New Baltimore County Executive Revealed, She's 1st Woman To Hold The Office

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Katherine Klausmeier will be the next Baltimore County executive, the County Council announced Tuesday. Klausmeier will be the first woman to serve as Baltimore County executive.

The 74-year-old Democrat will succeed Johnny Olszewski, who resigned as county executive when he was sworn into Congress on Friday.

“I have been instrumental in leading important policies and projects for the citizens of Baltimore County, but today, I want to focus on the future and how we continue to build Baltimore County,” Klausmeier told the County Council in December, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Klausmeier has represented Baltimore County in the Maryland General Assembly for 30 years. She has served District 8 in the House of Delegates from 1995 to 2003 and the State Senate ever since. She's currently the most tenured member of the Maryland Senate.

“My colleagues and I are very pleased to announce the selection of Senator Klausmeier
as the next County Executive. Kathy’s experience in State Government, her reputation as a
problem-solver who listens to constituents, and her leadership in the General Assembly bring
qualities that will be needed for Baltimore County residents for the next two years and beyond,”
County Council Chair Izzy Patoka (D-Pikesville) said in a Tuesday press release.

Olszewski's replacement will finish his four-year term that expires on Dec. 6, 2026. WYPR reported that Patoka and his colleagues sought a caretaker county executive, somebody who will finish Olszewski's term and not run for re-election in 2026.

The County Council was tasked with replacing Olszewski, who now represents Maryland's 2nd Congressional District. Olszewski's successor needed approval from four of the seven county council members. The Council has four Democrats and three Republicans.

The replacement county executive had to be a Democrat, as the County Charter requires the successor to be from the same party as their predecessor.

“Having known Senator Klausmeier for nearly three decades, I can attest to her long record of bipartisanship. It is important that we have a County Executive who commands respect and brings together people of all backgrounds and political philosophies,” Council Member David Marks (R-Upper Falls) said in the release.

Klausmeier will also be the first county executive from Perry Hall, Marks said.

Olszewski served as county executive for six years. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November, filling a seat open thanks to the retirement of Democrat C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.

“I thank the council for its thoughtful and transparent deliberations,” Olszewski said in a separate press release. “Senator Klausmeier is not only a lifelong friend, she is a dedicated and hard-working public servant – a leader who I know is more than up to the task ahead. I also know that she inherits an outstanding team that will ensure she hits the ground running. I look forward to partnering with her and all of our elected officials at the state and local level in my new role.”

Twelve residents applied for the county executive vacancy, and the field was narrowed to five candidates last month.

Patoka said the other finalists were:

• Jim Brochin, former state senator
• Yara A. Cheikh, community activist
• George G. Perdikakis Sr., environmental engineer with experience running local government departments
• Barry F. Williams, former Baltimore County Recreation and Parks director and former Randallstown High School principal

The county executive's annual salary is $192,000.

Olszewski told The Baltimore Banner his biggest accomplishments as county executive were improving transparency by hosting town halls, launching public dashboards and creating the Office of the Inspector General. He's also proud of expanding the County Council from seven to nine members and investing in schools and recreation.

“We can compromise without compromising our core values. I think I’ve proven that as county executive,” Olszewski told The Banner. “We’ve got four Democrats and three Republicans on our County Council. But we’ve had almost every single vote in Baltimore County on budgets, gun safety legislation, common sense police reform amass a 7-0 or 6-1 vote. That speaks to the fact that these things can be bipartisan.”

Related:

• Olszewski Sworn Into Congress: Focus Now On Next County Executive
• 5 County Executive Finalists Revealed To Replace Congress-Bound Olszewski
• Olszewski Resignation Date Set, Replacement Candidates Announced
• Who Will Be Next Baltimore County Executive? Olszewski Leaves Soon For Congress
• Olszewski Defeats Klacik In Race For US House
• As Olszewski Aims For Congress, Here's How Baltimore County Would Replace Him