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2025-05-15 Jenna Tuma Offered City Administrator Position (PDF)
OWATONNA, Minn., May 23, 2025 – Following a comprehensive and public selection process, the City Council met today and voted unanimously to extend an offer to Jenna Tuma as Owatonna’s next City Administrator.
“Council Vice President Doug Voss and I provided oversight throughout the selection process for this important position,” said Kevin Raney, City Council President. “After considering a pool of highly-qualified candidates, it became very clear that Jenna was the best candidate and is prepared to build upon our values and lead us into our next chapter of growth.”
Tuma has served the City of Owatonna as Assistant City Administrator since August 2024 and, previously, as Parks, Recreation & Facilities Director. Her background also includes experience as Park Operations Manager for the City of Minneapolis as well as another 20 years of supervisory experience in the public sector.
Raney commented that the decision was made based on the results of candidates being interviewed by a cross-section of City staff representing all departments, the directors and with input from all seven City Council Members and Mayor Jessop. “Administrator Busse has mentored Jenna to prepare her to transition into a City Administrator role. We knew she was ready for this step; and we are fortunate it will be with Owatonna. We’re confident that this selection will ensure a smooth transition.”
Current City Administrator Kris Busse said “I want to congratulate Jenna and the City Council on this decision. Jenna will do a great job in this role and I am excited for Owatonna’s future.”
Once a start date, terms and conditions of employment are finalized, they will be presented to the City Council for approval at a regularly scheduled meeting in the coming weeks. The candidates were selected based on their education, experience and alignment with the City’s core values of Better Together, Community Stewardship and Pride in Our Work.
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2025-05-15 Three Finalists Selected for City Administrator Position (PDF)
Three candidates have been chosen to advance as finalists in the hiring process with the City of Owatonna to replace City Administrator Kris Busse who will retire August 7. The candidates were selected based on their education, experience and alignment with the City’s core values of Better Together, Community Stewardship and Pride in Our Work.
The finalists are as follows:
• Jenna Tuma, Assistant City Administrator, Owatonna, MN. Before her current position, which began in 2024, she served as Parks, Recreation & Facilities Director for three years and another four years as Park Operations Manager for the City of Minneapolis. She also has another 20 years of supervisory experience in the public sector.
• Craig Clark, City Administrator, Austin, MN. Before his current position, which began in 2014, he served as City Administrator for six years in Worthington, MN and another three years as City Administrator in Clayton, WI. He also has nine years of combined work experience in the legislature.
• Cathleen Reynolds, former interim City Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer, Crosby, MN. Before her interim position in 2025, she served as City Administrator in Credit River, MN for one year and as City Administrator in Fairmont, MN for three years. She also has 17 years of leadership experience in other, related fields.
Finalists will spend May 20 in Owatonna touring the community, meeting with staff groups, having a final interview with the full City Council and participating in an open house. Community members are welcome to attend the open house from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. to meet and engage with the finalists at the Owatonna Arts Center, 435 Garden View Lane. The City Council will conduct final interviews in Council Chambers, 540 West Hills Circle, which will be open to the public. The schedule will be as follows:
• 1 p.m. Craig Clark
• 2:15 p.m. Cathleen Reynolds
• 3:30 p.m. Jenna Tuma
The target start date for the new City Administrator is August 11, 2025.
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2025-05-06 Lake Kohlmier to Be Chemically Treated (PDF)
The Lake Kohlmier beach area is scheduled for chemical treatment May 13 or 14, 2025; weather permitting. After treatment, the water is not safe for swimming (2 days), fishing/fish consumption (3 days) and other uses – drinking, irrigation, livestock watering, pets, etc. (7 days). The Park Maintenance Division annually treats Lake Kohlmier for weeds and swimmer’s itch.
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2025-04-17 City of Owatonna Retiree Tree Planting Event (PDF)
The City will be conducting a Retiree Tree Planting Event at 12:00 p.m. April 18 at Morehouse Park. The meeting place will be near the path south west of the bike/skate park. The public is invited to attend. These retirees’ service to the City of Owatonna will be commemorated through these new trees.
