The Joint Emergency Medical Service district’s 2.61-mill property tax levy failed Tuesday night, according to final unofficial results from the Warren County Board of Elections.

“Obviously, we’re a little disappointed,” JEMS chief Andy Riddiough said.

The levy would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $80 per year. Residents in Franklin Twp. and Carlisle currently pay about $30 annually on two existing levies that bring in nearly $300,000.

However, the way the ballot issue was written also allowed Franklin city residents to vote on it even though they no longer need JEMS service.

Franklin voters passed a property tax levy in August that will create an EMS division within the city’s fire department. Franklin has already approved a resolution to withdraw from the JEMS district effective Jan. 2.

Riddiough said in checking precinct voting totals Tuesday night, he found that the levy appeared to pass in Franklin Twp. and Carlisle, but failed in Franklin.

“I think the city being able to vote on something they are not going to be users of hurt us,” Riddiough said.

“It’s unfortunate that it didn’t pass,” Carlisle mayor Randy Winkler said. “I think we’ll be able to look at where the ‘no’ votes are coming from and if the township and Carlisle want this, then we’ll know what to do. We as a city have to work with JEMS to come up with the best solution for a very good organization.”

Riddiough has said previously that if the levy were to fail, services would be “significantly affected.”

“Any time you lose an election, you have to drop back and look at all the areas for your next step,” Riddiough said. “We have some avenues that we are going to have to consider and I’m sure the board and I will get together to determine where we need to go from here.”

Riddiough did say that some sort of levy could be tried in the future.

The levy would have generated approximately $733,000 to continue providing emergency care for residents in Franklin Twp. and Carlisle, including staffing of two ambulances per day with five paramedics/EMT basics on duty 24 hours a day.

It also would have allowed for some minor repairs to buildings, vehicles and other equipment on an as-needed basis, according to Riddiough.