Politics & Government

Candidates Wanted for McLean Community Center Board

Five seats up for election

Interested in a seat on the most powerful elected board in McLean. The one that's holding $12 million of our money.

Nominating petitions are now available for five seats that are up for election on the 11-member McLean Community Center board this year --- three adult seats and two student seats.

The board oversees a $6 million budget for the Community Center, the Alden Theater (located in the community center) and the Old Firehouse Teen Center. The board has also accumulated a $12 million surplus by collecting more of our tax dollars than the need to run the center.

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The board members whose terms expire this year are Lee DiCenso, Sean Dunn, treasurer, and Risa Sanders. None has made public whether they will seek reelection.

Candidates must live in the tax district created to finance the center. The tax district is generally the area from the Arlington County line to Difficult Run and from the Potomac River to the Dulles Toll Road and Route 7. You can easily determine if you live in the tax district by looking at your property tax bill. There is a line item showing how much of your tax dollars go to the center.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Adult candidates serve three-year terms.  Adult candidates must be at least 18 years of age and youth candidates must be 15-17 years of age as of McLean Day.  Youth members serve one-year terms. One youth member will be elected from the McLean High School boundary area and one will be elected from the Langley High School boundary area. Youth candidates are not required to attend either school; however, they must reside in the boundary areas served by these schools as defined by Fairfax County Public Schools.

Candidates both adult and youth,  must obtain the signatures of 10 district residents. Yes,  your family members to sign, if they live in the tax district.  Nominating petition forms are available at the center which is located at 1234 Ingleside Ave.,  McLean. Phone: 703-790-0123.

Deadline for filing completed petitions: 5pm. Friday, March 25.

The major issues facing the board:

  • The board has paid $100,000 for  feasibility study on what if anything the board might build on the site of the Old Firehouse in downtown McLean, where the board runs a teen center. MCC has long talked of replacing the teen center with  either a gymnasium or a community building that would include a black box theater.

           A few challenges face the board: They don't own the land. There is no space f   or parking at a new building. The land needs rezoning. The board is unsure what it wants to build.

           This is where they would spend our $12 million.

  • The board has paid $90,000 to replace the outdoor signs directing folks to the community center.

We vote during McLean Day from 10:30am-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 21. Absentee Voting is also permitted from Monday, April 11, to Wednesday, May 18. 
 
More information: Call the Center at 703-790-0123, TTY: 711, or visit the Website.


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