Oaths Resound Across The State

Since the election, Leopold has moved quickly to set a tone of budget belt-tightening. He has eliminated several positions, including chief of staff, opting instead to have his new chief administrative officer do the work of both positions.

The County Council sworn in yesterday is a mix of old and new. It remains a four-to-three Republican majority, with four Republicans incumbents and three new Democratic members.

In Howard County, 32-year-old Ken Ulman, a lawyer and County Council member, was sworn in last night as county executive, replacing fellow Democrat James N. Robey, who was barred by term limits from running again. Ulman will be the first Howard county executive born after the founding of Columbia, the county's largest community.

The County Council will undergo a significant change as four new members were sworn in to the five-member council: Courtney Watson (D), a former school board chairman; lawyer Jen Terrasa (D); school board member Mary Kay Sigaty (D); and Greg Fox (R), a former county public works board member.

In Prince George's, Johnson took the oath of office for the second time yesterday, along with seven council members. Two new members, Ingrid M. Turner (D-Bowie) and Eric C. Olson (D-College Park), were also sworn in.

At the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Johnson told a crowd of several hundred that he would spend the next four years focusing on public safety, economic development and education. He said the county needs to pay special attention to its youth. "Let it be said of this generation that we eliminated barriers to our children's success by eliminating opportunities for them to fail," he said.

Johnson defeated former delegate Rushern L. Baker III in a close race for the Democratic nomination in September but was unopposed in November's general election. He said the county must now be unified to solve its many challenges.

In St. Mary's County, 13 officials were sworn in last night, including a new president of the Board of County Commissioners, Jack Russell (D-At Large), a charter boat captain who won in his first foray into politics. Four incumbent commissioners also were sworn in, as was new sheriff Tim Cameron (R), who defeated incumbent David D. Zylak (D) in the county's hardest fought and most closely watched race.

In Charles County, three new commissioners and a new sheriff are to be sworn in today. Democrats will assume all five seats on the Board of Commissioners, led by President Wayne Cooper. Democrat Rex Coffey will become the county's top law enforcement officer, replacing Frederick E. Davis (R), who lost after 12 years as sheriff.

Calvert County commissioners are to be sworn in this month. With four of the five members of the board returning, voters didn't appear to want big change. The only member not reelected, David F. Hale (R-Owings), chose not to run, instead seeking unsuccessfully to be elected to the General Assembly.

Staff writers Megan Greenwell, Rosalind S. Helderman, Dan Morse, Philip Rucker, Miranda S. Spivack, William Wan and Joshua Zumbrun contributed to this report.