Bonnie Hermel Honored as Firefighter of the Year

Senior Administrative Technician Bonnie Hermel was selected as the 2025 Firefighter of the Year. Mayor Matt Jessop and Fire Chief Ed thanked Hermel for her service and presented her with this honor at the annual Exchange Club of Owatonna banquet October 9. The banquet honored all firefighters who serve Owatonna and featured MnFire President Mike Dobesh who spoke about statewide efforts to support firefighters’ physical and mental health needs.

Restorative Burn at Leo Rudolph Nature Reserve

Part of Annual Owatonna Fire Training

The Parks & Recreation Department and the Fire Department are collaborating to conduct a controlled burn on the northern half of Leo Rudolph Nature Reserve. On October 27, starting at 6 p.m., the Fire Department will conduct the live-burn training session, weather permitting. If inclement weather occurs, a backup date of November 10 is set. Residents in the area may wish to close their windows that day. Firefighters will remain on site until the fire is completely extinguished.

The burn benefits prairie areas by stimulating grass and wildflowers’ growth and improving nesting areas’ habitats for pheasants and nongame birds. Additionally, it removes old vegetation to make room for new growth.

Contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 507.444.4321 or Fire Department at 507.444.2454 for more information.

Library Events

Free movie October 23, 2025

Enjoy a free movie at the library in the Gainey Room at 2 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month. Visit owatonna.gov/library for the showing schedule.

Harvesting flower seeds

Join us October 18, 9:30- 10:30 a.m. at the Owatonna Public Library Pollinator Garden. We will be harvesting flower seeds together – take some home for yourself and add some to our Seed Exchange program.

Scan code to register a pumpkin to display

Spooky Pumpkin Trail October 25

Get ready to carve out some fun! Showcase pumpkins by bringing them to Kaplan Woods at 4 p.m. October 25. As the sun sets, the park will be illuminated with twinkling lights, creating a magical ambiance. Everyone is invited to walk around the park from 5 until 8 p.m. to admire the creativity and talent of the creators of each unique pumpkin and vote for their favorites. Grab the family and join this night of festive Halloween fun! Costumes are optional but encouraged. Pumpkins that are painted or carved can be entered in the contest. Register a pumpkin using the QR code. Walking the trail does not require registration. Each pumpkin will receive an LED light and can be picked up at 8 p.m.

Open Basketball

Open basketball is back at the West Hills Gym! We are thrilled to have you here to play basketball in a fun and safe environment. Open to all ages. Children ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. During our open basketball sessions, you will have access to our indoor court to play games, practice shots and work on dribbling skills. To ensure the safety of all participants, we ask that you follow our guidelines and rules while playing. This includes wearing appropriate footwear and clothing, respecting your fellow players and following the directions of our staff. Visit owatonna.gov for details and to register. Registration is required. The daily cost is $5.

Clean streets for clean water!

In urban areas, stormwater carries phosphorus and other pollutants directly into Minnesota’s water resources through drainage systems. Unlike Owatonna’s household wastewater, stormwater does not go through the Wastewater Treatment Facility for processing. In many cases, stormwater is discharged directly to rivers and creeks. Visit owatonna.gov for fall clean water tips to help keep Owatonna’s waterways clean.

Saving a Seat for YOU!

Weekly Meeting Schedule

The public is invited to attend the City's public meetings. For meeting details, view the calendar at owatonna.gov. Agendas, meeting minutes and City Council packets are available in the Agenda Center on the City’s website: https://owatonna.gov/agendacenter.

October 16:

8 a.m. Airport Commission Meeting
9 a.m. until noon Coptober for Kids
4:30 p.m. Library Board Meeting

October 21:

5 p.m. City Council Study Session presentation of the 2024 Audit by Mary Reedy, CPC, GCFM at Clifton Larson Allen
7 p.m. City Council Meeting

Helpful Links

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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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Spotlight Videos: Videos produced by the City of Owatonna.

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October 15, 2025