Etna residents fed up with Mark Evans as he tries to remove Gary Burkholder as president

Some Etna Township residents think Trustee Mark Evans has spent two and half years of his first term complaining more than addressing challenges facing the southwest Licking County community.

But Tuesday night those residents and his fellow trustees finally had enough.

Evans tried to remove Trustee Gary Burkholder as board president, attacking Burkholder with a long list of faults to make himself board president. But residents and other trustees were far more frustrated with Evans' continued divisive behavior after more than two years on the board.

Evans' motion to remove and replace Burkholder did not get a second from either Burkholder or Trustee Rozland McKee and therefore did not move forward to a vote.

Evans said he was trying to remove Burkholder because of complaints from residents, township consultants, attorneys and others that Burkholder has insufficiently communicated and not followed through on various matters since he joined the board and was appointed president in January.

Burkholder said he is not the first person Evans has attacked, adding that Evans' approach has been to overload the other trustees and staff members, so that Evans can complain that nothing is being done.

"I am no longer going to indulge your sophomoric behavior and your false accusations for your own shameless self promotion, and that's what this boils down to," Burkholder said. "This is about working cooperatively and collaboratively. I ran on civility and professionalism, and you have totally abandoned that commitment to the residents."

Burkholder said it's Evans' behavior is the true problem in Etna Township.

"We operate as a board. If something gets missed, another member fills in or helps out. If you're not going to, I guess, commit to that approach, then maybe you need to find some other profession to engage in," Burkholder said. "That's what's hurting this township. And it never, ever stops."

This is a major public falling out between the two men, who have had a handful of disagreements since Burkholder started his term, such as whether to create a township Facebook page or pay Evans' legal bills stemming from a February 2023 incident with a then-township employee. But Burkholder's response Tuesday night was his biggest break from Evans, who endorsed, supported and campaigned for Burkholder last fall during a continuous four-way race to fill an open board seat.

Residents too pointed out that Evans' own behavior is the bigger problem in Etna.

Steve Perkins, who ran against Burkholder last fall, said while he disagrees with Burkholder on some administrative matters, the two have always had civil conversations. But said Evans is the culprit for toxicity in the township.

"The average salary of a clown in the United States is $52,000 a year, and I deeply appreciate Mr. Evans for providing these services at half cost," Perkins said.

Theresa Ogershok, a lifelong Etna Township resident, said the township has had problems for 20 years and Burkholder has brought balance to the board. And while there do need to be changes in Etna, she said those changes should be beneficial and not just for the sake of change.

"We need to look at balance; not changing too fast, changing slowly, purposely to update every day," she said. "I know some people want everything done at one time. But that's not going to benefit the community. The community has to adjust to the changes, too."

Jon Hanson, who has lived in for more than 20 years, said Evans is not a good leader because he does not accept any help or guidance, which Burkholder is now learning. Hanson added that Burkholder has shown amazing restraint when it comes to Evans. Hanson is the husband of former township administrator Nita Hanson , who alleged the township was a hostile and abusive work environment because of Evans' actions .

"Since his election two and a half years ago, Trustee Evans is the common denominator of everyone that has left the township," he said. "The toddler-like attitude of Trustee Evans and his us-against-them shtick, which is what he operates every day, and his constant gaslighting makes it easy to predict who he will attack, but he is destroying the township."

mdevito@gannett.com

740-607-2175

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Etna residents fed up with Mark Evans as he tries to remove Gary Burkholder as president