The Joint Emergency Medical Services organization is considering a second try for a 2.61-mill property tax levy.

Voters on Tuesday defeated the measure by 830 votes, or 6,216 to 5,386 against the issue, which would have generated approximately $733,000 and cost an additional $80 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home.

Knowing residents of Carlisle and Franklin Twp. appear to support the levy, JEMS chief Andy Riddiough said he is hopeful another levy in the future would be successful.

“Absolutely,” Riddiough said. “It is going to be up to the board to determine that as well as a time frame, but I do feel we could be successful with a levy in the future.

“When it comes down to it, we are trying to provide the best service we can to our residents and how we can do it effectively,” he said.

The JEMS district has included Franklin, Carlisle and Franklin Twp. residents since its inception in 1982. In August, Franklin voters approved a tax levy to create their own EMS division and the city has since approved a resolution to withdraw from the JEMS district effective Jan. 2, 2013.

But the JEMS board, in its preparation of its tax levy, was still required to include city residents in the process, according to Riddiough.

“When we met with the (Warren County) auditor, the advice was given that we had to include Franklin residents because at the time of the election they would still be part of the (JEMS) district,” Riddiough said. “That tied our hands.”

Compounding the situation was the Aug. 8 deadline for issues to be submitted for the November ballot. This was one day after a special election in which Franklin’s levy was proposed. Therefore, the outcome of Franklin’s levy would not be known when decisions had to be made for the JEMS levy.

In his interpretation of the results, Riddiough said Franklin Twp. and Carlisle voters approved the levy, but a majority of Franklin voters voted against it.

“I think if we would have gotten clearer definition on who would be voting on the issue, it would have saved on some of the confusion,” Riddiough said. “Whether or not city residents would be voting on the issue is where we ran into the struggle.”