In a race decided by less than 200 votes, incumbent mayor Trent Conaway edged out newcomer Misti Allison with 57 percent of the votes.

Conaway, returned to the Municipal Building on North Market Street late Tuesday night, where expressed gratitude for those who voted for him.

"Happy to be everybody's mayor, whether you voted for me or not --we're in this as village together.", the incumbent said, adding that it's going to take a village to get through this.

Among the top priorities for Conaway, finishing what's left of the cleaning process, and tending to the concerns of residents that are dealing with health issues.

"We need to get to the bottom of that--we would begin to put pressure on the federal government to try and get us some answers.", Conaway explained.  All of that an effort to try and calm fears almost a year after the derailment.

Conaway also tells 21 News that continuing to hold Norfolk Southern accountable throughout the remainder of the process is a focal point.

Over the next four years, the second-term mayor wants to see village projects through the finish line.

"We really need to clean up some of these dilapidated structures downtown, we need to find our identity, hopefully bring some more businesses in, bring some more people in and maybe get to city status again."

Other projects include, the village park and the fire department training center.  Most importantly Conaway wants to change the way people view East Palestine.

"We want to change the narrative of the village, we don't want to be known as the town that had the train wreck forever...we need to work to bring this village some other notoriety.", mayor Conaway added, saying that he would like to see a vibrant downtown or an industrial community.