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 eight 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, former Chief Jailer of the largest jail in the State of Georgia and retired in 2025 as a prison Warden. 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 first four years. In November of 2025, Dennis was elected Mayor and was sworn in and began his term on January 15, 2026.
Call: 470-820-5608
