After days of speculation and media reports suggesting Mayor Skip Henderson was poised to recommend a candidate for city manager to city council Tuesday, it didn’t happen. Columbus has been conducting business as usual without a city manager since May of 2025 when the city council voted to fire Isaiah Hugley.
The city council meeting was a five-hour marathon that included no discussion about a replacement for city manager. Following the scheduled agenda the mayor and council went into an extended executive session. The mayor emerged afterwards saying that city officials discussed litigation, possible litigation and personnel matters before promptly adjourning the meeting.
Wild rumors about the identity of the new city manager have been circulating in the days since it was first reported that the mayor had settled on one candidate to present to council. The mayor makes a recommendation, but city council must vote to approve a candidate for city manager.
It is unclear if the public uproar surrounding the timing of an announcement had anything to do with the mayor’s failure to make a recommendation. Citizens including some political candidates for mayor and council expressed concern over a recommendation for a new city manager made just one week before the May 19 election. The mayor and council will have a decidedly new look, and many felt the newly elected leaders should have a say when it comes to selecting a new city manager.
The next regularly scheduled council meeting is May 26, 2026.
