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Community Events/News

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Jan 13, 2023 07:30 AM Mayor Norton to Host 2023 State of the City Event ('governance',) Mayor Kim Norton shares, “I encourage the community to join me for this event. The focus of this year’s State of the City will be on how we work together to create a vision for Rochester. We have so much to look forward to and opportunities to work on together.”
Jan 12, 2023 09:00 AM Southeast Minnesota Regional Housing Forum ('Housing', 'diversity', 'Financial Stress') Expert Panel on Regional Initiatives; Breakout Sessions on Important Regional Topics; Policy, Advocacy, and Legislative Updates
Jan 11, 2023 10:00 AM January 11, 2023 Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Alliance (By Invitation) ('RAF', 'Housing', 'housing') Topics Include: Race & Racism as a Public Health Issue; BIPOC Home Ownership Report; Area Housing Report; Member Updates
Jan 10, 2023 10:00 AM RPS: January 2023 Monthly District Family Engagement Meeting ('rps', 'education', 'diversity', 'youth', 'openbeam', 'Education', 'cmrc') Topics: Family Engagement Success Sharing; Perspectives on RPS Family Engagement from a Latinx Parent; ACHLA and Family Engagement Minnesota Family Engagement Model
Jan 07, 2023 09:00 AM Global Market (Cooking Class, Small Business Training, Food & Deserts) ('food', 'Diversity', 'openbeam', 'Entrepreneurship') Rochester's cultural communities hosting family friendly winter activities. Come to experience authentic flavors and vibrant traditions.
Jan 07, 2023 10:00 AM Culturally Responsive Business Startup Workshop ('Diversity', 'Entrepreneurship') Funding Your Business - Loans and Grants
Jan 07, 2023 08:00 AM How to be an Effective Board Member ('npc', 'governance') This training is designed to be an introduction to Board service for those joining a new board or those considering doing so. It is also a perfect refresher course for current nonprofit Board members.
Jan 06, 2023 12:00 PM MLK Jr Youth Poetry Contest Submission Deadline ('youth', 'Education', 'Diversity', 'Diversity Council') Each year Diversity Council hosts the MLK Youth Poetry Contest in southeastern Minnesota. Students from all over the region are invited to submit poems celebrating Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. This is the 14th year of Diversity Council's poetry contest, and the theme for this year’s contest is Dr. King’s quote: “People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”
Dec 21, 2022 08:30 AM Salvation Army Volunteers 2022 Toy & Joy Shop ('youth', 'community engagement') As you know, The Salvation Army is best known this time of year for ringing bells at the Red Kettles, but we have another very important program that runs this time of year. We call it our Toy and Joy Shop.
Dec 15, 2022 04:30 PM CMRC December 2022 Meeting ('diversity', 'Diversity Council', 'CMRC', 'openbeam', 'Diversity', 'cmrc') Topics include: RPS Family Engagement; Olmsted County: Statewide Health Improvement Partnership and DEI Community Corrections Services
Dec 14, 2022 10:00 AM December 14, 2022 Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Alliance ('RAF', 'Housing', 'housing') Topics Include: Community and Member Updates; Future Role of Alliance-Continued
Dec 13, 2022 05:30 PM 2022 Luther College Rochester Semester Seminar Project Presentations ('diversity', 'openbeam', 'community') Luther College Students: We are preparing our final presentations in which we will share our ideas about how to create a more equitable city in Rochester.
Dec 13, 2022 10:00 AM RPS: December 2022 Monthly District Family Engagement Meeting ('rps', 'education', 'diversity', 'youth', 'openbeam', 'Education', 'cmrc') Topics include: Introduction to Beam
Dec 09, 2022 11:00 AM Community Vaccination Clinic ('diversity', 'Health', 'covid') Get vaccinated and receive $50 for 1st, 2nd dose AND ALSO FOR BOOSTER DOSE!
Dec 09, 2022 10:00 AM December 2022 Rochester Area Foundation: Winter DEI Practitioner Convening and Luncheon (By Invitation) ('RAF', 'Diversity', 'openbeam') RAF’s DEI Committee has committed to supporting area DEI practitioners by providing space where relationships can be strengthened, wisdom can be shared, opportunities to collaborate and maximize limited resources can be identified, and current and new DEI efforts can be built, improved, and promoted.
Dec 08, 2022 02:30 PM Discover Discovery Square ('EDA', 'community engagement', 'openbeam') You are cordially invited to Discover Discovery Square – an event to celebrate the completion of phase 1 of the next signature public space in the DMC District, Discovery Walk, and to recognize the continued progress in the Discovery Square subdistrict.
Dec 08, 2022 07:30 AM 4Q 2022 December HAPP Meeting ('CHNA', 'community', 'CHAP', 'Health', 'openbeam') Quarterly Olmsted County Health Asessment & Planning Meeting. The purpose of the health assessment and planning partnership is to engage and inspire all sectors of the community to continually improve our community’s health through assessment, planning, and implementation efforts.
Dec 07, 2022 04:30 PM Human Library Team Celebration (Members Only) ('Diversity', 'openbeam', 'Human Library') Diversity Council Human Library Books Get Together.
Dec 03, 2022 12:00 PM Covid-19 VAX at Winter Market ('diversity', 'Health', 'covid') Get vaccinated and receive $50 for 1st, 2nd dose AND ALSO FOR BOOSTER DOSE!
Dec 03, 2022 09:00 AM Global Market (Cooking Class, Small Business Training, Food & Deserts) ('food', 'Diversity', 'openbeam', 'Entrepreneurship') Rochester's cultural communities hosting family friendly winter activities. Come to experience authentic flavors and vibrant traditions.
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October 2021 Activities