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2025-04-16 Chill-Aqui Opening April 18 at Brooktree (PDF)
Chill-Aqui Set to Open April 18 at Brooktree
Full menu with golf-friendly options and full restaurant service
OWATONNA, Minn., Apr. 16, 2025 – Chill-Aqui, the much-anticipated new eatery at Brooktree Golf Course, is opening April 18 with a full menu and ‘to go’ options for diners in the clubhouse or on the patio and golfers on the course.
To better serve the unique needs of golfers, Chill-Aqui will utilize the beverage cart around the course to bring bites and beverages directly to players. In addition to the full-service restaurant in the clubhouse, a variety of grab-and-go options are available for those heading out to tee off or looking for a quick snack after the 18th hole. The full menu includes fresh sandwiches, signature dishes and refreshing drinks. For the full menu and updates on the latest offerings, check out Chill-Aqui’s Facebook page.
Tee times are available at Brooktree Golf Course from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily, weather permitting. Reserve a tee time at owatonna.gov/brooktree. For additional information and ongoing updates, follow Brooktree Golf Course on Facebook.
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2025-04-16 City Council Approves 2025-2027 Strategic Plan (PDF)
OWATONNA, Minn., Apr. 16, 2025 – The City Council approved the City of Owatonna’s 2025-2027 Strategic Plan at its April 15 meeting. The Strategic Plan reflects the projects and initiatives that will be prioritized over the next few years. These priorities were refined through a series of meetings between City Council and staff that began in February. “The plan creates a roadmap we will use as we make decisions in analyzing and adopting policies and providing direction to staff on how to best use City resources,” said City Council President Kevin Raney. “It will be a helpful guide as we begin shaping our 2026 operating and capital budgets.”
There were several key decisions made during the process of developing this plan. This includes replacing the previous vision statement with the City’s Purpose Statement ‘We Create a Better Tomorrow’ and Core Values of Better Together, Community Stewardship and Pride in Our Work. “Our purpose and values were developed with City Council input in 2022 and we have been using them to drive organizational operations,” said City Administrator Kris Busse. “Integrating them into the Strategic Plan creates alignment in our planning and sets a clear path for staff to establish work plans.”
Another shift was made after evaluating the previous four Key Focus Areas of Infrastructure, Economic Vitality, Quality of Life and Efficient Effective Government. These have been replaced with five higher-level, overarching strategic priorities with specific outcomes, strategies and goals:
• Our Public Amenities
• Economic Prosperity
• Financial Security
• A Premier Employer
• Our Neighbors
Action items are being developed for each of these five priorities to ensure the goals in the Strategic Plan are met. Progress reports on the Strategic Plan will be provided to the City Council in July and December. An annual review will be done in early 2026 to make updates as needed. A summary of the City’s Strategic Plan document can be viewed online at owatonna.gov.
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2025-03-25 Owatonna Finalist for Real Estate Journal Awards (PDF)
Owatonna’s Recent Economic Development Wins Recognized
Finalists for Real Estate Journal Awards Announced
OWATONNA, Minn., Mar. 25, 2025 – The City of Owatonna has been recognized as a finalist in several categories for the Minnesota REjournal 2025 Real Estate Awards. The awards program celebrates the achievements, successes and highlights from all sectors of the commercial real estate industry across Minnesota.
Owatonna is one of three finalists for the City/County of the Year Award. In addition, several recent projects in Owatonna have been selected as finalists for Project Awards as follows:
• Charles S. Crandall Center and Owatonna High School for Government/Community Facility – Greater Minnesota
• Ascend for Redevelopment – Greater Minnesota
• Climate by Design International and KAMP Automation for Industrial – Greater Minnesota
The City of Owatonna’s Community Development Manager Greg Kruschke was named one of three finalists for Economic Developer of the Year. Owatonna-based Mohs Contracting is one of eight finalists for the General Contractor of the Year – Commercial Award.
