VIENNA — In fire Chief Gus Birch’s office, a list of goals for 2025 sat on a side table next to a desk, with “reestablish EMS program” sitting above the rest.

And Tuesday’s primary election results brought that closer to reality,

The unofficial and incomplete results in Tuesday’s election showed the township’s five-year, 3.5-mill fire levy passing, narrowly coming through a 50.79% to 49.21%, a 13-vote difference out of 823 votes, according to results from the Trumbull County Board of Elections.

The levy was initially proposed as part of the township’s fiscal recovery plan that was adopted by trustees Dec. 16. The plan was put into effect Dec. 30 after the township’s fiscal commission — which was created after the state auditor’s office placed Vienna in fiscal emergency in July after confirming the township was more than $1 million in debt — approved it 7-0.

The 3.5-mill levy will replace two preexisting 1-mill levies from 2003 and 2006 and bring in $507,186 annually. The funds would support EMS staffing using part-time personnel and continuing maintenance expenses on the fire department’s preexisting equipment.

The new cost per $100,000 home value will be an estimated $127 per year, including the preexisting 1976 continuous $4 levy. It will cumulatively be an estimated $77 increase from the preexisting levies.

Birch was emotional as he found out the results, hugging and shaking hands with residents in attendance for their watch party.

“It was a close vote, you know. From what we’re understanding, it was only like 13 votes was the difference,” Birch said. “But we’ll take it and we’ll start the rebuilding process as soon as the money becomes available. And we’ll start attempting to staff the station as soon as we can.”

Fire officials encouraged residents to vote for the levy in March by pointing to Birch’s 40 years of experience, which included managing a full-time unionized department and a tight budget.

Officials added that the possibility of electing two new trustees will change who is in control of the township’s funds. Trustees Richard Dascenzo and Michael Haddle, who took over Robert Root’s term following his resignation last April, have their terms end in December.

The township also may have the chance to choose a new fiscal officer, as Jason Miner, Warren Township’s assistant fiscal officer who moved to Vienna to step into the remaining months of the term vacated by Linda McCullough, also will be up for reelection.

The new levy’s funds will be available in 2026. Any leftover funds would be spent on personnel and large capital purchases, such as a new fire engine that has been in service since 1989 — six years over its life expectancy.

The trustees’ and fire chief’s ultimate goal is to restore EMS to a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service.

Cynthia Sacco, the grandmother of Mark and Mike Haddle, teared up as she spoke about their efforts.

“I’ve personally seen the stress on Mike and Mark, my grandsons and the guys (at the fire department),” Sacco said. “This is really a close-knit community, and you know everybody and their family and their kids.”

“I love this community; I really love this community, and there are so many fantastic people in this community — you probably have noticed that,” she added.