Juneteenth City Buildings closed graphic

City of Owatonna Honors Juneteenth

All City buildings are closed today, June 19,in honor of Juneteenth. This holiday recognizes the day when President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect for every enslaved person behind Confederate lines. On June 19, 1865, Union Army General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and read Order Number Three informing the enslaved Texas residents of their freedom.

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.

June 20: Library Board Meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the Gainey Room at the Owatonna Public Library, 105 North Elm Avenue.

June 24: Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meeting at 4 p.m. in the Meeting Room at the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle.

June 25: Owatonna Public Utilities Meeting at 4 p.m. in the Morehouse Meeting Room, 208 South Walnut Avenue. Planning Commission Meeting at 5:30 pm in the Chambers at the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle.

2024 Elections

File before August 13 as a City candidate

There will be two more elections this year, the 2024 Primary Election on August 13 and the 2024 General Election on November 5. The City’s elected positions to be voted on during the 2024 General Election in November are Council Member-at-Large, Council Member Ward 2, Council Member Ward 4 and Mayor. Each is a four-year position beginning in January 2025. The filing period to become a candidate for one of these offices is July 30 through August 13. Candidates file at the City Administration Office at City Hall, 540 West Hills Circle.

View the precinct map to find out where to vote online at owatonna.gov.

Openings on City Boards & Commissions

Applications are currently being accepted to fill openings on the Economic Development Authority (EDA), the West Hills Commission and the Owatonna Public Utilities (OPU) Commission representing the Third Ward. Commission Member Doyle, current OPU Commission Member representing the Third Ward advised his intent to step down when the new member is appointed. Visit owatonna.gov for a Member Application.

City Proclamations

During the June 18 City Council Meeting, Mayor Kuntz proclaimed this week as Pollinator Week, June 17-23, 2024. In 2019, the City of Owatonna passed a resolution to be a Pollinator Friendly City and pledged to increase flowering habitat, to limit pesticide use and to encourage residents and property owners to incorporate pollinator-friendly plants in landscapes.

Movies at OPL

Movies are shown in the Gainey Room on the fourth Thursday of every month beginning at 2 p.m. See the website at owatonna.gov/library for details.

Ensuring a Beautiful Community

Now that summer is here, remember the following ordinances related to exterior property maintenance:

Grass needs to be less than eight inches tall on developed lots. For vacant lots, it needs to be less than 18 inches tall.
Household trash should be kept in a container designed for such use ensuring that it doesn’t leak or blow away and that it is always covered.
Don’t place unwanted items such as furniture or appliances on the right-of-way or in the yard.

Additional information is available on the City of Owatonna website.

Rewards for Reporting

Vandalism and Graffiti in the Parks

Each year, the City of Owatonna invests thousands of dollars cleaning up graffiti and repairing vandalism in its parks. Residents can reduce vandalism through citizen involvement in a confidential reward for information program called Project Reward and Quick $50.

If you have information about vandalism on public property in Owatonna, please contact the Owatonna Police Department to report information and mention Quick $50. The Quick $50 program rewards citizens for providing legitimate and substantiated information about individuals who are responsible for vandalism, graffiti or other related crimes. The program may provide larger rewards (up to $500) for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for damage to public property.

These programs are funded through private donations. Administrative costs are paid through the City’s operating budget. To make a tax-deductible donation, please send a check addressed to Project Reward – City of Owatonna and mail it to Finance Director, City of Owatonna, 540 West Hills Circle, Owatonna, MN 55060. To report a crime of vandalism to public property or to provide confidential information regarding a crime, please call the Owatonna Police Department at 507.444.3800.

aerial map of 2024 street maintenance projects

2024 City Construction Projects

Street & Utility Projects

The Public Works Department is planning major street and utility projects involving varying degrees of reconstruction to street sections, water main and service replacement, sanitary sewer and service connections, several storm sewer structures and pipe construction and several sections of curb and gutter. The streets included in this year's project are:

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

The project was awarded to Wencl Construction and is anticipated to begin June 24.

Paving Projects

Three additional street segments will be overlayed this year. The preparation and paving portion of the work for these streets will be completed by Public Works Department crews:

Autumn Drive
Wedgewood Drive
25th Avenue - Clark to 18th Street NW
Mineral Springs Park - drive loop/parking lot by the pavilion

The City of Owatonna Streets crew began milling on Autumn Drive, Wedgewood Drive, 25th Street NW (Clark Drive to 18th Street NW) and Mineral Springs Park (loop and parking lot by the pavilion) on June 11. This week, crews have been adjusting castings and completing any other miscellaneous repair work. The streets will be paved beginning June 24.

Residents are asked to keep all parked vehicles off these streets and use alternate routes for travel when crews are present. All dates are subject to change due to weather and other factors. Your patience and cooperation is appreciated!

View the project map online at owatonna.gov.

Sanitary Sewer Jetting/Cleaning

Jetting consists of using a "Jetter Truck" that carries 1,200 gallons of water and 600 feet of hose to clean sewer mains. The hose is fed down through a manhole into the main sewer lines. Once the hose is in place, a pump is turned on to send water through the hose and out a specialized jetting nozzle that operates at roughly 1,200 to 1,800 pounds per square inch. The nozzle is fed upstream to the next manhole (typically 300-350 feet) and then pulled back slowly to loosen up and remove debris built up inside pipes. Debris includes wipes, sand/grit, grease and solids. Once the solids are pulled back to the manhole, they are either flushed downstream or vacuumed out into the debris box of the truck.

The city cleans 20 percent of the city sewer mains annually by working through five zones. This approach allows staff to clean all main lines in a five-year cycle. Residents may experience gurgling noises and occasional odors while lines are being jetted. Residents and business owners are advised to fill their drain traps after the jetting is completed in their area. The vacuum created during the cleaning process may pull water out of the traps leaving them dry which can cause odors. The 2024 sanitary sewer cleaning is being completed in Zone 2.

Please call the Wastewater Treatment Facility at 507.444.2452 if you have questions or experience any issues or visit Sanitary Sewer Cleaning | Owatonna, MN.

River Springs Water Park Adult Programs

Water Aerobics

River Springs Water Park offers classes designed for an aerobic workout that stresses movement of the joints, muscles and heart. Morning classes cost $4 per person and evening classes cost $5 per person. Choose from the following class times:

June 10-August 1

Mondays through Thursdays from 10 until 10:50 a.m.
Mondays through Thursdays from 11 until 11:50 a.m.
Mondays through Thursdays from 5:30 until 6:20 p.m.

August 5-August 15

Mondays through Thursdays from 11-11:50 a.m.
Mondays through Thursdays from 5:30-6:20 p.m.

Water Walking

Enjoy a pool workout at River Springs. Water Walking is held in the Lazy River. Youth under age 16 are not permitted unless accompanied by an adult. The program will be cancelled if lightning or thunder is present or when rain causes poor visibility for lifeguards. The cost is $4 per person. Choose from the following class times:

June 6 - August 4

Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until noon
Mondays through Fridays from 6 until 10 a.m.
Mondays through Fridays from 7 until 8 p.m.

August 5 - August 18

Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until noon
Mondays through Fridays from 10 until 11 a.m. and 7 until 8 p.m.

Helpful Links

Stay Connected: City of Owatonna Social Media

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Visit the Stay Informed Page for more information

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