City Will Subsidize History Center Through Year End

Traverse City commissioners voted unanimously last night to subsidize the History Center through the end of 2014 to avoid the immediate closure of the organization, which operates in the city-owned Carnegie Building on Sixth Street. History Center officials had previously informed the city they were unable to financially sustain their operations - which include maintaining the building and overseeing the city's 10,000-artifact Con Foster collection - and were in danger of having to terminate their management agreement and vacate the property.

Based on a recommendation of an ad hoc committee, commissioners last night agreed to authorize up to $10,000 from October 1-December 31 to pay for utilities and other direct costs associated with running the History Center. The committee - comprised of Commissioners Jeanine Easterday, Gary Howe and Ross Richardson - will continue to meet biweekly through the end of the year to evaluate long-term solutions for the facility, including possible proposals from other organizations to share or take over the space. Easterday says it's the committee's goal to bring a recommendation to the city commission for review in a study session in early November, with a final recommendation ready for a vote in early December.