Q&A: See which issues matter most to Portage's 9 City Council ...

Kathleen has a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. 

Kalamazoo County candidates – South County News

Kathleen is a business owner. She previously worked in the non-profit sector, in banking, and in mortgage servicing. 

Kathleen Olmsted ran for Kalamazoo County Clerk in 2024, but she did not win. 

Opposes county charges for retrieving property and other records.

Opposes the county charging citizens  for retrieving property and other records, saying "County citizens should not be charged for every little transaction. I will change that."

Supports "promoting alternatives to raising property taxes."

Supports promoting quality growth in the city.

- Opposes the county charging citizens  for retrieving property and other records, saying "County citizens should not be charged for every little transaction. I will change that."
- Supports "promoting alternatives to raising property taxes."
- Supports promoting quality growth in the city.

Economy

As of August 14, 2025, Kathleen Olmsted’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports law enforcement and believes in "enforcing safety within our community."

Supports protecting seniors and veterans.

- Supports law enforcement and believes in "enforcing safety within our community."
- Supports protecting seniors and veterans.

Public Safety

Healthcare

Supports modernization of the clerk's office.

Wants to modernize and enhance the clerk's office.

Supports enhancing transparency in city government.

- Wants to modernize and enhance the clerk's office.
- Supports enhancing transparency in city government.

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Transportation & Infrastructure

Kathleen Olmsted

Opposes the county charging homeowners to retrieve property and other records.

Kathleen Olmsted has a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. She is self-employed and has spent 25 years in mortgage servicing and management, nonprofit board leadership, and is a business owner.

Kathleen is a business owner. She previously worked in banking and mortgage servicing for over 25 years. She was responsible for maintaining and correcting mortgage records and working with county clerks throughout the United States.

Kathleen Olmsted is running for the Republican nomination for Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds in 2024. This is her first run for public office.

As of August 14, 2025, Kathleen Olmsted did not have a website or any information online.

Buket Urgen

Jason Mikkelborg - Kalamazoo County Republican Party

See who's running for local office this year in Kalamazoo, Portage ...

Jason previously served as a precinct delegate in Portage's 14th district. He ran for the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners District 4 seat in 2024 but did not win.

As of August 14, 2025, Jason Mikkelborg did not have a website or any information online.

Facebook

Jason Mikkelborg

Supports the Portage city council's decision to vote on a five-year contract with Waste Management.

Jay is a business owner and manager. He has led his own company since 2013 and has held management positions in other organizations since his early 20s.

Jay's campaign for Portage City Council Member is his first entry into politics. 

Believes his experience as a business owner in Portage will help improve the relationship between the city and the local business community.

- Believes his experience as a business owner in Portage will help improve the relationship between the city and the local business community.

As of August 14, 2025, Jay Woodhams’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Jay Woodhams

As of August 14, 2025, Jay Woodhams did not have a website or any information online.

Jay's campaign for Portage City Council Member is his first entry into politics.

Jay is a business owner and manager. He has led his own company since 2013 and has held management positions at other firms since his early 20s.

Jay Woodhams's campaign for Portage City Council Member is his first entry into politics.

LinkedIn

Believes in providing community service and has volunteered for various organizations, including school boards, foster and adoptive family advocacy, and local sports leagues.

Jihan was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She has a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan. Jihan is married with two children.

Jihan is a financial professional. She worked in finance at JP Morgan Chase and PNC Bank. She also has a background in the arts as a classically trained vocalist, dancer, and actress, lending her talents to esteemed local organizations.

Staff Directory • Jihan Ain Young

Jihan is currently a Portage City Council member. She was elected in 2023 and is serving her first term.

Supports the Portage Business Registry and Portage Pocket Pay to boost the local economy.

- Supports the Portage Business Registry and Portage Pocket Pay to boost the local economy.

Supports addressing housing availability, affordability, and renters protections.

Plans to create a Neighborhood Engagement Program to build trust and foster relationships between residents and city leadership through events like coffee chats and block parties.

