8 Candidates Vie for Seats on McLean Community Center

Eight candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to run for seats on the McLean Community Center’s Governing Board for 2013-14. The board sets policy and provides general oversight for facilities and programs of the center, including the Robert Ames Alden Theatre and the Old Firehouse Teen Center.

Three adult and two teen positions are available.

Residents of Dranesville Small District 1A are eligible to vote during the election to be held from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 18 at the McLean Day festival at Lewinsville Park, 1659 Chain Bridge Road. Residents also may vote by absentee ballot through May 15.

The adult candidates who receive the three-highest vote counts will serve three-year terms. Youth candidates — one from the McLean High School boundary area and one from the Langley High School boundary area — serve one-year terms. Youth candidates do not have to attend these schools to serve on the board.

Write-in candidates are also allowed. Write-in candidates must have at least 10 votes from 10 residents of the center’s tax district in order to have their votes counted. For youth write-in candidates, the 10 votes must come from teens who live within the same high school boundary area as the candidate.

The adult candidates are Mark A. Behrens, who co-chairs a practice group for a national law firm in DC; Cathlin A. Bowman-Young, who says she offers a solid business acumen with depth of experience in team leadership and organizational development, revenue growth, partnership development, not-for-profit and for-profit board management and grant development; and Kevin Dent, who has been member of the Governing Board of MCC since May 2007.

Also running are Dennis Findley, an architect who has taught classes through MCC; Jay Howell, a current member who runs a government relations consulting firm; Marshal J. Hyman, who is active in several organizations around McLean and is service officer and board member of the McLean American Legion; and Paul Kohlenberger, president of the McLean Historical Society.

The youth candidate from the McLean High School area is Steven Pardo. There are no candidates from the Langley High School area.

For more information on candidates, click here.