The Jerome Township police protection levy officially failed, according to results certified by the Union County Board of Elections Wednesday.
Union County Board of Elections Director Tina LaRoche said 1,271 voters cast their ballot against the levy, while 1,237 were in favor of it.
Ultimately, 50.7% of voters were against the proposed measure.
The five-year, 1.1 mills renewal levy with a 0.1 mill increase would have funded the township’s dedicated public safety officers, along with a portion of the cost for a school resource officer, provided through the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
Jerome Township shares four PSOs with Millcreek Township, which contributes 20% of the cost.
Jerome trustees voted in January to add a fifth PSO. Though still in contract negotiations with the Sheriff’s Office, Jerome Township officials have said their township would likely cover the full cost of the fifth officer.
The township also contributes 25% of the cost of a school resource officer that works in the two Dublin City Schools located in Jerome.
In 2020, Jerome Township paid $270,315 for the services provided by the PSO program. The cost is projected to be $295,000 in 2021, according to information from the township.
Township officials are discussing the current PSO contract and how long they would like to extend services.
Though the Board of Trustees unanimously supports the program, several members have said they would like to see increased staffing at the Union County Sheriff’s Office to provide better coverage through the county.
Trustees said they expect to vote on the length of the upcoming contract at their Dec. 7 meeting.
Under the current levy – which collects at an effective rate of 0.89 mills – the owner of a $100,000 home pays $27.50 per year for police protection services. The levy would have bumped the cost for the same homeowner to $31 annually.