Andrew Cassilly, whose brother runs Harford County, will take over as Bel Air’s top appointed official Sunday after the Board of Town Commissioners voted to hire him Monday.
What’s happening: The board voted Sept. 21 to appoint Cassilly as Town Administrator, the role that manages day-to-day operations for all town departments, oversees town finances, handles strategic planning, and speaks publicly on behalf of the town. He starts Sept. 28.
The family connection: Cassilly is the brother of Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly. The appointment drew discussion on social media about potential nepotism. Bel Air and Harford County are separate governments — the town operates independently under a council-manager structure, and the Town Administrator answers to the elected Board of Commissioners, not the county executive.
Who he is: Cassilly grew up in Bel Air and attended Bel Air Elementary School, Bel Air Middle School, and Bel Air High School. He spent close to 30 years with Harford County Public Schools, working as a teacher, coach, school administrator, and in the central office as an assistant supervisor in both student services and school operations. The school system runs 54 schools and serves about 38,000 students. During that time, he worked on energy conservation projects aimed at cutting operational costs.
His background also includes:
- Serving as a District 35B Delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates starting in 2014, representing parts of Harford and Cecil counties, and winning re-election in 2018.
- Leaving the legislature mid-second term to serve as Senior Advisor and Chief Legislative Officer under then-Governor Larry Hogan, a position he held until 2022.
- Working most recently as Vice President of Government Relations at BTS Energy, a Maryland company that converts organic waste into fuel.
Before his career in education, Cassilly worked as a Manual Arts Therapist with disabled veterans at the Perry Point VA Medical Center in Cecil County. He is a veteran of the Maryland Army National Guard. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Millersville University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from Loyola University Maryland. In 2012, he received the “Innovator of the Year” award from the Maryland chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.
In his own words: “I am truly honored to have the opportunity to serve my hometown. Bel Air is a special place that has given me and my family so many cherished memories and opportunities,” Cassilly said.
The path forward: Cassilly takes over the administrator role Sunday.
