Issue 4, Thursday, October 29, 2026

County asks state for storm tax relief, grant for East Side Corridor

What the county board took up Tuesday, OPU's 2027 rates, data center zoning, and the 911 center's new number.

If the Sept 19 storms damaged your house or farm buildings, the county wants the state to let it reassess your property for tax relief. That was one of the action items on the Steele County Board's Oct 27 agenda. Minutes are not posted yet, so here is what was scheduled and what staff recommended.

Resolution 2026-47 would declare the Sept 19 thunderstorms and heavy rain a disaster so the assessor can apply to the governor and the state Executive Council for property tax relief on damaged residential and agricultural property. Staff recommended adopting it. On the consent agenda, Resolution 2026-48 backs an application for up to $1.5 million from the state's Local Road Improvement Program for the East Side Corridor, the new north-south road planned between 18th Street SE and 26th Street NE. The packet estimates construction at $25 million in 2027 and 2028.

The board was also set to vote on rezoning 11.65 acres in Clinton Falls Township from Business to Industrial so John Ihlenfeld can extend TraLo's parking lot, and on an AFSCME contract for the county's new Human Services Department, which is hiring former MNPrairie workers. Staff asked for approval subject to union ratification.

In brief

Data center rules. The city Planning Commission had a work session on data center zoning on its Oct 27 agenda. Staff slides say the city and OPU have no data center projects planned, and Owatonna is a poor candidate for a large one given its 161 kV lines and roughly 20 MW of spare capacity. The October draft allows centers over 5 MW only by conditional use permit in industrial districts, with a public hearing.

Your OPU bill in 2027. The utilities commission was scheduled to vote Oct 27 on a 2027 budget that adds $3.77 a month, about 2%, to the average home's combined electric, water and gas bill. Water rises 10% on both the commodity rate and the service charge, about $3.21 a month. Electric averages 0% and gas dips 0.1%. Staff project 5% water increases a year from 2028 to 2031.

OPU lobby bids over budget again. The low bid on the OPU lobby redesign, $419,896 from Benike Construction, is $207,696 over the $250,000 budget even after dropping $56,000 from the spring round. Staff asked the commission for direction. A rewritten late-fee policy was also up: the 21-day due date and 5% fee stay, with one forgiveness per account per 12 months.

911 center moves Nov 4. The county says its non-emergency phone number changes when the 911 Center moves on Nov 4. The posting does not give the new number, so watch for it before you update the one on your fridge.

Housing vouchers. The Oct 26 HRA report shows 80 of 117 Housing Choice vouchers in use, 34 of 40 Mainstream vouchers and 17 of 30 under the Bring It Home rental assistance program. The board was also set to review its 2025 audit.

School levy. The school board certified its preliminary 2027 levy at the maximum the state formula allows, 0.89% at the time, and sets the final levy Dec 14. A public flu shot clinic runs Saturday, Nov 7, 10 am to 1 pm at Owatonna Middle School.

Around town

Education Center remodel. ISD 761 asked the Planning Commission Oct 27 for a variance to put an entrance canopy 1 foot from the north lot line at the Owatonna Education Center, 338 East Main, a 1949 building. It is part of a larger remodel that keeps the early childhood and adult education use and adds a bus loop off Main Street. Staff recommended approval.

Ten house lots on Partridge Ave NE. The city asked to plat Krueger 2nd Addition, 10 lots and a pond outlot on 6.6 acres in the 200 block of Partridge Ave NE, with a new cul-de-sac serving six new lots; the other four are existing lots being enlarged. The plat would be recorded this year, with construction next spring. Elsewhere, CSAH 43 from US 14 to Kenyon Road is paved; striping comes the week of Nov 3.

Library in November. Closed Nov 11 and Nov 26. OPL Book Club meets Nov 9 at 1 and 6 pm, MSB Book Club Nov 10 at 6 pm, Family Fun Night Nov 19 at 6 pm, and preschool storytime Tuesdays at 9:30 and 10:30 am with an alphabet theme.

Coming up

Fri Oct 30, 8:30 to 9:30 am: Coffee and Conversation with Superintendent Tammy Champa, District Office, 333 E School St. Fri Oct 30, 4 to 6 pm: Y-Pro Social, Steele Saloon. Halloween crafts. Sat Oct 31, 11 am to 1 pm: Downtown Trick or Treat, Central Park. 7 pm: Section football semifinal, OHS. Sat Oct 31 and Sun Nov 1, 9 am to 3 pm: Early voting, Room 40, Steele County Administration Center, 630 Florence Ave. Mon Nov 2, 8 am to 5 pm. Mon Nov 2, noon to 1:30 pm: County commissioner candidate forum, Districts 1 and 2, Owatonna Country Club, 1991 Lemond Road. Free; lunch at 11:30 is $16. Tue Nov 3, 7 am to 8 pm: Election Day at the city's 10 precinct sites. Wed Nov 4, 5 pm: Council study session on the Alderman Hall Pool and 2027 budget, regular meeting at 7 pm, City Hall.

One more thing

Tiffeni Riley, a senior at Owatonna High School, painted a piece for the school that works in a husky, the Career Pathways and OHS icons, and an Eleanor Roosevelt quote. She made the butterfly wings at the middle school in 2023. She told the district too many people come to school not believing their dreams can come true, and she hopes the painting changes that.

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