FLUSHING — Village Administrator Bryan Clark recently asked for the trust of other village officials in response to rumors concerning his use of a trash bin that was believed to be for village use as well as other issues.

Clark brought up the issues during his monthly administrator’s report during a council meeting held Sept. 17.

“There have been some questions raised in the village about certain things going on, mainly what I’ve done,” Clark said. “There’s been questions about the storm water on Station Hill. There have been questions raised about the East High water project. You guys put me in this position as administrator for this village. I am not going to do anything in this village to harm this village or put us in jeopardy. All the issues we are facing are issues that have to be done. I may not be doing them right, cause I’ve heard that I’m not doing them right, but I’m making the decisions and I’m moving forward. I’m not standing back and waiting. I’m getting tired of half truths going around the village. If you have a question you can come see me, I’ll answer.”

Clark reminded council that the reason he was put in that position was so less would be put on their plates and asked several times during the meeting that they call him with their concerns or questions.

It seemed the main issue had stemmed from when Clark hauled a bin belonging to Ohio Valley Waste that had been behind the municipal building to clean up his property.

Clark said that one of the two bins there had been left by Ohio Valley Waste for people in the village to rent and he had a receipt for his use of it.

Mayor Angelo Vincenzo confirmed as much, saying that Ohio Valley Waste had left the bin so that if anyone wanted to rent it they wouldn’t have to haul it all the way from Shadyside.

Councilman Tom Bober accosted Clark, saying that by using his own equipment to haul the dumpster to his house he had “done it wrong” and accused Clark of blaming council for the problem, which Clark insisted he had not.

Vincenzo intervened as the exchange got louder and threatened Bober with removal from the meeting.

Council President John Jozwiak said that people had presumed since the dumpster was behind the municipal building that it was being paid for by the village with Clark responding calmly that the problem was with people presuming things instead of asking.

Also at issue was Clark’s use of the village truck as there had apparently been complaints after it was seen at Belmont-Harrison Joint Vocational School where Clark works.

Clark said that he had taken it to work on a few occasions so that he could go straight from there to run errands for the village and that if the council wanted he would not do so anymore.

There was a discussion about whether he was insured under those circumstances and Fiscal Officer Jeryl McGaffick said that their insurance representative believed it would be best to have a council vote on the books authorizing Clark’s use of the truck.

More discussion followed in which Clark said that if he had the truck and it was needed in the village he would leave school to return it.

Bober eventually made the motion to authorize Clark’s use of the vehicle in the manner being discussed, but voted “no” during the following roll call vote, with Preston Eberhart, John Jozwiak, and Randy Twarog voting in favor and Sandy Twarog voting “yes” while asking that such use be minimized. Councilman Chad Sutton was not at the meeting.

Clark said that the village was paying for a number, 330-476-7676, through his cell phone so that he could be reached at any time and that it was the emergency number printed on everyone’s water bills and encouraged council members and residents to call him if they hear of or have any issues that need his attention.

Lori Mann from the Flushing Fire Department was at the meeting to announce a number of upcoming events.

She said the fourth annual blood drive in honor of Vickie Henderson would be held on Sunday, Oct.11 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Flushing Fire Hall on High Street and that a take-out only $10 Baked Steak Dinner benefiting the department would be available that day starting at 11 a.m. until the tickets were gone.

Mann said their annual Cake Walk would be held on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 7-9 p.m. following the village Trick or Treat, which is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.