McLean Center Prepares $17 Million Budget

The McLean Community Center board committees have assembled a preliminary budget for the coming year that anticipates about $5 million in revenues the bulk of which would come from property taxes paid by McLean and some Great Falls homeowners.

That money is in addition a $12.6 million surplus which the board has accumulated over the years by collecting more in tax dollars than was needed to operate the center, according to the center's budget documents.

On the spending side, the board's committees have given preliminary approvals to a fiscal 2013 budget that includes $2 million for administration, which includes salaries and the cost of operating the center located on Ingleside Avenue. The center has a full-time staff of 31, according to its 2012 budget, which took effect July 1.

The committees also approved capital improvement projects totalling an estimated $1 million that includes renovating the center's bathrooms, improving the drainage around the building, improving the lighting in meeting rooms and renovating the heating and cooling system in the Alden Theater, according to the budget documents.

The committees gave detailed budget numbers to the public attending last week's budget meetings. None of the documents are posted on the center's website. The center's current $17.4 million budget is not posted on the website.*

The entire board must adopt a 2013 budget and property tax rate by the end of September and send it to the county for inclusion in the Fairfax County budget. The Community Center is an agency of Fairfax County government and reports to Dranesville Supervisor John Foust and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

"The plan remains to submit the proposed FY2013 budget to the Governing Board at the 31 August meeting," said Board Chair Kevin Dent. "Once the proposed budget is approved by the GB, it will be posted on the MCC website."

The 2012 budget, which just took effect July 1, totals $17.4 million but calls for spending about $5.5 million: $2.5 million in personnel services and $2.3 million in operating expenses to pay for classes, to run the Alden Theater and the Teen Center at the Old Firehouse. McLean and some Great Falls homeowners pay an additional $0.023 cents property tax surcharge to finance the center, according to the Fairfax County budget.

What's next:

7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The Governing Board of the McLean Community Center will hold a Finance Committee Meeting of the Whole and a Public Hearing on the Center’s Proposed fiscal 2013 budget at  the center at 1234 Ingleside Ave.

Residents of Dranesville Small Tax District 1A who wish to speak at the public hearing can call 703-790-0123, TTY: 711, to have their names placed on the speakers’ list. Written comments may be sent to the Governing Board by mail (address to: McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean Va. 22101), fax (703-556-0547) or email (2013budget@mcleancenter.org).

The Board meets at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27, to approve the fiscal 2013 budget.

*A copy of the center's 2012 budget is attached to this story as a PDF. It is part of the county's budget but MCC board does not publish it on the MCC website.