• The Groton City Council decided Monday evening that there will be no landscaping at the Groton Cemetery. The primary concern was maintenance. Angela Dye had a proposal to put trees and bushes on the south end of the cemetery. This time, her proposal also came with the funding to get it done; however, the council agreed that the cost of maintenance, increased snow issues and the end result of the root system would do more harm than good. Most cemeteries in the area do not have trees.
• Scott Hanlon was voted as the new president of the council after both he and Gary Heitmann were nominated for the position. Hanlon won by a 4-2 vote. Heitmann was then voted as the vice president of the new council. In addition, Anita Lowary was appointed as the finance officer and Drew Johnson as the city attorney.
• But perhaps the big news was the arrival of Mayor Roy Olson through the back door of city hall right before the start of the meeting. Olson had been hospitalized for the past week and he managed to "escape" from the hospital so he could run the meeting. President Brett Anderson was on hand in case Olson was unable to make it.
• The new council has two new faces on it--Mary Fliehs and Michelle Muilenberg. All council members took an oath of office at the start of the 126th Council.
• There was some discussion on the band festival that is held each year in Wau

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