By Taylor J. Hale 

Staff Writer

 STEVENS POINT – City leaders have confirmed that Ryan Kernosky, the village of Plover’s current Community Development Manager, will be leaving his position to fill Michael Ostrowski’s seat as the city’s community development director.

The announcement was made on Sept. 24. City officials will appoint Kernosky to his new role during a special common council meeting on Sept. 30. Kernosky’s start date in the city has not been finalized, but Mayor Mike Wiza noted he could begin as early as Nov. 1.

“We made the offer late last week,” Wiza explained. “We will have the meeting for confirmation on Monday.”

Kernosky noted that Plover staff is working on a replacement plan for his seat, and possibly selecting an interim manager as he readies for his exit.

Kernosky is a Stevens Point resident and is excited to serve a broader community while still staying in Portage County.

“I live in the city,” Kernosky stated. “It was a really tough decision. I like Plover. It’s a great, growing community.

 “To be upfront, I never thought Mike Ostrowski would ever leave. It was a big surprise. Before I started here, I eyed his position but never thought he would leave. I had a lot of encouragement from folks in the city to apply for the position, which I ended up doing.”

Kernosky’s decision to apply for the role after Ostrowski’s departure last July was difficult, he said, adding that he interned with the village during his time as a student at UW-Stevens Point in 2013.

“I interned under Dan [Mahoney],” Kernosky said. “When I applied for this and came back to the area, I kind of thought Plover was my forever-village. Before you know it, five months after I start with the village, Michael left, and I had to make the very tough decision to pass (the position) up this time around or go for it.”

Kernosky started his position in Plover in January 2019. He has worked in municipal government in Sturgeon Bay from 2015-17, and in Isanti from 2017-18.

Wiza said that 13 applications were submitted for the position.