When Thomas J. Peddicord, the Baltimore County Council's legal counsel and secretary, announced plans to retire this month, he ratcheted up anxiety on the panel, which is grappling with several high-profile departures.
Some of that concern evaporated Thursday when Peddicord opted to stay the job he's held for nearly two decades.
Mary Allen, the Baltimore County auditor for 12 years, retired June 30, and only three of seven County Council members are seeking re-election this fall; two others are retiring, and another two are battling for the Democratic nomination for county executive.
"The next 18 months will be too exciting to miss," Peddicord said in a reference to the new county executive and council newcomers who will be elected to vacant seats. "This will be a fascinating time in the county."
Council members, who had begun the search for Peddicord's replacement, were relieved.
"There is no one who knows county and state law better," said Councilman T. Bryan McIntire, an attorney and the lone Republican on the council. "I would put him up against any authority, and I have come to depend on him."
Peddicord's announcement last week came on the heels of Allen's departure.
"His retirement coupled with Mary Allen's would [have meant] a significant change for the county," said Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder, who is running for county executive after four terms on the council. "They have both always provided stability, whenever political changes happened. Tom is a fountain of facts that allow us to make the most informed decisions."
When the new council takes office in December, newcomers will occupy at least four seats and possibly more, given the outcome of several crowded races. Bartenfelder and four-term Councilman Kevin Kamenetz are both campaigning for county executive in the Sept. 14 Democratic primary. Councilmen Vincent Gardina and Sam Moxley are retiring, and two-term Councilman Kenneth Oliver and McIntire, who wants a fifth term, are facing strong primary challenges. Chairman John Olszewski has drawn the least competition — one primary opponent — for the seat he has held for 12 years.
With several Republicans campaigning for seats long held by Democrats, the council's political makeup might also change significantly.
"Our goal as a council is to ensure a smooth transition for the next council, with the understanding that there will be a lot of new faces," said Kamenetz, a four-term member.
The county increased employee contributions to its pension plan July 1 and tightened age and length of service criteria. Peddicord, 65, said pension issues played a role in his initial decision.
"I reacted too soon," he said. "Then I thought, 'Why let an artificial event drive a career decision?' "
His about-face happened in less than a week, amid much lobbying from the council. Kamenetz readily acknowledged, "I pleaded with him to stay."
For Suzanne Mensh, Baltimore County's clerk of the court for 24 years, the story was different. She announced her retirement in February and rescinded it about six weeks later. By then, the county judges were set to appoint an interim clerk to serve until the November election. They refused to let her stay. Mensh, 80, left office in May, six months before her term expired. She is running again for the position, along with five other Democrats and three Republicans.
Peddicord, who came to the county after several years working with state legislators, rarely speaks in public, but his word is golden with council members. During meetings and work sessions, they frequently defer to his opinion.
His decades of practical experience, combined with legal expertise means "we defer to him for good reason," Kamenetz said.
Rather than lose Peddicord's institutional knowledge, sound judgment and broad experience, council members were already considering a plan to keep him on for about six months as an adviser and trainer for his replacement. Now they can scrap that plan.
"His decision to stay is the answer to a prayer," said Moxley. "It is all about the continuity factor for the next council."