Kris Busse delivering State of the City Address

2024 State of the City Address

Recaps 2023 highlights & provides a look ahead at 2024 plans

City Administrator Kris Busse and Mayor Thomas Kuntz annually present a State of the City Address to the community. Highlights of the address include a look at 2023 accomplishments and a look ahead at 2024 plans. The work completed by City staff in 2023 and planned for 2024 demonstrates the City’s Strategic Plan’s four key focus areas: Economic Vitality, Infrastructure, Quality of Life and Efficient Effective Government.

To request the presentation be given at a gathering, please send an email to info@owatonna.gov. The presentation is also available to view as a video at Owatonna.gov and on Owatonna’s Public Access, Education & Government Cable TV Channel. For additional information and ongoing updates, visit Owatonna.gov. Read about the highlights of the presentation below.

ECONOMIC VITALITY

1,761 new permits issued valued at $110,530,779 = record-breaking growth!
KAMP Automation relocation = 50 new jobs
Home 2 Suites = 88 new hotel rooms
Climate by Design = new 200,000 square foot production facility + 50 new jobs
26^th & Cedar Apartments = 75 new units
Roma’s Italian Eatery & Jersey Mike’s opened

INFRASTRUCTURE

Nearly 1 mile of streets reconstructed + 4.78 miles seal-coated
6,055 linear feet of underground piping lined
Secured $22 million in state funding for wastewater treatment plant expansion

QUALITY OF LIFE

20% more rental property inspections
18% more code inspections to help prevent fires and improve safety
Record-setting attendance of 37,295 at River Springs Water Park
8 new pickleball courts & hosting new tournaments
3,000 more rounds sold at Brooktree Golf Course & a new bar area constructed
Police Department increased community-oriented contacts to 4,800

EFFICIENT EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT

New community-wide brand = increased recognizability & community pride
Financial Award for Excellence & bond rating upgrade
City Hall renovations = new Council Chambers, accessible restrooms & community meeting space

LOOKING AHEAD AT 2024

ECONOMIC VITALITY

Opening of Westlake Meadows = 276 new units
Foamcraft expansion to be completed
Opening of Scooters Coffee

INFRASTRUCTURE

Library renovations = new creative resources, podcast equipment, a 3D printer & study spaces
$5+ million renovations at Merrill Hall to support community services
Complete Long Range Asset Plan to prepare the City to meet future needs
Construct new Vine Street parking lot downtown
Construct new 18^th Street trail for pedestrian & bicyclist safety
Complete more street, utility & maintenance projects
Complete new airport hangar
Continue construction at Wastewater Treatment Plant

QUALITY OF LIFE

Complete multi-year renovations at Brooktree Golf Course & increase rounds sold
Hold Public Library Community Reads series & start planning 125th anniversary celebration in 2025
Purchase LEC building, add a Police Officer & upgrade drone technology
$1.1 million one-time public safety funding to support crime prevention & first responder safety & wellness

EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT

Redesign Owatonna.gov website to make it more accessible & easier to use
Gather community input through resident survey & engagement platform
Finalize 2050 Comprehensive Plan to create foundation for strategic planning & prioritization

Merrill Hall Improvements Advancing

Little Theatre of Owatonna & WeePals Temporarily Relocating

City staff met with tenants at Merrill Hall January 10 to coordinate logistics and discuss the timeline for their temporary relocations as plans get underway to begin renovations on the 100-plus year-old Merrill Hall building.

The Little Theatre of Owatonna (LTO) and Wee Pals Child Care Center both lease space in this City-owned building. Both operations will temporarily relocate when building renovations are set to begin this Spring.

LTO’s spring production will be held as planned in April. Following this production, LTO will relocate. Plans for a summer production in another location are underway. For ongoing updates about their 58^th season, visit Little Theatre of Owatonna (duplie.com). LTO is also working with local contractors to install updated stage rigging and lighting in the theater area in Merrill Hall. These improvements will be done concurrently with the building renovations.

Wee Pals will spend Spring break relocating to its temporary location in a partnership with the Owatonna School District. Volunteers are needed to help with this move. Contact Clair Dushek at cdushek@weepalschildcarecenter.org for additional information about volunteering or their move. For additional information, visit Wee Pals Child Care Center – Owatonna, MN.

Last October, the Owatonna City Council approved a $5.3 million project for ICS to design and provide general construction work needed to renovate Merrill Hall. The first phase of improvements will include replacing the deteriorating roof, upgrading the mechanical, electrical, lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning and adding a fire sprinkler system. The renovations are expected to be completed in late 2024.

City staff began working with ICS last year to assess the condition of the 90-plus City-owned buildings and structures which support a variety of services provided to the community including public safety, library, recreation, streets, utilities and, through various partnerships, daycare, cultural and historical organizations and the arts. These facilities require ongoing maintenance and long-term investments so they can continue serving the community. The City Council expressed interest in maintaining ownership of existing buildings at the West Hills Campus and determined that Merrill Hall renovations are a priority. A 2022 facilities analysis identified urgent deferred maintenance needed at Merrill Hall. Alternatives such as demolishing or selling the building were also discussed. Following the renovations, the building’s space utilization will also be evaluated to optimize its use.

Consultants from ICS are helping Owatonna develop a Long-Range Asset Plan (LRAP) that identifies near- and long-term infrastructure improvements and maintenance needs for City-owned structures and buildings. The plan will also estimate costs to build any new facilities that are identified by community members and City officials as being needed. Input from community members will help develop the LRAP which will allow the City to invest in its buildings long-term to address and plan infrastructure needs in a way that delivers the highest value for taxpayers. This long-term approach to planning and prioritizing facilities improvements will allow residents, community leaders and City officials to guide decisions on how to plan, grow and invest in Owatonna’s future. Specific community engagement opportunities will be planned as priorities are identified. Please visit Owatonna.gov/imagineowatonna for additional information and ongoing updates about the LRAP as it evolves.

City of Owatonna Financial Reporting Recognized

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Owatonna for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.

The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. "The City of Owatonna utilizes best practices to ensure its financial foundation reflects our Strategic Priorities and plans for our community’s future," said City Administrator Kris Busse. "This award recognizes the work City staff has done under the City Council’s leadership to be fiscally responsible while providing the services the community has come to expect."

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting. Its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. The City of Owatonna’s financial documents can be found online at Owatonna.gov or ask for the hard copy at the Owatonna Public Library.

GFOA advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.

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.

February 5: Park Board Meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle. The Owatonna Fire Relief Association Meeting at 6 p.m. at the Fire Station, 107 West Main Street.

February 6: City Council Study Session at 5:30 p.m. in the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle to meet with the Owatonna Chamber of Commerce and Tourism followed by the City Council Meeting at 7 p.m.

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