December 6, 2023

City Meetings This Week

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

December 6: Joint Powers Board Meeting at 4 p.m. in the Commissioner’s Room of the Steele County Administration Building, 630 Florence Avenue.

December 12: Human Rights Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Conference Room in the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle. Planning Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Chambers at the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle.

Join a City Board or Commission

Have you ever thought about serving on a City board or commission? You might be surprised by how interesting and influential resident input can be! Think about making a difference in Owatonna’s future.

Currently, there is an opening on the Park Board and an opening on the Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA). The Application Form is available on the City’s website until these two positions are filled. Visit Owatonna.gov for additional information.

Annually, there are openings on several boards/commissions which are advertised during February for appointments effective May 1.

Spend the Season at the Public Library

Storytime Tuesdays

Preschool Storytimes, at 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Tuesday mornings in Children’s Services, will continue through December 12, 2023. Stay tuned for the January 2024 start date.

Holiday Movie Trivia Contest

Teams of two to five are invited to register for the first annual Holiday Movie Trivia Contest. Wear your ugliest holiday sweater and test your knowledge of popular (and maybe a couple lesser known) holiday films. Grand prize winners will take home a movie ticket and cookie prize pack. Sign up online at https://bit.ly/OPLMovieTriviaReg or call 507-444-2460 for more information. This event is limited to 10 teams of adults only. Hot cocoa bar and cookies will be provided.

Date: Monday, December 18, 2023
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: OPL 3rd Floor Gainey Room

Nintendo Switch Party

OPL staff will host a Nintendo Switch Party December 29, from noon until 4 p.m. in the Gainey Room. This event is for ages eight through 18. It will feature Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8.

Holiday Hours

Owatonna Public Library will be closed Friday-Monday, December 22-25, 2023 and Monday, January 1, 2024.

Ice Safety and Aeration

Cold days are ahead this winter which is ideal for making ice on area lakes. However, that doesn’t always mean the ice is safe. Whether you are at Lake Chase, Lake Kohlmier or one of southern Minnesota’s many lakes, be aware of conditions and changing conditions.

Each winter, the Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department applies for a permit with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to operate an aeration system on Lake Kohlmier. Aeration increases oxygen levels in the lake to help prevent winter fish kills.

Ice is never 100 percent safe. As a reminder from the DNR, your safety is your responsibility. Some safety tips to remember are as follows (source MN DNR website 2/1/2022):

You can’t judge the strength of ice just by its appearance, age, thickness, temperature or whether the ice is covered by snow. Other factors are the depth of the water below, the size of the lake, the chemistry of the water, currents, distribution of the load on the ice and climatic conditions.
Open water areas can become larger within just a few hours during warm, windy days. This creates unpredictable and irregular thin ice areas.
Ice seldom freezes uniformly. The DNR recommends checking ice thickness at least every 150 feet.
New ice is usually stronger than old ice. Four inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot while a foot or more of old, partially thawed ice may not.
Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often dangerous.
The insulating effect of snow slows down the freezing process. The extra weight also reduces how much weight the ice sheet can support. Ice near shore can be weaker than ice further out.
Schools of fish or flocks of waterfowl can also adversely affect the relative safety of ice. The movement of fish can bring warm water up from the bottom of the lake. This is sometimes the cause of snowmobiles and cars breaking through ice.

Please note these recommended minimum thickness guidelines for new, clear ice:

4” – Ice fishing or other activities on foot
5”-7” – Driving snowmobiles or ATVs
8”-12” – Driving cars or small pick-ups
12”-15” – Driving medium trucks
DOUBLE these guidelines when traveling on white or snow ice.

West Hills Tennis & Pickleball Center photo

Stay Active Year-Round

West Hills Tennis and Pickleball Center's Indoor Walking Program

As the temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, it can be challenging to maintain an active lifestyle during the cold months. However, at West Hills Tennis and Pickleball Center, we've got a solution to keep you moving and motivated throughout the winter – our Indoor Walking Program.

Accessible to Pass Holders

Our Indoor Walking Program is exclusively available to pass holders. Current West Hills Tennis and Pickleball Center and Adult Leisure Pursuits pass holders also have access to the walking program as part of their season pass and membership. If tennis or pickleball isn’t quite your thing, you can purchase a walking pass for $40+tax. The season runs from September 1 through August 31.

Flexible Schedule

We understand that everyone has different schedules and preferences, which is why our Indoor Walking Program offers flexibility. Pass holders can enjoy brisk walks around our tennis courts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 6 until 10 a.m. and Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 6 until 8 a.m. Courts one through four are reserved exclusively for walking. If courts five and six are unoccupied by tennis or pickleball players, they are also available for your walkers.

Stay Active, Stay Warm

Walking is a low-impact exercise that provides numerous health benefits including improved cardiovascular fitness, enhanced mood and increased energy levels. With our Indoor Walking Program, you can maintain your fitness routine while sheltered from the winter weather.

Join Us Today

Don't let the cold weather keep you from staying active. Join us at West Hills Tennis and Pickleball Center for our Indoor Walking Program. It's a fantastic opportunity to exercise, socialize and keep those winter blues at bay. We look forward to seeing you on the courts and helping you stay active all year round!

Please call 507-444-4321 for more information or visit the Parks and Recreation online catalog to purchase your season pass!

Winter Outdoor Recreation Opportunities

The City of Owatonna Park Maintenance staff maintains several outdoor recreation opportunities as weather allows.

Cross Country Ski trails are groomed alongside paved trails where possible. They are also groomed on the upper and lower nines at Brooktree Golf Course.

Mountain Bike trails are groomed in Kaplan’s Woods. Paved trails are cleared and broomed for walking and running.

Ice Rinks are prepared at Morehouse, Buecksler and Countryview Parks. Please be aware of signs alerting you of ice conditions. Skating too early will damage the liners and rinks will not hold water or freeze properly. Rinks are checked daily and signs are removed when ready for skaters!

Any time you are enjoying Owatonna’s Parks or Trails, be sure to have pets on a leash and clean up after them in accordance with City Code 90.05, 90.08, 90.11.

Sanitary Sewer Rates Increase

Sanitary sewer rates will increase January 1. The City Council approved this increase at its December 5 meeting. Annual adjustments of the sanitary sewer rates are necessary to maintain adequate funding for current and future operations and to fund the costs of the wastewater treatment facility expansion. For additional information, Ordinance 23-20 is available at Owatonna.gov.

Salt Smart!

Deicing salt accounts for approximately 75 percent of chloride found in waterways. During precipitation events and snowmelt, stormwater gathers excess salt and washes it into nearby streams and lakes. The remaining 25 percent of chloride in surface and groundwater comes from water softeners. Chloride in water has significant negative impacts on wildlife, the environment and humans. Knowing how much salt to use and the best time to apply is critical to protecting the environment while keeping driving and walking surfaces safe.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency provides a Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance Manual on its website at stormwater.pca.state.mn.us. It also provides information about proper application techniques, applying salt in various weather conditions, measuring pavement temperatures, calibrating equipment and properly storing salt to prevent run-off and waste. The agency also provides Smart Salting Training and Certification to improve operator effectiveness and reduce chloride pollution. Participating organizations have been able to reduce their salt use by up to 70 percent. The training helps prevent chloride contamination in bodies of water. The City is pleased to announce that all winter maintenance crew members are Smart Salting Certified!

For additional information about the City of Owatonna’s Stormwater Program, visit Owatonna.gov/stormwater or contact Brad Rademacher, Stormwater/ Water Quality Specialist at 507-774-7300 or stormwater@ci.owatonna.mn.us.

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