2026 Georgia General Election

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NC Voter Coalition (demo)

North Carolina

Background in Architecture: I studied architecture in college, and architecture and city planning have remained lifelong passions of mine.

Meet Paul

Service

I have served my local church in a variety of roles, including as a member of the Leadership Team, a Children’s Ministry volunteer, and the communications leader for evangelical outreach efforts.

We have been married for 48 years and have one daughter, Sarah, who lives with her husband Ted, in Atlanta. Many people in Ball Ground know me as “Luke’s dad”. Luke is our Weimaraner-mix who walks with me daily through downtown. If Luke was running for City Council, I think this would be a slam dunk!

Paul Sorrentino studied architecture in college. He has served his local church as a Leadership Team member, a Children’s Ministry volunteer, and communications leader for evangelical outreach efforts. He and his wife, Mary, have been married for 48 years and have one daughter.

Real Estate Experience: I have had a real estate license for 50 years, although I am now retired from actively selling real estate.

Leadership and Management Experience: I have held senior leadership positions – including Vice President of Operations, Regional Vice President, and Senior Vice President – with Fortune 500 companies and smaller entrepreneurial firms in global relocation management, human resources consulting, and technology.

Business Ownership: I served for 23 years as president and owner of a corporate consulting, real estate, and training firm.

Design and Entrepreneurship: I also owned an art glass and design company, combining my entrepreneurial experience with my lifelong interest in art and design.

Paul Sorrentino is retired from selling real estate. He previously held senior leadership positions, including vice president of operations, regional vice president, and senior vice president, with companies in global relocation management, human resources consulting, and technology. He was president and owner of a corporate consulting, real estate, and training firm and owned an art glass and design company.

I would work to ensure that Ball Ground retains its conservative roots. I believe in merit-based hiring and promotion of employees – period. I also believe in competitive bidding for city contractors based upon such factors as price and quality – not on other criteria.

Full disclosure on me: I am a Conservative Republican. I am fiscally conservative, so I’m a budget-watcher. I believe in merit-based employee practices – no DEI stuff for me. Choose the best person for the job, period. When awarding city contracts, I believe in hiring the best overall service provider without other influences or special criteria.

The Myth About Nonpartisan Elections

Supports merit-based hiring and promotion of city employees.

Supports competitive city contracting based on price and quality rather than other criteria.

- Supports merit-based hiring and promotion of city employees.
- Supports competitive city contracting based on price and quality rather than other criteria.

Economy

Hold quarterly town hall meetings where citizens can ask questions and engage with city leaders in a more relaxed environment. These meetings can foster an open exchange of information and ideas that is not possible during a formal council meeting. They would also give city leaders valuable insight into the concerns of citizens and business owners, while reassuring people that their voices are being heard.

Improving Communication: City Council Meetings

Possible Improvements:

Provide a more detailed introduction of the topic being discussed so that citizens have more background information. During the introduction, address the audience – not just the council – and change the zoning “lingo” into more understandable language so the audience can understand.

Possible Improvements:

Invite more comments. Review the rules to see if anything can be changed so that addressing the council is not so intimidating for citizens. Have a portable microphone available for anyone who has trouble making it to the podium or is more comfortable speaking from their seat.

A perfect example of this is the brick monument wall at the BG Hwy entry to downtown, which I believe was built back in 2014. It's an imposing brick wall with nice lettering that is back-lit at night, and the city does a nice job of landscaping around it- but it needs some help. It's' in real need of a good cleaning and conveys a worn out image to anyone entering downtown. But it's also an easy fix by just cleaning the brick, painting it an off-white color or using a process called German Schmear, which gives the brick an elegant aged look. I don't think any of these options would cost a lot of money, but what a difference it would make in showing the pride that we have in our small city!

About Aesthetics in Ball Ground

Proposes quarterly town halls where residents can question and engage with city leaders.

Proposes clearer meeting introductions and plain-language explanations of zoning matters for residents.

Proposes expanding public comment opportunities and reducing barriers to speaking at council meetings.

