Reception Thanking Outgoing City Officials

The community is invited to attend a reception December 17 from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. to honor Mayor Thomas A. Kuntz and City Council President Greg Schultz for their service as they approach the conclusion of their terms. After each of these City officials having served multiple terms, they decided not to run for re-election in the 2024 General Election.

The reception, held at the Owatonna Arts Center, 435 Garden View Lane, will provide community members an opportunity to thank Kuntz and Schultz for their years of service as an elected official for the City of Owatonna and recognize some of their accomplishments on significant projects that have been completed during their terms.

Staska Promoted to Fire Commander

The Owatonna Fire Department is proud to announce that Fire Equipment Operator Benjamin Staska was promoted to Fire Commander effective December 1.

Staska began his career with the fire department as a resident firefighter in 2020 and briefly left to pursue a full-time position with the East Grand Forks Fire Department. He rejoined Owatonna Fire in May 2022 as a Fire Equipment Operator. His main responsibilities during the last two and a half years have been to drive and operate fire trucks at incident scenes as well as being the Training Officer for the department. As Fire Commander, Ben is in charge at incidents and develops action plans for crews as they arrive on scene. He will continue in his role as Training Officer.

Please join the fire department in congratulating Ben and thanking him for his dedication and hard work.

Winter Outdoor Recreation Opportunities

The City of Owatonna Park Maintenance staff maintains several outdoor recreation opportunities as weather allows.

Cross-country ski trails are groomed alongside paved trails where possible as well as on the upper and lower nines at Brooktree Golf Course. Mountain bike trails are groomed in Kaplan’s Woods. Paved trails are cleared and broomed for walking and running.

Ice rinks are prepared at Morehouse, Buecksler and Countryview Parks as well as at Brooktree Golf Course. Please be aware of ice condition signs. Skating too early will damage the liners and rinks will not hold water or freeze properly. Rinks are checked daily and signs are removed to indicate when they are ready for skaters.

Morehouse Park, 350 School Street

Skating hours: Mondays through Sundays 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Warming house hours (supervised): Mondays through Fridays 3-9:30 p.m., Saturdays, holidays & school vacation days 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m., Sundays 12-9:30 p.m.
Amenities: skate rentals, warming house, restrooms, hockey rinks, concessions, outdoor lighting

Brooktree Golf Course, 1369 Cherry Street

Buecksler Park, 1755 Smith Avenue

Countryview Park, 855 Countryview Lane NE

Skating hours: Mondays through Sundays 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Amenities: outdoor lighting, seating area

Tennis & Pickleball Center operational identifier

New 5 Month Season Passes Available

Get ready to play sports all winter and spring! The West Hills Tennis and Pickleball Center is excited to offer a new five-month season pass valid from January 1 through May 31. With this pass, the facility is accessible seven days a week from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. making it easier than ever to fit tennis or pickleball into a busy schedule.

Passes are available for individuals, juniors, couples and families. To purchase a pass, stop by the Owatonna Parks and Recreation office at 500 Dunnell Drive, visit the West Hills Tennis and Pickleball Center during staffed hours, purchase online at owatonna.gov/prcatalog or call 507.444.4321. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to keep the fun going indoors this season.

New Police Department Contact Information

In the near future the Police Department and Sheriff's Office will no longer be sharing the same facility. How will this affect you? The Police Department will remain in the same location at the Law Enforcement Center at 204 East Pearl Street. The main phone number and records request email address will change and will be shared as soon as they are available. The goal is to make this a seamless transition for the public served by both law enforcement agencies.

Give the Gift of Recreation

It’s that time of year to think about thoughtful gift-giving. The City of Owatonna Parks & Recreation Department offers easy ways to give the gift of recreation and connecting with others:

River Springs Water Park passes
Brooktree Golf Course passes
Tennis & Pickleball Center passes
Yoga classes
Swimming lessons
Water aerobics classes
Adult Leisure Pursuits Senior Programming membership
Trips
Gift cards & much more

Shop for these and other recreation gifts at the City of Owatonna Parks & Recreation Catalog online at owatonna.gov/prcatalog or visit the Parks & Recreation office, 500 Dunnell Dr, Owatonna.

Holiday Lighted Parade

City staff and vehicles were showcased during the annual Main Street Holiday Lighted Parade December 6.

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.

December 17: there will be a Reception celebrating and thanking outgoing City elected officials Mayor Thomas A. Kuntz and City Council President Greg Schultz from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. in the Owatonna Arts Center, 435 Garden View Lane. At 7 p.m, the City Council Meeting begins in Chambers, Charles S. Crandall Center.

Helpful Links

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Stay Informed

Events: Access calendars to view upcoming events.
City News Releases: View news releases published by the City of Owatonna.
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December 11, 2024