WAYNESBORO – During a special meeting of the Borough Council on May 27, Waynesboro officials appointed two men to leadership positions in the town’s government. Dade Royer took the oath as the new mayor, and Todd Blake was sworn in as the new councilman for the first ward.
Both men will serve out these recently vacated offices until their respective terms expire in January 2026.
The council considered the decision to appoint both men following the death of long-time Mayor Richard “Dick” Starliper, who died on May 16. Both Royer and Blake ran for these same offices on the Republican ticket in the May 20 primary, and each candidate won. Since neither Republican will face a challenger in the November general election, Royer is the presumptive winner for outright election as mayor and will likely serve a four-year term when the current mayoral term ends. Blake is also the presumed winner in his bid for Borough Council in first ward and will also fulfill a full term if elected.
Council President Harold Mumma opened the meeting by asking the panel to accept Royer’s resignation as the first ward councilman. Royer did not seek reelection to this council seat to run for the mayor’s office. The council approved the move and then voted to appoint Royer as mayor. The procedure was necessary since an individual cannot hold both a council seat and the mayor’s office simultaneously. Blake was then appointed to fill Royer’s vacated first ward seat on the panel.
The Honorable Mary Beth Shank administered the oath of office to Royer and Blake as their families and council members witnessed the ceremony. Both men posed for pictures with each group and then took their assigned seats at the board table.
Royer brings leadership credentials to the mayor’s office. During his service over three terms on the Borough Council, Royer was instrumental in the panel’s recent accomplishments. Several completed infrastructure projects added safety features and provided new recreational aspects to Waynesboro. One project was the Ed Miller Trail, which connects Memorial Park to Renfrew Park. Another success story was upgraded lighting installed downtown and on Walnut Street.
Royer has also been active in the community, serving as a board member in organizations such as the American Cancer Society of Franklin County, YMCA, Rotary Club of Waynesboro and Otterbein Church. The Waynesboro native was also the past President of Renfrew Museum and Park, which interprets his ancestors’ homeplace, a farm settled during the town’s founding era.
As mayor, Royer’s main responsibility centers on managing the town’s police force. During his primary election campaign, candidate Royer stated his vision for a two-pronged approach to ensure an effective public safety program. At the forefront, he believes in strict law enforcement, especially in fighting illegal drugs. “I’m going to be an advocate for drug prevention,” he said, stressing those substances can tear apart the fabric of a community.
Royer believes the second component of a well-functioning police force is “building relationships within the community.” His plan to implement this policy is to hire officers with local connections. Waynesboro’s Police Chief Ryan Ramsey was present at the swearing-in ceremony to show support for his new partnership with chief executive Royer.
After taking the oath, Mayor Royer made a brief statement. “This has been a bittersweet week and a half losing Mayor Starliper. I’m thankful the council had confidence in me to finish out his term. I’m also thankful to the voters, both Republicans and Democrats, who voted for me in the primary to get me into the election in November and hopefully to be re-installed as mayor in January.”
Now representing the first ward, Blake said: “I’m excited to be in the role with the support of my family. I’m happy to be here and ready to work.” This council seat is the first elected office for Blake. During his career at Volvo/Mack Trucks in Hagerstown, he prepared for his new council role by serving as a negotiator for the Mack Truck National Bargaining Committee. Blake has also served two terms on Waynesboro’s Borough Authority. During his campaign, Blake mentioned he enjoyed helping people resolve issues and intended to be a voice for the community. That message resonated with voters, and Blake won the primary election in his ward.
The council members offered encouragement to both leaders. Councilman Mike Cermak congratulated Mayor Royer and welcomed new Councilman Blake. “Beginnings are always exciting,” Councilman Pat Fleagle said. “We look forward to working with you.” Councilman Jon Fleagle mentioned he’d worked with Blake on the Borough Authority and was certain he would perform well on the council.
Since Royer was the current Borough Council vice president before his resignation, President Mumma asked the panel if any member wanted to make a motion to appoint a new VP. Councilman Jon Fleagle suggested fellow Councilman Cermak as an able choice, and that motion was seconded and approved by the council.
Mumma congratulated both leaders and thanked their families for attending. He then announced that the regularly scheduled June 18 Borough Council meeting was switched to June 11 and adjourned the meeting.
