Manager’s contract was extended through December as the search lined up

On March 2 the City Commission unanimously extended City Manager Max Royle’s contract through December 31, 2026, instead of letting it end in July.

Royle said a July cutoff sat in the last quarter of the city’s fiscal year and called the date impractical. A December finish, he said, would let consultants start around August rather than aiming a new hire at midsummer.

Vice Mayor Virginia Morgan moved the extension. Commissioner Dylan Rumrell seconded. There were no public speakers. The vote keeps the city’s top administrative seat — and the payroll that goes with it — months past the original finish line.