
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
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