HAMMONDSVILLE — A majority of voters in Saline Township opposed a five-year 6-mill levy for local emergency medical services.

A total of 250 voters, or 75.76 percent, opposed the levy, while 80 voters, or 24.24 percent, supported it, according to unofficial results from the Jefferson County Board of Elections.

Township Trustee Ryan Holland, who had been a vocal supporter of the levy, said he was disappointed and felt many voters were swayed by misinformation.

Holland acknowledged some had questioned a recent agreement for the TEMS Joint Ambulance District to serve the township through the remainder of this year and through December 2026.

In a race for two trustee seats, Holland lost to fellow incumbent Danny Householder, who had cast the lone vote against the agreement, and Charles Crawford, a former trustee who entered the race.

According to election night totals posted by the Jefferson County Board of Elections, Crawford received 184 votes, or 30.07 percent; Householder received 170 votes, or 27.78 percent; Holland received 130 votes, or 21.24 percent; and another challenger, Rhonda Householder, received 128 votes, or 20.92 percent.

Holland said while the TEMS agreement may have cost him votes, he still believes “It needed to happen.”

The levy would have generated $424,008 per year for each of five years, replacing a 2.5 mill levy Holland said had failed to generate sufficient funds for the township’s own emergency medical service.

The closing of the W.H. Sammis Plant, currently under demolition, has been blamed partly for the shortfall in revenue generated from property tax collected through the current levy.

That shortfall led to the agreement with TEMS that also involves the independent, Toronto-based ambulance service receiving the township’s two ambulances and other EMS equipment.

Because the new levy wasn’t approved, the 2.5-mill levy will remain in place through next year and township officials will be faced with whether to pursue a new contract with TEMS after December 2026.

“What happens in January is up to the new people,” said Holland.