The City of Belgrade invites the community to celebrate the retirement of Russ Nelson, Belgrade’s longest-serving mayor, after more than two decades of service to the community and the region. The event will be held in lieu of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. 

Nelson was appointed interim mayor in August 2003 to replace longtime Mayor Lee Stevens. He has since been elected to 11 consecutive two-year terms, making him the longest-serving mayor in Belgrade’s history and surpassing the record previously held by Stevens. 

Nelson has lived in Belgrade since 1996 and served 40 years in the banking industry, retiring as Senior Vice President of First Security Bank in 2024. 

“This is going to be tough for me, but it’s the right time,” Nelson said of his retirement from public service. “In my 22 years as mayor, I’ve been thankful that we’ve had councils that work well together. That has allowed for more things to be done in our city. It has made the job more enjoyable. And I’d like to thank the voters for their confidence in me.” 

During more than two decades in office, Nelson helped shepherd major community and infrastructure improvements critical to Belgrade’s growth. He presided over several transformative public works projects, including the Jackrabbit Lane and Main Street traffic light installation in 2006 and the East Belgrade Interchange completed in 2015. These projects significantly improved traffic flow and connectivity at pivotal moments in the city’s expansion. 

Former Belgrade City Manager Ted Barkley said Nelson demonstrated a deep understanding of Belgrade’s priorities and the community he served. Barkley praised Nelson’s steady leadership through both challenging and prosperous periods, including the recession, the COVID-19 pandemic and the region’s building boom. He noted Nelson’s work to support a temporary levy that allowed city operations to continue following the recession, as well as his role in moving council meetings and city services online during the pandemic—changes that improved customer service and gave residents more flexibility to participate in local decision-making. 

“That was a cornerstone of his leadership: his ability to pull through the tough times and take advantage of the good times,” Barkley said. “It’s not a surprise that he stayed mayor as long as he did. He was good at it and people recognized it; they kept putting him back there. No matter how you measure it, he’s had a really successful run.” 

Nelson is also proud of the community’s support in passing a permanent levy to fund the Belgrade Police Department and approving investments in the new Belgrade Community Library and the Belgrade Regional Parks, Trails and Recreation District. 

Nelson also worked closely with the State Liquor Division and state legislators to protect Belgrade’s liquor licenses from being consolidated into Bozeman, a move that helped ensure local restaurants, taverns and hotels could continue to grow and do business in Belgrade. The effort helped strengthen Belgrade’s local economy and positioned the city to support new commercial development in the years that followed. 

Outside of his work as mayor, Nelson also demonstrated his commitment to the community through years of service with organizations including the Montana League of Cities and Towns, the Northern Rocky Mountain Economic Development District, and the Belgrade Bandits baseball program. 

“That’s part of what made him good at what he did – he had lots of things he was interested in, and he’d share them with other people. His enthusiasm is palpable,” Barkley said. 

Nelson will be succeeded by Mayor-Elect Mike Meis, who has served on the City Council since 2020. The Council is expected to appoint Meis’ replacement at the Dec. 1 Council meeting.