EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – For the second time since the Norfolk Southern train derailment two years ago, East Palestine has a new village manager.
Day-to-day, the village always has had a lot going on, but now there’s the overseeing of the recovery from the derailment. And division over the recovery efforts have become commonplace.
Antonio Diaz-Guy sees his new role as fitting into many buckets, and he believes the key is “true transparency” and progress.
“I think a lot of the division or frustration that people have can stem from the feeling that we’re spinning our wheels, that a lot of things are happening but nothing is getting done,” Diaz-Guy said. “And so my approach is to drive results.”
Diaz-Guy has a passion for the village. He grew up in nearby Negley and graduated from East Palestine schools, spending most of his childhood in the village. He said he believes when people come into East Palestine, they should see changes every month, something visible and palpable.
Additionally, he said for individuals who have health concerns, the village should be able to help provide resources.
Diaz-Guy, on the job for only a week, was already looking at the health monitoring data and information to get a better understanding of the situation.
“There’s a lot in this situation we don’t have control over, and I don’t think the answer is to dismiss anybody that has concerns – it is to help them find the right avenue to get those concerns addressed,” he said.
Beyond the derailment, Diaz-Guy said downtown revitalization and the need to work on being business friendly is a big focus. He believes that includes looking at current codes and ordinances.
“We’re asking ourselves, is this situating the village for success?” he said. “Are we attracting businesses who want to grow and need a home to set up? Are they welcome in East Palestine?”
He said he wants to make sure the village departments are working cooperatively and communicating regularly. He sees several projects without defined objectives, including the question of how the village expands its footprint and draws industry to the area. Which direction does expansion happen?
Diaz-Guy suggests taking another look at tools such as Joint Economic Development Zones to expand the village and grow jobs. He would like to see more people and companies investing in East Palestine.
The Feb. 3, 2023, derailment has led to several projects that will need to be overseen. Those include the major $25 million renovation of East Palestine Park.
Diaz-Guy recommended to Village Council on Monday to continue to allow Norfolk Southern’s contractors to continue with the project, citing continuity. He said a change at this point would push the project behind even further.
“I think my responsibility is to make sure, at the end of the day, East Palestine gets the best bang for its buck, and that we have, at the end of the process, a very functional park with nice assets that the community and visitors can use,” Diaz-Guy said, adding that the project will be completed with adjustments within the budget. “I have a long-term strategy, as well, for how we can extract as much value out of what we have for that park.”
Village Council agreed to continue with the current arrangement with Norfolk Southern’s contractor, Michael Baker International, to finish the first phase of the project in late May and soon get contracts awarded for the second phase, which includes the construction of a swimming pool.
Mayor Trent Conaway said he believes Diaz-Guy is the right person for the job.
“We found a goal-oriented person to help us run the village, and we’re very happy with our selection. … I had no hesitation with this candidate,” Conaway said, adding Diaz-Guy is intelligent and has been impressive to this point. “I think he’s the right person to take us to the next step, to make East Palestine what it once was again.”
Conaway said Diaz-Guy’s past experience as a manager on projects is serving him well in his new role.
Diaz-Guy has undergraduate degrees in economics and philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh. He is one class away from completing his MBA at Youngstown State University. He has worked in the medical imaging field for over a decade, moving his way up at United Technical Support Services.
“I’ve been professionally educated, and then have been baptized by the fire of the private sector,” Diaz-Guy said, “and learned what it was like to keep employees happy and grow a business with cost constraints. And I see that experience as directly relevant to the business of running the village.”
Diaz-Guy, who has watched East Palestine struggle to recover from the derailment, said he felt he has the leadership skills needed and can execute what the village needs to move forward and grow.
“I feel called to do this. … I’ve always wanted to help the community, but I was never able to dedicate my entire job to it,” he said. “Now I can.”
Pictured at top: Antonio Diaz-Guy.