David McKee has been the Forsyth County Manager in Georgia since the Board of Commissioners appointed him during a special session on December 9, 2022. The role is the top administrative post in county government, running daily operations across more than two dozen departments, overseeing a 2026 adopted budget of $674,047,214, and serving a population of roughly 282,805 residents.1Forsyth County Georgia. McKee Named Forsyth County Manager
What the County Manager Does
Forsyth County separates policy from operations. The five-member Board of Commissioners sets tax rates, passes ordinances, and approves the budget. The county manager carries those decisions out, directing departments, managing spending against the approved budget, and handling the technical work of running a local government.
The office itself exists because Georgia law allows it. State code authorizes a county’s governing authority to create the position of county manager and to define its administrative powers, duties, and responsibilities, along with the manager’s qualifications, selection, compensation, and tenure.2Justia. Georgia Code 36-5-22 – County Manager Authorized In Forsyth County, that translates into a professional administrator who answers to the elected board.
Who David McKee Is
McKee holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from Georgia Southern University and an Advanced Certificate of Public Works Management from the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the American Public Works Association.1Forsyth County Georgia. McKee Named Forsyth County Manager
His career in local government began in Dawson County in 2006, where he worked in environmental compliance, engineering, GIS, and planning before becoming Public Works Director and SPLOST Administrator. He joined Forsyth County as Assistant County Manager in April 2021, overseeing Engineering, Recycling and Solid Waste, Fleet Services, Water and Sewer, Public Transportation, and Public Facilities, and serving as the county’s primary liaison with the Georgia Department of Transportation. He stepped up to County Manager in December 2022, replacing Kevin Tanner.1Forsyth County Georgia. McKee Named Forsyth County Manager
Departments the Manager Runs
Per the county’s January 2026 organizational chart, the manager directly or indirectly oversees more than two dozen departments and functions, grouped roughly as:
- Public safety: Fire Department, Emergency Management and 911, Animal Services, Park Rangers, and Code Compliance
- Infrastructure: Engineering, Water and Sewer, Capital Projects, Recycling and Solid Waste, and Public Transportation
- Community services: Parks and Recreation, Senior Services, Planning and Community Development, and Building and Licensing
- Internal operations: Finance, Procurement, Information Systems and Technology, Geographic Information Services, Employment Services, Risk Management, Fleet Services, and Communications
Several county offices sit outside this chain. The Sheriff’s Office is a constitutional office that reports to Forsyth County’s citizens rather than to county government.3Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. About the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Other constitutional officers, including the Clerk of Court and Tax Commissioner, operate with their own independent authority under Georgia law. If you have a complaint about a deputy, a court filing, or your tax bill, the county manager is not the person who can resolve it.
Budget and Capital Projects
The budget is the manager’s most consequential recurring responsibility. Forsyth County’s 2026 adopted budget totals just over $674 million, funding fire stations, road construction, parks programming, water treatment, and the rest of county operations. The finance department coordinates analysis, projection, and monitoring throughout the fiscal year, with adjustments and transfers as conditions change.4Forsyth County Georgia. Forsyth County Finance Department – Budget
Once commissioners approve the budget, the manager’s work moves to execution: tracking revenue against projections, controlling departmental spending, managing procurement, and keeping contracts compliant. The county has grown 12.5% since the 2020 census, which pushes continuous demand for expanded road capacity, additional fire stations, and upgraded water and sewer systems.5U.S. Census Bureau. QuickFacts – Forsyth County, Georgia
That growth sits behind the 2026–2030 Capital Improvement Program. Planned work includes widening two-lane corridors into four-lane divided highways with raised medians and multi-use paths, intersection upgrades, and a multi-phase fire training complex with an academy, burn building, logistics and supply center, training tower, and a purpose-built emergency vehicle operations course. All capital projects are subject to available funding, Board of Commissioners approval, and compliance with procurement policies. The manager’s office coordinates these projects across engineering, finance, and outside contractors.
How the Manager Is Hired and Removed
Georgia law puts selection, compensation, and tenure in the hands of the county’s governing authority.2Justia. Georgia Code 36-5-22 – County Manager Authorized In Forsyth County, the Board of Commissioners picks the manager and can remove the manager by a formal vote. There is no fixed term. Unlike elected officials, who answer to voters at the next election, the county manager serves at the board’s discretion and is evaluated on things like fiscal stability, completion of capital projects, and departmental efficiency.