Residents of a waterfront community in Bellport claim their mayor is abusing his power and misusing taxpayer money when it comes to getting rid of his trash.

Community activist Tom Schultz captured video of village employees, paid by taxpayers, hauling away buckets of Mayor Frank Trotta?s personal garbage for recycling.

"It?s embarrassing, and to me it?s an abuse of power, a misuse of public trust,? Schultz says.

Carolyn Holtz, a Bellport business owner, agrees. She says she doesn?t think the mayor is being a good citizen. Holtz says she and other business owners pay to have their trash hauled off and recycled.

Mayor Trotta says he doesn?t think having his personal trashed picked up on the taxpayers? dime is wrong. Trotta told News 12 Long Island if business owners told him they wanted the village to take away their recyclables, he would make it happen.

Holtz says she just wants Trotta to take care of his own garbage and let village employees tend to other important work that needs to be done.