MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WCMH) -- The future of the Mifflin Township Police Department is now uncertain after voters struck down a police levy for the second time this year.
"We felt confident putting it on yesterday and I'm just shocked," Mifflin Township Trustee Chair Kevin Cavener said.
The levy failed by a vote of 55% to 45%. According to Mifflin Township leaders, the impact could be devastating. The department relies entirely on levy funding and without it, leadership said they might not be able to keep officers on the streets.
"I'm afraid to think what's going to happen," Cavener said.
The levy would have generated $400,000 a year. That money would have funded two full-time and two part-time officers, doubling the department's current working staff of four.
"I was shocked and sad at the same time because in May, when the levy failed, we had neighbors come to the sub and say how sorry they were that they didn't vote for it and that they really want a police department," Cavener said.
Cavener said the department was already struggling after two officers were shot and injured in May. The department continued paying their salaries while they recovered. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office helped with patrols but will now only respond to emergencies, which could mean longer response times.
"With this levy failing, Mifflin Township police will not be there as fast as they used to be," Cavener said. "And the sheriff's department definitely won't be there as fast. All priority one calls, it will take the sheriff probably 20 to 30 minutes to get there."
Longtime resident Cherry Manns had passed out flyers in support of the levy. She said she's disappointed and worried about what comes next.
"It was very shocking to see that individuals didn't step up, come out and support Mifflin Township in their time of need," Manns said. "And they are out here on a daily basis making sure that they support us and take care of the neighborhood."
In a statement to NBC4, Mifflin Township Police Chief David Briggs said:
"The voters have spoken, while it is disappointing, I understand, they feel taxed out. The future of the police department is being discussed, the trustees and township legal counsel are going over the options."
"Look at all the levies that went on yesterday," Cavener said. "There are just levies everywhere. And so, I understand what the people said and we're listening to them."
Township officials said the department may be forced to shut down and they worry crime will increase.
"If they aren't able to get money that they need, all I can say is that we just have to band together as a community and look out for each other a little bit better than we have in the past," Manns said.
Mifflin Township's fiscal officer and trustees plan to meet Nov. 18 to look at their options and discuss next steps.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, also known as ADAMH, is thanking voters after the passage of Issue One in Tuesday’s election.
Issue One is a ten-year levy for ADAMH, with the current levy expiring next year, which is when the new one will kick in.
Passed by a vote of 66 to 34, the levy will cost property owner approximately $74 for every $100,000 of their home valuation.
Earlier this year, ADAMH opened part of its new Franklin County Crisis Care Center. ADAMH CEO Erika Clark Jones said the funds will help the organization open the rest of it.
"The need for mental health in Franklin County is growing, and so is our county, so as more residents come, the demand on our services, we know, will be greater,” Clark Jones said. “This funding secures the safety net we have and allows us to bring the Franklin County crisis center on 100%."
Right now, there are 40 observation units open at the crisis care center. According to Clark Jones, 20 more will open in the coming months. She said the behavioral health urgent care will open next year, and the inpatient care unit will open in 2027.
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