• Approximately 12 blocks of new sidewalk will be installed in Groton thanks to a Safe Route to School Grant in the amount of $212,100. It was decided to allow the grant to pay 100 percent of the cost of the installation of the sidewalks with no cost to the homeowner. While no proposed route has yet to be established, the sidewalks will go from the schools outward. Under consideration is First Street south of the football field and Ninth Avenue. The council authorized Mayor Scott Hanlon to sign the engineering agreement. The project is supposed to be done by March 2014. There was also some discussion about keeping the sidewalks cleared in the winter time. Currently the city ordinance states that residential sidewalks do not need to be cleared off in the winter time. Councilman Michelle Muilenburg said, "We require people to keep their grass under six inches in the summer time, they should keep the sidewalk cleared off in the winter time." She was especially talking about the Safe Route to School grant who are getting free sidewalks. There was no action taken.
• Groton School Band Instructor Reid Johnson came before the council to talk about the Lake Region Band Festival to be held this Friday in Groton. He requested that there be no vehicle parking on the south three blocks of Main Street to allow room for the spectators. He said the best viewing will be around the First Avenue area as that is where the judges will be set up. The bands will be marching four minutes apart and there are 19 bands signed up. The event used to be held in Waubay for many years. There could be a upward to a 1,000 students and 1,000 spectators. All Groton Area students will be dismissed for the competition. "There will be a lot of

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