In Leader Publishing Company's Readers' Choice Awards, the best of the best are celebrated!

Long-established greats are joined by businesses that are new to the area, but have quickly earned a place of honor. Join us as we celebrate both.

You voted for your favorite places to shop, to eat, to get things done, and more. The winners all have one thing in common...they are the people and places in Washington County that offer top-quality products and customer service, the stuff that keeps us coming back for more.

Readers have spoken and the winners have been named!

Presenting the 2023 Readers' Choice winners by category:

Best People in Washington County

• Accountant: Lisa Aly (360 Accounting & Tax Service)
• Agriculture Seed Salesperson: Michael Trueblood (Stewart Seed)
• Attorney: Tom Scifres
• Auto Salesperson: Gary Myszak (Eddie Gilstrap Motors)
• Bank Teller: Kyla Nicholson (Centra Credit Union)
• Doctor: Dr. Kalen Carty (Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent)
• Electrician: Chris Quinlin (Future Electric LLC)
• Financial Advisor: Lana Sullivan (Edward Jones & Co.)
• Funeral Home Director: Rondale Brishaber (Hughes Taylor)
• Hair Stylist: Brooklyn Bush (Designer Cutz)
• Heating & Air Service Tech: Seth Marshall (Marshall Sales)
• Insurance Agent: Jason Pepmeier (Farm Bureau Ins.)
• Optometrist: Dr. Hickey (VisionFirst)
• Pharmacist: Steve Day
• Police Officer: Eric Mills (Salem Police Dept.)
• Real Estate Agent: Sherri Purkhiser (Day Company)
• Restaurant Server: Waylon Bramer
• Cashier: Tanya Cravens (Dollar Tree)
• Roofing Contractor: Caleb Burkholder (Superior Roofing Systems)
• Veterinarian: Dr. Benny Moore (Moore’s Animal Care Clinic)
• School Bus Driver: Keith Nicholson (Salem Community Schools)
• School Staff Member: Judy Hoke
• School Principal: Tony Albert (Salem High School)
• School Teacher: Gwen Dowling (Salem Middle School)
• School Teacher’s Assistant: Tammy Jones (West Washington) 

Best Businesses in Washington County

• Tax Services: 360 Accounting & Tax Services
• Asphalt Sealcoating: Nelson Asphalt Sealcoating
• Auction Service: Day Company Realtors & Auctioneers
• Auto Collision Repair: Eddie Gilstrap Motors Collision Center
• Auto Sales (New): Eddie Gilstrap Motors, Inc.
• Auto Sales (Pre-owned): Green’s Auto Sales, LLC
• Automotive Service: Rex Jackson’s Auto, Inc.
• Automotive Tires: Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
• Bank: First Harrison Bank
• Flooring: Potter’s Carpets
• Concrete: Sullivan’s Concrete Coating
• Consignment Discount Shop: Huckster’s Hall Flea Market
• Construction: Reel Construction & Masonry
• Excavation: Edwards Plumbing & Excavation LLC
• Farm Equipment Sales: Schafstall Inc.
• Floral Shop: Florence’s Flowers & Gifts, LLC
• Funeral Home: Hughes Taylor Funeral Home
• Hair Salon: Adrienne Brook Salon & Spa
• Hardware Store: Ace Hardware of Salem
• Health Care Facility: Mission In-Home Health Care
• Home Equity Loans: First Savings Bank
• Insurance Agency: Loy & Fordyce
• Law Office: Scifres Law Office
• Lawn Care Service: Walls Lawncare
• Lawn Equipment Sales: Walls Lawncare
• Masonry: Reel Construction & Masonry
• Monument Company: Marshall Monuments
• Mortgage Loans: First Savings Bank
• Oil Change: Quick Lane
• Pharmacy: Good Living Pharmacy
• Preschool: Wash. Co. Family YMCA
• Real Estate: Day Company Realtors & Auctioneers
• Roofing: Superior Roofing Systems
• Signs/Graphics/Custom T-Shirts: Lincks Clothing & Shoes
• Wedding/Event Facility: Cornerstone Hall
• Daycare: Lil Darlin’s Daycare 

