Funding of JEMS remains an issue

City of Franklin wants to break away and form its own EMS group.

 

FRANKLIN — The issue of how to fund the Joint Emergency Medical Service if the city of Franklin leaves the organization remains undecided.

JEMS Law Director Phil Callahan said after talking with Warren County Auditor Nick Nelson, he suggested the JEMS board should determine a “dollar amount needed,” then members could sit down with the auditor’s office and determine the millage rate.

The sticking point is the time line for getting an issue on the November ballot. The deadline for JEMS to get an issue on in November is Aug. 8, but officials won’t know the outcome of Franklin’s EMS levy until its Aug. 7 special election.

“If you are going to do this, the question is how do you exclude Franklin residents from voting if their levy passes?” Callahan said. “We would just certify to the board of elections that the jurisdiction boundaries changed if Franklin’s levy passes.

“If Franklin’s levy does not pass, then we can withdraw the issue,” he added.

Currently, JEMS provides EMS care to Franklin, Carlisle and Franklin Twp. Last year, it brought in $513,500 from the current 0.8- and 1-mill levies. The township and Carlisle combined fund 57 percent of the service, while receiving 40 percent of the runs.

“If you look at it statistically, we’ll be fine,” said Ron Ruppert, who represents the township trustees on the JEMS board. “But there is a lot of other things we have to look at. We’ll take this information and discuss it at the next (Carlisle and Trustees) joint meeting.”

The next joint meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 18 in the township’s administrative office.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or Skip.Weaver@coxinc.com.




“If Franklin’s levy does not pass, then we can withdraw the issue.”

Phil Callahan

JEMS Law Director