SALUDA — Storm damage, a new maintenance shed and the budget were on the June agenda for the Saluda City Council meeting Monday night.

The board of commissioners approved the appropriated fund balance for the fiscal year 2018-2019 as $1.28 million.

The board approved total water and sewer appropriations of $882,200 and approved the ad valorem tax rate of $0.645 per $100 as the official tax rate for the city for 2018-2019. Broken down, this tax rate includes $0.540 for general goods and services and $0.105 for fire protection. 

The budget allows for a 2 percent cost of living and up to 3 percent merit reserve in lieu of longevity pay for city employees. It also included funding for a new evidence room, in car cameras and preparation for a new vehicle for the police department. There are also funds for a new mini excavator and new pumps for the water and sewer department.

As the board considered the budget for the upcoming year, they also looked at a list of obsolete equipment that needed to be depreciated and a backhoe that needed to be sold, so the city could purchase the mini excavator. 

“A lot of the equipment on the obsolete list we don’t even have any more,” said Finance Officer Julie Osteen. “Many pieces were listed from 1984 when they were taken out of service and gotten rid of years ago. Those asset numbers are on paper only.”

Saluda City Attorney Jana Berg said there was a legal procedure the city would need to follow to get rid of surplus property.

“You have to have paperwork declaring it as surplus to be disposed of,” she said.  “In order to formally take the equipment off the books by law, we have to have a resolution.”

The board also discussed who was responsible to fix the parking lot next to the library. The parking lot, which is owned by the Saluda Presbyterian Church and used by the city and the library during the week, has developed a large pothole.

Saluda City Manager John Cannon said the pothole developed as a result of the recent rains.

“The drainage for the creek is beginning to fail and wash out around that hole,” he said.

Cannon reported that an extensive search of archived commission meeting minutes conducted by the city clerk, Tola Ellis, did not reveal any kind of agreement between the city as to who was responsible for the maintenance of the parking lot.

“The bottom line is, if we use the parking lot at no charge, we need to fix it,” said Commissioner Leon Morgan.

Berg said the city needs a written agreement, and Cannon said he would need approval from the board for the funds to fix the problem.

The board asked Berg to research the existence of an agreement between the city and the church regarding the use of the parking lot. If no agreement can be found, the board asked Berg to draft a proposed agreement for the board’s consideration.

In other business, the board approved a resolution to release the city from a joint waterline agreement between Saluda, Tryon and Columbus. The board also approved the consent agenda including appointing James Hrynshyn and Glenn Franklin to the planning board, and a permit for the Top of the Grade Concerts. The permit does not allow alcohol at the events.