We’ll Save a Seat for You!

Weekly Meeting Schedule

This week, the following City boards and commissions will meet. The public is invited to attend. Agendas, meeting minutes and City Council packets are available in the Agenda Center on the City’s website: https://owatonna.gov/agendacenter.

August 15: Airport Commission Meeting at 8 a.m. in the Meeting at the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle. The Library Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Gainey Room at the Library.

August 20: City Council Study Session at 5:30 p.m. in Chambers at the Charles S. Crandall Center, 540 West Hills Circle. This will be a closed-door session to discuss negotiation strategies for labor contract agreements. The City Council Meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

General Election November 5

The City of Owatonna will have four offices on the General Election Ballot in November. The candidate filing period ended August 13. The candidates (in alphabetical order) for these offices are as follows.

Mayor: Jason Bastyr, Matt Jessop, Donald Kramer, Don Rooks
Council Member at Large Candidates: Mark Breon, Mark Boyett, Joseph “Joe P.” Peterson, Douglas D. Voss
Council Member Ward 2: Andi Arnold, David Gerhartz, Don McCann
Council Member Ward 4: Gordon Henricksen, Kevin Raney

Candidates will be invited to participate in forums hosted by the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, the Early Edition and Noon Rotary Clubs and the Owatonna People’s Press in September and October. For additional information about this year’s election, visit Minnesota Secretary Of State - What's On My Ballot?.

Assistant City Administrator Selected

The City of Owatonna announces Jenna Tuma, Parks, Recreation & Facilities Director, has been selected to serve as Assistant City Administrator. Tuma’s promotion was effective August 12, 2024.

This position, new in the 2024 budget, was created to oversee internal operations including Communications, Facilities/Central Services, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology staff. “The addition of this position will help eliminate organizational silos and improve efficiencies,” said City Administrator Kris Busse. “This will also reduce the number of my direct reports allowing me to shift my focus to big picture, visionary work to carry the organization forward.”

The City of Owatonna conducted a comprehensive selection process to identify its first Assistant City Administrator. The position was advertised on local (City website), state (League of MN Cities) and national (Indeed) job boards. The selection process included two rounds of interviews. The interview panel included representatives of the City Council, City leadership, a community member and Mankato’s City Manager.

“Jenna became the clear choice for this position based on her ability to develop strong partnerships and track record of success managing large projects and leading significant initiatives,” said Kris Busse, City Administrator. Tuma has served as Senior Director for the Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department since 2021. She has 20-plus years of experience in park development, programming, operations and maintenance. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Parks and Recreation from the University of Minnesota and her Master of Arts degree in Urban Regional Studies from Minnesota State University Mankato.

Improvements Underway on Historic City Buildings

City Hall

Construction season is here and City Hall, built in 1887, has brickwork that needs repairs. Innovative Masonry Restoration is on the West Hills campus repairing the tuckpointing and masonry on the exterior of the building. Access to City Hall is not expected to be restricted; however, is temporarily rerouted to an alternate ground-floor entrance while this work is being completed. The tuckpointing and masonry rehabilitation is part of a multi-year phased project that kicked off in 2022 which included repairing or replacing joints in the limestone, replacing terra cotta chimney caps and resealing windows and doors. The goal of this work is to restore the surface of the building to preserve it for the foreseeable future.

Merrill Hall

Renovations at Merrill Hall are also underway on the West Hills campus. This year’s phase one improvements include replacing the deteriorating roof, upgrading the mechanical, electrical, lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, asbestos abatement and adding a fire sprinkler system. These improvements are in progress and are expected to be completed later this year. The City Council and the City’s tenants, Little Theatre of Owatonna and Wee Pals Child Care Center, toured the project earlier this month. Both tenants have stated they intend to relocate back to Merrill Hall following the renovations.

City Council & staff check out new HVAC equipment at Merrill Hall.

City Council & staff check on the progress of renovations at Merrill Hall.

Merrill Hall tenants tour the renovations underway.

Ongoing Investments in Community Facilities

The updates on these 100-plus year-old buildings are part of the City of Owatonna’s Long Range Asset Plan which guides decisions on how to address improvements on current facilities and how to plan, grow and invest in Owatonna’s future facilities. “The City Council is committed to being good stewards of taxpayers’ investment in the historic buildings that are municipally owned,” said City Council President Greg Schultz. “We need to determine how to use these spaces so they serve the community effectively.” For ongoing updates on the Long Range Asset Preservation Plan, please visit owatonna.gov.

Photo of airport sign, jets statue and building

Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast August 25

The Owatonna Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) will hold its annual Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast at the Owatonna Degner Regional Airport August 25 from 7 a.m. until noon. The event is open to the public and includes an all-you-can-eat French toast, sausage and fresh fruit breakfast. There will also be a silent auction. Tickets are $10 at the door. Kids ages five and under eat free. Discounted pre-sale tickets are available at Hy-Vee. All proceeds to benefit the CAP. With good weather, the event often draws several aircraft from all over the area.

Ensuring a Beautiful Community

As summer winds down, here is a friendly reminder of the 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 does not leak and that it is always covered.
Do not 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.

River Springs Water Park

Last day in 2024 is August 18

Featuring a lazy river, climbing wall, body slide, tube slide, zero-depth pool area, activity pool, lily pad walk and a large concessions area, River Springs Water Park is open every day (weekdays from noon until 7 p.m. and weekends from noon until 8 p.m. for open swim. Various programs including water walking, lap swim, water aerobics and tiny tot time are also offered. The water park is located at 3065 St. Paul Road on the north side of Owatonna just off 26^th Street. For additional information, visit owatonna.gov, follow us on Facebook or call 507.774.7370.

Swimming Lessons

Registration begins August 22

The Owatonna Park & Recreation Department offers American Red Cross swimming classes at the Middle School pool and the West Hills Campus pool. Group swimming lessons are available for children ages 18 months to 14 years. Private swimming lessons to help perfect a stroke or gain confidence in the water are available for all ages. Classes fill up quickly. Visit Owatonna.gov or call 507.444.4321 for additional information or to register.

Stormwater Education Booth

At the Steele County Free Fair

Learn about what Clean River Partners (CRP) and the City of Owatonna have been working on. Stop by their booth in the Conservation Building at the Steele County Free Fair through August 20. Staff will be available to answer questions and provide information about stormwater management.

Annual Opportunity for MS4 Program Feedback Needed

There will be an opportunity to review the City of Owatonna’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and comment on it. This is part of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program. The plan is also available to review and comment on at owatonna.gov. Input from the community is greatly valued as this plan is implemented.

Helpful Links

Licenses & Permits

Registration

Employment

Stay Informed

Events: Access calendars to view upcoming events.
City News Releases: View news releases published by the City of Owatonna.
Newsletters: The City of Owatonna publishes a weekly newsletter called Owatonna Update. Current and past newsletters are available here.
Social Media: Stay connected with the City of Owatonna by following these social media sites.
Spotlight Videos: Videos produced by the City of Owatonna.

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August 14, 2024