By Bobbi Bowman, The McLean Ear
Incumbent Kevin Dent was the biggest vote getter in Saturday’s election for six seats on the McLean Community Center Board. First-time candidates Jay Howell was second, Robin Walker third. All three won three-year terms.
Craig Richardson, fourth, won a two-year term. The MCC Board released the following vote totals: Continue reading
By Bobbi Bowman, The McLean Ear
Congratulations neighbors on a job well done. We turned out in record numbers Saturday to elect six members of the McLean Community Center Board.
We cast 780 adult ballots, nearly double the 470 cast last year.
We have three major citizen boards in McLean but the Community Center board is the only one that’s elected and that spends millions of our tax dollars. Continue reading
By Bobbi Bowman, The McLean Ear
Kevin Dent
Jay Howell
MCLEAN, VA – A record number of McLean residents voted Saturday to elect more than half the members of the McLean Community Center (MCC) board. Incumbent Kevin Dent, and newcomers Jay Howell and Robin Walker were elected to three-year terms and Craig Richardson to a two-year term. Continue reading
MCLEAN, VA -McLean residents vote Saturday for McLean’s only elected board. We will elect more than half the members of the 11-member McLean Community Center board.
Why we care: This board controls $17 million, much of it our property tax dollars. Board members are now trying to decide whether to spend our money to build a gymnasium near the Spring Hill Recreation Center on Lewinsville Road, or a new community center in downtown McLean that could spur that long-delayed redevelopment. The McLean Community Center owns the Teen Center located in the Old Firehouse. They want to demolish the Teen Center and replace it with a community building that could include meeting rooms and a black box theater, a simple unadorned performance space that can host a variety of events. What would happen to the Teen Center is unclear.
Here are frequently asked questions about the election and the list of candidates. Continue reading
Posted in Community
Tagged McLean Community Center board, McLean Day, McLean Va, McLean Virginia, Risa Sanders
By Bobbi Bowman, The McLean Ear
MCLEAN, VA – A committee of the McLean Community Center board met behind closed doors Tuesday night to discuss their decades-long partnership with the McLean Project for the Arts whose gallery and studio are located in the Community Center.
MPA runs the Center’s Visual Arts program and pays a yearly fee of about $20,000 for 2000 square feet of space, under their 21-year-old agreement. Continue reading
Monday, May 3, 7:30 pm. – Finance Committee of the McLean Community Center Board, McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave.
Tuesday May 4, 7:30 – 8:30 am. – Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce, Benefit breakfast for Homestretch Inc., which works with the homeless of Fairfax County. Gannett Building, 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean.
Noon, Former First Lady Laura Bush signs her new memoir, Books-A-Million store, 1451 Chain Bridge Road in downtown McLean. You must have a numbered wristband and a copy of the book to participate in the book signing. Store closed for book signing until 3 p.m.
Noon, Rotary Club of McLean, Blood Donation as a Lifestyle, Paul Witt, INOVA Blood Donor Services. Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 1545 Chain Bridge Rd. Continue reading
Julie Rasmussen
MCLEAN, VA – Julie Rasmussen, executive director of the McLean Community Center, said Thursday afternoon that increasing family responsibilities led her to resign her high-paying post.
She gave the board no advance warning before her public announcement Wednesday night, she said, because, “Several board members were aware of the family situation. I thought it most appropriate to try to tell everyone of my decision at one time, so the full monthly board meeting seemed the logical choice. ”
At that meeting, Rasmussen gave no reason for the surprise resignation from her $115,000- a-year post. David Sanders, the board chair, adjourned the meeting. The board then met with Rasmussen in executive session.
It is highly unusual for an executive director to announce their resignation in public and surprise their board.
“I knew that Julie had been going through some family issues. I did not know that it had reached the point that she wanted to resign,” Sanders said Thursday morning. “Family always comes first.”
Some board members have been critical of the staff that Rasmussen directs at recent board and committee meetings. They have raised questions about filling positions, why the recent center catalog was late, and why minutes were not given to members before meetings.
McLEAN, VA – Taxpayers can tell it to the MCC board 7:30 p.m. Wednesday March 24 at the Community Center on Ingleside Avenue.
You pay millions for the McLean Community Center so here’s your annual chance to tell the MCC board what programs you want. This might be your only chance to tell the board what you want. The elected board recently shelved plans to survey McLean residents about their thoughts/wants about activities at the center.
The board’s meetings are open to the public. The public seldom attends.
The McLean Ear 