Residents demand transparency after council's removal of city manager; call for public forums and legal action

Several residents used the public comment period at the June 3 Columbus City Council meeting to criticize the council's recent vote to remove the city manager and to call for greater transparency and public forums.

Marvin Broadwater Sr., who identified himself as a private citizen from Columbus, said the dismissal was "100% wrong" and urged council members who voted for the dismissal to meet with their constituents. "If you are not afraid, we ask you to hold a public meeting," Broadwater said. He asked councilors to stop "hiding behind the charter" and to listen to the public across all districts.

John Fitzpatrick Jr., who said he formerly served as a chief deputy with the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, also criticized the council's action and characterized the removal as part of a longer-term plan. Fitzpatrick said he expected civic engagement and possible legal challenges and that young people would seek council seats in response.

John Scott, a property owner who said he had been in Atlanta earlier in the day, referenced rising utility costs and urged the council to find alternatives to raising taxes, suggesting a criminal audit by federal authorities as a means to locate missing funds; that audit suggestion was offered as an opinion by a public commenter and was not an action proposed or endorsed by the council.

Council members did not take action on the city manager's removal during this meeting; the comments were part of the public comment period. Several speakers asked the council to hold district-level public forums so more residents can be heard outside standard meeting hours.