By Becky Killian, Staff Writer

Projects to install a new taxi lane and to extend utility service to the airport have been approved.

The approvals came during the February meeting of the Salem Municipal Airport Board of Aviation.

The board approved a bid from Temple & Temple for a taxi lane project. Temple & Temple was the low bidder of $174,254. Four bids were received and the highest was $379,500.

It was noted that the airport will be reimbursed for the project. The vote to award the work to Temple and Temple was unanimous among the board members present.

Temple and Temple was also the low bidder for a project to run water and sewer lines to the airport. The bid was $248,420.

The project had a total of three companies that bid for the work with the highest bid being $573,935. Federal funds are being used to pay for the project.

Airport officials hoped the Federal Aviation Administration would move up the release of promised funds for the completion of the runway to 5,000 feet. Paul Shaffer, of BF&S Civil Engineers, reported that the agency will instead stick with its plans to fund the $2.7 million project in 2026. Shaffer said the agency delivers its funding late in the year, so the runway work won’t begin until 2027.

In other business:
*The board approved a public comment policy that will require members of the public to sign in before the meeting. It also limits comments by each speaker to two minutes. The adoption of the policy by the three board members present prompted a public comment that the time limit is too stingy given that the board only meets monthly.

*It was announced that long-time board member Jason Cockerill resigned after accepting a position as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance. Cockerill couldn’t remain on the board since it would be considered a conflict of interest. Angela Mead was appointed to the board to replace him.

*The board has changed its meeting day and time. They meet on the third Monday of each month at the airport terminal. The public session begins at 4 p.m.

By Becky Killian, Staff Writer

Registration has opened for the county’s new local emergency notification system.

The system, called CodeRED, will send mass notification alerts when emergencies such as floods, boil water advisories, shelter-in-place orders, or evacuations occur.
To register for the alerts, visit the Washington County government website at washingtoncounty.in.gov and click on the CodeRED icon that appears on the homepage. That will direct you to the registration site. Registration is free.

When registering, residents can choose how to receive the alerts, such as by telephone, text, or email. There is also a CodeRED app available from the App Store or Google Play.

The alerts will only be issued to residents in the areas affected by emergencies, and residents can choose which types of alerts they wish to receive.

Residents who don’t have internet access can pick up a registration form to complete at the Washington County Sheriff's Department, the Building Department/EMA Office, or the Justice Center.

The system is cloud based the automatic calls can be launched from the county’s dispatch center or from on-scene emergency responders. Alerts from the National Weather Service are automatically routed through the system.

Emergency Management Director Deni Stempowski emphasized that registration is important since the county does not have contact information for all residents and what information they have may be outdated.

The Washington County Board of Commissioners approved the system in July.

The system will cost $28,015 for a five-year contract after quoted discounts. There is also a one-time implementation and training fee of $750. Stempowski used grants, fundraising, and donations to pay for the system.

The Awareness Washington County Board announced that the 8th annual Chili Cook Off will be held Saturday, March 8, from 4-7  p.m., at Southern Hills Church,1645 Hwy. 135, Salem.

Competition is open to anyone interested, and cash prizes will be awarded in several categories. There will be a prize for the judged Best Red Chili, as well as the judged Best White Chili. In addition, there are People’s Choice awards for Best Chili and Best Decorated booth. Other features of the event are the famous dessert auctions and the cookie cart.  There will also be items available in the Silent Auction and the Bag Raffle.

Admission to the event is $10 for adults and $5 for children. All-you-can-eat chili and crackers are included in the admission price, along with ballots to vote for your favorite chili and best decorated booth.

Sponsorships for the event are available as well. Sponsors will be recognized in the media, on the AWC website, on table tents at every table at the event, and on social media. There will be several hundred people attending.

Interested chili cooks can register by contacting Marji Morris on Facebook, by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 812-216-6505. A registration form for cooks or potential sponsors may be found at https://www.awarenesswashingtoncounty.org/.

“The event has become a social occasion,” said Morris. “Many people come at 4 p.m. and stay until the end to see who wins, although you don’t have to do that.” She continued, “Having a booth allows businesses to get themselves and their products or services in front of the public, just for the cost of their chili ingredients.” There will be a maximum of 12 teams so sign up soon, and guests can sample as many of the chilis as they can handle. 

Rules for Chili Cook-off

• Prizes awarded for People’s Choice Best Chili, Best decorated booth, Judges’ choice best red chili and best white chili.
• Teams are to provide 3 crock pots (or equivalent) of the same chili.
• Typed list of major ingredients. (For those with food allergies--Exact recipe not required. You don’t have to give away your secrets.)
• Decorating limited to a 6 ft table space with 1 ft. additional space on both sides and 4ft. behind the table. Decorating is not required, but it is part of the fun. Tables are provided.
• Set up may begin at 10 a.m. Chili should be in place no later than 2:30 p.m. for judging. Teams may leave after set-up and return by 3:45 p.m.
• Collectively the team is allowed free admission for 2 adults and 2 kids. After that, tickets are adults $10/children $5.
• There is no entry fee, but we are limiting participation to 12 teams.

Take a look at this week's Mystery Photo. Think you know where it is? Let us know and be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a prize!

Submissions will be accepted until Monday, March 10. Only correct submissions will be placed in the drawing.

You can submit your answer by:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone: (812) 883-3281

Facebook: Salem Leader Facebook Page

Mail or In-Person: 117 E Walnut St, P.O. Box 506, Salem, IN

By Becky Killian, Staff Writer

Officials approved rate hikes for Salem’s utility customers that will be implemented over the next three years. The votes came during a special called meeting of the Salem Common Council on Monday, Feb. 24. No members of the public attended.