Proposes cleaning or repainting the downtown entrance monument wall to improve its appearance.

- Proposes quarterly town halls where residents can question and engage with city leaders.
- Proposes clearer meeting introductions and plain-language explanations of zoning matters for residents.
- Proposes expanding public comment opportunities and reducing barriers to speaking at council meetings.
- Proposes cleaning or repainting the downtown entrance monument wall to improve its appearance.

Public Services

Some developments being built today were approved years ago, under a different vision for the city, and those prior approvals may limit what can now be changed. But wherever the city retains discretion, I would like us to take a careful look at our zoning map and ordinances and ask whether they support Ball Ground’s unique character. Our goal should be thoughtful growth—to avoid becoming an extension of the cities to our south. I believe the city is going to be working on that, and I would like the opportunity to impact our future as a member of the City Council.

WHY ZONING MATTERS

Our zoning ordinances provide for everything from small lots to large estate properties. The question then is: What do we put where? As it stands, I believe our zoning, in some places, supports suburban sprawl more than it supports an independent city, centered around its own downtown. For example, we have high-density small lot zoning well outside the downtown area. That encourages the same pattern of scattered suburban sprawl we see in cities to our south.

Ball Ground already has a strong downtown core: shops, restaurants, City Hall, the police department, the post office, parks, the botanical garden, and the library are all close to one another. With an active downtown like ours, zoning should support a traditional city design so we don’t just blend into the cities around us.

We are fortunate that the areas to our north, east, and west remain largely rural. That gives us an opportunity to protect the edges of the city and create a logical transition from rural land to neighborhoods to downtown.

If that happened to Windward Parkway 28 years ago, it can happen here. We’re next in line for the growth coming up the I 575 corridor. We need to be careful. Do we want a Cosco, Home Depot, Target or other big box stores lining Ball Ground Highway? Or endless strip malls surrounded by huge parking lots? My vote would be “no”.

TG FOR BG

Some cities chase those types of business because they bring in good tax revenue – but I don’t think the revenue is worth losing who we are. We have important decisions to make.

Advocates reviewing zoning rules to support Ball Ground’s character and guide thoughtful growth.

Believes zoning should support a traditional downtown-centered city design rather than scattered suburban sprawl.

Supports protecting the city’s edges and creating a transition from rural land to neighborhoods and downtown.

Opposes big-box stores and extensive strip-mall development along Ball Ground Highway, despite potential tax revenue.

- Advocates reviewing zoning rules to support Ball Ground’s character and guide thoughtful growth.
- Believes zoning should support a traditional downtown-centered city design rather than scattered suburban sprawl.
- Supports protecting the city’s edges and creating a transition from rural land to neighborhoods and downtown.
- Opposes big-box stores and extensive strip-mall development along Ball Ground Highway, despite potential tax revenue.

Housing & Urban Development

As of October 1, 2026, Paul Sorrentino’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Energy & the Environment

Facebook

Paul Sorrentino

Candidate website

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.

City Council

Scott is retired from a leadership role at Publix Supermarkets.

City Council - City of Ball Ground Georgia

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 currently serves as a member of the Ball Ground City Council for Post 1 and was sworn in during 2023.

As of October 1, 2026, Scott Barnes’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Item 7: Old Business
a. Consider a Second Reading of Rezoning Ordinance- McKinley Homes and Parks Huff (Flint Property)- Case 2025-R-01

Council Member Barnes made a motion, Seconed by Council Member Homiller to approve.

Motion unanimously approved.

APPROVED JULY MINUTES.pdf

Moved to approve the McKinley Homes and Parks Huff rezoning ordinance for the Flint Property.

- Moved to approve the McKinley Homes and Parks Huff rezoning ordinance for the Flint Property.

Scott Barnes

- City council members work together with the rest of city council to set and implement city policy. 
- City council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city 
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Most city council members in Georgia are elected in odd years to four year terms. Elections are nonpartisan. 

Passes laws and regulations for your city.

Ball Ground City Council Member, Post 1

Candidates (2)