PW Committee of 100 panelists to discuss county’s proposed budget

Prince William Committee of 100 will host its monthly dinner and program on Thursday, March 19 at the Wyndham Garden, 10800 Vandor Lane, Manassas, VA.  Networking begins at 6:30 p.m.; dinner 7 p.m. and the program begins at 7:45 p.m.

The Committee of 100 welcomes guests to its monthly program.  Members and guests must R.S.V.P.  for dinner by noon on Monday, March 16. Dinner is $25 for members and $30 for guests. 

The Committee of 100 will examine budgetary challenges that ensue from the competing importance of the tax rate and funding critical needs in Prince William County.

Moderator Martin Jeter, president of MIDCO (Mid-County Civic Association), will guide the “Prince William County’s Critical Needs and 2016 Budgetary Challenges” discussion among several panelists.

Confirmed panelists include C. McClain “Mac” Haddow,  Gainesville-Brentsville Districts Budget Committee ch-chair; Milton C Johns, Prince William County School Board chairman; and John Kahrnak Woodbridge District Budget Committee chair.

The discussion:
* What is outlined in the County’s strategic plan?
* Is Prince William County attractive to larger businesses?
* How do social structures impact our economic growth?
* What is the impact of funding critical needs?
* What impact does growth projections and the tax rate have on the County budget?

Haddow is a partner at Upstream Consulting, a government relations, public affairs and management consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. He has been involved in government relations activities since 1986. He is a former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. During his tenure at HHS, he served for a year as the Acting Administrator of the Health Finance Administration-HCFA (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-CMS).

Haddow attended Brigham Young University with a major in organizational communications, and minor political science, before joining the first Orrin Hatch for Senate campaign in 1976 where he served as campaign manager and later as Hatch’s administrative assistant. In1979, Mac was elected to the Utah House of Representatives. 

In 1982, after an active involvement in the campaign of Ronald Reagan for the presidency, Mac was appointed the chief of staff at HHS.

In addition to serving as co-chair of the Gainesville-Brentsville District Budget Committee,  he is president of the Oak Valley Homeowners Association; president of the Western Prince William Homeowners Alliance; board member of Rise Up Prince William (a community nonprofit promoting philanthropic activities); and serves in church leadership positions. Haddow is married and has six children and six grandchildren.

Milton C. Johns began his second term as Prince William County School Board Chairman At-Large on January 1, 2012. Before taking office as Chairman at Large in January 2008, Mr. Johns served as the Brentsville District Representative to the Prince William County School Board from 2004 through 2007.  Johns was vice chairman of the Prince William County School Board in 2004. He is an attorney in private practice and has spent over 20 years in the national defense industry as a program and contracts manager, as well as corporate counsel. He is also a former adjunct professor of business law at Strayer University in WoodbridgeVA and taught legal research and writing at George Mason University School of Law. A graduate of George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Science, he earned a master’s degree from that school in Security Policy Studies. His Juris Doctorate was awarded by the George Mason University School of Law with high honors. He and his wife Shellie have lived in Prince William County since 1991. They have two children, Caitlin, a 2008 graduate of Battlefield High School, and Wyatt, who attends Patriot High School.

Karhnak has been a resident of Woodbridge for over 40 years.  He retired after a long career as an engineer with the federal government and in private industry.  Since his retirement,  Karhnak has become interested in the Prince William County budget process and how tax money is allocated and spent.  He has chaired the budget committee for the Woodbridge District for the past five years.
Volunteering in the community for many years, he has coached youth soccer, served as president of Woodbridge Crew Club, and led the Parish Council at his church, and chaired two building committees.  He continues to participate in cleanup projects along Route 1, Neabsco Creek, Marumsco Acres Park, and Veteran’s Park. Karhnak is the past Chairman of the Woodbridge Potomac Communities Civic Association (WPCCA).  The WPCCA was started in October of 2008 by volunteers who wanted to see a New Woodbridge and were willing to work together to develop a plan to improve the community.  The Civic Association’s purpose is to unite the communities of the Woodbridge District and address issues such as transportation, redevelopment, and land Use.  The Association also participates in other civic matters throughout Prince William County.

Program only attendance is free and seating will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Visit http://www.pwc100.org to make dinner reservations and view program details. Follow PWC 100 on Facebook.