 His fellow members of the Council elected him Chairman in 1996, 1999, 2003, and 2008.He served as Chair of the Council's Spending and Affordability Committee.On November 2, 2010, Kamenetz was elected as the 12th Baltimore County Executive, succeeding James T. Smith, Jr.

Baltimore County launched its landmark "Schools for Our Future" program, a $1.3 billion ten-year school construction and renovation initiative designed to meet the needs of Baltimore County’s educational facilities by eliminating existing and projected overcrowding, modernizing learning environments, and improving safety.