Photo of City Council members, Mayor and City Administrator

Left to right back row: Nathan Dotson, Greg Schultz, David Burbank, Kevin Raney, Brent Svenby. Left to right front row: Dan Boeke, Thomas Kuntz, Kris Busse, Doug Voss.

City Leadership

The Owatonna City Council meets at 7 pm on the first and third Tuesday of each month at City Hall, 540 West Hills Circle. Contact Council Members with questions, suggestions and concerns. Agendas, Minutes and Council Packets are available in the Agenda Center on the City’s website: https://owatonna.gov/agendacenter.

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.

March 6: Joint Powers Board - Rice & Steele 911 Center at 4 p.m. in the Commissioner’s Room at the Rice County Government Building, 320 Third St. NW in Faribault.

March 6: Council Study Session from 5 until?7 p.m., tour of Merrill Hall followed by a meeting in the Chambers at the Charles S. Crandall Center to discuss the Long Range Asset Plan. If time allows there will be a general update on board and commission activities. City Council Meeting with Public Hearing begins at 7 p.m. in the Chambers of the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle. There will be a public hearing to consider the making of the 2024 Streets & Utilities projects including reconstructing McKinley Street SW (from Linn Avenue SW to Lilac Avenue SW) and Anderson Place SW.

March 7: 2024 Day on the Hill from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. the League of Minnesota Cities will host this annual event in St Paul. Several Council Members, Mayor and City Administrator may attend to network with legislators, other city officials and League staff.

March 12: Planning Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Chambers of the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle.

March 12: Human Rights Commission Meeting at 5:30 in the Meeting Room in the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle.

Winter Book Bingo

Winter Book Bingo runs through March 31. Fill out the title and author on the back of a Bookish Bingo card to earn an entry to a grand prize drawing. Read up to five books for entries. Make a bingo, either diagonal, horizontal or vertical, on the card for five bonus entries! Cards are available in Adult Services at the Owatonna Public Library or can be printed at owatonna.gov/library. This program is for adults ages 18 and older. (A maximum of 10 total entries is possible. One card per patron.)

Spring Pet Waste Clean Up

Spring is around the corner and, as the weather warms up, many people get out to walk their dogs. Stepping in dog waste can be a disgusting experience. Worse yet is knowing pet waste may be polluting drinking water and local recreational areas. Pet waste contains pathogens such as bacteria, parasites and viruses. When not picked up, this can pose an unnecessary public health and environmental risk. As rain and snowmelt flows across land, pet waste is carried to storm drains which eventually flow into a lake or stream. Please remove all pet waste from yards to prevent melting snow and spring rains from washing away the feces and its pollutants.

Did You Know? One day’s waste from a large dog can contain as much as seven billion fecal coliform bacteria!

Ingestion of fecal coliform bacteria is known to cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness and serious kidney disorders in humans. Picking up after pets is a simple step to help keep harmful bacteria out of the Straight River and keep neighborhoods and waterways sanitary and livable.

Here are a few tips on how dog owners can help protect local water and recreation areas:

Always take a disposal bag along when walking the dog
Utilize one of the many bag stations found at trailheads in Owatonna parks
Place the bag in a proper receptacle
Routinely clean pet waste from yards, boulevards and paved surfaces
Each spring, clean up pet waste that was left over from winter

Please take time to properly dispose of pet waste, we all live downstream!

Healthy Waterways

Annual Opportunity to Provide Public Comment/Input

The City of Owatonna invites community members to participate in an annual survey regarding its Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program and MS4 Permit. Information is available on our stormwater webpage and at City Hall upon request.

Winter Parking Restrictions

Ending March 31

Odd/even winter parking restrictions end March 31. Year-round parking restrictions remain in effect as signs indicate. If spring snow events occur, please remember to place your garbage and recycling containers behind the curb and to use off street parking if possible. For information about City of Owatonna Snow Removal Policies, visit www.owatonna.gov/522/Snow-Ice.

City Parks are Open!

Park preparations for the upcoming season are underway. Park crews have started water lines and prepared the permanent restrooms wherever parks have them. Portable toilets will arrive at their locations soon. Picnic tables and trash cans were refreshed over the winter. Athletic fields and green spaces are being prepared.

Adopt-a-Park volunteers have started cleaning up winter waste. Contact the Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department for information about participating in this program. It is a monthly commitment from April through October. Several parks are still available to adopt. If a one-time clean-up fits your schedule better, register online for a Park Clean-Up Kit.

The City of Owatonna encourages all park users to Pack-In Pack-Out by taking any items they brought to the park back home with them for proper disposal. Even natural objects such as fruit peels and pet waste impact the environment. Look for the pet waste stations available at each park.

Go online or call now to reserve a pavilion for your next family reunion, picnic, graduation or other special occasion! Try the park finder app at Owatonna.gov to find a park to meet your needs.

Helpful Links

OWATONNA.GOV

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