News, Satire, Humor
“Politics is a laughing matter, unless you are an authoritarian or toxic leader—then humor must be punished (International Council for Nonviolent Conflict).” Twice this year, our ersatz President Trustee Burkholder has threatened to physically remove people from meetings (dangerous folks, folks on Medicare, and those jacked up on caffeine, rumored to be part of the infamous Medicare Mob). Presumably, Trustee Burkholder (before Trustee Evans turned on him), a former bar bouncer, would have used Evans to toss the senior citizens.
Just when you think it cannot get any more ridiculous, Trustee Evans wraps himself in the victim blanket. Recall stage 3 of Toxic Leadership Cancer (p.5) of Toxic Ten the Toxic Leader becomes the VICTIM! As the Toxic Enabler passively submits. Remember:
Trustees Don’t Cry! (40 seconds of 4-part harmonies)
Etna Township
Geographically blessed, we are a distribution center that funds schools, roads, et al. (reportedly more than $1 mil a year), and still our illogical Trustee’s rail against what Etna is as they keep it from becoming something better.
Ironically, the Evans and Burkholder duo block housing that will bring restaurants, medical, and offices Etna residents have been asking for.
In fact, Mark and Gary oppose anything that is not their idea. Just the mention of former Trustee John Carlise causes Trustee Evans to become emotionally dysregulated.
As lawsuits pop up or are initiated by our trustees how much will it cost the taxpayers to sooth the egos of the Trustee Evans?
Your tax money is going to attorneys (likely $400 per hour) and consultants, even for tasks as simple as reviewing a public records requests.
Did we vote in all this so-called experience simply to have someone hire expensive attorneys and consultants run the township?
Annexation
“With outbound annexation likely in at least two directions, you might wonder why? And why now? Evans and his anti-everything-that-is-not-his-idea stance have inadvertently (or on purpose) created ENDZ (Etna No Development Zone). It looks like about 200 or more acres are in the queue, likely to the east and west.
This is the result of an anti-development attitude and the rush to limit any development. We can credit Trustee Evans with never changing; once he says something, no matter how silly, he will defend his stance till the bitter end. We will not have restaurants and light commercial establishments until the toxic leadership is resolved. The Trustees are not working in the best interest of the people of Etna.
The plan of ENDZ seems simple: block all development, then scream and cry when folks want to leave. Our Trustees say they are VICTIMS!
Our Trustees should stand up and take responsibility for their part in the anti-housing ruse they are fomenting.”
Toxic Leadership
This page will be updates and the latest research available on Toxic and Abusive Leadership. This is Jon Hanson’s ongoing research on Toxic Leadership. This is Hanson’s 5th year studying business and leadership with one year off to care for his wife during cancer treatment. Barely a year into remission of her cancer and immediately upon being hired in May 2023 the attacks on Mrs. Hanson began.
For a researcher Etna is a target-rich environment for data on abusive and toxic leadership.
Link to Ten Traits of Toxic Leaders. Short list with references. This is a working list being shaped for a business article. It is a draft working paper.
Lt. Colonel Darrell Aubrey’s paper on the Effects of Toxic Leadership is a good starter paper on the topic. You can download the pdf from the link above. It’s about 38 pages released by Aubrey and the US Army.
Bullying
“Will Trustee Evans’ bullying cost us $500,000 over his four-year term? Trustee Evans dominates the agenda in Etna, not in productive pursuits but in attacking anyone he does not approve of (this eventually means even those he approved of a short time before). He bullies citizens on Facebook, in the meetings, and the other two Trustees as well.” -Jon Hanson
“$80,000 was paid by the Township for Evans bullying. In the investigative report, Trustee Evans was upgraded from misogynist to misanthrope. Evans bullying on just one township resident has cost Etna $158,000 so far. ($80,000 settlement to former administrator+$30,000 frivilous attack lawsuit from Evans to Township’s three out of town lawyers (CV 24 00385) thrown out because of no standing, and $27,023.68 judgment for the Hanson’s legal fees awarded for the frivolous attack. According to President Burkholder another $20,000 in round numbers to search for the “former administrator’s” replacement.
SHRM (Society of Human Resource Managers) says replacing the employees Evans promised to fire that were driven out as a direct result of his actions adds 33 to 50 percent of their salaries. That using the most conservative estimate is another $97,000. Since Evans blocks all public records requests we don’t have exact numbers. We spent $30,000 to defend the attacks they used an out of town white-shoe law firm so they may have spent more than that. But we’ll call it $30,000 until we get the numbers.
Authoritarian Control of Boards
Trustee Evans, enabled by Trustee Burkholder, has installed his cronies for total control of the BZA (it’s a rubber stamp for them) and seems to demand ideological nepotism for anyone to join a board that Etna appoints. According to one interviewee to be on the board, the only questions Trustee Evans asked was about his experience and use of social media (not one question to do with real estate or zoning).
Same problem for hiring employees, if they won’t bow to Evans they can’t be hired.
Etna is the laughingstock of Licking County because of Trustee Evans. We are the wealthiest township of Licking County with a 10 million dollar year budget. That leaves a lot of money for Trustee Evans to cover his incompetence and persecute political enemies.
Insane Spending
Several residents are waiting on requests for the spending numbers from ETNA. We will compare year over year spending to show the difference over the years and an analysis of variance of the Burkholder/Evans leadership versus others.
Once the numbers are shared with citizens, a proper analysis can be created and then we can see how much “proper administration” costs.
Will Evans cost us one-half million dollars with his toxic bullying before November 25? Watch for release of Executive Sessions Trustee Evans Recorded. The question is can ANYONE trust Trustee Evans?
Social Media
Trustee Evans is a famous Facebook bully documented in investigative reports and settlement documents. His 1:30 am “press releases” or general email nastygrams are hilarious for their logical-illogical inconsistencies.
Trustee Evans is now barred by a Supreme Court ruling from removing posts on his official Facebook or other social media accounts. Yet according to those barred from Etna Community, Etna, Ohio Community groups on Facebook Evans directs his supporters to remove and ban people (just like the big boys in DC).
Development
It appears there will be little to no development with the Evans/Burkholder agenda.
People continue to ask for restaurants, offices, medical, and other services but anyone can tell you there needs to be “rooftops” (more residential development) to support these things.
Trustee Evans appears to hate developers like the Dutch hate the ocean. He shut down the fireworks celabration this year (2024) because he did not want to accept a free site and parking and other benefits because of his hate for Ron Sabatino of T&R Properties. The event had been held at Sabatino’s golf course for the past few years.
Public Records Requests
Any day now Trustee Evans will engage his PROPER ADMINISTRATION! And all of us mere citizens will start having our requests fulfilled! Trustee Evans is engaging in rules for thee not for me!
Trustee Evans will say someone else is holding up the requests, but Mr. Transparentcy could release his own emails without a problem, so he employs one of his famous 1/2, 1/4, or 1/8 truths.
He was agaon featured in the Newark Advocate Blaming, Complaining, and Defending his recording of Executive Sessions (hertofore never ventured, as most people honor that the township executive meetings need some privacy to discuss employement or legal matters. If you are near Mr. Evans please note you may be being recorded, he is looking for campaign gottchas! Yes, Mark we know, Gary is the problem, McKee is the problem, the Hanson’s are mean to you, etc. Always someone else’s fault. Got it.