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June 18, 2025
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City of Owatonna Honors Juneteenth

All 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.
photo from safety camp

Steele County Safety Camp

Another successful camp!

235 third graders attended the annual Steele County Safety Camp this past week. Participants learned about fishing safety, boating safety, camping/hiking safety, firearms safety, first aid, bike safety, electrical safety and much more. These life skills, taught by first responders, local business leaders and respected community members, were mixed with breaks for snacks and games. The camp concluded with a graduation ceremony and ice cream social.

Owatonna’s Parkland Expanded

On June 6, the City of Owatonna acquired approximately 40 acres through The Trust for Public Land (TPL). Parks & Recreation Department staff facilitated the acquisition which was approved February 4 by the City Council. The new City parkland is located north of 26th Street across from Cashman Park. It consists of three drainage ponds and densely wooded berms with steep slopes with tree-covered basins primarily covered in grass.

The current plan is for the site to remain in its natural state for recreation purposes. Future trails could provide a connection to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Prairie Wildflower trail project. The site could also be used to extend the airport runway by adding City-owned "clear zone" acreage as well as parkland.

The TPL donation was finalized following several months of survey work and approval by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for an environmental covenant and easement. The acquisition boosts Owatonna’s parkland acreage to roughly 900 total acres to complement its 31.7 miles of paved, natural and bike trails for people to enjoy.
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NEW Park & Trail Guides Available

New Park & Trail Guides are available throughout Owatonna in more than 40 locations including in parks and along trails. The guide highlights special features, provides park addresses and hours, amenities and a map showing parks and trails. Guides are also available at City Hall, West Hills Social Commons and the Owatonna Chamber of Commerce & Tourism office.
stock image worker on cell phone

Parks Staff Equipped with the Right Tools

Many tools and equipment are needed to maintain the City’s parks and amenities. Prices have risen in the last few years due to the availability of materials and the workforce to produce products and equipment making replacing specialized equipment difficult. A Vehicle Replacement Fund (VRF) helps plan for future needs for replacing, trading or purchasing equipment. City staff also manage equipment and other assets through the Cartegraph Asset Management System which tracks assets through purchase, hours/miles used, preventative maintenance, repairs and projected useful life.

One example of using the right tool for a job is the City’s purchase of a load & pack. This specialized equipment empties the more than 250 garbage barrels in the parks each summer and has made trash pick-up much more efficient, less costly and safer for employees. Another valuable tool for park staff is using mobile devices to access Cartegraph and track repairs on park assets such as the irrigation system and other amenities.
“H2Owatonna Logo”

Stormwater Management 

What is stormwater runoff?

Stormwater runoff is water from rain or snow that does not soak directly into the ground. Instead, it flows from rooftops, across paved areas and sloped lawns. Different types of land cover produce different runoff rates and volume. Additional impervious surfaces result in increased runoff amounts. 

What is the difference between stormwater and sanitary systems?   

City storm sewers are separate from sanitary sewers and do not drain into municipal wastewater treatment facilities. They carry stormwater runoff from catch basins into streams, lakes and wetlands. The sanitary sewer is a system of underground pipes that carry sewage from bathrooms, sinks, kitchens and other plumbing components to the wastewater treatment plant where it is filtered, treated and discharged. Stormwater is not treated by the wastewater treatment facility.

Clean H2Owatonna is the City of Owatonna’s Stormwater Management Program designed to help reduce pollution in streams, rivers and waterways. For additional information about the program, email stormwater@owatonna.gov or visit the Stormwater Management page at owatonna.gov.

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.
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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 18: Economic Development Authority Meeting at 4 p.m. at the Degner Regional Airport, 3400 W Frontage Road.

June 23: Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meeting at 4 p.m. in the Meeting Room of the Charles S. Crandall Center.

June 24: Owatonna Public Utilities Commission Meeting at 4 p.m. in the Morehouse Meeting Room, 208 South Walnut Avenue. Planning Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Chambers of the Charles S. Crandall Center.

Helpful Links
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Licenses & Permits
Park and recreation registration

Registration
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Employment

Stay Informed

owatonna.gov

  • Events: Access calendars to view upcoming events.

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  • Newsletters: The City of Owatonna publishes a weekly newsletter called Owatonna Update. Current and past newsletters are available here.

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540 West Hills Circle Owatonna, MN 55060
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