Baltimore County Council narrows list of county executive candidates to 5
Rona Kobell
The Baltimore Banner
December 11, 2024
Five candidates are advancing to the final round of a process to select the next Baltimore County executive, the County Council announced Wednesday.
They are state Sen. Katherine A. Klausmeier; former state Sen. Jim Brochin; former county parks director Barry F. Williams; former county environmental protection head George G. Perdikakis Sr.; and civic activist and entrepreneur Yara Cheikh.
The candidates will address the council at 7 p.m. Monday for 15 minutes each, delivering a statement that incorporates answers to questions sent to them. They will use that time to outline their qualifications for the position. The candidates’ presentations will follow the regular 6 p.m. council meeting
“My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the five candidates who have advanced in the selection process, and we look forward to hearing from each candidate on Monday night,” Council Chair Izzy Patoka, a Democrat, said Wednesday. “While we truly recognize and appreciate the time and effort of all the candidates throughout this process, the five candidates that are moving forward stand out in their experience and accomplishments, and represent the consensus of the Council at this stage.”
On Tuesday night, 75 citizens spoke about the qualifications they wished to see in a county executive at a meeting that drew some 200 people.
The council’s search comes as County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., a Miller’s Island Democrat, prepares to head to Congress. Olszewski was elected last month to represent the 2nd District, succeeding longtime U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. Olszewski’s last day as county executive is Jan. 3.
The executive is the most powerful position in Maryland’s third-largest county. Olszewski’s successor will serve until Dec. 6, 2026, overseeing a county budget of $5 billion and more than 6,000 employees. The salary is $192,000 per year. The council wants a candidate who will not run for the permanent job.
Patoka has said the council will choose a candidate by Jan. 6. County Administrator D’Andrea Walker will fill in if there is any gap between Olszewski’s departure and the new person starting the job.
The county code specifies that whoever is selected must be of the same party as the departing county executive. The council has four Democrats and three Republicans. The winning candidate will need four votes.
Multiple Baltimore County Democratic clubs are planning a joint candidates forum from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 19 in the Owings Mills library’s meeting room.
The original field included 12 candidates, but two dropped out.