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.

April 3:

• Joint Powers Board FOR Rice & Steele 911 Center at 4 p.m. in the Commissioner’s Room at the Rice County Government Building, 320 Third Street NW in Faribault.

April 9:

• First of two 2024 Strategic Planning Sessions from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Torey’s, 208 North Cedar Avenue. City Council Members, Mayor and City staff will meet to evaluate last year’s accomplishments and plan strategic goals and priorities.
• Planning Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Chambers of the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle.
• Human Rights Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Meeting Room in the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle.

Public Hearing on Five-Year Reconstruction Plan Set for May 7

At its April 2 meeting, the City Council scheduled a public hearing for May 7 to approve a five-year street reconstruction plan. Following approval of the plan, the City can issue street reconstruction bonds to help fund projects planned for completion in 2024.

2024 Street Projects

The 2024 projects expected to be completed this fall include the following areas:

• McKinley Street SW: Lilac Avenue to Linn Avenue
• Anderson Place SW: McKinley Street to the cul-de-sac

The projects will be financed through a combination of City funds and special assessments. The total cost to be assessed to 24 property owners is estimated at $90,516.

2025-2028 Street Projects

The streets identified for reconstruction in 2025 through 2028 are tentative and may change based on ever-changing road conditions, funding sources and several other factors. View these tentative plans online at Five-Year Reconstruction Plan.

City Employees Recognized for Career Milestones

The City of Owatonna is fortunate to have employees with long tenures who have demonstrated their commitment to serving the community for a significant portion of their careers. On April 24, the following employees will be recognized by City Council Members, the Mayor and other City employees at a banquet.

30 Years

• Public Works Department: Thomas Ringhoffer

25 Years

• Police Department: Wendy Gasner

15 Years

• Administrative Services Department: Ryan Brown
• Public Library: Lisa Boutelle, Renee Lowery
• Public Works Department: Anthony Koziolek

10 Years

• Administrative Services Department: Timothy O’Connor
• Community Development Department: Kurt Kern
• Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department: Mary Jo Knudson, Scott Macfadyen, Paul Nelson, Daniel Wagner
• Police Department: Travis Johnson, Melissa Michael
• Public Works Department: Justin Brown

5 Years

• Administrative Services Department: JoAnn Matejcek
• Community Development Department: Ghassan Madkour
• Fire Department: Arik Brase
• Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department: Logan Busho, Aaron Fitzloff
• Public Library: Andrea Oyloe
• Public Works Department: Brandon Gedicke, Anna Nusbaum, Jacob Sopkowiak

Hooded History:  The KKK in 1920s Minnesota

Local historian Nancy Vaillancourt has spent years researching the presence of the Ku Klux Klan in Southeast Minnesota. Join us April 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Gainey Room at the Owatonna Public Library to learn about the forgotten history and the organized traditions of prejudice and nativism in our region.