Readers Guide

Welcome to the City's first interactive budget document. We encourage you to explore. Almost all information allows the user to drill down to additional levels of detail. Should you have any questions about the budget, please contact Rhonda Moen, Finance Director at 507-774-7350 or rhonda.moen@ci.owatonna.mn.us.

Annual budgets are adopted on a basis consistent with generally accepted accounting principles for all governmental funds of the City. Only the General Fund’s budget is considered an “annually legally adopted budget”. The remaining funds’ budgets are used as a management tool. The debt service funds are budgeted according to the terms of the original bond issues. Project-length financial plans are adopted for all capital projects funds. Any modification in the adopted budget can be made upon request of and approval by the City Council. The legal level of control for the General Fund is at the fund level. Appropriations in all funds lapse at the end of the year.

The City includes the General Fund, Special Revenue Funds, Debt Service Funds, Capital Projects Funds, Enterprise Funds, Internal Service Funds and two component units, Owatonna Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and Economic Development Authority (EDA). The Owatonna HRA is considered a special taxing district and its levy is considered separately from the City levy by city council each year.

The layout of the budget is intended to guide the reader through the budget process. The introduction includes the items that demonstrate the foundation of the budget such as the City's strategic plan and the City's policies. The supporting information focuses on the organization as a whole.

Because over two-thirds of governmental expenditures are personnel related, there is a section highlighting any changes in full-time equivalents (FTEs).

A significant portion of the annual levy is dedicated to supporting the City's infrastructure. This is through pay-as-you-go (PAYG) CIP projects and also CIP projects financed through debt. There are sections that explain the details of the debt service levy and the CIP projects being funded.

Following those main topics are the budget summaries by fund, department and program.