East Palestine Appoints New Village Manager

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – The village announced Tuesday that Chad Edwards has been appointed new village manager, effective Wednesday.

Edwards has more than 17 years of governmental management experience. He has served as the city manager of Shinnston, West Virginia, since 2019. In this role, he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the city, including its budget, finance, human resources and public works departments.

He also managed a variety of initiatives, including a water treatment distribution project that replaced outdated sewer lines and the renovation of the city’s downtown area. 

“Chad Edwards brings a wealth of experience and knowledge as our new village manager,” said Mayor Trent Conaway. “We will certainly put his expertise to work as council, business owners and residents focus on rebuilding our village and making sure everyone knows East Palestine is once again a great place to live, work and enjoy.” 

The village has been working to recover from the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment.

Edwards, a native of Marietta, Ohio, previously served as the city manager of Gordon, Nebraska, and as the chief administrative officer, recorder and deputy mayor of Sistersville, West Virginia. He served as president, vice president and secretary of the West Virginia City Managers Association.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next village manager of East Palestine,” Edwards said. “I look forward to working with the Village Council and the community to build a strong and vibrant future for our village.”

Edwards earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio University and has a master’s degree in public administration from the George Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.