The Owatonna Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) will host a Memorial Day Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. at the Four Seasons Centre, 1525 South Elm Avenue. The public is invited to attend.

Jamie Vanboosbree and Ethan Cords recognized for their service by Mayor Thomas Kuntz.

Jamie Vanboosbree and Ethan Cords being recognized for their service by Mayor Thomas Kuntz.

Commissioners Recognized

During the May 21 City Council Meeting, Mayor Kuntz recognized the following former Commissioners whose terms ended and thanked them for their service:

Angela Lipelt - Airport Commission, 6 years
Paula Snitker - Airport Commission, 3 years
Jamie Vanboosbree - Human Rights Commission, 6+ years
Dave Emanuelson - Human Rights Commission, 7+ years
Ethan Cords - Human Rights Commission, 7+ years

The City of Owatonna encourages community members to attend board and commission meetings. Meeting information is posted on the city’s website Owatonna.gov

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.

May 28: The Owatonna Public Utilities Commission will meet at 4 p.m. in the Morehouse Meeting Room, 208 South Walnut Avenue. The Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Charles S. Crandall Center Chambers, 540 West Hills Circle.

What Will Owatonna Look Like in 2050?

Input Needed to shape Comprehensive Plan

What is your wish for Owatonna in the next 20 to 30 years? Imagine Owatonna 2050 is a guiding framework that will help city leaders, developers, business owners and citizens make decisions about how Owatonna will grow over the next 20-plus years.

City staff welcomed more than 50 people at an open house event on May 16 at Owatonna Public Utilities. Attendees provided comments on draft plan goals, neighborhood nodes, redevelopment areas and various maps in the plan.

Community engagement and input remain essential in creating a vision, values and high-level goals for the 2050 Comprehensive Plan that meet the needs of Owatonna’s residents and visitors now and in the future. The Imagine Owatonna 2050 online survey is one way for community members to provide input.

Community members’ vision and input are important! Visit 2050 Comprehensive Plan (arcgis.com) to review the draft plan content and look for the "survey" tab to provide input before June 30. For additional information, visit Imagine Owatonna: 2050 Comprehensive Plan | Owatonna, MN.

City Council Considering Options for New Community Center

At its May 21 meeting, the City Council approved an agreement with ICS consultants to develop a scope of work for two projects: 1) constructing a Community Center in Owatonna 2) updating public safety facilities. The agreement also includes supporting staff in providing community engagement opportunities that will help determine the scope for the Community Center project.

“Owatonna’s need for a community center has been discussed more frequently in recent years,” said Greg Schultz, City Council President. ”Based on feedback from community members, we realize this needs to be a top priority.” City staff will work with ICS to provide opportunities for community members to provide input about potential locations, features and amenities for a new Community Center. This input will help develop a scope of work that will be used to estimate the cost of the project. Then, based on estimates, funding sources will need to be identified. “There are a series of steps needed to provide City Council with the information needed to determine whether constructing a new Community Center is feasible and aligns with our constituents wishes,” Schultz continued.

The next steps in considering the construction of a new community center are anticipated in coming weeks and include conducting a survey to gather community input regarding the services and amenities the Community Center should include and creating a Community Center Task Force comprised of community members to help shape the scope of the project.

Addressing Owatonna’s need for a community center is part of the City’s long-term facilities needs analysis. City Council and staff are taking steps to address and plan near- and long-term infrastructure needs in a way that delivers the highest value for taxpayers. Owatonna’s Long Range Asset Plan is guiding decisions on how to address improvements on current facilities as well as how to plan, grow and invest in Owatonna’s future facilities.

Please visit Owatonna.gov/imagineowatonna for additional information and ongoing updates about the Long Range Asset Plan as it takes shape. For questions that aren’t addressed on the website, please email Communitycenter@owatonna.gov.

26th Street Trail and River Springs Water Park Parking Lot Closed

Asphalt repair and reconstruction begins May 28

The parking lot at River Springs Water Park lot will be closed May 28 through 31. Portions of the 26th Street Trail will also be closed May 28 through June 3.

The portion of the 26th Street Trail from 4th Avenue NW to Kenyon Road due for crack seal repairs will be closed during the project. The parking lot at River Springs Water Park is due for routine maintenance. The parking lot and surrounding area will be closed for reconstruction.

For safety reasons and to allow the coating to cure properly, all use of these areas is prohibited during this time. The project will be completed by Seal King.

For additional information, please contact the Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department at 507.444.4321.

Mosquito Spraying Begins May 29

The City of Owatonna Parks Maintenance Division will begin spraying for mosquitoes May 29 (weather permitting) in public parks and wooded areas. The fogger is calibrated prior to application to ensure the proper amount of chemicals are released. Staff are licensed applicators and follow the Department of Agriculture’s best practices and guidelines. Special care is given to avoid pollinator gardens and pollinator-friendly areas at Dartt’s Park, Brooktree Golf Course and Lake Kohlmier. For additional information, contact the Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department at 507.444.4321.

photos of officers Helget and Hansen being sworn in

Police Officers Sworn In

Two new police officers were sworn in by Judge Joseph Bueltel at the May 21 City Council meeting. In addition, officer Joel Hunt was sworn in as the department’s newest sergeant. Hunt, Julia Hansen and Darin Helget each had their badges pinned on them by loved ones who attended the meeting along with more than 20 police officers and department staff.

Motorcycle Noise Reminders

With the weather warming up, motorcyclists have a chance to get out on the road. This time of year typically generates complaints to the Police Department by citizens regarding loud noises projected from some motorcycle exhaust systems.

According to the section 71.021 of Owatonna’s City Code, the following regulations apply to operating motorcycles:

No person shall operate a motorcycle unless it is equipped at all times with a muffler in good working order which blends the exhaust noise into the overall motorcycle noise and is in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise.
The exhaust system shall not emit or produce a sharp popping or crackling noise.

To read the full code, visit Owatonna.gov.

Photo of Troy Klecker speaking to Grand Rapids representatives

Watch City Council Meetings Online!

Owatonna’s City Council meetings are now available to watch live or on demand. Visit owatonna.gov/Government/Mayor & City Council to see options and links. Click this link to view a live feed of Owatonna’s Public Access, Education & Government Channel where City Council meetings are aired live and rebroadcast. Or, to view any past City Council meeting on demand, click this link: owatonna.gov. Owatonna School Board meetings are also available to view through these options.

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