FORUM  WITH INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT DR. KENT PEKEL- October 21, 6:30 to 8:00:

In the City for Good will be presenting an online forum to give all in the community an opportuniy to hear from Rochester Public Schools Interim Superintendent Kent Pekel. Dr. Pekel will give an overview of his time so far in the district, along with more information on the strategic plan he will be proposing. Interested Rochester residents may submit questions ahead of time or during the meeting to be used in a Q&A time period after his primary presentation. The October 21 forum will be from 6:30 to 8.

 

Steering Committee- Tuesday, October 5, 4:00 p.m.

Topic: In the City for Good Steering Committee

Time: Oct 5, 2021 04:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

 Join Zoom Meeting

Contact [email protected] for Zoom info. 

 

Housing Team- Monday, October 11 7:00 p.m.

Our next In the City for Good Housing Team meeting will be on October 11 at 7 pm. We will be discussing the proposed Unified Development Code with Ryan Yetzer, Interim Deputy Director, Community Development for the City of Rochester leading the discussion along with others in the Community Development area. We will especially focus on what some of the proposed changes could mean related to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and the role of ADUs in addressing the concerns around the affordability of workforce and senior housing. This will be an online meeting, with the link to be sent out later this week.

 

Age-Friendly- Oct 12th and 26th 2:30 to 4:00

Meeting Information:

Age-Friendly Olmsted County Planning Group

Tues. Oct 12 and 26

2:30pm - 4pm

 

Contact [email protected] for Zoom info

 

Social Services/Social Justice- Watch for info of upcoming November meeting

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Purpose of the site
A sub-site of Community Beam, the City4Good website is being prototyped by openBEAM.net  to help the "In the City For Good initiative" to better collaborate.
Community Status/News

This panel displays the latest community news. For a standalone view please click this LINK.



DMC 2025 5 Year Plan Update

DMC 2025 5 Year Plan Draft Dec 2025 DMC Board Meeting

  • Request for Action
  • 2025 5-year plan draft

Last Updated December 07, 2025



City of Rochester, MN Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Mayor Norton Honors 2025 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Mayor Norton Honors 2024 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Mayor Norton Honors 2023 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients; Mayor Norton Honors 2022 Mayor's Medal of Honor Recipients

Last Updated December 06, 2025



Looking Back Equity Alliance Series Topics

Collection of Topics from alliance start to Dec 2025 to offer "a grounded reflection on our collective progress and the work still ahead to strengthen equity across our community."

