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By Nathaniel Smith, Editor

On Thursday, September 19th, a group of community members and local candidates gathered at the office of the Clerk of Courts to witness the public testing of voting machines that will be used to determine the outcome of the 2024 elections. For decades, voting machines have made elections all across the world easier and more efficient. However, voter confidence has been dwindling at a rapid pace as of late, and some have been skeptical in regard to the election process as a whole. This is all the more reason to hold public testings and reinstate confidence into the community.

Led by Clerk of Courts Stephanie Rockey, this public test demonstrated how to properly use the machines, as well as how the machines react to various situations such as submitting a blank ballot or putting marks for too many candidates. Stephanie Rockey also described the straight-party ticket process, and how it does not necessarily mean the voter is locked into only voting straight Democrat or Republican.

“Say for instance you go to vote straight-party Libertarian, but you go back and vote for somebody in the Republican Party or the Democrat Party in another office. That trumps the straight-party ticket,” said Rockey. “So, any other offices that you didn’t pick will go Libertarian, and the two that you chose differently will override that portion of the straight-party ticket.” She also reminded attendees that straight-party voting does not cover non-partisan offices such as school board positions.

As per usual, voters have the option to write in their candidate of choice. However, not just any name can be written and counted as a legitimate vote.

“We see it all the time on election night,” said Rockey. “We get Mickey Mouse, celebrities, actors and actresses, and we have to inspect each one of those. I’ll then look at my certified list to see if the name is on it. If it isn’t on the list, the ballot will then be marked invalid.”

After being asked why the government instructs their office to test certain machines, Rockey simply said they have a list of their inventory and choose which machines to test at random.

“They have our inventory, and they do a random selection. We have a certain percentage of it that we have to use, and they email me a list prior to each election of the inventory percentage that we are required to test,” Rockey stated. “It’s usually 1%, but we normally do 2%. We even have to tell them exactly where our equipment is kept. We have to prove that it is safe and secure. That started back in July of 2018.”

Each voting machine tested during the public testing worked as expected without error and is ready for November 5th. So, make your way to the polls with confidence, because ensuring that our election process is fair, free, and as secure as possible is paramount.

Test #01

Test #02

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By Becky Killian, Staff Writer

City employees will receive an 8 percent raise in 2025 while emergency responders will each get a $7,000 raise.

Those are the most recent numbers approved by a majority vote during the Monday, September 9th, meeting of the Salem Common Council.

The raises don’t apply to elected positions.

Council members who voted in favor of the raises were Dan Libka, Dylan Moore, Steve Crane, and Randy Lee Jr. The opposing vote was cast by Roger Pennington.

The latest vote came on the heels of two special Common Council meetings during which the struggle of attracting and retaining quality public safety employees was discussed.

Many towns, cities and counties have difficulty offering competitive wages to public safety employees, which can lead those employees to take more lucrative jobs elsewhere.

After those special meetings, the Council approved a $5,000 raise for each police officer and firefighter and a 6 percent pay increase for all other city employees effective in 2025.

Before the Sept. 9 vote that increased the raise for emergency responders, a representative from Reedy Financial, the city’s financial consulting firm, explained that the 2025 budget revenue would be sufficient to cover the additional costs; however, “minor” revenue shortfalls could occur in 2026 and 2027.

The 2026 and 2027 budget forecasts include 3% raises for all city employees.

Moore asked Salem Police Chief Eric Mills if he would be willing to enact a hiring freeze during the two years of forecasted shortfalls if it is deemed necessary. Mills didn’t dismiss the possibility outright; however, he did say he would need to consider the impacts it might have.

Libka pointed out the dangers that emergency responders face.

“There’s always a chance that something bad is going to happen,” Libka said, adding that the city’s civilian employees needed to be considered, as well.

Pennington said the city’s starting salaries aren’t as low as they may seem when you consider paid holidays, retirement pensions, and clothing allowances.

Libka made the motion to increase the emergency responder pay raises to $7,000 and to give all civilian employees an 8% raise in 2025 provided the budget can accommodate those increases. His motion was then approved in the majority vote.

During the special meetings, officials also approved a $2,000 stipend for police and fire personnel and a $1,500 stipend for all other city employees for this year; however, the payment of those stipends is contingent upon whether Clerk-Treasurer Sally Hattabaugh can find the funds in the current year’s budget to cover them.

As of Monday, September 16th, Hattabaugh had yet to find the funding for those stipends.

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By Becky Killian, Staff Writer

Officials will use a projected $7.7 million loan to refinance existing debt used to upgrade Salem’s wastewater treatment plant and to make further improvements to the utility to remain compliant with state and federal guidelines.

The financing – which included rate increase projections – was discussed during a special joint session of the Salem Board of Public Works and Safety and Common Council on Monday, September 16th.

The initial estimated cost to rehabilitate the city’s manholes, the lining on wastewater pipes, and required lift station improvements is $4.2 million. That amount, combined with non-construction costs of just over $1 million and the refinancing of the 2020 loan of $2.4 million, brings the total loan estimate to $7.7 million.

