The regular March meeting of the Washington City Council saw Mayor Willie Burns and council members pass routine business, and also heard from a Red Cross executive looking to build bridges.

The mayor met with council members Rev. G.L. Avery, Anna Norman, Ray Hardy, Maceo Mahoney, and Pamela L.G. Eaton before the usual crowd of interested citizens. Councilman Nathaniel Cullars was not present.

In addressing the city government, Kathleen Komoski, executive director of the Augusta Chapter of the American Red Cross, hinted that the relationship had not always been a smooth one. "I know there's long history between the Augusta chapter and Wilkes County," she said, "but I'm here to let you know we have new staff, a new attitude, and a new outlook. We believe that the services we provide to one county, like Richmond or Columbia, we'll provide to all counties throughout our 11-county area."

Augusta Red Cross leaders had been in Wilkes County three times in the last few weeks, she said, building relationships in the community and getting assistance from the community. The vision of the Red Cross was to have trained local volunteers who can help provide Red Cross services to the community.

Komoski asked the city government for help in one area. "In the past year, we've only been notified of three fires in Wilkes County. We think there's been more than that, but if we don't know about them, we can't help."

It now takes two hours for a trained Red Cross volunteer to bring aid to a fire victim in Wilkes County, she said. "If we had trained volunteers here, we could cut that to 30 minutes or less. So we're asking some of you here to become members of Disaster Action Teams, our first responders, to provide immediate assistance to families who have lost their homes to fire."

The Red Cross was also looking, she said, for buildings that could be used as a shelter in the event of a disaster, and for community leaders to serve on a Wilkes County advisory council.

In other business, Payroll Development Authority Director David Jenkins reported that the PDA is heavily marketing the Hexcel building with statewide developers in Atlanta. "And if anyone in the community knows of a company looking for a building and looking to employ those folks, give us a call."

He also presented a resolution for the council to act on a joint application with the county regarding the Harper Personal Care home. The motion passed.

Council member Mahoney asked if there were any job fairs planned to help with outplacement of laidoff Hexcel employees. Jenkins said that plans were in the works to talk to local industries about their needs in that area.

The council also voted to approve an application for a Community Development Block Grant to improve Alabama, Reese Booker, and Jackson Streets.

In his report, Washington Police Chief Mike Davis spoke of his appreciation for city attorney Barry Fleming for his assistance on "a mission" recently.

In response to Mayor Burns' question, Davis reported that the police department had one vacancy and was considering one individual who had paid his way through the police academy.

In other action, the mayor reappointed M.V. Booker to the Housing Authority and appointed former council member Earline King to the Planning Commission.

Mayor Burns brought up the issue of pedestrian crosswalks. The city has two crosswalks - at Whitehall and Gordon streets and Whitehall and Hospital Drive - cleared to go to the Georgia Department of Transportation and several more that will go through the approval process in the next few months.

A proposed crosswalk across Andrew Drive between the Ashley Apartments and BiLo Plaza is a real concern, he said, and the city was going to have to spend money to get pedestrians safely across the road there.

The city is also considering lowering the speed limit on Lexington Avenue between the Parks and Recreation Center and Marks Tabernacle Church. "The speed limit jumps from 35 to 45 there, and I think that's a little bit too fast." The city, he said, would work with GDOT to look into that issue.

The mayor also announced that the city council would be holding a retreat Friday, March 17, at Ficklen Presbyterian Church.

Attorney Steven Brown stood in for City Attorney Fleming, who was at his post in the Georgia legislature for "Crossover Day." Brown announced that the legislation required to annex a piece of property for the Harper Personal Care Home has been introduced and is expected to pass in April.

City Administrator Mike Eskew reported on the status of an approved ISTEA grant. "They're asking us for one more form, then one more form. The last ISTEA grant took four years after approval to actually get, and we're getting close to that now. The DOT just takes its time."

Finally, Mark Waters of the Washington Kiwanis Club rose to invite all present to the 2006 Spring Tour of Homes. He directed anyone interested to go to www.wwtourof homes.com for more information on the tour.