Last Updated December 06, 2025



City of Rochester Internship Program

2026 Summer Paid Internship Positions: City Clerk, community Development, Communications & Engagement, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Legislative Affairs, Library Communications, Office of the Mayor, Parks & Recreation , Public Music, Rochester Public Utilities Safety, and Transit & Parking.

 

Last Updated December 05, 2025



RPS Balanced Budget Model

2026 Review and 2027 Enhancements: 

 Phase I of the Balanced Budget Model (BBM), launched across all learning sites and select special education programs, served as both a starting point and a critical learning stage.

AI Summary of PB ePaper Article

Last Updated December 04, 2025



Rochester International Relations Committee

2026 Sister City Visits Germany Visit

2025 Sister City Trips: Japan

Rochester Sister City Application (Roles and Responsibilities)

Sister Cities Relationship Logs

IRC Meeting Logs

Last Updated December 03, 2025



2026 Property Tax Levy and Other Budget Items

Dec 1, 2025 City Council Meeting Materials

  • Background
  • Video Recording
  • Presentation

PB Reporting

 

Last Updated December 02, 2025



RPS Strategic Plan Review

Dec 2 2025: Strategic Plan Review Part 1

  • Background
  • Presentation Slides
  • Part 1 Goals

Last Updated December 01, 2025



Downtown Building Energy Transition Initiative

City of Rochester Launches Minnesota’s First Operational Thermal Energy Network Through Downtown Building Energy Transition Initiative

Last Updated December 01, 2025



RPS 5 Year Budget Reduction Strategy

2025-11-21 RPS Reducing 2026 budget cut

RPS Board Presentation July 15, 2025 

AI generated summary of budget reduction strategy 

Last Updated November 21, 2025



Cradle to Career 4Q/3Q 2025 News

2025-11-20 C2C Connection StriveTogether 

2025-10-29  C2C 2025 Summit 

2025-6-2014 2025 Summer Financial Aid Sessions: Locations: RCTC, Rochester Public Library; Information for CBO hosting Financial Aid Sessions

Last Updated November 20, 2025



Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness

Fall (November) 2025:

  • Background Information
  • Video Recording
  • Presentation Slides

Last Updated November 18, 2025



Senior Housing Transition Mentorship

2025-11-14 Post Bulletin ePaper Abstract - "Assist older adults navigate all aspects of housing transitions,”

2025-11-14 AI summary of PB ePaper reporting

Last Updated November 14, 2025



UMR Expansion Plan

 PB ePaper Reporting: 2 new campus buildings are planned to accommodate student growth

AI Summary of PB Reporting

Last Updated November 13, 2025



About Rochester Community Initiative (RCI)

Oct 2025 C2C Summit: Cross-Sector Collaboration: Civic Engagement

Oct 2024 C2C Summit: Students Decoded: The Mental Health Database

Aug 2025 Equity Alliance Series RCI Introduction

 

Last Updated November 11, 2025



Rochester Public Library - Master Plan

Master Plan Approval 11/3/2025

Rochester City Council Study Session 4/14/2025 

Post Bulletin Reporting

References: 2024 Usage Data, Community Survey Request

Last Updated November 08, 2025



National Small Business Initiative & National 311 Day

November 6, 2025 - Rochester Selected as One of Six Cities for National Small Business Initiative

March 11, 2025 – ROCHESTER, MINN. – The City of Rochester is excited to celebrate National 311 Day. 

Last Updated November 07, 2025



Opioid Settlement-Funded Initiatives

November 4, 2025 Olmsted County Board of Commissioners Meeting; 

- Video Recording; Credible Mind Tool

PB ePaper Reporting
Last Updated November 06, 2025



Rochester Public Utilities

2026 Rate Increase

2019 Residential Rate Structure Survey 

Last Updated November 05, 2025



Rochester-Olmsted County 4(d) Affordable Housing Incentive Program

Application Open

Background: The current Rochester-Olmsted County 4(d) Affordable Housing Incentive Program application is for the Tax Assessment Year 2025 - Tax Payable Year 2026, the tax savings for this application will not be realized until the Tax Payable Year 2026.

 

Last Updated November 03, 2025