Portage, Mich., is minutes away from downtown Kalamazoo and not that far from Battle Creek. It’s a busy place, where City Manager Pat McGinnis is staying on top of things – so well, in fact, that his contract was unanimously approved for renewal through July 12, 2028. And while McGinnis wasn’t born in Portage, he’s sure settled in there now.
“I grew up in the Detroit area, then attended Michigan State University. I was the city manager in West Branch from 1990 to 2003, Grand Haven from 2003 to 2022, and then came to Portage.” He’s married to Tina, whom he met in West Branch, and the couple has three grown children: Molly, Mitchell and Mary Beth.
McGinnis said that his responsibilities as city manager involve “day-to-day operations of the city, and constant contact with public and elected officials to make sure things are headed in the right direction. Anticipating problems, adjusting approaches to service delivery, negotiating contracts, but, most importantly, interacting with the citizens we serve every day.” That’s a tall order, and he’s up for it…