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July 9, 2025
City Council President Kevin Raney represented Owatonna and the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities at the League of Minnesota Cities Conference in Duluth June 23 through 25 which was also attended by other Owatonna City Council Members, Mayor Jessop, City Administrator Busse and Assistant City Administrator Jenna Tuma.

City Council President Kevin Raney represented Owatonna and the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities at the League of Minnesota Cities Conference in Duluth June 23 through 25 which was also attended by other Owatonna City Council Members, Mayor Jessop, City Administrator Busse and Assistant City Administrator Jenna Tuma.
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Sign Up for Citizen Alerts

Anyone can receive alerts about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for the Steele County Emergency Notification System. This notification system enables emergency agencies to provide residents with critical information quickly in a variety of situations such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, evacuations of buildings or neighborhoods and criminals that may pose an immediate threat to public safety or property. Such time-sensitive messages are sent through residential and business landlines, mobile devices, text messages, emails, hearing-impaired receiving devices. etc.

 Sign up online at https://member.everbridge.net/453003085612579/login. Individuals who need assistance can register by calling the Rice and Steele County 911 Center at 507.363.6464. Additional information is available online at Steele County Emergency Management.
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City Boards and Commissions 

During the July 1 City Council Meeting, the Council approved Mayor Jessop’s recommendations to appoint Rebecca Rand to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority and James Joachim to the Planning Commission. Currently, there is an opening on the Park Board and the Fire Civil Service/Code of Appeals. Apply on-line at owatonna.gov.
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Night to Unite 

Tuesday, August 5 

The national Night to Unite event is the first Tuesday in August. The Owatonna Police Department encourages everyone to participate in this annual celebration designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support and participation in local anti-crime efforts. It is a time to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. Join the celebration August 5 by visiting Owatonna.gov/police or calling Pam Roberts at 507.774.7200 to register a party you would like to help host.
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Movies at Owatonna Public Library

Movies at the Owatonna Public Library are shown the fourth Thursday of every month beginning at 2 p.m. in the Gainey Room. Visit owatonna.gov/library for information on the next film being featured.
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July is Parks and Recreation Month

Summer is the perfect time to highlight the people, spaces and programs that make Owatonna a beautiful and strong community. From natural parkland and trails to the fabulous recreation facilities, Parks & Recreation staff are dedicated to maintaining these amenities for safe and memorable experiences.  
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Register Now for Fall/Winter Recreation Programs

The 2025-2026 Fall/Winter Community & Activity Guide is filled with various activities for everyone including archery, water aerobics, youth sports, trips, weekly activities, adaptive recreation events, snowshoe geocaching, tennis, pickleball and so much more! The guide also includes information about youth scholarships and events hosted by the Owatonna Police Department, Owatonna Public Library and more!

Register for programs online at owatonna.gov/prcatalog, call 507.444.4321 or register in person at West Hills Social Commons during office hours.
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Senior Programs & Trips

Anyone who likes to do fun things but doesn’t like driving in the Twin Cities can hop on a bus to attend fun outings. Check out the following upcoming trips or find out about future trips by visiting Owatonna.gov/prcatalog:

  • Grease July 16
  • St. Paul Saints Game July 23
  • Wine Wonderland July 26

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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Potholes

How potholes are created

The most common cause of potholes is the freeze-and-thaw cycle during the winter and spring seasons. Ice and snow melts during the day, filling cracks in the roadway with water. At night, the water freezes and expands, popping out the asphalt. Once there is a weak spot, every car that travels over it worsens the problem and eventually a section of the material fails – resulting in potholes.

Repairing potholes

When the City of Owatonna receives a pothole report, the area in need of repair is added to a work order list monitored by Street Division Staff. In most cases, pothole repairs are completed systematically as the patching crew works through town. Working in street sections allows for greater efficiency as opposed to spot-fixing each pothole as the report is received. Because of this approach, reports received may appear to be outstanding for an extended period of time. This is to be expected. Please be assured that each report will be addressed when crews are in the area. Severe potholes are patched immediately if deemed appropriate.

Reporting a pothole

To report potholes, please call the Public Works Department at 507-444-4350 or submit an online SeeClickFix ticket using Report a Concern.
Visit owatonna.gov/concern for a fast, easy way to submit online reports of concerns related to streets, boulevard trees, parks, ordinance violations and more.

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.

July 10: Airport Commission Meeting at 8 a.m. in the Meeting Room of the Charles S. Crandall Center.

July 15: City Council Study Session at 5:30 p.m. followed by a 7 p.m. Meeting in the Chambers, Charles S. Crandall Center.

July 16: Economic Development Authority Meeting at 4 p.m. in the Chambers, 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.

  • 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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540 West Hills Circle Owatonna, MN 55060
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