► Saluda sees major decrease in water loss

Saluda City Manager Jonathan Cannon reported to the council this week that the city has dropped its water loss percentage from about 80 percent last year to at times, 20 percent this year. Cannon said due to cold weather in January, there were some significant breaks so the for the fiscal year the city is running at about a 24 percent water loss. He thanked the public works department for their hard work.

► Saluda should go out for bids on CIP plan this summer

Saluda City Manager Jonathan Cannon said during council’s Monday meeting that a permit was approved that day for the city’s United States Department of Agriculture loan ($1.9 million) to complete several water and sewer projects. Cannon said he anticipates bringing bid documents to commissioners during the April meeting, then the city will apply to the North Carolina Local Government Commission to approve funding and release the projects for bid in June or July this year.

► Saluda looks to clean up garbage cans

Saluda resident Nettie Sweet volunteered this week to get a committee together to discuss options for getting garbage cans off city streets. Sweet suggested an ad hoc committee during the city’s meeting on Monday, saying cans are left out, which creates narrow streets. Commissioners said the city should contact Waste Management to see what options are available. The city asked Sweet to get a few people together to discuss options and bring those back to the board.

► Saluda agrees to join the county for Nixle messaging

During the Saluda Board of Commissioner meeting on Monday, commissioners agreed to spend $1,500 to join Polk County in a Nixle contract, in order to send out messages for information. Saluda already sends out emails, for issues such as a water leak, but Nixle would give the city the opportunity to send out text messages as well. Polk County asked the city to join in a contract, with the cost being $1,500 each, with unlimited texts and phone messages.