City of Owatonna Honors Juneteenth

All City buildings will be closed June 19in 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.

Mayor Jessop’s Recent Proclamation

During the June 3 City Council Meeting, Mayor Jessop issued a proclamation recognizing Juneteenth and announced a celebration planned June 21 at 1 p.m. at the Steele County Fairgrounds hosted by the Alliance for Greater Equity.

City Officials Being Recognized by CGMC

On June 3, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) announced the roster of municipal government leaders from across the state selected for recognition including two City of Owatonna employees.

City Administrator Kris Busse is being honored with the Bob Filson Award for Distinguished Rural Leadership in recognition of her outstanding public service and contributions to the CGMC throughout her career. This award is given to staff from CGMC member cities upon their retirement and is named for former Worthington City Manager Bob Filson, who showed consistent and relentless dedication to the CGMC and its members during his time in public service.

Community Development Manager Greg Kruschke was chosen to receive the Excellence in Service Award for his strong advocacy to represent Greater Minnesota’s housing needs and oppose harmful zoning and land use policy.

The CGMC will present the awards at its annual Legislative Awards Dinner July 24 as part of the 2025 Summer Conference in Bemidji.

Kris Busse, City Administrator

Greg Kruschke, Community Development Manager

Openings on City Current Boards & Commissions

Applications are currently being accepted to fill an opening on the Fire Civil Service Board & Fire Code Board of Appeals and an opening on the Park Board. Visit owatonna.gov for a Member Application.

photo of city staff in tent at Central Park

Win a Prize through City Trivia!

Chat with City Staff at Downtown Thursdays

Owatonna’s Downtown Thursdays feature local food, music, shopping and art on the first Thursday of each month during summer. City staff will have a booth at Downtown Thursdays to share information about City projects and employment opportunities, answer questions, listen to concerns and interact with the community. Plus, win a prize by providing the correct answer to a City of Owatonna trivia question! Look for the City’s booth June 5 in Central Park. For other Downtown Thursdays dates and additional information, visit Owatonna.org.

Recreational Fire Guidelines

Be considerate of the neighbors

Sitting under the stars by a crackling fire has its appeal. It’s where stories are told, sing-a-longs happen, and meals are cooked over an open flame. While recreational fires are allowed within the City of Owatonna without a permit, the following requirements must be followed:

Fires may be no larger than three feet in diameter and two feet in height and contained within a pit or devise designed for such use. Fires must be at least 25 feet away from all buildings or combustible materials such as wood, paper, and plastics.
Recreational fires must be constantly attended until the fire is extinguished. A fire extinguisher, charged garden hose, dirt or sand must be readily available to extinguish the fire.
The only materials allowed in a recreational fire are unpainted and untreated dry wood, coal, or charcoal.
Be aware of very dry and high wind conditions which might make the fire unsafe.

For more information, visit the Fire Department FAQs on owatonna.gov.

Summer Reading Program for Kids

Kicks off June 6 in Children’s Services

The 2025 Summer Reading Program Kickoff will be from 3 until 6 p.m. June 6. Pick up your reading logs, ice cream and tattoos! Explore the world of reptiles and amphibians with the Zoo Man at 3:45 p.m.

Other June SRP events include:

June 10 at 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Summer Storytimes begin and run through August 19 (preschool)
June 12 at 10 a.m. Sustainable Safari Wildlife Show (all ages)
Jun 18 at 10 a.m. Ventriloquist James Wedgwood (all ages)
June 19 OPL and City offices closed all day
June 26 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. June Book Fair. Kids, have you read at least 10 days this month? If so, bring in your reading log and pick out your free brand-new book! (ages 0-15)

OPL 125^th Anniversary Events

The special Adult Summer Reading Program (ages 16+) continues
June 9 at 1 & 6 p.m. OPL Book Club discusses Hidden Valley Road (adults)
June 13 at 1 p.m. Library History Tour (adults)

Curfew Reminder for Youth in Owatonna

The City of Owatonna has a curfew ordinance for the following reasons:

To protect the public from illegal acts of minors committed during curfew hours
To protect minors from improper influences that prevail during curfew hours including involvement with gangs
To protect minors from criminal activity that occurs during curfew hours
To help parents control their minor children

The curfew is enforced based on the following hours:

No minor under age 16 shall be in or upon public streets, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public grounds, public places, public buildings; nor in or upon places of amusement, entertainment or refreshment; nor in or upon any vacant lot, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. the following day, official city time.
No minor ages 16 or 17 shall be in or upon public streets, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public grounds, public places, public buildings; nor in or upon places of amusement, entertainment, or refreshment; nor in or upon any vacant lot, between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. the following day, official city time.

To read the full ordinance, visit § 132.01 CURFEW FOR MINORS. (amlegal.com).

Brooktree Golf Course Updates

Upcoming Tournaments

June 22: Owatonna Wrestling Fundraiser Golf Tournament Big Cup 10 a.m. shotgun start $100 per golfer. For details, visit Owatonna Wrestling.
June 27: Camp Omega Golf Tournament check-in at 10 a.m., shotgun start at 11 a.m. For additional information and registration, visit Golf Benefit | Camp Omega - Waterville MN.

River Springs Water Park Programs

Water Park opens June 6!

Owatonna’s water park is for adults too! The Parks & Recreation Department offers various programs at River Springs Water Park. Visit owatonna.gov/riversprings for class dates and times. These programs may be cancelled if lightning or thunder is present or when rain causes poor visibility for lifeguards.

Water Aerobics

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.

Water Walking

Enjoy a pool workout in the Lazy River. Youth under age 16 are not permitted unless accompanied by an adult. The cost is $4 per person.

Log Rolling

Log rolling is an all-ages activity that encourages kids and parents to play together in the pool while running on top a Key Log. It’s a unique way for participants to take a risk, try new things in a controlled environment and develop healthy skills for life just like a Lumberjack.

Lake Kohlmier

1295 Kohlmier Drive, 507.774.7372

Equipment Rental/Concession Hours

Aquatic and trail equipment rentals and concession sales are available. Lifejackets are required and provided with aquatics rentals. Lake Kohlmier is open through August 17 on Thursdays through Fridays from 1 until 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 7 p.m.

Fees:

Equipment Rental: $6.50 per hour
Season Pass: $25 per person
Large Group Equipment Rental: $115 for 2 hours (10 vessels)

Swimming Beach

There are no lifeguards on duty. Individuals follow beach rules and swim at their own risk.

May 24 – September 1
Mondays-Sundays 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Wastewater Treatment Facility Reminder

Fats, Oil & Grease

Fats, Oil, and Grease (FOG) can cause a multitude of problems if they enter the sanitary sewer system through kitchen drains in both residential dwellings and Food Service Establishments. FOG can cause many problems including but not limited to:

Slow drains, system blockages & backups
Pollution from potential sewer overflows
Decreased useful life of the sanitary system
Environmental strain from increased water use
Increased sewer maintenance costs

Most FOG buildup is caused by washing greasy dishes. To avoid this, wipe dishes out with a paper towel before washing. Another prevention method is to pour used cooking oil and grease into a container and once it has cooled, throw the container in the trash.

Food Service Establishments can minimize FOG in the sanitary system by installing and maintaining grease traps. Grease traps are installed in the establishment's drain system and attempt to trap grease while allowing water to flow freely through the system.

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 2025 sanitary sewer cleaning is being completed in Zone 3.

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.

Watch City Meetings Online!

Owatonna’s City Council meetings are 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.

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.
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June 4, 2025