Kamenetz Names Cabinet

Cats have nothing on Arnold Jablon when it comes to political lives in Baltimore County.

When County Executive-elect Kevin Kamenetz announced 17 cabinet members today, Jablon's name epitomized Kamenetz's desire for experienced bureaucrats and fresh faces.

The list of department heads, which includes newcomers and veterans alike, reflects Kamenetz's campaign rhetoric that the county has been well run for two decades and that it needs an infusion of innovation.

Jablon—who has served five other county executives before entering a private law practice—was named director of the, what Kamenetz will call the Department of Permits, Inspections and Approvals. The agency is currently known as the Department of Permits and Development Management, an agency Jablon headed seven years ago.

Jablon's job also includes the added title of deputy administrative officer for the Agency of Accountability. The position will be a development czar of sorts, placing Jablon in charge of a streamlined code enforcement and development approval process.

Jablon has served in various roles in county government under the last five county executive administrations, including as zoning commissioner, county attorney and director of permits and development management from 1994 to 2003.

Since leaving in 2003, Jablon has had a land use legal practice at Towson's Venable law firm.

Also on Kamenetz's  list of appointments was the expected appointment of five-term County Councilman Vince Gardina to be director of the Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability. Towson Patch first reported the possibility of his appointment .

Gardina, who donated more than $200,000 to Kamenetz's campaign, will replace Jonas Jacobson.

Two notable existing department heads are being replaced.

Kamenetz is not reappointing Pat Keller, the long-time director of planning, and David Iannucci, who served for nearly eight years as the director of the Office of Economic Development.

Michael Mayhew will serve as interim director of planning and Stanley Jacobs will serve as interim director of economic development while the county conducts a search for permanent replacements.

Ten department heads will continue under Kamenetz:

• Joanne Williams, director of the Department of Aging.
• Keith Dorsey, director of Budget and Finance.
• Jim O'Neill, director of Department of Corrections.
• Chief John Hohman, Fire Department.
• Dr. Gregory Branch, health officer.
• Robert Stradling, director of the Office of Information and Technology.
• Chief Jim Johnson, Police Department.
• Timonthy Griffith, director of Department of Social Services.
• George Gay, director of Department of Human Resources. Gay took over earlier this year after Theresa Stokes-Hill left the position.
• Ed Adams, director of Department of Public Works.

Also on the list:

• Don Mohler has been appointed chief of staff. He will continue to oversee the Office of Communications as well as continuing as the executive's County Council liaison. Mohler will also head up the newly created Office of Community Outreach.

• Adele Kass, Kamenetz's long-time aide during his council tenure, becomes the executive secretary and will oversee the executive's personal staff and constituent services.

• Kamenetz appointed Lawrence Stahl, John Beverungen and Tim Kotroco to be the three administrative law judges in Kamenetz's newly created Office of Administrative Law. Stahl, a Towson Attorney, will be designated as the zoning commissioner. Beverungen will step down as county attorney and become the deputy zoning commissioner. The third judge, Kotroco, is the current director of permits. He was replaced by Arnold Jablon, the same man he succeeded in the permits job in 2003.

• Michael Field becomes the new county attorney, replacing his boss Beverungen. Gregory Gaskins, an assistant county attorney, will become Field's deputy.
• Barry Williams becomes head of the Department of Recreation and Parks. Williams, the brother of Del. Adrienne Jones, was previously the head of the Office of Workforce Development. Kamenetz announced Wednesday that the workforce department will be absorbed by the Office of Economic Development.