Commissioners back courthouse cannon project, hear various updates
- Nathaniel Smith | Editor-in-Chief
- 9 hours ago
- 6 min read
The Washington County Board of Commissioners convened once again without President Phillip Marshall on Tuesday to conduct county business. Commissioner Marshall reportedly suffered a minor stroke several weeks ago and has been recovering since then.
Before diving into the public comment section of the meeting, Commissioner Todd Ewen added the annual WTH GIS contract to the agenda, and then moved Marathon Health up so the clinic presentation would follow claims and payroll.
Lucy Brenton approached the stand to utilize her three minutes of speaking time and announced what she called Project POPO (Protect Our Public Officials).
Brenton said she had spoken with local law enforcement about surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers, or ALPRs. She said she was told Washington County now has seven such cameras, with more on the way, and that they are considered useful for public safety.
She then continued by flipping the script.
“These ALPR cameras are tracking our locations… taking pictures of us and taking pictures of our cars down to the bumper stickers so that they can categorize our political views,” she said. “Because my conversation with local law enforcement went so well, I was completely convinced that Project POPO must commence.”
Brenton says she plans to source funding through private donations, such as through GoFundMe, to install similar cameras aimed directly at public officials. She described license-plate tracking, photos of officials’ vehicles and family vehicles, automated notices if they speed, and audio monitoring that could dispatch a drone if someone sounds “stressed out.”
She added that, unlike other ALPR companies funded by taxpayer dollars such as Flock, these Project POPO cameras will be privately funded.
“All citizen contributors will receive a login so that they can watch the live streams,” she said. Speaking directly to the commissioners, she added, “We’ll make sure that those cameras are pointed at your homes and cars. Nothing but the best for you.”
Commissioner Tony Cardwell then made a remark about the “humor” in Brenton’s statement. She quickly corrected him by stating she is completely serious.
“That’s not humor,” she said. “I’m actually starting Project POPO. That’s a real thing. We want to make sure that we have eyes on all of our public officials.”
The commissioners then pivoted to approve the memorandum documenting the August 18 meeting minutes, claims and payroll.
Moving on to the Marathon Health clinic report, Stephanie Swann of Marathon Health introduced herself as the new client success manager for the county’s employee clinic. She asked the commissioners for feedback on the clinic.
Ewen said employees who use the clinic “love it,” though he wished more would try it. He uses it himself and said the main limitation is that the clinic is not open five days a week.
“That’s okay because as long as everyone’s aware of your schedule, most of the time it’s not an emergency situation,” he said. “That’s what emergency rooms are for.”
Councilman Preston Shell and Councilman Mark Abbott also stated they use and like the clinic.
Swann asked how the county advertises the clinic to new hires and during open enrollment. She was informed that human resources mentions it to new employees but that more emphasis and printed materials could help.
Swann said she would send marketing materials and slides covering adult primary care for ages 12 and up, pediatric care for ages 2 to 11, medications, labs and referrals.
She also reported several stats from the clinic’s recent history under Marathon:
85 unique members over about two years
An average Net Promoter Score of 83
Nearly 45% engagement, which she said she wants to raise
79% of unique members showing improvement in biometric scores tied to costly chronic conditions
A rolling 12-month Net Promoter Score of 100
The clinic is open three days per week: Mondays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesdays 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Thursdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Swann stated that they plan to add additional hours to their schedule if their engagement (stated above as 45%) increases to 55% or 60%. After Commissioner Cardwell said he has never been to the clinic, it was stated that it is on Jeans Drive. Specifically, 201 Jeans Drive, Salem.
Before Swann left the stand, Ewen thanked Marathon Health for being in the community and said he has “never heard anything bad about the clinic.”
Tony Waterson, president and CEO of Southern Indiana Works, then addressed the board. The nonprofit is the local workforce development board for Washington, Scott, Clark, Harrison, Floyd, and Crawford counties.
Waterson categorized his work into three areas: talent development, economic development, and next-generation talent. That includes short-term certifications, associate degrees, apprenticeships, incumbent-worker training, summer youth programs and career exploration.
