Owatonna’s at-large, Ward 4 candidates square off

One candidate has lived in Owatonna less than a year; another was born and raised there, leaving only to attend college.

In between, there were varying histories with the city, but a common thread: All are running for city council to represent residents in the issues that matter most.

The last of the local candidate forums was held Monday, featuring the races for Owatonna City Council’s at-large and Ward 4 seats.

Incumbent Doug Voss faces challengers Marc Boyett, Mark Breon and Joe Petersen for the at-large seat; Gordon Henricksen is challenging incumbent Kevin Raney in Ward 4.

While there was once again plenty of agreement about issues – including the need for affordable housing; the importance of supporting the arts in Owatonna; and the necessity of open communication between councilors and the public – there were also moments that made it clear who had experience in local government.

That included a candid moment from Boyett, when moderator John Havelka asked a Goldlilocks-type question.

“Do you think spending at the city level is too low, too high or just right,” following 8% levy increases the past two years.

“Being a newcomer here, I have no clue,” said Boyett, who moved to Owatonna last October. “That’s something I’ll pay attention to, if elected, but I can’t answer that. I’m sorry.”

In his answer, Voss said he likes to turn the narrative around.

“What does the 8% not mean? It does not mean that your property taxes are going up 8%,” he said. “That gets misunderstood by a lot of people.”

Now in his eighth year on the city council, Voss said the goal is to keep the levy at or below the city’s tax capacity growth, which this year is at 7.2%.

Even at 8%, he said, “we’ll have a $45 reduction on the ‘normal’ house in Owatonna,” currently valued at $275,000.

Raney also cited the projected $45 reduction on a $275,000 home, then provided examples of the difficulty in budgeting for a city.

“Asphalt costs in 2020 were $52.50 per ton,” he said. “In 2024, we are paying $67 per ton, and so far this year the city has purchased more than 10,000 tons.”

That shakes out to an increase over the four years of nearly $150,000, “which is .78% of this year’s levy on just one item,” Raney said.

Breon said that while “at this point, I’d say we’re just about right” with city spending, it’s the council’s job to ensure spending is based on needs, not wants, and to be transparent about the budget.

Petersen agreed with Breon about budget transparency but said he’d like to see taxes go down.

“If I was going to cut the budget anywhere, I’d be cutting at the top and working down,” Petersen said, “getting rid of some of the highest-paid employees that may be in appointed positions,” instead of cutting lower-level jobs.

“The guys that are out there mowing and doing the yard work probably know more about how the city is run than the people in administration,” he said.

Henricksen believes the levy could be lowered “a lot more than what it is now, with new businesses coming in, and the housing going up. We should be able to keep it lower, but keep the same services,” he said.

Responses about the East Side Corridor – a proposed north-south route on the east side of Owatonna designed to alleviate traffic congestion through town – also split along challenger-incumbent lines.

The candidates were asked how they would “protect residents … and provide transparency and assurance their voices are heard and prioritized throughout the process.”

Both Raney and Voss emphasized it is a county-state project that has not received final approval.

“The citizens are very concerned and involved, and we appreciate that,” Voss said, but “the council’s only input so far has been to apply for a grant for a trail to run alongside it.”

He has told residents along the proposed route that “the council will try to get the route pushed over as far as possible, build some berms, get some fences, whatever it might take to help.”

The idea of the corridor was first proposed about 30 years ago.

“So if you want to go out (farther east), are you willing to do that, and ruin people’s businesses? A farm is a business,” Raney said, “and now you want to take away their business, their livelihood. That’s a big challenge.”

Boyett, Henricksen and Petersen believe moving the route is the answer, with varying degrees of commitment.

“I am appalled with what’s going on,” Boyett said. “Yes, this is a county-state project, but this is within the city limits and the city has a say. The plan was put out 30 years ago; they put the plans in, but they also sold property out there,” knowing it was close to the proposed route.

“If you’re going to re-do (residential) boundaries, then you need to take a look at what’s already in the works before you start putting houses out there,” he said.

Petersen agreed.

“Those people purchased those homes in a private area and they wanted to keep it that way,” he said. “I’m against the route that’s proposed at this point … the city shouldn’t be demanding we sacrifice things we purchased just for their convenience.”

Breon took a more measured approach. Like Boyett and Petersen, he has also spoken with the residents who will be affected.

“Have we looked at all the options, would be my first question,” he said. “If we have, what are the findings? Have we actually gotten this out to the people?”