James T. Smith Jr. took the oath of office as Baltimore County executive yesterday, promising a fiscally responsible government dedicated to improved education, revitalization of older communities and better communication with residents.

The county's other elected officials also were sworn in at the ceremony, including Kenneth N. Oliver, the first African-American to win a seat on the County Council. Oliver's voice broke with emotion several times in his speech commemorating the milestone.

"Becoming the first African-American to serve on this council is an awesome responsibility," Oliver said. "The 4th Councilmanic District is the most culturally diverse in the county. Not only will I be representing that district, but I will represent every African-American in the county."

Oliver, a Randallstown Democrat, is the sole new member on the seven-seat council. He was elected from a new black-majority district including Woodlawn, Randallstown, Granite and parts of Owings Mills that was carved out in the council redistricting process 18 months ago.

Smith, a Reisterstown Democrat who stepped down from the Circuit Court bench to run for executive, replaces C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, the newly elected congressman from Maryland's 2nd District.

In his speech, Smith said his 14-month campaign taught him much about county residents' needs and desires. Important among them, he said, was a desire for the county government to be fiscally conservative, and Smith made sure to cast his goals in those terms. Education, he said, must be a priority "to the fullest extent responsible management will allow." Smith didn't pledge raises for teachers, but he offered "a competitive salary structure throughout the system."

To redevelop older neighborhoods, he talked about the development of community plans and the need to give priority status to revitalization in the development review process.

Throughout the campaign, Smith emphasized the need for residents, businesses and organizations to help the county meet its growing needs. He suggested that the county should do more to promote voluntarism, and his plan to provide incentives for experienced teachers to work in low-performing schools relies on businesses, not government, for funding.

"Baltimore County faces exciting challenges and opportunities, and with communities and neighborhoods, business and labor, educators, PTAs and parents, dedicated county employees, organized volunteers and political teamwork, we can meet these challenges and take advantage of these opportunities," Smith said. "Together, we can do it, and working together, we will do it."

Smith announced the first personnel move of his administration yesterday morning, replacing Recreation and Parks Director John F. Weber III with Robert J. Barrett, who was Ruppersberger's top aide.

Weber's departure was officially called a "retirement," but it was evidently not a voluntary one. Weber, who had been director of the department since 1995 and had worked in municipal parks since 1966, declined to comment on the circumstances of the move.

"That was the decision the administration made, and I understand it," Weber said.

Smith spokeswoman Elise Armacost said Weber "has done a lot of really great things" but that Smith felt Barrett's skills were better tailored to his vision for the department.

Weber oversaw a vast expansion of the county's parks system, including the purchase and development of five regional parks. But some local recreation councils complained that he wasn't responsive to their needs. Smith, whose family has a decades-long history of involvement in recreation councils, has said he wants to emphasize their role in the county, officials said.

Because of a new charter amendment requiring County Council confirmation of department heads, Barrett was made acting director.

In choosing Barrett as his first appointment, Smith presents a nominee who has extensive knowledge of the department that he would head and also has a long-standing relationship with the council.

One of Barrett's primary responsibilities under Ruppersberger was to act as a liaison to the council. But he also helped oversee the acquisition and development of five regional parks and other facilities during the past several years and has extensive coaching experience at the elementary school, high school and college levels.

"We're going to put a renewed emphasis on recreation councils, and we're really going to try to get neighborhoods and local businesses more involved in recreation activities," Smith said. "Bob has the enthusiasm to get people excited about recreation programs."

Smith also has hired a new liaison to the county school system: Matthew Joseph, who lobbied the legislature on education issues for the nonprofit Advocates for Children and Youth. Joseph also had an unsuccessful run for for the House of Delegates in the 42nd District this fall.