Hi, I'm Kathleen Olmsted and I am asking for your vote for the Portage City Council.

I will promote City Government Transparency, Communication and Community

What I stand for:

Transparency - Open, accountable decision-making Good communication and Residents’ involvement from
start to finish
Community - Inclusive voice, neighborhood focus
Bring Neighborhoods & Key Players to the table
as partners
Good Governance — fiscal responsibility, ethics
Respect for the taxpayers property and personal rights

The job of the Portage City Council is to represent the entire City and its Residents. I am running for Portage City Council to represent YOU the voter.

Communication skills are extremely important to get a message across and for reaching out to various communities. I have:

25+ years of Customer Service, Banking & Mortgage Servicing industry & volunteering
Bachelor of Science- WMU Graduate
Election Inspector since 2016 & currently an Elections Chair
Small Business Owner with knowledge of Finance deadlines, budgeting and finding new and efficient ways to improve on processes. "That's how we've always done it" does not cut it in today's world.

Government Transparency: The City Council awarded the exclusive single waste hauler contract to Waste Management, without a thorough process involving Citizen Input. City residents only heard about their being a vote days prior to the contract be finalized. Let the people decide on such big matters, sign the petition to put this on the May Ballot for a real vote.
Go to: TakeBackTheTrash
We also need better communication. We have the monthly “Portager” newsletter but we don’t have a City Paper, so not everyone gets Public Hearing notices. I don’t mind knocking on doors or making phone calls to find out what the Residents' need. We have to get out to those that don’t have a computer or phone and find out their needs so that they have a voice. Outreach and enhanced Citizen involvement is key for keeping a finger on the pulse of Portage.
Community: We do have little jewels in Portage, like the Farmer’s Market and the Portage Zhang Community Center that we can coordinate and keep Veterans and Seniors in the forefront and make sure they have the services necessary. Affordable housing should not be shouldered by the government but by private entities. High density housing could be developed further out from the main district and Lake Central should be preserved as family oriented.