A Mayor’s Field Report On Service And Momentum

We share the latest Waynesville wins, from a weather-pivoted Sapper competition to national recognition for electric reliability. We also honor a standout police officer, preview upcoming community events, and ask you to help keep the city’s momentum going. 
• Sapper competition success despite weather changes 
• Thanks to Waynesville R6, Fort Leonard Wood partners, and community support 
• Why positive change in City Hall is not a coincidence 
• Recognition of Officer Shauna Player and the Waynesville Police Department 
• Waynesville Municipal Utilities ranked for exceptional electric reliability 
• CVMA All American Patriot Runner details and why it matters 
• Pulaski County Wellness Conference schedule, location, and resources 
• Simple ways to strengthen Waynesville through daily civic action 
Attend a city council meeting, volunteer for a board or a commission, shop local, cheer on our neighbors when they succeed.

Transcript

Welcome And Weekly Update

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Good morning. This is Sean Wilson, the mayor of Waynesville, with your weekly update for April 19th, 2026. This was a great weekend. We had the best Sapper competition that took place in the city of Waynesville. Of course, we had to relocate from the Ruby Doo Park and to the high school, but it was still a phenomenal event. We had our jumpers that came from West Point. Um, and we want to thank all of our partners for making this event happen for our community. Um, our partners being the Waynesville R6 School District under the leadership of Hillary Bales. Thank you for uh allowing the Waynesville High School to be the fallback location for this event due to the weather that we encountered on last week that saturated the field and made it um impossible for us to conduct the event at that location. Also with uh Colonel Hudson from the Engineer Regiment and our partners on Fort Leonardwood to continue bringing that event to our community. It was a great turnout, a great time to get together and share what the engineer regiment and our partners who serve our nation in this community, bringing it to our community so that everyone can understand even more so what our soldiers do on a day-in and day out basis. So thank you for all of our partners. I'll ask you this also do you have you noticed something? There's good things happening in our city. New leadership in City Hall, national recognition for our utilities, employees are growing through leadership programs, and our calendar is full of events that bring us closer together. That's not a coincidence, that's the result of people who care deeply about this community showing up and doing the work every single day. With that being said, I wanted to take a moment to recognize Waynesville Police Officer Shauna Player. Officer Player has been honored for the outstanding service and dedication to our city. Every day, our police officers put their uniform on and commit to protecting the people of Waynesville. And Officer Player exemplifies the very best of that commitment. So thank you to Officer Player, Chief Dan Cordover, and the entire Waynesville Department. Waynesville is safer and stronger because of you. Also, have some great news on the infrastructure side. Waynesville Municipal Utilities has received national recognition for achieving exceptional electric reliability in the year of 2025. When you flip the switch on in Waynesville, the lights come on, and our team has been recognized across the country for making that happen. We are in the top 25% of the best reliable and most reliable utility services in the nation. The next time you see a utility crew worker working, give them a wave and a thank you for the hard work that they continue to do. Now let's take a look ahead at a few events that are taking place. First, lace up your runner shoes, the CVMA All American Patriot Runner is on Saturday, April 25th. Whether you're a serious runner or just looking for some fun and a way to get outside, this event is for you. Our community is has deep ties to Fort Linnwood. Make this run especially meaningful. So grab your red, white, and your blue and run with purpose. Coming up here on May 1st, Friday, the third annual Pulassian County Wellness Conference. This is a great event. I encourage you to go out there and support. It begins at 8 30 a.m. and it's going to be over about one, a little bit after 1 o'clock p.m. It'll be located at the Waypoint Methodist United Methodist Church on Highway T. This is a bunch of wellness resources, health screenings, expert speakers, and practical tips for the whole family. Your health matters in Waynesville. So make sure you go and you support this event. If you got any questions, you can always call the Pulaski County Health Department and speak to a representative there. They can give you more information on registering and how you can attend this event. There's still time to register. And I want to end with this. I want to say, Waynesville, this message is from my heart. We need you to be a part of what's happening in our community every single day. Attend a city council meeting, volunteer for a board or a commission, shop local, cheer on our neighbors when they succeed. Every single one of us plays a role in building the community of Waynesville, and we want you to live here and know that you can be a part of the change and improving things throughout our community and a quality of life for all that reside here. So let's keep the momentum going. Look out for your neighbors, support the local businesses. Every small act of connection builds a stronger community. Together, we can build a better, stronger, and a more connected Waynesville. We are one. We are the people are the community. It's not the staff, it's not the city. The city is the people. We make up the city. And we have a culture that we want to work together and we want to support one another. And we want to see every business, every community, our students, and all that live here succeed. So I say please look for a way to be a part of building something great. Find your place, find your niche, and help build our community because we're going to need one another even more so as the days go by. So thank you for your support in making Waynesville a place to live, grow, and thrive. Enjoy your week, and I look forward to seeing you around the town.