The face of Anne Arundel's government took on a new look yesterday as the seven County Council members - four incumbents and three newcomers - were sworn into office in an emotional ceremony, and County Executive Janet S. Owens quietly prepared for potential changes in her executive Cabinet.

Owens, a Democrat from Millersville who was inaugurated for her second term Sunday, asked her Cabinet members to submit letters of resignation to Chief Administrative Officer John M. Brusnighan by tomorrow.

Brusnighan, who crafted Owens' e-mailed request for the letters, said it was "customary" and did not signal a wholesale change in the county's top management tier.

"There are no particular targets," he said of the e-mail, which he sent to the other 27 members of the county executive's Cabinet. Brusnighan, a member, said he, too, will submit a letter of resignation.

"I still have mine from four years ago," he said, referring to Owens' 1998 election, when she also asked for resignation letters.

Several key members of Owens' Cabinet said yesterday that they were not worried about losing their jobs.

Budget Officer John R. Hammond, one of the few Republicans in the Owens administration, said late yesterday that he had yet to read the e-mail, which was sent in the morning. "I'm not quaking in my boots."

Questions about a potential Cabinet-level shake-up were eclipsed at the Arundel Center by the swearing-in of council members, many of whom invited relatives and campaign supporters to attend the event.

Clerk of Circuit Court Robert P. Duckworth gave the oath to incumbents Pamela G. Beidle, Bill D. Burlison, Cathleen M. Vitale and Barbara D. Samorajczyk, and council members-elect C. Edward Middlebrooks, Ronald C. Dillon Jr., and Edward R. Reilly.

Samorajczyk, a Democrat from Annapolis, spoke of the political change as a result of the 2002 election. "Four years ago, I was elected in a Democratic landslide ... changing the council from Republican to Democratic control," she said.

"This year, the election resulted in a Republican tidal wave, restoring the council back to Republican control."

Four of the seven council members - Vitale, Middlebrooks, Dillon and Reilly - are Republican.

At the session, council members unanimously elected Vitale as their chairwoman and Middlebrooks as vice chairman.

"It's wonderful to be here," said Middlebrooks, who served on the council as a Democrat from 1990 to 1994 before switching parties. "We'll work hard to do what's best for our kids."

Vitale, who won her first election this year, was appointed in 2000 to replace former council member Cliff Roop, who died of heart attack at a meeting.

She said she hoped the council would have "spirited and open debate," but members would remember to be team players.

The council also approved a slate of council staff members.

Administrative Officer Judy Holmes, Assistant Administrative Officer JoAnne Gray, auditor Teresa Sutherland, and attorney Robert Pollock will continue work in their respective positions for the next four years."