Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson, Councilor John Anker clash in heated argument
Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson and Columbus Councilor John Anker of citywide District 9 clashed during Tuesday night’s Columbus Council meeting after Anker read a prepared statement criticizing the mayor for the decision to pause the city manager search.
During the public agenda portion of the meeting, after 2026 Columbus mayoral candidate Steve Kelly gave a speech criticizing the pause, Anker asked for a moment of time to read his statement.
He began asking Henderson whether any applicant had received a job offer for the city manager position. Columbus Councilor Toyia Tucker of District 4, who was absent from the meeting because she attended the Carver High School football team’s state championship game, made a post Monday on Facebook alleging a job offer was made for the city manager position.
The Ledger-Enquirer has made an open records request to find out where there is any documentation indicating that there was a job offer, but the city attorney’s office didn’t reply before publication.
Henderson replied to Anker’s question during the meeting.
“No,” the mayor said. “Simple answer.”
After asking this question, Anker then began reading his prepared statement criticizing the pause.
“You knew the city manager was retiring nearly three years ago when he entered the drop plan,” Anker claimed during the speech.
He then accused the mayor of doing nothing during that three-year period and taking months to assess, develop a recruiting plan and engage a company for recruiting.
“You went on record speaking of transparency and inclusion for the good of the community,” Anker said. “You promised a city manager by January of 2026. After narrowing 30 applicants down to the top five candidates, you again kick the can past your own written timeline to bring forth a candidate for recommendation.”
Anker accused Henderson of failing in his duty or “purposely refusing to perform” his duty for political reasons.
Department leaders are struggling because of “failed policies and failed procedures mandated by the past city manager,” Anker said. He also said the city’s budgets are “fantasies of reality, and they’re entirely inadequate to operate the various city services in a prudent professional manner in which the citizens expect and deserve.”
Anker ended his more than four-minute speech by asking Henderson whether he would make a candidate nomination within the next month.
Henderson said he wouldn’t, adding that such a conversation already had occurred.
“You’re the most reckless individual I think I’ve ever met,” Henderson told Anker. “I worry about the people of this community. Certainly, we have some challenges, and I’m involved in some of these, but I’ve never met anybody as arrogant as you, who makes this about themselves.”
The mayor told Anker he “didn’t know the process” because he was a “hired gun.”
“You came in here for one reason,” Henderson said. “You did it. You got rid of the city manager. You don’t know how to hire people. All you know how to do is fire people.”
In a 7-3 vote, the council fired city manager Isaiah Hugley during a meeting in May. Hugley now is running for mayor.
Henderson said Anker’s speech was full of “lies” and came from an unrealistic perspective. When Anker tried to respond, Henderson didn’t allow him.
“I try to answer you,” Henderson said. “And you’re going to cut me off. It’s another example of the arrogance and the rudeness that you bring to the table. I tried to warn the council when they were putting you on there. I’ve watched it for a number of months as you exhibited these traits.”
In a split vote during a March meeting, the council appointed Anker, who had run for mayor, to the seat vacated by the resignation of Judy Thomas.
Henderson said he was not going to “sacrifice quality for speed” in hiring a city manager.
He also said that one of the reasons they were struggling to find someone to take the position was because of what happened to the previous city manager, who was “a retired individual that then got fired the minute you got on council.”
Henderson alleged that Anker told him, when asked, that he would vote to fire Hugley.
“You said, ‘Shoot, I’ll make the nomination if they let me,’” Henderson told Anker. “A lot of this falls at your feet, sir, not mine. And we’re through with this discussion. But there’ll be more because you will continue to show the people of this community who you are.”
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 11:53 AM.
