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Owatonna board spotlights regional economic partnership that aided new high school
Summary
At a March 23 meeting the Owatonna School Board highlighted the Owatonna Partners for Economic Development (OPED), with utility and county representatives crediting the partnership for coordinated support on transportation, utilities and workforce that helped make the district’s new high school an economic development asset.
Dr. Champa, superintendent, opened the meeting’s mission moment by recognizing the Owatonna Partners for Economic Development (OPED), a coalition of the city, Owatonna Public Utilities, Steel County, the chamber and Owatonna Public Schools.
"Thank you school board for the beautiful new high school. That is a big economic development tool in our arsenal that we have now," said Roger Warheim of Owatonna Public Utilities, emphasizing the new facility’s role in attracting and retaining business. Warheim said OPED’s strength is rooted in longstanding collaboration: "Everybody's like, let's work together. Let's be a partnership."
Renee Fry of Steel County described recent examples of that coordination, saying OPED members worked together last fall to persuade Mayo and other health providers to maintain a local birth center, highlighting how the partnership can marshal diverse public and private resources for services residents rely on. Fry, a recent addition to county leadership, said she had been impressed by the group’s strategic planning and the variety of talent represented at the OPED table.
Dr. Champa framed the presentation as part of a board-year theme celebrating partnerships, noting OPED’s focus on transportation, utilities, workforce training, planning and zoning and thanking representatives for their collaborative work. Board members praised the partnership’s continuity across personnel changes and described it as a local model other jurisdictions seek to replicate.
The mission moment concluded with brief remarks of appreciation and no board action was requested or taken on the presentation.
