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2026 City Council Organizational Meeting The City Council held its annual Organizational Meeting January 6 during its regularly scheduled meeting where several decisions were made for the coming year. City Council Assignments City Council members were assigned to serve on the City’s boards and commissions this year: - Economic Development Authority - Dave Burbank, Dan Boeke, Doug Voss
- Housing & Redevelopment Authority - Nate Dotson
- Owatonna Area Business Development Center - Brent Svenby, Dan Boeke
- Joint Powers Board (911 Board) - Dave Burbank, Nate Dotson
- Joint County/City Transportation Committee – Kevin Raney, Doug Voss
- City/Owatonna Public Utilities Joint Committee - Dan Boeke, Nate Dotson
- City/County/School/Owatonna Public Utilities Joint Task Force – Kevin Raney, Doug Voss
- Dog Hearing Panel – Dan Boeke, Doug Voss, Brent Svenby, Don McCann
- Executive Committee – Kevin Raney, Doug Voss, Dan Boeke
- Facility Steering Committee - Dan Boeke, Doug Voss, Don McCann
Council Meetings RescheduledThe City Council meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month. A decision was made to reschedule three meetings 2026 to alleviate conflicting dates: - February 3 Precinct Caucuses – City Council meeting will be held February 4
- August 4 National Night Out – City Council meeting will be held August 5
- November 3 General Election – City Council meeting will be held November 4
Official DesignationsThe meeting also included making the following annual designations: - Appointing the local newspaper for publishing official City business during 2026 as the Owatonna People’s Press.
- Assigning depositories authorized to disperse City funds through check, electronic funds transfer, wire or the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network as the Mayor, City Administrator, Assistant City Administrator, Senior Accountant and Accounting Technician.
- Responsible Authority for Data Practices as City Administrator Jenna Tuma.
- Weed Inspector duties assigned to Fire Chief Ed Hoffman.
Annual AgreementsDuring the meeting, City Council also renewed several agreements: - Three-year agreement for $30,000 annually to Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce for economic development activities including facilitating Owatonna Partners for Economic Development meetings.
- Three-year agreement for $50,000 annually to Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce to help fund the Main Street Program.
- Three-year agreement for $20,000 annually to Owatonna Area Business Development Center for economic development load administration.
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Saving You a Seat!The public is invited to attend the following City meetings this coming week. Unless otherwise specified, these meetings are held at City Hall, 540 West Hills Circle. Meeting materials are available at owatonna.gov. January 13:- South Central Drug Investigative Unit Meeting at 1 p.m. in the Waseca Public Safety Center Meeting Room, 303 South State Street, Waseca
- Human Rights Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m.
- Planning Commission Meeting at 5:30 p.m.
January 14:- Tour Public Safety Centers in Burnsville and Lakeville starting at 8:30 a.m. - Mayor, Council Members, various staff and community stakeholders are invited to participate
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City Support for Riverfront ImprovementsAt its January 6 meeting, the City Council took several actions to support the continued redevelopment of the riverfront area near downtown. A public hearing was held for the proposed mixed use project, Ascend South. A development agreement along with tax increment financing was approved to enhance the feasibility of the project. Portions of Walnut Avenue, Vine Street and a public alley were vacated to make way for a new street to be named Ted G Ringhofer Lane NW. The sale of the public parking lot on Oak Street North to the developer was also approved as part of this project. One of the City’s five Strategic Priorities is Economic Prosperity which identifies strategies that encourage public and private investments to create an environment that supports businesses, creates jobs and expands the tax base. “Developing this part of our community has been identified as a priority,” said Troy Klecker, Community Development Director. “This project represents a significant step to encourage downtown development and redevelopment.” Replacing the underutilized spaces along the downtown riverfront began in 2023 with the construction of the first phase of a mixed-use development with residential and commercial businesses. This private development is now being expanded to the area just south of the new buildings along North Oak Avenue. Ascend South will add 21,000 square feet of commercial space and 57 residential apartments along the riverfront within walking distance to downtown. The project will include improvements to the streets and public parking along the riverfront while adding a bike lane to downtown.
