Newburgh picks a familiar name in Evansville to be town manager

Newburgh has a new town manager.

Chris Cooke, longtime superintendent of Evansville City Cemeteries, got the job Wednesday night when the Newburgh Town Council formally voted to hire him. Cooke replaces Christy Powell, who left in April to become community development director for the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP).

The Town Council also promoted Andrea Balboni, Newburgh’s town facilities manager, to the position of deputy town manager. Balboni, a veteran of town government, had handled the day-to-day responsibilities of the manager position after Powell's departure.

Cooke, 48, has been Evansville's city cemeteries director since George W. Bush was president. He was named to the job in March 2008 by then-Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.

"I’m going to take my years of experience in government and apply it to the town of Newburgh," Cooke told the Courier & Press. "I’m just humbled and honored to be given this opportunity to serve the town board, the employees of the town of Newburgh, the citizens of the town of Newburgh and the business owners in this capacity.

"Together we’re going to move the ball forward."

Cooke also has been president of United Neighborhoods of Evansville, president of the Indiana Cemetery Association and chairman of the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Emergency Management Agency advisory board, among other past civic involvements.

Allyson Shelby, second vice president of the five-member Newburgh Town Council, said Cooke's extensive experience in municipal government made him the right choice to be town manager.

"He has a great working knowledge of how local government works and has a great track record of success," Shelby said.

"(Cooke) is somebody that really dives into the job that he’s doing and does his homework and becomes an expert in his field. I look forward to him bringing that same attitude to Newburgh."

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Newburgh picks a familiar name in Evansville to be town manager