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.