By Dominique ROCHA

On Thursday, the Montrose Shopping Park Association (MSPA) board members and local residents and business owners met for the monthly MSPA board meeting. 

Hosted at the Montrose/Glendale Police Substation, the MSPA meeting was led by Board President Andre Ordubegian, Vice President GiGi Garcia, Board Secretary Kim Kelly, Treasurer Maureen Palacios, Business Administrator and Events Coordinator Dale Dawson, Film Liaison Steve Pierce, Moo Moo Mia Ice Cream owner Mark Pederson and Joselito’s Mexican Restaurant owner Corey Grijalva. The meeting featured three speakers Tony Criss from the City of Glendale Economic Development, Molly Burke from the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce and Aaron Eggiman from the Glendale Police Dept. 

Criss provided the MSPA with updates on scheduled improvements to the shopping park, such as scheduling a day for lamp post painting and street upgrades. 

Ordubegian expressed frustrations with the city regarding an absence of follow-through on issues such as posting RSVPs for future meetings and a lack of information on whether or not plans are being cancelled. 

“The City of Glendale spends a tremendous amount on studies that go nowhere,” Ordubegian said. “At this point, why don’t you guys stop what you’re doing and stop wasting money?”  

Garcia spoke up about the overall lack of progress from the city and how it affects the MSPA members and their businesses. 

“This table is full of volunteers,” Garcia said. “We go on these walks with you, we leave our businesses and nothing ever comes with it.” 

Next, Burke gave an update on the upcoming annual Oktoberfest event. 

“We have been meeting with different vendors, the city, the fire department and police to make sure that everything is safe,” Burke said.  

A new addition to this year’s Oktoberfest will be a new kids’ zone sponsored by YMCA of the Foothills. The kids’ zone will feature rides more suited to smaller children, and will include a bounce house and cheaper options, such as face painting. Oktoberfest will be held on Oct. 4 from noon to 10 p.m. 

The discussion opened up to the public forum section of the meeting. Adrian Hakopian, a resident, praised the MSPA on its work. 

“Montrose Shopping Park is the jewel within the Jewel City of Glendale,” Hakopian said. 

Rich Boccia from the Glendale Fire Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) next spoke and gave a presentation on emergency preparedness. Boccia went over the importance of community safety plans and handed out emergency survival guides. 

The main agenda item of the meeting was to discuss project funding proposals. The MSPA decided to allocate $50,000 for improvements with the intent to install around the shopping park new benches, sidewalk stickers and security lights. 

The meeting concluded with Eggiman providing a crime update from the last four weeks. There were only two incidents this month, including a distraction theft on Aug. 30 at Honolulu business Pattye’s Closet that resulted in $5,000 in merchandise lost and an instance of vandalism of a Rolls-Royce with a plunger on the 2300 block of Honolulu. Eggiman also gave a follow-up on the ongoing investigation of an incident at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf where cameras were put into the restrooms. 

The next MSPA meeting is scheduled to take place on Oct. 2.