McLean Community Center Governing Board Election: 3 Adults, 2 Youth Chosen

MCLEAN, VA — After voting wrapped up with McLean Day, preliminary results of the McLean Community Center governing board have been announced.

The election decided three adult board seats and two youth board seats, one each for the Langley and McLean High School boundaries. According to preliminary results, the adult winners are Kristina Groennings (1,531 votes), Anna Bartosiewicz (1,403 votes) and Ari Ghasemian (1,400 votes). Other candidates were Debra Butler, Katie Gorka, Lauren S. Kahn, James Lawless, Maire Shine and Ishah “Laurah Guillen” Wright.

Youth winners were Charlotte Loving in the Langley High School boundary (69 votes) and Sarah Tran in the McLean High School boundary (62 votes). Loving was the only candidate in the Langley High School boundary. The other candidate in the McLean High School boundary was Max Blacksten, a current youth board member.

Adults serve three-year terms, while teens serve one-year terms. Election results will be presented by Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which will verify the election results.

According to the Associated Press, Gorka is a former Trump administration official, as was her husband, Sebastian Gorka. Gorka and some in the community expressed opposition to a Drag StoryBook Hour cohosted by the McLean Community Center and Dolley Madison Library, as reported by the Washington Post.

Groennings, Bartosiewicz and Ghasemian were the candidates supported by the Democratic Party, according to the Post.

Voting began March 16 and concluded with McLean Day this past Saturday. Residents in the Dranesville Small District 1A could vote in the election, with adults choosing adult candidates and youth aged 15 to 17 as of May 21 choosing youth candidates.

The 11-member governing board sets policies and budget for the McLean Community Center as well as provides oversight for programs and facilities, including Robert Ames Alden Theatre and the Old Firehouse Teen Center. Much of the McLean Community Center's revenue comes from a special district tax of $0.023 per $100 of assessed value for Dranesville Small District 1A property owners.

Governing board meetings are held monthly, except in August and November, and accept public comment at the start of meetings. New members will be sworn in at the governing board meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8.