Ottawa City Phone Directory

The Ottawa phone directory lists contacts for all city government departments and offices. Ottawa is a city of about 18,447 people in LaSalle County, sitting at the spot where the Fox River meets the Illinois River. City Hall is at 301 West Madison Street, and the main number is 815-433-0161. The city runs on a commission form of government, which means elected commissioners each head a department. This page has the phone numbers, addresses, and hours for the key offices you might need to reach. Use the search tool below or scroll through the full directory.

Ottawa City Hall Contact Info

City Hall is at 301 West Madison Street, Ottawa, IL 61350. The main number is 815-433-0161. For the City Clerk's office, use extension 110 or email clerk@cityofottawa.org. City Hall houses the administrative offices, finance, and the clerk, all under one roof. The building is open during regular business hours on weekdays.

The City of Ottawa website is the central hub for department contacts, forms, meeting agendas, and online services.

The staff directory on this site lists phone numbers and email addresses for city employees by department.

Ottawa uses a commission form of government. The city has five elected commissioners who also serve as department heads. The mayor heads the Department of Public Affairs. Other commissioners run Public Health and Safety, Streets and Public Improvements, Public Property, and Accounts and Finance. This means the person you call about a department issue may also be an elected official. It is a different setup from the typical mayor-council model, but it works the same way for residents who just need to get in touch with the right office.

The City Clerk handles public records, meeting minutes, ordinances, and official city documents. If you need a certified copy of anything, the clerk's office is the first stop. They also manage bid documents and keep the city code up to date.

Police Department Phone Numbers

The Ottawa Police Department and Central Dispatch are at 301 West Lafayette Street, Ottawa, IL 61350. The non-emergency number is 815-433-2131. This line handles reports, general questions, and any police matter that is not an emergency. For emergencies, call 911. The dispatch center runs 24 hours a day and serves as the communication hub for police, fire, and ambulance calls in the area.

The Ottawa Police Department page has information about divisions, services, and how to file reports. The department handles everything from traffic enforcement to criminal investigations within city limits. If you need a copy of an accident report or incident report, the records section can help during business hours.

Ottawa is also the county seat for LaSalle County, which means the LaSalle County Sheriff's Office is nearby. The sheriff handles calls in unincorporated areas of the county. If you are not sure whether your issue falls under city or county jurisdiction, the Ottawa police can point you the right way. The two departments work together on cases that cross boundaries.

Fire Department Contact

The Ottawa Fire Department is at 301 West Lafayette Street, Ottawa, IL 61350. The main non-emergency numbers are 815-434-3785 and 815-434-3805. The department provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, and rescue operations for the city. For fire emergencies, call 911.

The non-emergency lines are for questions about fire prevention, burn permits, inspection requests, and general department information. The department also runs fire safety education programs and can schedule visits to schools, businesses, and community groups. If you need a fire inspection for a commercial property, call the non-emergency line to set it up. The department works with the building department on new construction and renovation projects that need fire code review.

The city departments page shows all offices and their phone numbers in one list.

FOIA and Public Records

Ottawa handles Freedom of Information Act requests through the City Clerk's office. Submit a request in person at City Hall, by mail to 301 West Madison Street, Ottawa, IL 61350, or by email to clerk@cityofottawa.org. You can also call 815-433-0161 ext. 110 to ask about the process. Written requests are best because they create a clear record.

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) gives the public a right to access government records. Phone directories, employee contact lists, department rosters, and email addresses are all covered. The city has five business days to respond to a request. Large or complex requests may take a bit longer, but the city must tell you if it needs an extension.

Under the Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205), the city must preserve public records over time. That includes old phone directories and past staff lists. The clerk can help you find archived records. Some may only exist in paper form, so call first before making a trip.

Most basic requests are free. If your request involves a lot of pages, the city can charge a small copying fee per page. They will tell you the cost before they start processing.

City Services Phone Directory

Beyond the core departments, Ottawa runs several service offices that residents contact on a regular basis. The Street Department takes care of road maintenance, snow removal, and storm cleanup. The Water Department handles billing, meter reads, and water quality issues. Both of these fall under the commissioner structure, so each has an elected official at the top.

Key city department contacts:

• City Hall main line: 815-433-0161
• City Clerk: ext. 110
• Police non-emergency: 815-433-2131
• Fire non-emergency: 815-434-3785
• Finance Department: 815-433-0161

The Ottawa departments page has the full list of offices with contacts and descriptions of what each one does. If you are not sure which department handles your question, the main City Hall number is a safe starting point. The front desk can transfer you or give you the right extension.

For after-hours emergencies related to water, sewer, or streets, call the police non-emergency line at 815-433-2131. Dispatch can reach the on-call crews for those services outside of normal business hours.

Getting the Right Contact in Ottawa

The main number at 815-433-0161 is the best starting point for any city question. Ask for the department you need, or use the extension if you have it. For police matters, skip City Hall and call 815-433-2131 directly. Fire questions go to 815-434-3785. Most offices are open Monday through Friday during regular hours.

If you plan to visit City Hall or the police station, bring any reference numbers or paperwork you have. It helps staff look things up faster. For FOIA requests, having your request in writing (even just an email) makes the process smoother and gives you documentation if you need to follow up later.

The city website has online forms for several services, which can save you a phone call or a trip. Check there first if your question is about a common service like water billing, permits, or meeting schedules.

Nearby Cities Phone Directory

Ottawa sits in a more rural part of the state, so the nearest cities with phone directory pages are a bit of a drive. Streator and Morris are both in the general area but do not have dedicated pages at this time. For contacts in those communities, try their city websites or call LaSalle County offices for help.

For other Illinois city phone directories, check the full cities list to find the community you need.

LaSalle County Information

Ottawa is the county seat of LaSalle County. County offices are in and around downtown Ottawa, so many residents can handle both city and county business in the same area. LaSalle County government offices handle property taxes, court filings, vital records, elections, and sheriff services. The LaSalle County Courthouse is on Ottawa's main square. If you need a birth certificate, marriage license, property tax bill, or have court business, the county offices are where you go. The county also has its own website with department contacts and some online services.

Because Ottawa is the county seat, you may sometimes confuse city and county offices since they are so close together. If you call City Hall and your issue turns out to be a county matter, staff will usually point you to the right county office. The same goes the other way around.