August 30, 2023

City offices & buildings will be closed September 4 in honor of the Labor Day holiday

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We’ll Save a Seat for You!

City of Owatonna Weekly Meeting Schedule

This week, the following City boards and commissions will meet. The public is invited to attend. Agendas, meeting minutes and City Council packets are available in the Agenda Center on the City’s website: https://owatonna.gov/agendacenter.

August 30: Budget Workshop at 5 to p.m. in the Training Room at the Fire Hall, 107 West Main Street. This is the second of three sessions planned for department directors to present their 2024 preliminary budgets to the City Council and Mayor.

September 5: City Council Closed Session for pending litigation in the matter of the City of Owatonna NPDES Permit No. MN0051284, Petition for Administrative Hearing to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at 5 p.m. This meeting will be closed pursuant to Minnesota Statues, Section 13D.05, Subdivision 3(b). Study Session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss Merrill Hall updates and, if time permits, there will be general updates on various boards and commissions. City Council Meeting at 7 p.m. These three meetings will be held in the Gainey Room at the Library, 105 North Elm Avenue.

Photo of 2022 Welcoming Week mural dedication

2022 Welcoming Week mural dedication event

Owatonna's 2023 Welcoming Week

The Owatonna Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is planning several activities to celebrate 2023 Welcome Week activities. Welcome Week events will focus on bringing together immigrant and non-immigrant community members for fellowship and exchange. They are being planned as part of Owatonna’s participation in the Rural Welcoming Initiative sponsored by the national nonprofit Welcoming America.

Downtown Thursday September 7 from 5 until 7 p.m. Visit with OHRC commissioners at the City of Owatonna’s booth in Central Park.

Soccer Game September 9 from 1 until 3 p.m. OHRC will host a pickup soccer game at the soccer field west of Grace Baptist Church, 265 26^th Street NW. Everyone is welcome to play!

Human Library September 14 from 4-7 p.m. The goal of the Human Library is to foster conversations that can challenge stereotypes and prejudices. It provides as opportunity to un-judge someone, ask questions and talk to someone you may not have the opportunity to meet otherwise. During this event, ‘readers’ will check out ‘human books’ for one-on-one, 15-minute conversations in the Gainey Room at the Owatonna Public Library, 105 North Elm Avenue. The OHRC 2023 Human Book Library will include 20-plus community members with varying backgrounds including Somali Americans; African Americans; senior citizens; business owners; religious leaders; Hispanic Americans; LGBTQ+ individuals; educators; veterans; handicapped individuals; law enforcement officers; non-profit organization leaders; recovered addicts and healthcare workers. The Human Library was developed in Copenhagen in the spring of 2000 as part of an anti-violence movement and is now done internationally as part of a worldwide movement for social change.

Introduction to Pickleball September 16 from 1 until 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join the Owatonna Pickleball Association as they host an all-age introduction to pickleball at the Sid Kinyon Tennis Courts on Smith Avenue by Lincoln Elementary!

Promoting Peace 2023 – Poverty and Public Safety September 21 from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Karen Duncan and team will host this event as participants walk in the shoes of local people striving to survive in poverty; then learn and strategize to improve access to justice and housing. A light lunch will be provided at Trinity Lutheran Church, 609 Lincoln Avenue. Donations to help defray the food cost are not expected but will be accepted. There are a limited number of spaces in the simulation; therefore, preregistration is recommended on Eventbrite.com.

School Zone Traffic Safety

Extra Enforcement in School Zones

The Owatonna Police Department (OPD) asks drivers to stay alert, slow down and help keep children safe. As the school year begins, OPD will have extra patrols around schools and urges drivers to slow down, pay attention and allow more travel time through school zones.

To help protect children as they return to school this fall, please take note of the following reminders. Slow down and reduce your speed in school zones. When posted and when children are present, the speed limit is 20 miles per hour. Do not stop or obstruct the lane of traffic to drop off or pick up students or passengers. Use established student drop-off zones. Yield to pedestrians and crossing guards in crosswalks. When school buses flash amber lights, they are preparing to stop. All drivers must stop at least 20 feet back and in all directions for a school bus flashing red lights and have the school bus stop arm extended. It is illegal to pass a school bus with red flashing red lights; penalties are enhanced if children are present.

“Reducing driving speeds provides the few extra seconds that could prevent a tragic accident,” said Police Chief Jeff Mundale. “The Owatonna Police Department will be actively looking for drivers who disregard these rules. We can all do our part to get students to school and home safely by staying alert and obeying speed limits.”

County Highway 48 (Bixby Road) Construction Update

Due to project delays, the intersection and railroad crossing improvements under construction at County Highway 48 (Bixby Road) and 18^th Street SE will not be open in time, as planned, for the opening of the new high school. Unforeseen requirements from the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad and its lengthy permit review process caused significant project delays.

Motorists should expect delays in the area around the high school. The following vehicle routes are recommended:

Traffic from the east and north of the school should travel south on Bixby Road, west on Havana Road, south on Hayes Avenue and then east on 18^th Street SE.
Traffic from the south and east of the school should travel west on US Highway 14, north on Austin Road and then east on 18^th Street SE.
Traffic from south and west of the school should take Cedar Avenue north and then east on 18^th Street SE.
Traffic from north and west of the school should either take Cedar Avenue south or Austin Road and then east on 18^th Street SE.

City and County officials are implementing temporary changes to provide a safe alternative route to the high school including additional temporary stop and “NO PARKING” signs to improve visibility for traffic. City and County staff will monitor traffic patterns and adjust traffic controls if needed.

The intersection of Bixby Road and 18^th Street is expected to be open to traffic in November, weather permitting. The project involves constructing a roundabout at the Bixby Road and 18^th Street SE intersection to improve safety. This is especially important for young drivers frequenting the high school and to address anticipated traffic volume increases in the area.

Motorists are asked to be patient and alert on the alternative routes, especially during peak traffic times and to drive slowly and with caution through work zones for their own safety and for the safety of the construction crews. Motorists should watch for pedestrians and bicyclists who may be traveling and crossing along routes to the school.

For updates on this or other Steele County Highway construction projects, visit https://www.steelecountymn.gov/highway/construction_projects.php. For updates on City streets and utility construction project, please visit owatonna.gov.

Save the Date!

15th Annual Watershed Wide Clean-up September 16

The 15th Annual Watershed Wide Clean-up will take place in Owatonna September 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at Morehouse Park. The event is hosted by the Clean River Partners who also helps find sponsors. Volunteers can sign up by filling out the Clean River Partners Volunteer Form.

For more than a decade, volunteers have combed the banks of streams and waterways in and around Owatonna to clean up trash and debris from the Straight River. Every year, more garbage is removed by hard-working individuals and businesses who are dedicated to making a difference. This is the largest one-day clean-up event in Minnesota with 200-plus volunteers working in nine locations across the Cannon River Watershed.

View of the Straight River from Morehouse Park

Pollutant Reduction Strategy

Owatonna is regulated under a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) Permit by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to discharge stormwater runoff to waters of the state. As part of the City’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP), the community is required to identify sources of pollutants and develop a plan to make progress towards reducing and preventing pollutants entering lakes and streams to keep them swimmable, fishable and to support aquatic plants and animals. Many of the water bodies within the Cannon River Watershed are classified as impaired waters. Impairments are due to excess nutrients, sediment and bacteria.

The City of Owatonna partnered with WHKS to develop a Pollutant Reduction Strategy to meet our total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and waste load allocations (WLAs) goals for phosphorus, turbidity, and fecal coliform.

Check out the Pollution Reduction Strategy StoryMap!

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