Office of the Assistant City Manager

Assistant City Manager: Palmer Rogers

About the Assistant City Manager…

Palmer Rogers joined the City of Ball Ground in July 2025 as the Assistant City Manager and Community Development Director. In this dual role, he serves as a key member of the City’s executive leadership team, overseeing community development efforts and supporting the City Manager with a wide range of administrative and operational initiatives.

Palmer brings over a decade of local government experience, having served in multiple Metro Atlanta municipalities. He recently earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Georgia with a focus on local government administration.

Originally from Kennesaw, Georgia, Palmer has called Cherokee County home since 2016. He and his wife, Beth, are foster parents to two young children and are active members of the community.

Contact Information:

Office Phone: 770.735.2123
Email City Manager

Office of the Mayor

Mayor: Dennis Nelson

Chair to the Ethics Committee

Sworn In: 2026

Dennis and his wife, Dawn have lived in Cherokee County for over 32 years with seven of those years in Ball Ground. They reside in the Mountain Brooke North subdivision. Together, they have two grown sons and three grandchildren.

Dennis has worked in law enforcement for 46 years holding top executive positions with notable law enforcement agencies for most of that time. He is a former Police Chief, retired prison Warden, former Chief Jailer of the largest jail in the State of Georgia and is currently a Division Chief with the City of Alpharetta Police Department. Dennis was President of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police in 2017, the largest law enforcement association in the State of Georgia and was a delegate to the Nation of Israel training with their national police.

Dennis was elected to the Ball Ground City Council in 2021 as a councilmember and served as Mayor Pro-Tempore during those past four years. In November of 2025, Dennis was elected Mayor and was sworn in and began his term on January 15, 2026.

• Email Mayor Nelson

Call: 470-820-5608

Office of the City Manager

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.

Jack Tuszynski, PhotoJack.net, Photojack.net@gmail.com

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

Office of the City Clerk

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

Georgia Association of Business Tax Officials- Present

Georgia Municipal Clerks Association- Present
Georgia Association of Business Tax Officials Hospitality Committee- Present
Georgia Muncipal Clerks Association Hospitality Committee-Present

City Council

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
Mayor Pro-Tem

Chair of the Roads, Streets, and Sidewalks Committee

Co-chair of the Finance, Insurance, and Personnel Committee & Water, Sewer, and Sanitation Committee.

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

Historic Preservation Commission

Co-chair of the Roads, Streets, and Sidewalks Committee

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

Chair of the Economic Development Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee

Co-chair of the Ethics Committee & Public Safety Committee

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.”

• Email Councilwoman Benefield

Call: 470-820-5494

Kristine Rogers, Council Member — Post #4

Chair of the Public Safety Committee

Co-chair of the Economic Development Committee & Parks and Recreation Committee

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.

• Email Councilwoman Rogers

Call: 470-820-5555