- Supports addressing housing availability, affordability, and renters protections.
- Plans to create a Neighborhood Engagement Program to build trust and foster relationships between residents and city leadership through events like coffee chats and block parties.

As of September 14, 2025, Jihan Ain Young’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Aims to enhance communication between citizens and the City Council, as well as among City Council members and their respective boards and commissions.

Supports the development of public services like the multi-million-dollar Farmers Market, set to open in 2026, and aims to engage local vendors, musicians, and residents in shaping the market's offerings.

Supports investing in schools to enhance public services.

- Aims to enhance communication between citizens and the City Council, as well as among City Council members and their respective boards and commissions.
- Supports the development of public services like the multi-million-dollar Farmers Market, set to open in 2026, and aims to engage local vendors, musicians, and residents in shaping the market's offerings.
- Supports investing in schools.

Jihan Ain Young

Jihan Ain Young was born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI and is a proud alumnus of The University of Michigan. She has a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan. Jihan is married to the love of her life, Larry Young II and they have two beautiful children.

Jihan is currently a Portage City Council member. She was appointed to the City of Portage Human Services Board in October 2021 and elected Vice Chair in 2022. 

As of September 14, 2025, Jihan Ain Young did not have a website or any information online.

Supports addressing housing availability, affordability, and renter protections.

Mark is from rural Southwest Michigan. He has two bachelors degree in organizational communication and international and comparative politics and a master's degree in international development administration from Western Michigan University. He lives with his wife and two children in Portage.

Mark worked at Stryker with master data and has experience working in the non-profit sector and held roles as a Youth Coordinator, Child Care Worker, and House Builder. He was also a Job Developer for refugee employment and is both an AmeriCorps and Peace Corps alum. He previously sat on the Board of Directors for El Concilio. 

See who Portage voters picked for mayor, City Council in Tuesday's ...

Mark McKeon ran for Portage City Council Member in 2023, but did not win.

Supports job training and apprenticeships for high school students in partnership with local businesses.

Supports helping youth see a future career path for themselves.

Supports programs that help youth build resumes while still in school.

Wants to help Portage youth envision a future for themselves in the city.

Wants Portage youth to live and work in the area.

- Supports job training and apprenticeships for high school students in partnership with local businesses.
- Supports helping youth see a future career path for themselves.
- Supports programs that help youth build resumes while still in school.
- Wants Portage youth to live and work in the area.

Supports balancing high density and affordability with land use optimization by evaluating underutilized commercial areas and revising building ordinances.

Supports balancing "high density/affordability with land use optimization" by evaluating underutilized commercial areas and revising building ordinances.

Believes in ensuring development benefits "everyone, not just the wealthiest."

Plans to prioritize ensuring city development benefits "everyone, not just the wealthiest." 

- Supports balancing "high density/affordability with land use optimization" by evaluating underutilized commercial areas and revising building ordinances.
- Plans to prioritize ensuring city development benefits "everyone, not just the wealthiest." 

As of August 14, 2025, Mark McKeon’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in rebalancing "school of choice" to ensure equitable academic offerings for all Portage youth.

- Supports abortion access.
- Believes in rebalancing "school of choice" to ensure equitable academic offerings for all Portage youth.

Plans to encourage "highly quality and representative community members to join Boards for helping shape what is brought to the City Council."

Plans to encourage "highly quality and representative community members to join Boards..." to help shape the City Council. 

Supports improved transparency and partnerships with the community, businesses, and public sector entities.

- Plans to encourage "highly quality and representative community members to join Boards..." to help shape the City Council. 
- Supports improved transparency and partnerships with the community, businesses, and public sector entities.

Supports stabilizing natural areas to protect local resources and community appeal.

Supports establishing community recycling programs for expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam.

Wants community recycling programs for expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam.

Supports enhancing invasive species prevention activities.

Wants to improve invasive species prevention efforts. 