The sewer rate increases were passed in a unanimous vote among council members who were present. Councilman Steve Crane was absent from the meeting.

The vote for the water rate increases saw a tie, with council members Dylan Moore and Danny Libka delivering the affirmative votes while Roger Pennington and Randy Lee Jr. voted against the increases.
Because of the tie, Mayor Justin Green voted in a second vote as allowed by state law. He joined Moore and Libka in the affirmative vote, which saw the same opposition from Pennington and Lee.

The rates will be effective 30 days after the approval vote, so the May bill should reflect the increased rates.

The current monthly water bill for utility customers who use the average of 4,000 gallons a month is $35. That rate would increase by $7 in 2025; $3 in 2026; and $3 in 2027.

A report provided by Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors indicated the rate increase is needed to pay for the utility’s operation and maintenance costs, which have increased by more than 50 percent. The utility also needs additional funds to build and maintain a required cash balance as well as fund capital projects.

The current monthly bill for sewer customers who use the average of 4,000 gallons a month is $40 monthly. That would increase to $47 in 2025; to $55 in 2026; and to $57 in 2027.

The reasons given for the sewer rate increases also include covering maintenance costs; to maintain a required cash reserve; to fund capital improvements; to refinance an existing debt used to upgrade the sewer plant; and to pay for a $7.6 million bond for more improvements that have been mandated by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

The project will include the replacement of undersized pipes and lift station rehabilitation. The $7.6 million bond is from the Indiana Finance Authority and will have an interest rate of 2.11 percent.

The Washington County Community Foundation will be accepting applications for the Jinny Scifres Scholarship. The scholarship is for any individual planning to attend a post-secondary accredited institution in the 2025-2026 school year and plans to pursue studies in the medical field. The number and dollar amount of scholarships will be determined by the committee. Preference may be given to non-traditional nursing students who may be returning to school after starting a family or career, as did Jinny.

After starting a family, Jinny made the tough decision to return to school and study nursing. After graduation, she began her nursing career at Washington County Memorial Hospital as an Emergency Room Nurse. Jinny’s love of nursing eventually led her to several promotions and back to school once again. She eventually became the Director of Patient Care Services.

Jinny died in the fall of 2000, after bravely battling bone cancer. Her family and many friends established this scholarship fund in her memory, to assist others who, like Jinny, return to school to study nursing after starting a family or career.

For questions or an application, please contact Judy or Lindsey at 812-883-7334 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. More information regarding the scholarship as well as the application can be found at https://www.wccfapplyonline.biz/index.php/scholarship-application/28-jinny-scifres-memorial-scholarship

Congratulations to Mark Lawson for winning the February 17 Mystery Photo Monday! Stop by the Leader Publishing Co. at 117 E. Walnut St., Salem to claim your prize!

Be sure to check back next Monday for a chance at winning the next mystery photo contest!

Full Gospel Outreach crosses, 3954 W E Old 56

The Washington County Community Foundation has opened its Spring Grant Cycle. Funds for the $100,000 grant cycle are made possible through the generous donors and the Foundation’s Touch Tomorrow Funds.

Grant applications for the spring grant cycle are available by calling the WCCF office or visiting their website at https://wccfapplyonline.biz/index.php/view-grant-application/40-semi-annual-cycle to download an application. The application deadline will be 3:30 p.m, April 4, 2025.

For more information or to request an application, you may call Judy Johnson or Lindsey Wade-Swift at the Foundation office. The number is (812) 883-7334.

Washington County Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1993 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership to improve Washington County forever

By Becky Killian, Staff Writer

Officials will continue to seek the implementation of comprehensive zoning regulations concerning new subdivisions while putting the rest of the proposed laws on hold.

Commissioner Phillip Marshall said the delay was necessary because the other sections of the comprehensive zoning ordinance document need more work.

The announcement was made during the Tuesday, Feb. 18, meeting of the Washington County Board of Commissioners.

During the meeting, commissioners heard comments from Lucy Brenton, who spoke in Rhonda Greene’s stead. Brenton’s comments echoed those made by Greene during the Feb. 4 commissioners’ meeting: the county’s proposed planning and zoning laws would infringe on residents’ freedom of choice; the document is poorly written; and the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals should be dissolved.

“It is up to you to protect citizens from intrusive government,” Brenton said.

When Greene asked commissioners to dissolve the two boards earlier this month, only two commissioners were present: Marshall was absent due to illness. At that meeting, Commissioner Tony Cardwell Jr. made a motion to dissolve the boards, which Commissioner Todd Ewen refused to second, so it didn’t go to a vote. At Tuesday’s meeting – which had all three commissioners present – Brenton asked Cardwell if he would make the same motion again. Cardwell declined to do so, saying further investigation is needed.

Brenton said county officials want the zoning regulations because it would allow insiders to buy land slated for industrial development at a low price and then sell it for far more.

“We know there’s money behind it,” Brenton said. “We know you want some kind of control.”

Ewen said Brenton and her fellow opponents are spreading misinformation about officials’ intentions.

“You live in kind of a conspiracy world,” Ewen said.

April Geltmaker, an attorney with CLLB Law who represents the commissioners, reported that she had reviewed information provided by Greene at the Feb. 4 meeting about zoning regulations throughout the state’s other counties. Geltmaker reported that she found incorrect information in Greene’s report, including a list of counties that Greene said have no zoning regulations. Included among the counties was Fountain County, which has a Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals – the meeting dates for which are included on the Fountain County government website. Several other counties Greene listed have some form of multiple-county plan commissions. Geltmaker also disputed other allegations in Greene’s document.

Commissioners emphasized that no zoning regulations can be passed before public notices are published and public hearings are held during which residents can express any concerns.