Joining Waterson was Jeff Hester, the career coach assigned to Washington County. Hester works here in Salem in partnership with Ascension St. Vincent Hospital on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Waterson said the county office started at one day a week, is now at three, and could go to four by year’s end if additional funding comes through. He then outlined a few figures from 2025.
Services to more than 450 businesses
Contact with more than 8,000 K-12 students
Reported economic impact of more than $33 million
The six-county region has a population of about 315,000 and a workforce of about 162,000, with unemployment around 3.6% and labor-force participation around 64%.
For Washington County specifically, he cited a population of about 28,000, a labor force of a little over 14,000, unemployment of 3.4%, and labor-force participation of 63.5%. He said the county has a net outflow of about 5,500 workers, most going to Floyd, Clark, and Harrison counties. Washington County has about 774 businesses, with roughly 70 new online job postings in the last month and a median advertised wage a little over $20 an hour. Government is the largest local industry, followed by manufacturing and retail.
Waterson then announced a big change that will be saving upwards of $300,00 per year. He said Southern Indiana Works is moving its comprehensive career center from State Street in New Albany to the Community Action of Southern Indiana building in Jeffersonville. The organization has also bought a mobile career-center van, which is now being outfitted by the Prosser Career Education Center. It will be able to park at libraries, government buildings and businesses.
Shifting gears, the meeting moved on to Veterans Affairs (VA). Veterans Service Officer Andrew Bush and Ron Higgins from the State of Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs approached the commissioners to conduct a bi-annual briefing on the state of the Veterans Affairs office. Higgins trains and supports county veteran service officers and said he was there to highlight Washington County’s office.
He began by complimenting Bush and Rick Main, saying they are “exceeding all expectations in every regard.”
Using the most current GDX figures for 2026, he said federal VA payments to Washington County veterans total almost $10 million, and it is split between health care and compensation and pension. He added that those figures do not include all benefit categories.
Washington County has 1,420 veterans, he said, and the local office is in constant communication with at least 56% of them. First-time contacts have increased. Higgins said Bush has completed required training and that he and Rick are sought out for their Department of Defense and VA knowledge. He also complimented their transportation services and community partnerships.
“People go out of their way to compliment [Bush] and Rick,” said Commissioner Cardwell.
Higgins was then replaced by John Quatroke as the topic shifted to the courthouse cannons on the south lawn. Or rather, the lack thereof.
Two large limestone pedestals still stand where cannons once sat. It was said that no one knows what happened to the cannons. A common rumor is that they were melted down for World War II scrap, but that has never been proven. Ewen said they have likely been gone since before the Great Depression.
Quatroke, speaking for the veterans memorial group, said World War II veterans in the original memorial organization remembered the guns on the lawn when they left for service and found them gone when they came home. Those men have since passed away.
“Let’s honor those that served and just bring back the guns,” he said.
The original pieces were described as 20-pounder Parrott rifles, each weighing about 1,800 pounds. The group can obtain either 10-pounder or 20-pounder reproductions. A South Bend company quote did not look feasible, however, talks with a firm in Idaho have been more promising. The goal is to have cannons on the lawn by next spring.
Bush made clear the county is not being asked for money. The Veterans Memorial group has fundraising on hand and is writing a grant to a foundation. What they needed from the commissioners was a letter of support on county letterhead.
John Quatroke Andrew Bush
Commissioner Ewen read the closing paragraph of the draft letter: “We believe that investing in the replacement of these cannons is an investment in the preservation and appreciation of our local history. The project will benefit not only current residents, but also future generations, students, visitors, and those interested in the history of Washington County.”
He then moved to approve the recommendation. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Then, Commissioner Ewen presented the annual contract with WTH for the county’s GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping data, which Ewen said is used by “at least half a dozen” departments.
“We’re just rolling it over,” he said.
The board voted unanimously to renew the contract. With no further business to attend to, the commissioners moved to adjourn.
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