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 Section of Broadway Street West planned for reconstruction. |
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2026 Street Reconstruction ProjectsCardinal Drive SE, Ivy Street SE, Broadway Street WestOn January 6, 2026, the City Council approved two resolutions ordering the preparation of the 2026 Street & Utility Project and Broadway Street Reconstruction Feasibility Reports. The projects involve work on the following streets, click the links to view additional information: The next step is for staff to prepare feasibility reports outlining the proposed project elements and costs to be present to City Council for authorization to continue with project process. |
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 Chief Jeff Mundale applauds as Scott McConkey, Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, presents Sergeant Valerie Satre with a Toward Zero Deaths commendation. |
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 Chief Jeff Mundale congratulates Detective Travis Ardolf on his Commendation. |
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 K-9 handler, Officer Casey Martin, amplifies the final call-out from duty for Vegas announcing his retirement from service. |
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Ceremony Recognizing Life Saving Actions Several officers from the Owatonna Police Department and an Allina nurse were recognized January 6 prior to the City Council Meeting. Chief Jeff Mundale awarded commendations and extended heartfelt appreciation to the following. Officers Julia Hanson, Kyle Martin and Alan Callahan were recognized with Life Saving Awards for two separate incidents they responded to involving medical crises. Candace Roush, an Owatonna nurse, was also recognized for assisting in this medical emergency. Sergeant Valerie Satre was recognized for arresting three intoxicated drivers in a single shift. Scott McConkey, Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, presented her with a Toward Zero Deaths commendation and spoke about decreasing drunk driving deaths due to law enforcement’s commitment to removing these drivers from roadways before accidents happen. Detective Travis Ardolf was commended for his tenacity and drive in investigating complex cases as a detective during the past six years and his willingness to transition back to patrol to allow for staff development opportunities for his peers. Vegas and his handler Officer Casey Martin were also thanked for their six-plus years of service in recognition of Vegas’ retirement, effective with his final callout from emergency dispatchers, which occurred during the meeting. |
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Registration begins January 27 for Spring Recreation ProgramsUpcoming programs offered through the Owatonna Parks & Recreation Department include something for everyone! Check out the Spring/Summer Activity Guide that will be mailed January 20 to all Owatonna addresses or view it online at www.owatonna.gov. Registration for most spring and summer programs, classes and camps begins January 27. Additional details for all programs and facilities can be found online at owatonna.gov or on the Parks and Recreation online registration page at owatonnat.gov/prcatalog. Registrations are also accepted by phone at 507.444.4321 or in person at the Parks & Recreation Office, 500 Dunnell Drive. Ask about scholarships or serving as a volunteer coach for youth sports programs.
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New 50+ Game of the WeekFor those ages 50 and up, West Hills Social Commons is the place to be Thursdays from 1 until 3:30 p.m. Games will rotate weekly to include board and card games led by Leroy Stitz. For the first session on January 8, the game will be Apples to Apples which is simple to learn and loads of fun! Registration is not required and participation is free to Legends members. Non-members can play also with a $3 visitor pass. |
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New 50+ Game of the WeekFor those ages 50 and up, West Hills Social Commons is the place to be Thursdays from 1 until 3:30 p.m. Games will rotate weekly to include board and card games led by Leroy Stitz. For the first session on January 8, the game will be Apples to Apples which is simple to learn and loads of fun! Registration is not required and participation is free to Legends members. Non-members can play also with a $3 visitor pass.
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OPL EventsContinuing January 12, the OPL Book Club will meet the second Monday of every month at 1 and 6 p.m. Winter Book Bingo will begin February 1 and run through March 31. Storytime Tuesdays resume January 13. Preschoolers with their parents/caregivers are invited to the Children’s Services area at the library for stories, songs and fun on Tuesdays at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. To see details on other upcoming planned activities, visit owatonna.gov/library.
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Compost Site Open This WeekendJanuary 9 & 10 2-5:30 p.m.The compost site located at 400 32nd Avenue NW will be open for wreath, tree and leftover fall debris disposal January 9 and 10 from 2 until 5:30 p.m.
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Snow Removal RemindersStay safe & help crews with efficient snow removalThe forecast for the remainder of the week into the weekend is predicting measurable snow fall. Please review the following reminders to be prepared for the weather and are aware of how you can help the City Street Division complete snow removal operations in an efficient manner. - Plowing operations begin in the event of icy conditions and/or the accumulation reaches 2 or more inches.
- Comply with odd-even parking restrictions and utilize off-street parking when available. View the Winter Parking WebApp Map for a quick reference of where parking is allowed.
- Keep trash and recycling containers well behind the curb or in the driveway during snow plowing activities and remove the containers from the street as soon as practical.
- If possible, wait until your street has been cleared before cleaning the end of your driveway. City plows are designed to discharge snow to the sides of the road and cannot skip driveway areas.
- Shovel snow from the end of the driveway to the right as you're facing the street. This reduces the amount of snow being placed back into the driveway during the next plowing.
- Remove snow from sidewalks within 24 hours of the last accumulation.
- Motorists should use caution and to stay back at least 200 feet when nearing a snowplow. Maintaining proper distance will help keep both drivers safe.
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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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