PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Chief Administrative Officer of Woodlands Township, Texas, who has Michigan ties, has been selected by the Portage City Council as thir next City Manager.
Contract negotiations will now begin with Karen Dempsey-Horan after she was picked from three finalists during a special meeting at Portage City Hall Friday morning.
According to information from the city, Dempsey-Horan has served Woodlands Township for 28 years, starting in community relations and working her way to executive management. Originally from the Great Lakes region, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids.
The search for a replacement for Former City Manager Pat McGinnis began with 53 applicants. The city council narrowed the original field of applicants to four candidates in July. Following
first-round interviews August 19, the council selected three finalistswho participated in second-round interviews August 25 and met with residents and community stakeholders at a public reception that same day.
The other two finalists were Mt. Pleasant City Manager Aaron Desentz and Hastings City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale.
If contract negotiations are successful, the start date for Dempsey-Horan will be November 2, 2026.
McGinnis retired July 3, 2026. Acting City Manager Adam Herringa has been serving as the city’s chief administrative officer during the search process.
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