The 20-year low-interest loan will be financed through the state. The current subsidized loan rate is about 2 percent.

Andre Riley, of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, of Indianapolis, used an estimated rate of 2.5 percent to calculate the total loan interest of $2.3 million. The annual payments are projected to be $474,600.

The upgrades aim to reduce water infiltration into the city’s wastewater treatment system. During heavy rains, the system can be overwhelmed, which can lead to overflows of untreated water.

In 2019, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) fined the City of Salem $6,000 for violations by the city’s wastewater plant. Those violations included six instances when an estimated 3.5 million gallons of raw sewage was released into the West Fork of the Blue River.

Those violations led to a mandate from the state to improve the city’s wastewater system.

The lift station improvements will include the installation of an automatic 24-hour monitoring system that will notify the operator of any system failures – which IDEM requires.

The projected rate increases Riley provided intend to make it possible for the wastewater utility to keep up with increasing operating costs and inflation, to build and maintain a cash balance as required by the state, and to fund further needed improvements.

The estimated rate increases – which could change – were phased in over three years as illustrated by Riley.

Currently, the average monthly bill for Salem wastewater customers who use 4,000 gallons is about $40. That amount would increase by about $6 in 2025, $7 in 2026, and $3 in 2027.

A rate comparison chart showed that the increases would put Salem in the low- to middle-range when compared to the wastewater rates of eight regional utilities. Those rates ranged from $31 in Bedford to $68.48 in Boonville.

The financing must be in place by June 1 to pay off the utility’s $2.4 million short-term loan. To meet that deadline, Wessler Engineering will begin to design the improvements in October and present them to the city in January. The rate increases will likely be approved in February or March before the anticipated loan closing date of March 31.

Before the vote, Mayor Justin Green cautioned that any delays with the wastewater improvements could result in consequences such as a possible sewer ban, which would stall the city’s growth.

“Let’s not push the panic button on that, but there is a cost to inaction,” Green said.

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The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) is encouraging parents and caregivers to take the time during Child Passenger Safety Week to make sure their child is properly secured in an appropriate car seat or booster seat.

The annual safety week, which runs this year from September 15-21, ends with a national car seat education event known as National Car Seat Check Saturday. Throughout the week, organizations across the state will be hosting child passenger safety events. During these events, certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will check car seats, let caregivers know if their children are in the right seats for their ages and sizes, and show them how to install the right seats correctly.

"A properly installed car seat is a child's best defense against injury in a crash,” said Devon McDonald, ICJI’s Executive Director. “Let's ensure every child is riding safely."

Statistics show that nearly 1 out of every 5 children aged 4 or younger who died in crashes from 2018-2022 were unrestrained. ICJI wants caregivers to know that it’s never safe to allow a child to ride in a passenger vehicle unrestrained, no matter how short the trip or how big the vehicle is.

When it comes to child passengers, there is a right seat for every age and developmental stage. No matter what the stage is, a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician can put parents’ minds at ease by discussing correct car seat selection and showing them how to correctly install that seat in their vehicle.

"Every child deserves a safe ride,” said Jim Bryan, Traffic Safety Director for ICJI. “We urge parents and caretakers to take advantage of the resources available to help them choose and install the right car seat for their child."

Safety checks are available year-round and typically take 20-30 minutes. Those visits can be conducted at one of Indiana’s many fitting stations, which can be found by visiting: on.in.gov/SafeKids.

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Washington County Relay For Life will be held on September 28th this year at the West Washington School football field from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Volunteer Responsibilities: Help run kids events, serve dinner to survivors, set up and take down the luminaria ceremony. 12 volunteers are needed.

Project Details:

11:30 a.m. Bounce House

1 p.m. Face Painting

1:30 p.m. Clown with balloon animals for the kids

2:00 p.m. Water Balloon Fun Time

Come on down for fun with water balloons

2:30 p.m. Sponge Relay

3 p.m. Coloring for children

3:30 p.m. Mini Olympics

(Disk toss, relay race, long jump)

4 p.m. Hula-hoop contest

4:30 p.m. Western Lap & Costume Contest

Put on your favorite Western costume and strut the track!

5 p.m. Pictionary

5:30 p.m. Musical Chairs

6 p.m. Survivor Dinner

6:30 p.m. Survivor Ceremony

7 p.m. Survivor/Caregiver Laps: Then the survivors will take to the track as we applaud them every step of the way. Following the survivors’ lap and caregiver’s lap, we all complete one final “Fight Back” Victory Lap.

8:30 p.m. Luminaria Ceremony: This touching ceremony includes music, reading of names and the lighting of luminaria bags as each name is called. This is a time of respect, so we ask that there is no talking or walking throughout the ceremony. Thank you for your cooperation.

Location Details:

West Washington School Football Field, 8028 W Batt Rd, Campbellsburg, IN 47108

Group Project Wheelchair accessible Suitable for all ages

Point of Contact if you would like to volunteer:

Judy Harper 812-620-7287 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Volunteer Interests: Children & Youth, Community, Health & Wellness

Helpful Skills: Crafts, Painting, Special Events, Sports & Activities