Politics & Government

5 Things for McLean Residents to Know about the MCC Board

The Community Center is part of Fairfax County Government

The McLean Community Center board is McLean's only "elected" board, collects millions in tax dollars and oversees one of the jewels of our communty. But few residents know much about it.

Here are five things that the neighbors should know about the board. Its role, responsibilities and rules are spelled out in a 1984 agreement between the board and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The MCC board oversees a $6 million operating budget(copy attached to this story)  and a $12 million surplus that it has accumulated over the years by collecting more tax dollars than are needed to run the center.

1. The McLean Community Center "Governing Board is responsible and accountable directly to the Board of Supervisors," according to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the MCC board and the Fairfax board of supervisors.

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The Dranesville supervisor is the chief liaison between the MCC board and the county board.

McLean residents "elect" the board members, who serve staggered terms, during McLean Day. This is an informal election. It is not supervised by the county board of elections. Candidates file no financial disclosure statements.

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After the election, the list of successful candidates is delivered first to the Dranesville supervisor. The board of supervisors "after determining that it is in the public interest, shall appoint those persons who received the greatest number of votes" to the board.

2. The Community Center is a county agency. Its nearly 40 staff members are county employees. The center's $6 million annual budget and $12 million surplus are in county coffers. The center's budget is part of the overall Fairfax County budget.

That means the board of supervisors approves the tax rate charged McLean property owners to operate the community center on Ingleside Drive. Property owners, who live in the special tax district created to finance the center, pay an additional property tax.

3. The special tax district does not include Tysons Corner. But it does include part of Great Falls. That means the folks living closer to the community center don't pay for it. Folks living further away do pay.

4. The MOU says tax dollars "shall not be disbursed for any purpose other than for acquiring, constructing, maintaining or operating, or contracting for the acquisition, construction, maintenance or operation of a community center" within the tax district.

Stuart Mendelsohn, former Dranesville supervisor said, "The tax district was created to operate the community center. I think it (the board) has greatly expanded its degree beyond it's original intent."

"What was the original role of the community center?" he asked. "It was originally created to be a performing arts center. Now it provides all kind of services," he said.

Late last year, the community center board hired real estate consultant Jones Lang for $100,000 to determine the feasibility of the board building either a theater or gym in downtown McLean on the site of the current Old Firehouse Teen Center. The Teen Center building is owned by Fairfax County.

5. Citizens must be told and consulted about the fiscal impact of large building projects. "A provision shall be made for advising citizens of the fiscal impact of proposed major capital project and for soliciting citizen input regarding the advisability of embarking on such capital projects."

In addition public hearings "shall be held to discuss major capital improvement projects."

The board of supervisors must approve any plans for major projects.

FYI: The McLean Community Center Board meets tonight, 7:30 at the Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Drive. All meetings are open to the neighbors.



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