Martin mayor Randy Brundige met for the first time with the new City-University committee to discuss improving city and university communications, and a better working relationship last night at city hall.

The purpose of the new committee is to improve communications with the City of Martin and UTM. The committee will also work on building the community and promoting learning and togetherness between the city and UTM.

The purpose of the meeting was for the committee members to brainstorm about ways to achieve its goals.

Dr. Katherine High, vice chancellor of student affairs suggested that the committee find ways to get students more involved in the community. High mentioned that the committee should find ways to get students to participate in the annual Soybean festival. High said that maybe if a marathon was added as one of the events of the festival that it would attract more student involvement.

Student Government Association president, Eric Tolbert suggested that a library reading program be developed.

The committee also discussed ways to gain funding for the Brian Brown Greenway Project and Brundige reminded the committee that UTM contributed the engineering for the project.

Brundige said that the UTM's homecoming has gone down hill.

The committee suggested that maybe UTM should paint windows showing school spirit during homecoming and publicize the homecoming parade and its events more.

The committee also discussed the renaming of highway 43 bypass to Skyhawk Parkway. High suggested that Skyhawk emblems be painted on the entrance and exit part of the highway. Brundige said that the city is awaiting the permission of Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) before they are able to change the signs on the highway.

Mayor Brundige said that he is planning to meet with head of the Department of Safety and the head of the Department of Waste Management, so that the city can make plans to set a date for a "Spring Clean-up Day" to be held in April.

"I want students to get involved in this program to help Martin elderly residents to clean up their homes. Anything disposed on the side of the street will be free," Brundige added.

The committee also discussed a competition held by the City of Martin to design a city flag. The committee bears the responsibility of promoting the competition to students.

Students should contact the SGA office at 7785, if interested in the competition. The winner of the competition will be recognized at a city board meeting. The deadline for competition entries will be set for Wednesday, March 19. For more information, please contact the SGA office.

The committee will meet monthly and committee members will serve a semester term because students serving on the committee graduate. Elizabeth Craig, sophomore International Business major from Franklin, Tenn., was elected committee chair. The committee consists of Mayor Brundige, Alderman Natalie Dickerson Boyd, Ward 3, Alderman Danny Nanney, Ward 1, and Alderman David Belote, Ward 2, Dr. Katie High, SGA adviser and vice chancellor of student affairs, and several UTM students.

The next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, at city hall. The public is invited to attend.