Portage · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Portage public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
City Council Vacancy
Seventeen residents applied to fill the council seat vacated by Jim Pearson's retirement; the list was narrowed to six candidates, with interviews at a special meeting set for November 17.
1706 West Centre brownfield redevelopment
A brownfield redevelopment plan application for 1706 West Centre Avenue was submitted, with a public hearing set for November 17. Redevelopment of brownfield sites can bring new investment to previously used commercial land.
City Council Applications
Portage is accepting applications to fill a vacant City Council seat, giving residents a direct shot at shaping local decisions. If you’ve ever wanted a say in budgets, zoning, and city priorities, this is the entry point. The pick will be made through the application process, so who applies matters.
City Council Meeting Recap
Portage City Council met on October 20, and the city posted a quick recap for anyone who missed it. The excerpt doesn’t list the specific decisions, so you’ll need the full rundown to see what actually changed.
Healthcare advisory charter proposal on the ballot
Voters will decide whether the city charter should add a seven-member citizens' advisory healthcare board required to produce a healthcare action plan every two years. The council has no power to block it from the ballot and raised concerns about cost, partisanship, and whether the city's role in healthcare makes the board's mandate abstract.
Retirement plan transition hits former employees
A former city employee says the switch from Mission Square to MERS converted her outstanding 401(a) loan into a taxable distribution without notice — a $4,800 tax bill due for 2026, with records locked. She warned others could be affected; the mayor promised a formal response before month's end.
Student pedestrian safety at Milham and Oregon
A parent reported that his daughter was nearly struck by a driver running the pedestrian light at Milham and Oregon while crossing to Northern schools. He asked for flashing beacons or a crossing guard, noting hundreds of students cross there daily; the mayor promised follow-up.
Farmland loss to technology installations
The city is supposed to adopt an ordinance restricting data centers and battery energy storage facilities by December, but planners say the commercial rezoning map needs to come first — which may mean extending the current moratorium.
Council Member Retirement
Portage Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Pearson is leaving city council, and that one seat could shift the balance on local votes. For everyday residents, it means the council’s direction on key issues may change depending on who fills it.
Pearson resignation creates council vacancy
After 15 years on the council and 30+ years of city service, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Pearson retired at the end of the meeting. He was credited with helping create consolidated countywide 911 dispatch and the region's microtransit bus service.
Consistency of code enforcement and permitting
A resident who followed all permitting rules for his home addition says other properties ignore the rules — unpermitted weekend construction, farm animals, and inoperable vehicles — and inspectors say they can't act. He warned it deters homebuyers and makes the city look like the rules apply only to some.
US-131/West Centre Avenue storm water drainage improvements
Fireside-area basements already flood and the city runs a pump ('Lake Fireside') to keep a sewage basin low. Residents worry paving a cornfield will make runoff worse; the developer's engineer says his basin holds about double the storage of the existing subdivision and homes will sit above the historic water table.
Traffic safety on Osterhout Avenue
A resident reported three accidents in four months at Osterhout and South Sudan, including one in his own yard, and asked for a flashing light like the one at Osterhout and Oakland. The mayor said the city manager would follow up with him.
Winter sheltering program funding request
A resident reported the Landing Place family shelter is on track to open this spring and asked that the $500,000 the city withdrew be redirected to other homeless services.
Police surveillance technology (Flock cameras and Stingray devices)
The council dug deep into the city's FLOCK camera program — privacy, data retention, sharing with other agencies, and immigration enforcement fears. Councilmember Young pressed on safeguards; Rep. Longjohn outlined pending state bills (HB 5492/5493) that would regulate retention and use statewide.
Selection of Portage's next city manager
The Council chose Karen Dempsey-Horan from three finalists, picking experience and community fit over an in-state candidate with labor-negotiation background. She'd be the city's first female manager in 63 years, with final approval expected September 8. The remaining finalists were encouraged to apply for future city leadership roles.
