Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr. and other elected officials were sworn in on Monday, Dec. 5 to officially start new terms for their positions.
Hundreds of county residents gathered in the Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College, Olszewski’s alma mater, for a morning of ceremonial performances from local schools like Patapsco High and Scotts Branch Elementary to kick off the inauguration.
The County Executive vowed to continue his administration’s historic investments in public education, provide a more-open government and continue work to improve residents’ quality of life.
“I am humbled to have the opportunity to continue serving as your County Executive,” Olszewski said. “Together, we have provided historic investments in public education, created a more transparent, accessible and engaged government, and holistically invested in public safety while instilling principles equity and sustainability into our county, built the most diverse administration in history and fundamentally changed the relationship between our government and the people it serves.”
During his inaugural address, the county executive discussed the challenges his administration had overcome. One being an $81 million “literally buried in budget documents as a footnote,” and credits the partnerships made with residents and organizations to alleviate the county of a financial burden.
Olszewski made affordable housing a priority in his speech by not only touting the work his administration has already accomplished but also announcing a “foundational legislative package of housing and revitalization reforms” to address key gaps in the county’s housing capabilities.
“It is with remarkable pride in all we’ve already achieved and an unrelenting optimism in our vision for the future that we now continue our work to reimagine what is possible in Baltimore County,” Olszewski said.
Though the details of how Olszewski’s housing legislative package were not discussed further in his speech, the executive promised to strengthen the county’s infrastructure by signaling investments to police and fire stations.
With Olszewski being sworn in as the county’s executive, all seven members of the Baltimore County Council also took their oaths of office to be inaugurated for the new term.
Local representatives including District 7’s Todd Crandell, District 6’s Mike Ertel and District 5’s David Marks were among the seven council members sworn in by Administrative Judge Ruth Jakubowski.
Having been first elected in 2014, Crandell is serving his third consecutive term on the council.
“It’s been the honor of my life to serve our incredible community and I look forward to what the next four years may hold,” Crandell said.
The District 7 councilman has continuously prioritized economic growth, strengthening police officers and deterring overdevelopment of Section 8 housing in Dundalk.
Marks now looks to serve his fourth term on the council, representing District 5 for over a decade.
However with the council’s legislative district map being redrawn, much of what used to be considered District 6 has fallen into the Marks’ jurisdiction.
“I look forward to making a difference for Carney, Perry Hall, Kingsville, White Marsh, Chase, Bowleys Quarters, Middle River and all our Eastside neighborhoods,” Marks said.
Two new members of the Baltimore County Council, Pat Young and Michael P. Ertel, took the oath of office along with five incumbents.
District 6’s Ertel has officially taken over the office formerly held by Cathy Bevins, who retired this election cycle. Due to legislative maps being redrawn for the council, District 6 has pivoted from much of the waterside east of the county to more centered areas that include Hillendale, Loch Raven, Overlea, Parkville, Rosedale and Towson.
“This is a culmination of more than 20 years of community service in the district, and I am excited to hit the ground running,” Ertel said.
Seven members of the county’s Board of Education also were sworn in by Clerk of the Circuit Court Julie Ensor, as were Sheriff R. Jay Fisher, judges of the Circuit Court and Orphans Court, and Register of Wills Alexis Burrell-Rohde.
With new terms spread out for the county government, only time will tell what kind of new legislation will affect the communities from Dundalk to Essex to Middle River and to White Marsh.
