CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio — In the aftermath of Election Day, two Clermont County Townships saw levies get rejected by voters.
The Batavia Township Fire & EMS Levy was rejected by a margin of 98 votes, while the Union Township Safety Services Levy lost by over 700 votes. That data is from the Clermont County Board of Elections' unofficial results.
On Wednesday, I spoke on the phone with Jared Shouse, a Central Joint Fire & EMS District firefighter and member of the Political Action Committee (PAC) Friends of Batavia Township Fire PAC, who also serves on the local firefighters' union.
"Obviously, we’re a little disheartened by what happened; it was close; we figured it was going to be close," Shouse said.
Had the levy passed, CJFED would dissolve, and a new department would be reorganized under the control of Batavia Township. It would no longer be led by a collaborative board from both the township and the village.
WATCH: Hear the responses from officials involved with the two levies that voters rejected
Shouse said that his focus was stability for his fellow firefighters.
“We want to keep doing our jobs with the community that we serve and with a safe, stable atmosphere," Shouse said.
The firefighters' union posted a statement on Facebook Wednesday:
While we are disappointed by the results of the Batavia Township Fire & EMS Levy, our commitment to serving and protecting the residents of Batavia Township and the Village of Batavia remains unchanged.
We will continue to show up, answer the calls, and perform our duties to the very best of our abilities with the staffing, equipment, and funding available to us.
The reality is that we do not know what the future holds for YOUR Fire & EMS services in Batavia. There are difficult decisions and challenges ahead, and we recognize the uncertainty that comes with them.
We also look forward to hearing more from Village Councilman and Board Member Mr. Dorsey regarding his plan to address and resolve the funding and staffing challenges facing Fire & EMS services in Batavia.
What we do know is that our dedication to this community has not changed. Regardless of the election results, we remain committed to providing the highest level of service possible with the resources we have.
We want to sincerely thank everyone who supported the levy, took the time to learn about the challenges facing YOUR Fire-EMS Services, and stood alongside your firefighters throughout this process. Your support has meant more to us than you may realize.
The election may be over, but the challenges facing Fire & EMS services remain, and our responsibility to this community continues.
Sincerely,
Your Central Joint Professional Firefighters, Local 4273
The Citizens to Save the Village of Batavia PAC, which had advocated against the levy, sent me a statement they have posted on social media.
THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN. NOW, LET'S GET TO WORK. Yesterday, the residents of Batavia Township and the Village of Batavia made their voices heard. With all 17 precincts reporting, the proposed Batavia Township fire and EMS levy was defeated by just 98 votes. 5,687 AGAINST (50.43%) 5,589 FOR (49.57%) This was an incredibly close election, and the results tell us something important: Our community cares deeply about the future of fire and EMS services. This is not a time for victory laps, finger-pointing, or division. It's a time for leadership. Throughout this campaign, Keep It Joint has advocated for maintaining our joint fire and EMS district, protecting local representation, demanding financial accountability, and finding solutions that serve EVERY resident. Those priorities haven't changed. We recognize the dedication of our firefighters and EMS personnel. They deserve stable funding, reliable equipment, and the support necessary to do their jobs safely and effectively. Our residents deserve those same assurances. Now is the time for Batavia Township, the Village of Batavia, and the Central Joint Fire-EMS District to come together and have meaningful conversations about the future. We believe there is a path forward that respects taxpayers, protects local representation, and strengthens the services our community depends on. To everyone who took the time to research the issues, listen to our podcasts, share information, and cast a ballot: Thank you. Whether you voted FOR or AGAINST the levy, your voice matters. The election is over. The responsibility to find solutions is not.
Batavia Township Fiscal Officer Jennifer Haley told me the CJFED board will decide the next steps.
In Union Township, voters also said no to a safety services levy that would have funded police, fire and EMS services.
A PAC advocating for the levy shared this statement:
We want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who supported the Safety Services Levy and took the time to vote yesterday. We are grateful for your encouragement and commitment to our community.
While the outcome was not what we had hoped for, the commitment of Union Township's Fire and Police Departments to serving our community remains unchanged. Thank you for standing behind the men and women who work hard every day to keep our community safe!
I spoke on the phone with township administrator Cory Wright. Wright told me that officials are digesting the results of the levy and understand why the voters made the decision to say no. He said that the township will go back and try to make efficiency changes while still delivering the best service to the residents.
