County Executive

TheTowson-based business, administrative and land-use law firm of Smith, Gildea and Schmidt has announced that former county executive Jim Smith, who served two terms as executive and also served as a judge and a County Council member, has joined the firm as an attorney. Smith will serve as a "counsel," assisting in litigation and business matters, administrative law and governmental affairs, according to a release from the firm on Wednesday. Smith will be working with the firm's 11 attorneys, including his son, Michael Paul Smith.

Republican state Del. Steven R. Schuh has taken a strong lead among prospective candidates for Anne Arundel county executive in 2014 in early fundraising, according to recently released campaign finance documents. Schuh, who announced Thursday that he has formed an exploratory committee, has about $283,000 in his campaign account, according to a report filed Wednesday, the deadline for filing campaign finance reports for 2011. "I'm certainly pleased with the money we've been able to raise," Schuh said.

I agree with an earlier letter's characterization of Howard County Executive Ken Ulman as "immature. " I would like to add several other examples. One of his first actions in office was to make sure every citizen had a pretty blue wheeled recycling can so we (he) could seen at the front of the "green" movement in Maryland. However, by cancelling the too expensive business recycling program shortly after, he inadvertently admits to the folly of doing these things, especially for superficial purposes.

Cecil County voters, who did not take part in early voting, set to end Thursday, will get their chance to make their voices heard on the regular primary election day on Tuesday, April 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. This year is the first voting for offices created when voters, after many previous failed attempts, approved a home rule charter for the county in the 2010 general election. The primary election also features an interesting judicial race involving three candidates. Both Republicans and Democrats can vote for two of the three.

David Craig may not accomplish all the goals he has for his final two years as county executive, but if he finishes the term, he will have made county history as the longest serving county executive. Ever the historian, Craig, whose professional career in education began as a history teacher, pointed out around the time he was elected county executive for a second time that he had the potential to become the person to hold the job longer than anyone else to date. The reason is simple: Initially, he was appointed to fill out the term vacated by his predecessor Jim Harkins, who resigned midway through his second term to take a high-paying state job. Thus, Craig had about two years on the job before being elected in his own right to serve as county executive.

When Rushern L. Baker III took office as Prince George's County executive 14 months ago, he faced a monumental cleanup challenge. His predecessor had just been arrested in one of the most sweeping corruption scandals in Maryland history. Prince George's had a reputation of "pay-to-play" politics in which contractors were expected to grease palms to do business with the county. Some companies were wary of doing business there at all. Now, even as he tries to repair the image of Maryland's second-most-populous county, Baker is playing a high-profile role in Annapolis on key issues before the General Assembly.

A political novice when elected four years ago by voters in a throw-out-the-bums mood, Baltimore County Executive Roger Hayden has been largely what he promised to be in the 1990 campaign: a manager who would run the cash-strapped county as though it were an ailing corporation.To his credit, the Baldwin Republican balanced budgets amid huge reductions in state aid, even resorting to the first layoffs and government downsizing in county history. The Hayden administration can also take pride in its sensitivity to the north county preservation areas and its pledge to revitalize Baltimore County's aging urban pockets.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman has proclaimed Nov. 1 the beginning of Community Readiness Week in the county. Events held during the week will emphasize the importance of individual and family preparedness for possible disasters. * A Personal Preparedness Public Safety Expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center, 2200 Scott Wheeler Drive, Marriottsville. Those who attend will see exhibits by the Departments of Fire and Rescue Services, Police, Health, Public Works, Corrections, Citizen Services and the bureaus of Animal Control and Communications (911)

John G. Gary, calling himself "a poor boy from Green Haven," fulfilled his version of the American dream yesterday as he took the oath as Anne Arundel's fifth county executive.Mr. Gary, 50, a draper who was elected to the House of Delegates 12 years ago, was sworn in before a crowd of about 800 in the Anne Arundel Community College gymnasium. The oath was administered by Circuit Court Clerk Robert P. Duckworth, with Mr. Gary's wife, Ruthanne, holding the family Bible.Mr. Gary, a Republican, defeated Democrat Theodore J. Sophocleus in the Nov. 8 election.