Columbus residents and civic groups demand probe after council appoints John Anker; mayor signals review

Columbus residents and civic groups pressed the City Council on March 25 to investigate how council filled an at‑large seat after the resignation of Councilwoman Judy Thomas, saying the nomination of John Anker on March 11 lacked transparency and may have violated Georgia’s Open Meetings Act.

The public-comment period, which drew scores of speakers and an overflow audience, included repeated calls for an independent review. "Has the attorney general commissioned this investigation?" asked Melvin Tanner Jr., president of the NAACP Columbus, Georgia, saying the organization had circulated a petition asking Mayor Skip Henderson to request an attorney general inquiry. "Will the findings be disclosed to the public?" Tanner asked.

Why it matters: Speakers said the March 11 appointment was rushed and that private discussions among a quorum of councilors before the public meeting would run afoul of state open‑meeting rules. Multiple commenters tied the process to broader concerns about transparency and public trust in city governance.

Resident and activist Marquise Averett, who identified himself as a District 7 resident, urged a formal review and criticized Anker’s initial public remarks after confirmation. "Mister Anker, I'm sure you're a nice man, but simply being nice doesn't qualify," Averett said, adding that Anker had been rejected by voters in prior citywide contests. "There must be an investigation to see if there was a violation of the Open Meetings Act," he said.

Other speakers raised similar points about process and the charter. James Augren said he believed the appointment had been handled "in a very, improper way" and urged transparency about discussions that led to the nomination. Demetrius McBride of the Urban League Young Professionals urged an immediate charter review, calling attention to language in the charter cited during public comments (in the meeting several speakers referred to "section 6‑201" and other city charter provisions when describing vacancy procedures).

City response and next steps: Mayor Skip Henderson acknowledged community concern; at least one speaker credited the mayor with beginning an inquiry. A number of speakers asked Henderson to request an outside review by the Georgia attorney general; the NAACP’s petition, Melvin Tanner said, asks precisely that. The council later entered executive session for litigation and property matters; after the session the council returned and approved a settlement unrelated to the appointment matter.

Concurrent public support for the city manager: Dozens of public speakers also used the meeting to defend City Manager Isaiah Hugley and to oppose any effort to remove him. Carolyn Chaney said she did "not believe our city manager mismanaged any finances," and several other speakers urged that the council allow the manager to continue his work.

Formal actions recorded: The clerk’s agenda included and the council approved receipt of a resignation identified on the record as "resignation of Councilor John Anker" (clerk’s agenda item 1). After the public comments session the council moved into executive session for "litigation and acquisition and disposal of real estate," and later approved a settlement for an unrelated claim. No motion to rescind Anker’s appointment was on the council’s public agenda on March 25.

What the public asked for: Petition signers and speakers repeatedly asked for: (1) an independent investigation into whether councilors discussed the appointment in violation of the Open Meetings Act; (2) public disclosure of any findings; and (3) charter changes so future vacancies are handled with a fuller public process.

Evidence in the record: Public speakers on March 25 repeatedly cited the Georgia Open Meetings Act (referred to in comments as "Georgia code 50‑14‑1 / Open Meetings Act") and several callers urged use of the attorney general’s office. Council members and staff repeatedly said they would review the concerns and follow up. The council did not take a final vote on any change to the appointment on March 25.