Baltimore County Council Chairman John A. Olszewski urged longtime council colleague and fellow Democrat Kevin Kamenetz on Friday to run for county executive. At a news conference outside Dundalk High School, Olszewski, who represents Essex and Dundalk, and Kamenetz, who represents Owings Mills and Pikesville, spoke of a critical east-side/west-side partnership. "Kevin can do more with less," Olszewski said. "He will fight for jobs and hold the line on taxes. I am urging him to run and I look forward to working with him." Kamenetz, who is expected to announce his candidacy for the office, said Olszewski "will be a great partner for the next executive and will put jobs at the top of his agenda." The four-term council member has raised nearly $1 million for the campaign to succeed County Executive James T. Smith Jr., who is nearing the end of his two-term limit. Olszewski said he had called Joseph Bartenfelder, another four-term council member and likely candidate for county executive, to inform him of what he called a tough decision.

- Mary Gail Hare