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City of Owatonna Honors JuneteenthAll City buildings will be closed 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. |
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City Staff Participate in Downtown Thursdays Employees from the Library staffed the City’s booth at the June 5 Downtown Thursdays event. They shared information about the Summer Reading Program and upcoming events to celebrate their 125th anniversary. They also answered questions, gave away prizes and interacted with nearly 500 community members. Owatonna’s Downtown Thursdays feature local food, music, shopping and art. For other Downtown Thursdays dates and additional information, visit Owatonna.org.
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Ensuring a Beautiful CommunityNow 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.
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Movies of the Decades 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. June 26 we are featuring To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). |
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Movie in the ParkGrab your buddies, snacks, lawn chair and join friends and neighbors June 13 at Central Park for a family movie on the big screen. The Wild Robot will begin at 9:15 p.m. |
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Rec On the GoCalling all Owatonna residents! We're thrilled to continue Rec On The Go to bring FREE, accessible activities straight to your neighborhood park! Our goal is to make recreation inclusive and convenient for everyone. Mark your calendars to attend Rec On The Go June 13 from 6-9 p.m. at Central Park, right before the Movie in the Park! There will be fun activities for all ages – you won't want to miss it! Stay tuned! Upcoming dates, locations and exciting activities will be posted on our Facebook page throughout the summer. A big thanks to our major sponsor, Gopher Sport, for helping bring you this unforgettable summer experience!
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Bike SafetyWith summer in full swing, this is a reminder to bicyclists and motorists to be safe while commuting around town. This time of year, there is also an increase in young bicyclists moving about in the city. Here are several safety reminders when using the roadways: - Bicyclists may ride on all Minnesota roads except where restricted.
- Bicyclists should ride on the road and must ride in the same direction as traffic.
- Bicyclists must obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as motorists must.
- Bicyclists must signal their turns and should ride in a predictable manner.
- Bicyclists must use a headlight and rear reflectors when it's dark. To increase visibility, add a rear flashing light.
- Drivers must drive at safe speeds and be attentive — look for bicyclists, check blind spots.
- Drivers must at all times maintain a three-foot clearance when passing a bicyclist.
- Drivers should use caution and look twice for bicyclists when turning.
- Drivers should use caution when opening a vehicle door when parking alongside a road.
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Wastewater Treatment Facility ExpansionYear Three SummaryUpdate provided by Jennifer Svennes – Nero Engineering The Owatonna Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) is three years into construction of its upgrade and expansion project. At the end of construction, the WWTF will be nearly double its current capacity which will serve the City’s expected growth over the next 25 years. The project completion dates have been extended by 210 days which equates to a revised substantial completion date of October 27, 2025 and a revised final completion date of January 26, 2026. The contract extension was due to sizable delays in receiving electrical gear, primarily Motor Control Centers (MCCs). The Owatonna WWTF expansion project includes three new buildings as well as to the existing facility. The first year of construction largely focused on the construction of the three new buildings: the Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Building, the Fine Screen Building (FSB), and the Solids Thickening Building (STB). The second year of construction focused on the work within the FSB and MBR as well as rehabs of the Primary Clarifiers (PC), Aeration Basins (AB), and site piping. The third year of construction has progressed from the liquid treatment train to the solids treatment upgrades including work in the Return Activated Sludge (RAS)/ Waste Activated Sludge (WAS) Complex (RWC), Solids Thickening Building and Digester Treatment Complex (DTC). Overall, the project is nearly 94 percent completed. Visit the Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion webpage to learn more about the details for each building and the project’s progress. |
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Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) As part of Owatonna’s MS4 Permit, the city administers an IDDE Program. This program helps track and eliminate sources of pollution including illegal connections to the storm system, spills, illegal dumping and other sources of contamination. It keeps pollutants from entering the storm system where it may reach a nearby waterway. All illegal connections and illicit discharges are strictly prohibited by City Stormwater Management Code 52.00. Never dump or dispose of anything into the storm sewer or storm drain. Keep absorbent materials such as kitty litter on hand to clean up any accidental spills or leaks. Keep an eye open for signs of IDDE: - Unusual colors, odors, suds or stains
- Persons dumping liquids, oils, leaves, grass clippings or anything unidentifiable into the storm drain
- Dead or distressed fish and wildlife near surface waters
- Storm pipes and outfalls with high flow during dry weather periods
- Excessive sediment accumulation in water bodies near outfalls
How to report suspected illicit discharge or water pollution If the suspected pollution or contamination is a major spill, unknown or dangerous to human health and safety, the Fire Department should be contacted immediately by calling 911. To anonymously report any suspected illicit discharge or water pollution, visit Owatonna.gov to complete the online Report an Illicit Discharge Form or call 507.444.4350.
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City Meetings This Week The public is invited to attend the following City meetings this week. Unless otherwise specified, these meetings are held at City Hall, 540 West Hills Circle. Agendas, meeting minutes and City Council packets are available in the Agenda Center on the City’s website: https://owatonna.gov/agendacenter. June 17: City Council will meet at 5 p.m. at the River Springs Water Park with Chris Ziemer, Project Development Director at ICS and then at 5:45 p.m. in the Chambers at the Charles S. Crandall Center to discuss the Facility Assessment and a proposed agreement with the City of Medford connecting to Owatonna’s Wastewater Treatment Facility. If time permits, there will also be updates about various boards and commissions. At 7 p.m., the City Council Meeting will begin. June 18: Economic Development Authority Meeting at 4 p.m. at the Degner Regional Airport, 3400 W Frontage Road. |
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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.
Feel free to forward this message to other Owatonna community members. Visit the Notify Me Sign-up page to update your email address, unsubscribe, or sign up for additional City alerts. Be sure to add listserv@civicplus.com to your safe sender/address book to ensure messages are delivered to your inbox. |
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