The Joint Emergency Medical Services district officially shed about 40 percent of its operating budget when its board approved an amended budget for 2013 now that it no longer serves the city of Franklin.

The district’s board approved a temporary budget of $538,959 to begin 2013 based on estimates from the Warren County Auditor’s Office in late December.

At its meeting Thursday, the board amended the budget to $1.02 million for 2013. Chief Andy Riddiough said the district had a budget of $1.77 million for 2012.

He said the JEMS Board is considering placing a tax levy of about 2.61 mills on the May 7 primary/special election ballot. The board has until 4 p.m. Feb. 6 to file the levy request on the May ballot with the Warren County Board of Elections.

Voters in the city of Franklin approved an operating levy last August to provide funding to operate its own EMS division as part of its fire department.

“I think the transition has been very smooth,” Riddiough said.

JEMS is currently staffing two ambulances with one paramedic and one emergency medical technician 24 hours a day. The district also retained a third ambulance which is kept in reserve as well as two staff vehicles. Two ambulances and other equipment were transferred to the city of Franklin’s EMS division.

The departure of Franklin leaves the JEMS district to provide EMS services for Carlisle and the unincorporated areas of Franklin Twp. near Hunter, the west side of the Great Miami River, portions of Interstate 75, and a small section that is surrounded by the city of Franklin. It also continues to “assist our neighbors as necessary,” Riddiough said, noting it backed up Franklin’s units during a structure fire on Friday.

JEMS has just more than 50 part-time employees as well as a clerk and Riddiough, who are not quite full-time employees.