City Council Votes To Fire City Manager Isaiah Hugley

At the May 27 Columbus City Council meeting, City Manager Isaiah Hugley was fired, angering community activists. The full meeting can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-bQy2t6BjU.

In a seven to three vote, Councilors Charmaine Crabb, Glenn Davis, Byron Hickey, Toyia Tucker, Joanne Cagle, John Anker and R. Walker Garrett voted in favor of the firing with only Councilors Gary Allen, Bruce Huff and Travis Chambers voting against the decision.

This seems to be the culmination of an ongoing feud between those seven council members and the city manager that began roughly six months ago with those councilors repeatedly questioning Hugley’s leadership, even though he has served as city manager for 20 years, and nearly 40 years in Columbus city government.

“I want to thank councilors Travis Chambers, Gary Allen and Bruce Huff for supporting me, and I also want to thank the mayor. I am proud of the work me and my team have accomplished. We have transformed Columbus, Ga. We've done great work,” Hugley said after the meeting. “I can assure you this council hasn't seen the last of me. You will see me because we're coming.”

The termination letter dated May 27, 2025, states: “The City Council has determined that a change in leadership is in the best interest of the City.

“…Over the past several months, departments under your direct supervision, including Animal Control and Finance, have experienced ongoing operational failures and lapses in oversight, some of which have resulted in law enforcement scrutiny and, in certain instances, criminal investigation. These investigations have resulted in great expense to the city and its taxpayers.”

Interestingly, the council’s latest issue with Hugley concerning a grant given to his wife, Georgia House Minority Leader Carolyn F. Hugley’s State Farm Agency, was not listed as a reason for his firing.

The letter continues: “Moreover, you made the decision not to place employees under investigation on administrative leave contrary to best practices and the Council’s expectations. This decision has contributed to recent allegations that those employees may have interfered with or obstructed the investigations.

“This decision-making and the ongoing issues within the departments that you oversee demonstrate a lack of leadership and failure to meet the standards of competence required for your role. As a result, Council has lost confidence in your leadership and has determined that a change is necessary to restore stability and uphold the integrity of City operations.”

Before the vote to fire Hugley, the Rev. Dr. Johnie H. Flakes III addressed the City Council about the perceived racial motivations of their accusations against Hugley.  

“The ongoing misrepresentations have created a hostile distrustful and divisive council which is not good for our city and is not good for what others see throughout the state of Georgia, now while we have so many good things going on in our city,” said Flakes.

He accused the council of continuous racist activities and actions related to department heads, especially those who are black and attended HBCUs, and are members of Divine Nine organizations.

Hugley has served as city manager since 2005 and previously had announced his plans to retire in December. Even after his termination, the city must continue to pay his regular salary and benefits until that time, giving him a six-month paid vacation. 

Recent developments, including the controversial appointments of John Anker and Byron Hickey to the City Council and public outcry related to these appointments have intensified scrutiny of Hugley's leadership. 

Community leaders and organizations such as the NAACP have expressed concerns over the council's handling of the appointment process, with some calling for investigations into potential violations of the Georgia Open Meetings Act and the seemingly racial connotations surrounding their unsubstantiated accusations against Hugley.

“The termination of City Manager Isaiah Hugley under the cover of darkness is reflective of how slaves were drug from their homes by white mobs in the middle of the night and lynched,” said National NAACP Board Member Ed DuBose. “It completes the statement by the city council member who said: ‘he has to be put in check’. This is a test of just how much the African American community is willing to accept. This should be a call to action for Black preachers, civil rights organizations, Black elected officials and all freedom-loving people in Columbus, Ga., to stand up against this corruption.”