Mayor:  A. R. (Rick) Roberts, III

Rick Roberts has been Mayor of Ball Ground since 1988, with a break in term between 1993 and early 1996. Mayor Roberts was an organizer of Cherokee Bank, N.A. in Canton, GA and a Board Member and EVP/Chief Financial Officer for the bank from 1999 until 2014.  He is currently retired from banking.

Prior to that, he spent twenty years with Citizens Bank, Cherokee County, in various capacities, the last six years as Executive Vice President.

A Georgia native and lifelong resident, Roberts attended University of Georgia (BS-1976) and Georgia State University (MBA Program). He is married to Elaine Fraser, and they have two adult sons.

Contact Information

Office Phone:   770.735.2123
Cell Phone:  770.598.4549
Email Mayor Roberts

Memberships & Affiliations

• Mayor of Ball Ground – 1988-1993, 1996-present
• President, Cherokee Municipal Association, 1998-2001, 2006-2016
• Member of the Cherokee County Municipal Planning Commission, 1987-2000
• Board Member, Cherokee County Development Authority, 2000-present
• Ball Ground STEM Academy Advisory Council Member, 1998-present
• Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District Board – 2001-2004 & 2008-2010
• Graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, 1997
• Served as Vice Chair of Cherokee Recreation and Parks Authority, 1994-2000
• Member of the Reinhardt University Board of Trustees since 2009
• Charter Class member of Leadership Cherokee 1988
• Board member Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce 1996-2000
• Member Rotary Club of Canton 1990-1997
• Board member Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) 2006-2007; 2016-Present
• Awarded Certificate of Recognition  from Georgia Municipal Training Institute/Carl Vincent Institute of Government 2006,  Certificate of Achievement 2009, and Certificate of Excellence 2017.
• Georgia Municipal Association Board of Directors 2008-2010, 2014-present
• Inducted into the Georgia Municipal Association Hall of Fame 2009(48th inductee)
• Metro Atlanta Mayors Association Executive Committee 2006-2010; 2016 – Present
• GMA Legislative Policy Committee 2010-2012

City Manager:  Eric Wilmarth

The City Manager is responsible for providing oversight of the day-to-day activities of the city and project management on behalf of the Mayor and City Council. Other responsibilities include fiduciary responsibilities, public relations, policy implementation and coordination of City activities. The City Manager is appointed by the Mayor and serves at his pleasure.

About the City Manager…

Eric W. Wilmarth serves as the City Manager for the City of Ball Ground, Georgia, a rapidly growing City in northern Cherokee County with a population of approximately 3,500 people and combined annual operating budgets of approximately 7 million dollars. Having served in this position since 2001, he manages the operations of seven City departments and contract services.

Eric is a native of Kingsley, Pennsylvania, a retired Sergeant First Class and a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. He is married to Shena A. Mullins and together they have three children.

Contact Information:

Office Phone:  770/735.2123
Email City Manager

Memberships & Affiliations

• Ball Ground City Manager 2000 – Present
• Metropolitan Atlanta North Georgia Water Planning District Technical Coordinating Committee 2001 – 2004 and 2008-2010
• Leadership Cherokee 2002
• Regional Leadership Institute 2004
• Class 3 Water Treatment Plant Operating License
• Member of The Association of Water Professionals
• Member of Georgia City-County Management Association
• Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority Board Member 2017 – Present

City Clerk:  Kaylyn Bush

Appointed by the Mayor and Council, the City Clerk is the official record keeper for the City. Duties include recording and maintaining the Council’s official actions in the minutes, coordinating and distributing the agendas, maintaining contracts, ordinances, resolutions and agreements for the City, attesting signatures of the Mayor and Council, and keeping the City Seal. The City Clerk oversees the adoptions and publishing of the Code of Ordinances and helps to ensure that all open record requests are in accordance to the Open Records Act. The City Clerk also serves as the Superintendent of Elections for all City Elections.

About the City Clerk…

Kaylyn joined the City of Ball Ground in October 2023 as a Customer Service Clerk, bringing strong organizational skills and a commitment to public service. In January 2025, she was appointed as City Clerk. She is presently pursuing to become a Georgia Certified Clerk through the Georgia Clerks Education Institute offered by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia, furthering her knowledge and expertise in municipal administration.

In this role, she oversees official city records, supports the Mayor and City Council, and ensures transparency and compliance with municipal regulations. Kaylyn is dedicated to serving the residents of Ball Ground with professionalism, integrity, and a focus on community engagement.