MDOT Transportation Alternatives Program Grant — Portage Road Safety
The council awarded a $355,211.70 contract for the Portage Road trail extension and sidewalks from East Milham to Fairfield, plus nearly $91,000 in streetlights on the same corridor — part of a multi-government push to fix the airport gateway area's walkability and lighting gaps.
Upcoming data center and battery storage regulations
The council adopted a moratorium so it can study data centers and battery storage before any applications come in. Residents raised concerns about fire risk, toxic emissions, water use, grid strain, and emergency preparedness. A public hearing on the zoning amendment is set for March 24.
beach closure (E. coli)
Portage has closed Ramona Park Beach after E. coli levels spiked, so no swimming until the city gives the all-clear. If you had a lake day planned, pivot—officials are trying to keep people out of contaminated water.
City Leadership Hiring
Portage is narrowing the field for its top city job—likely the city manager—and that hire will steer budgets, services, and policy for years. If you live or work in Portage, this is one of those behind-the-scenes decisions that actually hits your daily life.
Firestone development traffic and single access road
All 49 homes would funnel through one entrance on Fireside Avenue, which feeds onto busy Sprinkle Road with no traffic light. Neighbors and even commissioners want a second access to Zilman Avenue, but the developer couldn't buy the land. A stub road could connect later if the neighboring farm develops.
Citywide residential zoning map amendment
Portage is switching over to the first module of its new Unified Development Ordinance by redrawing the residential zoning map. Lower minimum lot and house sizes and more housing types (ADUs, duplexes) could mean more infill housing options in existing neighborhoods.
Police Lines, Clear Zones, and Nuisance Party Ordinance
A new Chapter 50 ordinance lets police establish emergency lines and clear zones and regulate nuisance parties. It passed its acceptance step 6-0 and gets final action July 7.
Municipal Endowment Fund
Portage just started a municipal endowment with $50K, essentially a civic savings account for future city projects. It won’t change much right away, but it sets aside money for improvements down the road. The main takeaway: small seed now, possible long-term payoff later.
East Shore Drive Trail — Traffic and Flooding Concerns
Nearly every speaker opposed higher-density zoning near Austin Lake, citing narrow, winding East Shore Drive, speeding, wetlands, and runoff into the lake. Several asked that the area be zoned RE (single-family estate) instead of RN.
KCTA Millage Renewal on August 2026 Ballot
A 0.36-mill, seven-year Kalamazoo transportation millage supporting Metro Connect paratransit will appear on the August 2026 ballot.
Employment diversity in city hiring
Dr. Monifa Jumanne, 83, gave an impassioned plea showing the city workforce grew from 233 to 250 white employees over four years while Black employment stayed at nine. She asked the council to acknowledge the pattern, review what's failing, and commit to a new plan.
Utility Rate Increase
Portage just approved higher water and sewer rates, so your monthly utility bill is going up. Water rates are rising 5% and sewer rates 8%, according to MLive.com. If you pay a Portage utility bill, expect to feel it soon.
City Manager Retirement
Portage City Manager Pat McGinnis is retiring in July, and the City Council will soon pick someone new. That replacement could change priorities, staffing, and how City Hall runs day to day—so it’s worth watching.
New water and sewer rates effective July 1, 2026
Councilmember Burns previewed a recommended blended water/sewer rate increase of about 7% — roughly $5.67 more per month for the average user — driven largely by Kalamazoo's water reclamation plant capital improvements.
River Caddis mixed-use development (The Paisley at Portage Creek)
The final PD site plan locks in 178 apartments and live-work units on 10.6 acres near City Hall, with stormwater shifted to two above-grade basins and a daylighted stream — still awaiting state approval of the wetland and stream design.
FY 2026-27 budget and 2026 tax levy
The proposed budget is balanced, with a $37.9 million General Fund (up just over 4%), about $9.8 million for the Portage Road project, and roughly $1.3 million more in debt. The public can review it on OpenGov and weigh in at budget sessions April 21 and May 12.