The Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is poised to take over administrative duties for the city’s Arts Commission after contracted director Nate Elkins resigned from his position.

Elkins has served as the Arts Commission director since January 2018 and is currently contracted at a rate of $25,000 per year to provide administrative support to the Arts Commission. His responsibilities include assisting with project management, strategic planning, communications, fundraising and grant writing, and policy development, according to his contract terms.

City Clerk Benjamin Marentette tells The Ticker Elkins invoked the termination clause of his contract after learning the city was considering having the DDA take over administrative duties for the Arts Commission. The move would represent a cost savings for the city – the DDA is proposing charging the city $15,000 instead of $25,000 annually for an administrative contract – and would “enhance communications on projects,” since both the DDA and Arts Commission are divisions of city government, according to Marentette. “There’s a natural level of synergy there because we’re already constantly in communication (with the DDA),” he says.

DDA CEO Jean Derenzy told DDA board members Friday that her staff has expertise in grant writing and project management, among other key skills necessary to administer the Arts Commission, and that she viewed public art as an important placemaking element aligned with the DDA’s mission. The DDA’s proposed 2019-20 budget – set to be discussed by city commissioners at a public hearing Monday – includes the proposed Arts Commission contract, as well as a new DDA staff position of a chief operations officer. DDA board members agreed conceptually to take over Arts Commission administration pending city commission approval of the budget and new COO position, expressing their concern that the DDA have enough staff to manage the contract along with all of the organization's other responsibilities. DDA board members will also review proposed contract terms at a future meeting before an agreement between the DDA and city is finalized.

In the meantime, Elkins and city staff will continue to work together on Arts Commission projects during a transition period that will likely be completed by early July, Marentette says. Elkins’ contract requires him to give 90 days’ notice before terminating his agreement, but the city is only required to give 30 days’ notice. “We will find a mutually agreeable timeline that makes sense for a transition, but it’ll definitely be less than 90 days,” Marentette says. 

In a written statement to The Ticker, Elkins addressed his departure from the Arts Commission as follows:

“The City Clerk’s Office and City Manager have recommended to the DDA that they absorb the contracted staffing of the Arts Commission responsibilities into their wheelhouse. It is my understanding that this decision will save the taxpayers around $10,000 per year. If this decision is voted and agreed upon, the DDA will take responsibility of the Arts Commission sometime in June or July. I will be working with the DDA to transition all of the administrative tasks as well as the projects that are currently in the works. Art is such an important asset to any community and I will do my best to make this transition seamless and smooth. It is my hope that Traverse City continues to grow culturally and develop as a robust public arts community in Michigan. I will continue to support art in our community any way I can.”