Carnegie Leases, City Manager On Commission Agenda Tonight

Traverse City commissioners will consider authorizing lease agreements with two organizations to occupy the city-owned Carnegie Building and will discuss accepting the city manager's resignation at tonight's commission meeting.

Crooked Tree Arts Center and Grand Traverse Rock and Mineral Club could become the newest tenants of the Carnegie Building under proposed lease agreements that would charge the former $25,000 a year and the latter $1,000 a year to use the building. Negotiations with a third tenant - the History Center of Traverse City - are still underway. A potential lease for that organization could come back before commissioners in the next few weeks. Both lease agreements being submitted for approval tonight are for three-year terms.

Commissioners will also likely go into closed session tonight to discuss the resignation terms of City Manager Jered Ottenwess. Ottenwess offered his resignation by email Friday shortly after pleading not guilty in 86th District Court to two charges of domestic violence and two charges of attempting to assault a police officer following an alleged drunken disturbance at his home February 16. Ottenwess is requesting 90 days' worth of severance pay and benefits and a mutual waiving of claims between himself and the city in exchange for his resignation. Four affirmative votes will be required of commissioners to accept Ottenwess' resignation effective immediately, while five affirmative votes will be required to approve his severance compensation request.

The city commission meets at 7pm at the Governmental Center.