Contact Info

Office phone:  770.735.2123
Email the City Clerk

Memberships & Affiliations

The Ball Ground City Council consists of five members elected at large by the residents of Ball Ground. In order to qualify as a candidate for office, an individual must be at least 18 years old and have been a resident of the City of Ball Ground for at least twelve consecutive months prior to the date of qualification. Each post is elected City wide, and a candidate may simply choose which post number they wish to seek election to. Council terms are for four years.

Questions?
Contact the City Clerk for additional information.

Scott Barnes, Council Member — Post #1

Sworn In: 2023

Scott Barnes and his wife Judy have lived in the City of Ball Ground since 2001.

Scott and his wife have two grown daughters who both grew up in Ball Ground. Scott is retired from Leadership at Publix Supermarkets after 43 years of service. Scott is currently a member of the Cherokee County Planning Commission which he been involved with for the past 14 years representing the City of Ball Ground. Scott has been involved across Cherokee County in various roles of community service since 1997. Scott’s passions are hiking, fly fishing, and spending time with family. Scott is a member of Orange United Methodist Church located in the Lathemtown community.

• Email Councilman Barnes

Call: 470-820-4826

Annette Homiller, Council Member — Post #2

Sworn In: 2023

Annette and her husband Dan live in the historic Stripling-Lovelady-Homiller house. They have two adult sons that they raised in Cary, North Carolina, two precious daughters-in-law, and one precious granddaughter. Having lived in New Mexico, New Jersey, Alabama, Ohio, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Brussels, Belgium before coming to Georgia for college; Annette brings a unique perspective to the City Council. She graduated with a Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1986.

Annette regularly volunteers in the Ball Ground Care Closet—a clothing and food pantry inside the Ball Ground Elementary School. She is an active member of the Ball Ground Garden Club. Besides gardening, her other hobbies are sewing, crocheting, crafting, doing puzzles, reading, biking, and hiking. Annette also enjoys walking her dog, Sheba, a miniature Australian labradoodle.

• Email Councilwoman Homiller

Call: 470-820-5693

Vicki Benefield — Post #3

Sworn In: 2021

Mrs. Benefield was sworn in on November 18, 2021 to fill an unexpired Post #3 City Council seat.

Vicki and her husband, Bob first moved to Ball Ground in 2003, moving into the city in 2016.  She has been an active volunteer within Cherokee County since 1991 and has been involved with many charities.  As an entrepreneur, she developed an in-depth knowledge of research, writing, and maintaining government and private grants.  As a former congressional representative, Vicki is experienced in working with constituents and assisting them in resolving any issues they had. She brings experience, conservative values, commitment, and a keen desire to serve the people in our city.  “I am not a politician; I am a citizen who genuinely cares about Ball Ground and the people who live and work here.”

Council Member Benefield is a member of the Downtown Development Authority, Chair of the Roads, Streets and Sidewalks Committee and Co-Chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee.

• Email Councilwoman Benefield

Call: 470-820-5494

Kristine Rogers, Council Member — Post #4

Sworn In: 2022

Kristine and her husband, Donald, moved to Ball Ground in 2006. They currently reside in the Historic District in downtown. Kristine and Donald have two daughters, Alexis and Courtney. Alexis works at Northside Cherokee Hospital, and Courtney is a police officer. In 1990, Kristine graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Kristine worked as a Finance Director for a private college in Tampa, Florida. Since then, Kristine has been involved in various aspects of community outreach and volunteer work within the communities she has resided. Kristine has the best interest of both the citizens and the city in mind, and she looks forward to serving the community.

Council Member Rogers is the Chair of the Public Safety Committee and the Co-Chair of the Finance, Insurance and Personnel Committee.

• Email Councilwoman Rogers

Call: 470-820-5555

Dennis Nelson, Council Member — Post #5

Sworn In: 2022

Dennis and his wife, Dawn live in the Mountain Brooke North subdivision. They have lived in Cherokee County for 30 years and over six years in Ball Ground. They have two grown boys on their own now. One is a high school science and biology teacher and the other is a former combat United States Marine veteran. They have three grandchildren.

Dennis has a 45-year career in law enforcement and has held top executive positions with several notable Georgia law enforcement agencies. He has held positions of Police Chief, Chief Jailer of the largest jail in the State and is currently a Prison Warden where he oversees a department of 168 full-time employees assigned in the areas of corrections, code enforcement, and refuse control.

Council Member Nelson is the Mayor Pro-Tem, Chair of the Water, Sewer, and Sanitation Committee and the Co-Chair of the Public Safety Committee.

• Email Councilman Nelson

Call: 470-820-5608