By Kevork KURDOGHLIAN

In addition to their regular business, the Crescenta Valley Town Council met last Thursday to receive updates from various community members and organizations.

David George Gevorkyan, a member of the GUSD Bond Oversight Committee and audit commissioner at the City of Glendale, announced his interest in the vacant Glendale Unified School District board seat.

He announced that he has a five-point plan, two that include more parent engagement and police and fire department involvement in GUSD schools, which “can be accomplished in a short amount of time,” according to Gevorkyan.

The appointed board member will serve out the remainder of former member Mary Boger’s term, which ends in April 2015.

GUSD board president Greg Krikorian was also present at the CVTC meeting. Krikorian came to reintroduce himself to the community since assuming the GUSD board presidency.

The town council, particularly councilmember Mike Claessens, escalated the conversation into a contentious back and forth about the territory transfer.

Cleaessens said Krikorian’s answers to council president Robbyn Battles’ questions were “patronizing.”

“You tend to talk over me and it’s a tactic that’s not going to work with me,” Cleassens said.

Krikorian, who had not expected the onslaught of questions, said, “I’m more than happy to meet with the specific staff to answer these questions.”

He was also able to remind the town council that if the territory transfer case went to court, GUSD would most likely lose the unimproved lot next to Mountain Avenue Elementary and the bridge connecting the school and the lot.

To this, Battles asked if there was anyway to connect the lot with the school. Krikorian said he would ask the appropriate district staff.

Battles ended the lengthy 45-minute discussion by telling Krikorian, “We want to help you guys be good neighbors.”

The CVTC also heard from Anita Gabrielian, a member of the Glendale Community College board of trustees, and Meg Chil-Gevorkyan, student services technician in the Student Outreach Services  office at GCC.

Chil-Gevorkyan gave a presentation to the council and the community making them aware of the numerous educational opportunities that are available to all members of the community at GCC.

When asked about the possibility of converting GCC into a university, Trustee Gabrielian explained that it is highly unlikely that GCC will become a university.

She added that the board has now started looking at the possibility of offering four-year degrees at GCC, with similar discussions taking place at all 112 California community colleges.

Continuing with the educational theme of the meeting, the town council presented Rosemont Middle School principal Dr. Cynthia Livingston with a certificate of thanks for bringing many of her students out for the Crescenta Valley Sept. 11 Remembrance Parade.

  Kevork KURDOGHLIAN