Criteria for the project awards highlight how a development or redevelopment project demonstrates innovation and helps overcome negative environmental impact and its positive impact on the community. “We are thrilled to see these Owatonna projects recognized for the value they bring to our area,” said Kris Busse, City Administrator. “The awards really shine a spotlight on the collaborative approach to economic development that we have in Owatonna.”
The Charles S. Crandall Center transitioned the former State Public School Auditorium into a multi-purpose flexible public space with technology that allows City Council and School Board meetings to be live-streamed; energy-efficient heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems; and ADA-compliant accessibility. The new Owatonna High School models how modern construction can be used to train and educate the future workforce using a full career pathways model. The Ascend project showcases Owatonna’s downtown revitalization with a six-story building with spaces for Olmsted Medical Center, Mineral Springs Brewery, 69 luxury apartments overlooking the Straight River and a new two-story West Bank building. The Climate By Design building is a 205,000-square-foot state-of-the-art manufacturing and office facility. KAMP Automation is a 50,000-square-foot facility.
Owatonna Partners for Economic Development (OPED) is a collaborative partnership between six agencies. OPED pursues proactive opportunities for redevelopment that provide long-term solutions. For additional information, visit owatonnadevelopment.com. Owatonna is known for being a regional center that consistently ranks among the most livable small towns in the country and serves as a shopping, tourism and healthcare magnet for southern Minnesota. For additional information about the City of Owatonna, please visit owatonna.gov or follow the City of Owatonna on Facebook.
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2025-03-24 Brooktree Announces Opening (PDF)
Brooktree Golf Course Upper 9 Set to Open March 26
OWATONNA, Minn., Mar. 24, 2025 – With spring weather, the upper nine holes at Brooktree Golf Course will be open for the 2025 golf season at noon March 26.
Starting March 27, tee times will be available beginning at 9 a.m. With the weather constantly changing, be prepared for weather-related delays that would delay daily starting times and limit clubhouse hours. The course may close on any given day during spring weather transitions. Be sure to check owatonna.gov/brooktree daily to make sure the course and the clubhouse is open. The course will only offer nine-hole tee time bookings until golfing conditions on the lower nine holes become acceptable.
Book a tee time at owatonna.gov/brooktree. For additional information about Brooktree and to stay in the loop, follow Brooktree Golf Course on Facebook for updates. Chill-aqui is preparing to open in the Brooktree clubhouse. Its owners have expressed excitement for the season and are eager to see new and familiar faces when they open. Follow Chill-aqui on Facebook for updates regarding food and beverage options both on and off the course.
Brooktree, a municipally-owned golf course and clubhouse, is nestled along the banks of Maple Creek near the entrance of picturesque Mineral Springs Park. From the greens and the patio, the sound of the creek can be heard and the lush scenery can be seen. For additional information about the City of Owatonna, please visit owatonna.gov or follow the City of Owatonna on Facebook.
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2025-03-14 18th Street SE Reconstruction Open House (PDF)
The portion of 18th Street SE from Austin Road to just east of Cornerstone Lane is slated for reconstruction in 2026. The need is driven by aging infrastructure, improving safety, and providing multimodal transportation facilities to a corridor outlined in our Park and Trail System Master Plan. The project is in the early stages of design and an open house will be held March 25 from 4:30 until 6 p.m. in the Owatonna High School Foundation Room.
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2024-09-04 Community Center Planning Progressing (PDF)
The City of Owatonna is conducting a facilities planning process to explore options for building a new community center. Residents are encouraged to visit OurCommunityOurCenter.org to learn more about the initiative and stay informed and engaged.
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2024-07-26 Mayor Kuntz Honored for Rural Leadership (PDF)
Owatonna’s Mayor Thomas A. Kuntz was recognized July 25 with the Jack Murray Award for Distinguished Rural Leadership. Kuntz received the award at the annual Legislative Awards Dinner hosted by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC).
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