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Owatonna’s fire department is still using a station house built in the early 1900s, when many firefighting apparatus were still pulled by horses. The police station is housed in a former bank and is more than 60 years old.

Owatonna city officials propose building new fire and police facilities. But many residents have questions about the project and are pushing back, hard enough to force the question of whether the city should issue $65 million in bonds to pay for the police and fire stations to be put to the city’s voters later this year.

Nearly 2,500 Owatonna residents signed the petition. Many aren’t sold on the proposal, said Melissa Zimmerman, who coordinated the effort to gather signatures.

“One [concern] is the cost of the project: $65 million dollars. Two is the location: They want to put it on a national historic register property. And number three: the public needs a voice,” said Zimmerman.

The old bank that houses the city’s police station was built in the 1960s, said City Administrator Jenna Tuma. And she said It lacks some basic amenities most police stations have.

“[It doesn’t have] a victim's room, an interview room, holding cells or an evidence room that's located in an appropriate space,” she said.

Meanwhile, the fire station is more than 120 years old.

Earlier this year, the city approved a plan to use bonds to pay for the $65 million cost of building new police and fire facilities that would be paid off over two decades with tax dollars, but the plan was met with concern from residents.

Tuma said residents would likely see about a $35 per month tax increase if the plan moves forward.

“I think people signed the petition because they wanted to learn more about the project. I think some people signed the petition so they could have a vote in it,” said Tuma.

City officials will decide in coming weeks whether the question will be put on the ballot during the August primaries or on the general election ballot in November.

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Catharine Richert

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Officials in Owatonna say their city desperately needs new fire and police stations. But some residents question the need and the cost. Nearly 2,500 of them signed a petition to force the city to put $65 million bonding question to fund the facilities on the ballot. 

Owatonna residents force bonding question for new fire, police facilities to be on ballot

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