To the Editor:
At its Feb. 4 meeting, the McLean Community Center Capital Facilities Committee (MCC CFC) deferred a vote on whether to retain Maffitt Hall as a community meeting room or turn it into office and administration space. While I was not present at the meeting, I have been told that an email that I had sent in support of retaining Maffitt as a meeting room was interpreted by some on the CFC as representing another McLean organization’s official position on the issue and therefore as interfering in the process of the MCC’s renovation. Nothing could be further from the truth.
My email communication represented my personal views and not an official position of the McLean Citizens Association, McLean’s 100+ year-old unofficial town council for all residents of Small District 1, Dranesville.
According to the MCC website, “the mission of the McLean Community Center is to provide a sense of community by undertaking programs; assisting community organizations; and furnishing facilities for civic, cultural, educational, recreational and social activities apportioned fairly to all residents of Small District 1, Dranesville.”
My understanding is that turning Maffitt into office and administration space as part of MCC’s $8.1 renovation would effectively reduce the number of meeting rooms available for civic, cultural, educational, recreational or social activities. This outcome would not serve the interests of McLean’s residents or community organizations, who already find that there are times when there are no rooms available at the MCC to meet.
Seems to me that the MCC’s mission statement makes it clear that comments on MCC’s renovation plans from both McLean residents and McLean organizations are part of, not an interference in, the public process of deciding what best serves McLean’s residents and taxpayers.
Sally K. Horn
McLean
The views expressed herein are my personal views and should not be construed as representing the position of any other individuals or organizations.