- Supports stabilizing natural areas to protect local resources and community appeal.
- Wants community recycling programs for expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam.
- Wants to improve invasive species prevention efforts. 

Supports establishing sidewalks along Sprinkle Road, between Vanrick Dr. to Wells St.

Wants to build more sidewalks along specific county roads. 

Plans to improve bus route timing to enable more efficient West-East transportation.

Plans to install more bus stalls so riders can be treated with dignity and escape the elements while waiting for the bus.

Plans to install more bus stalls for riders.

Plans to partner with local businesses and Metro to explore subsidized or free transit for employees.

Wants to partner with local businesses and Metro to explore subsidized or free transit for employees.

Supports making the new downtown corridor on Portage Rd. between E Centre and Osterhout accessible to the entire community.

- Wants to build more sidewalks along specific county roads. 
- Plans to improve bus route timing. 
- Plans to install more bus stalls for riders.
- Wants to partner with local businesses and Metro to explore subsidized or free transit for employees.
- Supports making the new downtown corridor on Portage Rd. between E Centre and Osterhout accessible to the entire community.

Mark McKeon

Mark is from rural Southwest Michigan. He has a bachelor of arts double major in organizational communication and international and comparative politics, as well as a minor in Arabic, and a master of international development administration from Western Michigan University. He lives with his wife and two young children in Portage.

Mark McKeon is making a second run for Portage City Council Member after having narrowly lost his campaign in the 2023 election.

As of August 14, 2025, Mark McKeon did not have a website or any information online.

Prioritizes accessibility for all Portage residents in planning and developing any proposed downtown area.

Plans to work with the City to establish sidewalks along Romence Road, between Portage Road and Sprinkle Road.

Linkedin

Terry earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois.

Terry currently works as a designated parachute rigger examiner (DPRE). He previously worked as a research scientist and senior analytical scientist for Pfizer. 

Staff Directory • Terry R. Urban

Terry is currently a council member on the Portage City Council. He was first elected in 1997.

As of August 14, 2025, Terry R, Urban did not have a website or any information online.

Candidates

Believes Portage may need to independently maintain home purchase and housing rehabilitation programs due to potential federal program cuts for low-income housing.

- Believes Portage may need to independently maintain home purchase and housing rehabilitation programs due to potential federal program cuts for low-income housing.

Terry R, Urban

Terry is currently a council member on the Portage City Council. He was first elected in 1997 and is currently serving his fifth term.

Candidate website

Victor retired as a Captain in the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and served as Director of the Police Academy at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC).

10 candidates square off for 4 Portage council seats; 2 enter ...

Victor is currently a Portage City Council member. He was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2020 and was re-elected in 2021. 

Supports revitalizing Portage’s commercial properties, including Crossroads Mall and the Lake Center District, and backed a facade improvement program to incentivize business property upgrades.

- Supports revitalizing Portage’s commercial properties, including Crossroads Mall and the Lake Center District, and backed a facade improvement program to incentivize business property upgrades.

Supports housing policies that maintain Portage's affordability for working-class families and plans to keep property tax rates at 10.64 mills, the lowest since 2009.

- Supports housing policies that maintain Portage's affordability for working-class families and plans to keep property tax rates at 10.64 mills, the lowest since 2009.

Supports raising wages for new Portage Police Officers by over 7% in 2025.

Supported raising wages for new Portage Police Officers by over 7% in 2025.

- Supported raising wages for new Portage Police Officers by over 7% in 2025.

As of August 14, 2025, Victor Ledbetter’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Instagram

Victor Ledbetter

Victor is currently a Portage City Council member. He was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2021. Instead of running for the final two years of his appointed term, Ledbetter ran for one of three four-year seats in the 2021 election but did not win.

As of August 14, 2025, Victor Ledbetter did not have a website or any information online.

- City council members in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Council members attend regular meetings, listen to public concerns, and vote on city issues like zoning, public safety, and spending. They also appoint and direct officials, like the city manager.
- City council members may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. They may represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Terms for city council members often last two or four years, depending on the city.