Another Ruppersberger for council?

By Bryan P. Sears
Posted: October 8, 2009

Voters in the 2010 could see a familiar name on the County Council in 2010. How about Ruppersberger for Council?

No, not Dutch — Timmy Ruppersberger.

Ruppersberger, who has a memorable first name of her own, is a second-cousin to the Democratic former county executive and current congressman, who is still known around here as “Dutch.”

Ruppersberger, 54, said Tuesday that she is looking for a new challenge and one option is as a Democratic candidate running for County Council in the 2nd District.

“I think I could be an effective councilmember,” Ruppersberger said. “Right now, I’m looking at a range of things in the public and private sector.”

That seat is currently held by Councilman Kevin Kamenetz, also a Democrat. Kamenetz is expected to run for county executive in 2010.

Dutch also served on the County Council from 1986-1994. He was named as a mid-term replacement for County Executive Jim Smith, who gave up his council seat for a Circuit Court appointment.

Ruppersberger lives in the Lake Falls area near Lake Roland and is the administrative head of Venable’s Towson office.

She is considering her options now that her children are finishing college.

“I think I’m looking for a challenge,” Ruppersberger said, adding that she is also considering public service in the non-profit community.

“The local level is certainly where my interest lies,” Ruppersberger said.

Her legal background is heavy on finance issues at the local government level, including experience with funding revitalization projects. Venable has been bond counsel to Baltimore County, and Ruppersberger said she has had some involvement in that representation.

In addition to her law career, Ruppersberger has spent a lot of time volunteering for local schools and private organizations and served on the Planning Board in the 1990s.

Ruppersberger said she doesn’t have a timeline for making a decision about whether to run.

“I really haven’t made a decision, and I’m not close,” Ruppersberger said.

One final thing — Timmy isn’t a nickname and isn’t short for something else.

“It was my great grandmother’s,” a laughing Ruppersberger explained. “My mother found it in a family bible. She wasn’t pining for a son.”

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