Mayor Royer anticipates Waynesboro's upcoming America 250 celebration and reflects on his first year in office
By Robb Helfrick
Mayor Dade Royer began his monthly chat by anticipating the upcoming America 250 celebration. He was enthusiastic about Waynesboro’s plans to celebrate the milestone with unique commemorations and traditional events.
A few days earlier, banners by three local artists had appeared downtown, lining Main Street’s historic district. Royer was clearly pleased with the results, which included more than 100 decorative banners that celebrate local, state, and national accomplishments during the nation’s 250 years.
“They’ve created an amazing project,” Royer said, referring to artists and designers Larry Selman, Greg Small, and Andy Smetzer. “I bet there isn’t another small town in the state, or even the country, that can match that.”
Like many individuals and businesses in town, Royer sponsored several banners to help fund the project. His themed picks are sports-related- honoring locally born baseball player Don Heffner (who played with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig on the Yankees) and Kobe Bryant, the former basketball star and a favorite of Royer’s grandson.
Shifting his comments to local baseball, the Mayor congratulated the American Legion team for winning the Waynesboro Youth League’s Majors championship for the third straight year.
The artists who created the America 250 banners will be recognized at a special “Boro Bash 250” event that will commemorate America’s milestone birthday- celebrated Waynesboro-style- on Friday, July 3, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
This special occasion will take place at the Grove/Bowersox parking lot behind the post office. Included in the free festivities will be music from the Wayne Band, local history displays, food trucks, a kids zone, and a special reading of the Declaration of Independence. The event is being coordinated through Main Street Waynesboro.
Boro Bash will serve as a prelude to the traditional Waynesboro Jubilee celebration, which will include its usual 5k road race, local vendors and music, and July 4th fireworks at the high school. Waynesboro’s Independence Day parade will march down Main Street as always, now under the direction of Rodney Cool, who took the reins in 2025. “Rodney did a great job last year,” Royer said, “and we’re glad he stepped up to run the parade.”
The Mayor noted that a traveling Franklin County version of the Liberty Bell will likely be seen outside Borough Hall sometime during the July 4th week. Details of that special appearance will be announced soon. “It will add to the festivities we’ve planned in town.”
Royer also spoke about the Father’s Day Car and Truck show, which he first participated in last year when he became Mayor. The job came with an official pick: naming his favorite vehicle in the event. Last June, he chose a 1969 Chevelle Super Sport. That car came from his teenage era, as Royer reminisced about his first car, a 1969 Mustang.
Royer recalled that he started working at age 12 to save up money to buy a vehicle. He cut grass and worked as a busboy at the Big Dipper Restaurant in Rouzerville. By age 15, he had enough to buy that yellow Mustang. This year, at the Father’s Day weekend Car Show, Royer announced his “Mayor’s pick,” a car that roamed the streets during the same era, a 1971 VW Beetle convertible owned by Bob Baker. “The car show is a nostalgic event, and I enjoy being a part of it,” Royer said.
Mayoral activities during June and reflections on the first year in office
Mayor Royer noted that the Police and Fire Foundation’s second fundraising project came to fruition in June. The Waynesboro Fire Department hosted a free training seminar, funded by the foundation, on June 6. Royer praised Fire Chief Ray Griffin for putting the program together. “The presenters were highly respected,” Royer said, “and I understand that the seminar went well.”
Mayor Royer recently attended a Pennsylvania Association of Boroughs Conference with Borough Manager Jason Stains. At the Hershey event, they collaborated with statewide borough officials. The Mayor came away with a positive assessment of Waynesboro’s current municipal status. “We’re doing really well as a borough,” he said. Royer promised a full report on the conference at the next council meeting.
After the borough council approved three new police recruits on June 17, Royer said the trio was ready to enter Police Academy training in July. After completing a six-month program in Harrisburg, they will join the force in December.
Those hires will bring the department to 21 officers, the first time in 8 years it’s been fully staffed. “To have our police department where it is now is a positive development. Working with Police Chief Ramsey, we made recruitment a priority. We also wanted to hire local people, and all three of these newest hires are from the area.”
In May, Royer marked his first year in office. He reflected on that period, saying, “We got a lot done. We had a really good year.” The Mayor plans to complete a 1-year review to evaluate what went right and to identify issues and procedures that can be improved. “I feel good about what we’ve accomplished.”
Royer mentioned the implementation of a police drone program as an achieved goal and also promised that a license plate recognition system was coming soon. “We’ve kept our focus on making things better within the police department so we can better serve the citizens of Waynesboro. We want to make their lives safer and more comfortable.”
“I’m very excited about the first year. But there’s a lot more to do.” Royer said that police recruiting will be an ongoing mission. For 20 years, he owned a recruitment firm in the healthcare field. “Recruiting was a continuous process- it never stopped. Policing is the same situation; you have to stay on it, even if you don’t have a current opening.”
Royer closed by saying he will continue to communicate that Waynesboro is a great place to live and work. “We’ll keep putting that message out there.”
