Former employee: City is toxic

For years she worked until 7 or 8 at night to get her job done for the City of Owatonna.

“I busted my butt,” said Amanda, whose name has been changed to protect her identity. “My last year there, I was trying to do two and a half jobs at their request.”

She often found multiple city employees popping into her office to tell her how they appreciated what she was doing. Even a couple city council members shared the same sentiments.

“I told them about multiple things and was told to not get discouraged and leave,” Amanda said.

Amanda says her department was in complete chaos. And she found herself right in the middle of what she calls a toxic workplace.

After she realized one person can only do so much and was reprimanded for what she wasn’t getting done, she set a timer for 5:55 so that “I could wrap up, shut down and go home at 6.”

Noting her department was short-staffed for so long, she said, “It was just a nightmare. I was scolded for not completing tasks on time.”

Perhaps what didn’t help was that Amanda wasn’t afraid to challenge City Administrator Jenna Tuma and ask questions. “I was a thorn in her side,” Amanda admitted. “I shared budget concerns with her like how we don't need to pay an outside consultant for a staffing study. She would get irritated with me.”

Amanda’s inability to get everything done to the liking of Tuma led administration to placing her on a personal improvement plan, which was placed in her personnel file.

“They wanted to make damn sure something was in place to get rid of me,” Amanda said, noting they made a solid written record of her perceived lack of performance so it could be grounds for a later termination. “I was set up to fail.”

Amanda’s prediction came true in August 2025, shortly after Tuma took over the top role for retiring Kris Busse. “I was the first person to be done,” she said referring to Tuma’s reign as city administrator.

Amanda said she was told of her shortcomings and provided with a notice of intent to discharge. “They strongly urged me to resign. If I didn’t resign, they would have to decide what to do,” she said.

With a substantial amount of PTO time sitting on the books, Amanda decided to resign. If she didn’t and would be terminated, she would have lost all the PTO. “There was no way in hell I was going to leave the PTO I accumulated on the table, and that’s exactly what they were banking on,” she said.

She maintains the same strategy has been used by Tuma on many other employees after she left.

When asked about the 30 or so employees who have left the city since she did, Amanda said: “I understand there will be some turnover, but it seems she is trying to get rid of anyone who has a vested interest in what’s best for the City of Owatonna. I feel she is getting rid of all the people who care about Owatonna and putting people in place who she can control.”

She is concerned about what’s going on at City Hall. “I don’t know if the council is aware of the bleeding that has taken place over the past year,” Amanda said. “It troubles me that they may not know when there are so many people in management positions.”

Amanda keeps in contact with a number of employees still with the city and what she hears is not good.

“It’s still Jennaville,” Amanda said. “Everyone hopes they can stay in their corner and not garner any attention from Jenna. They want to be left alone to do their jobs. People are walking on pins and needles. They are afraid to ask any questions because they are afraid they will be next. If you question something she is trying to do or point out another option may be better, you are accused of not being a team player or just being resistant to change.”

Amanda pointed out how the city has been focused on improving the culture by building communication and trust over the past few years. However, she said Tuma’s actions have dismantled the communication and trust that had been built. She does not treat all employees fairly and shows favoritism to some, Amanda added.

“Communication and trust has done nothing but erode since Jenna became in control,” Amanda said. “They talk about open communication and trusting people. It’s exactly the opposite of what happens there now.”

Amanda said what’s needed is a leader who asks questions and talks to the directors to get “an honest opinion and sincerely considers options before you force changes.”

The former employee wants citizens to know that the current administration does not value long-time city workers. “Employees are being replaced with consultants, and we the taxpayers are paying through the nose for them,” she said. She added other cities do not hire outside consultants to the extent that Tuma has with Owatonna.

“Hiring good employees is going to yield better operations than an outside consultant,” Amanda said.

Amanda said most city employees truly care about the community and not wasting taxpayer dollars. “That’s not what Jenna says she does too, but it’s not how she operates,” she said. “She has her own agenda and will do whatever she needs to push through what she wants. Outside consultants just do what they are told and don’t have background knowledge to question it.”

Asked about Tuma’s agenda, Amanda said it’s clear. “She wants big, flashy things for Owatonna. She wants to be made known as the person who did all these awesome things for Owatonna, like the new police and fire centers,” she said, adding Tuma is not going about it in the best way.

Amanda shrugged off the notion that she is disgruntled.

“I had no intention of leaving the city,” she said. “If we had been fully staffed, and I could just do my job, I had a lot to contribute. Until my last day, I was doing everything I could to be positive and beneficial for the city.”

Most importantly, Amanda said she focused on being legitimate and ethical.

“That’s just not how things are done now.”