Best Food

• Biscuits & Gravy: Country Cookin’
• Hand Dipped Ice Cream: Six Scoops Ice Cream Shop
• Home Cooking: Country Cookin’
• Margarita: El Camino’s
• Pizza: Mamma Rosa’s
• Queso: El Maguey Mexican Restaurant
• Steak: Tumbleweed
• Tacos: El Maguey Mexican Restaurant
• Burger: Dinner Bell
• Fried Chicken: KFC
• Donuts: H&R Bakery
• Baked Goods: H&R Bakery 

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who voted. Winners who could not be reached may call the Salem Leader Office at 812-882-3281 and make arrangements to receive their Readers' Choice certificate.

Salem’s Parks and Recreation Department will host an Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, Mar. 30 at 2 p.m. at  the Salem Community Park (ball diamond), 708 Parkview Drive, Salem.

The event is for children aged preschool to 5th grade.

The event is free and will offer prizes and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

• Law & Justice

In an unprecedented move, effective March 22, the Washington County Sheriff's Department will not have enough officers to provide 24-hour coverage and will no longer have deputies on duty from 11p.m. Through 7 a.m., creating a risk to public safety.

"This is not news that I want to deliver to the citizens of Washington County," said Sheriff Brent Miller." This is not a decision that has been made lightly. To the contrary, we have made change after change to the schedule in an attempt to continue 24/7 coverage for the county."

Sheriff Miller said deputies are working seven or eight days in a row and occasionally have worked 16-hour shifts. "That isn't safe for anyone," he said. "We are trying to maintain appropriate police coverage, but simply can't keep working the way we are."

The department is currently down six deputies with two officers at training, one on light duty and three open positions. Sheriff Miller said it has become increasingly difficult to attract - and retain - qualified candidates due to the county's current low pay scale.

"A recent salary survey revealed that our starting salary is $9,000 below the average starting salary of officers, in comparison to surrounding counties and/or city police departments," according to Sheriff Miller. "Our deputies are simply leaving for more money."

In the last three years, high turnover has plagued the department and it's very costly to the taxpayers of Washington County. The county is required to put newly hired officers through the police academy, only to lose them a short time after they graduate.

Another deputy recently told Sheriff Miller he is leaving to accept a higher-paying position with a neighboring police department. "This made the 10th deputy to leave our department since I was elected and took over the department in January 2019," said Sheriff Miller. Three left law enforcement, but the other seven accepted positions elsewhere, some making $15,000 to $20,000 more than Washington County is paying.

The high turnover also means that the department, overall, is very young and inexperienced. When the three open positions are filled, the department will have six deputies with two years or less of experience.

Sheriff Miller said this is an issue that the Washington County Council cannot continue to ignore. Despite having emailed all county council members and commissioners a couple of times about the personnel shortage, he has only heard from three council members and one commissioner.

Sheriff Miller said the changes made by the county council in 2021 helped for a short period. At that time, the council agreed to hire three additional deputies for a total of 16 and lock-in the starting salary at $44,980 for a three-year period.

"It is now three years later, and we are back at the bottom again. The applicant pool has been shrinking drastically and all police agencies are competing for the same applicants," he said. "They are going to go where the money and benefits are better. You can't blame people for wanting to better themselves."

"At this point in our discussions, the county council has not communicated any options for a possible solution to the public safety issue," said Sheriff Miller. "I have been told that the county does not have available funds to put towards fixing the issue."

He stressed that if the issue isn't resolved, the county will face ongoing difficulties in retaining current officers and recruiting new officers. "The Merit Board and I have also met with an out-of-county advisor to discuss possible solutions to fund our personnel shortage," said Sheriff Miller.

Effective March 22, Sheriff Miller has formally requested the Indiana State Police to provide coverage during the third-shift period.

"Even if the State Police are able to provide additional coverage, it is the responsibility of the county government to provide public safety for the citizens they represent. I sincerely hope the county council will come to the table and work with me, my department, and the Merit Board to address this very serious public safety issue."