Longtime Baltimore County Councilman Wade Kach resigns

Baltimore County Councilman Wade Kach, who has represented the northernmost reaches of the district for 12 years, has resigned, effective immediately.

Kach, who has been ill for months and rarely attended meetings in person this year, said his resignation was effective Thursday. But his colleagues learned of his departure only Friday night.

“It is with deep regret that I must step down due to health reasons that were unforeseeable prior to my last election in 2022,” Kach wrote in a letter to Chairman Mike Ertel. “I have spent over 51 years in public service, and my greatest pleasure has been representing my constituents in the northern, western and eastern areas of Baltimore County.”

Kach, 79, is the longest-serving Republican in Maryland history. Prior to his election to the council, he served in the Maryland House of Delegates for 40 years.

Kach’s resignation leaves about 120,000 residents of North County unrepresented. The district is the largest in area in the county and includes developed areas such as Lutherville and Timonium, along with rural ones such as Monkton and Parkton. It stretches to the Pennsylvania line up Interstate 83 and York Road.

The Republican Central Committee for Kach’s district has 30 days to select his replacement. The committee consists of four people who can make the decision themselves, though constituents can write in with nominees.

Kach’s previously announced retirement created a competitive race in the district he long dominated, especially when Del. Nino Mangione announced he would leave the Maryland General Assembly to run for the seat. While Kach is a moderate Republican who focused on land preservation, Mangione is a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump who has focused on issues such as opposing gender-affirming care and banning library books he deems offensive.

Mangione also hails from a developer family, and many North County residents are ardent preservationists. The urban-rural demarcation line sets aside two-thirds of the county’s land for conservation and only limited development because much of it does not have sewer service and other infrastructure. Recently, pressure has mounted to “break the URDL” to alleviate the county’s housing crunch. Kach has been steadfast in support of the URDL remaining intact.

Mangione had the contest to himself for months, but more recently Gunpowder Riverkeeper Theaux Le Gardeur jumped in to challenge him. On the Democratic side, longtime community activist Shawn McIntosh is running, making it one of the more competitive contests.

Whoever replaces him, Kach said, needs to be mindful of the district’s diversity and consider how every piece of legislation harms or helps every part of it — a challenge considering the different needs of close-to-Towson communities near transit and faraway rural enclaves near the Pennsylvania border.

Kach’s council colleagues say they were surprised by the timing but not the decision. Kach’s health has fluctuated for months; in an interview in February, Kach said he planned to show up in person from then on, citing improvement. But he continued to participate mostly online.

County Executive Kathy Klausmeier thanked her “friend and colleague” for his years of service.

“I had the opportunity to serve with Wade in Annapolis, where he earned respect on both sides of the aisle because people knew where he stood and how deeply he cared about the residents he represented,” Klausmeier said. “His dedication to public service has left a lasting impact on Baltimore County.”

Kach fought for funding for new high schools in Towson and Dulaney Valley. He opposed large solar farms and the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, which is slated to run through Baltimore County farmland. He also fought to create a separate department of agriculture.

Kach was the architect of a pension boost that would have doubled the retirement windfall for departing council members. The council overturned that legislation in March after intense criticism. Kach has also faced criticism for downzoning Lutherville Station, a struggling shopping center next to a light rail stop that state officials are eager to see developed into a mixed-use community that would include hundreds of apartments. After years of negotiations, the project remains stalled.

In an interview with The Banner on Saturday, Kach said he doesn’t have a strong opinion about who should replace him but that he will continue to be involved in long-standing issues such as Lutherville Station. He plans to file the latest application for the project Monday.

He would have liked to see the Lutherville Station project through, he said, but it could take months, and his body could not handle the strain of work.

“I need to slow down because, every time I make a step forward, I have problems that are worse than the one I just got rid of,” he said.

County Councilman David Marks acknowledged Kach’s service and said his “successor must continue his legacy of land preservation and environmental conservation, the most important issues facing Northern Baltimore County.”

“Wade Kach has been a trusted colleague and friend,” Marks said. “Councilman Kach’s public service is unmatched in Baltimore County history.”

Councilman Izzy Patoka said he’ll miss his Republican colleague.

“Wade has given a lifetime of public service. He’s tried to be fair and deliberate,” he said. “He’s been a good colleague, and I wish him well.”

This article has been updated.