By Nicole MOORE

The Montrose Shopping Park Association held its monthly meeting on Thursday, Oct. 6 to discuss the future of the shopping park.

Andre Ordubegian, president of the MSPA, requested that local businesses get involved within the community to draw in new customers.

“We need to attract more businesses to make sure this town stays vital,” Ordubegian said. “It is extremely important [that] we are all focusing on what we need to do for this town during [these] competitive times.”

Tahnee Lightfoot of the Glendale Police Dept. informed the MSPA board about the recent increase in commercial burglaries that target local businesses. In the month of September alone, the GPD dealt with five separate incidents of burglaries in the area. The most recent occurred on Sept. 30 within a shopping center on Foothill Boulevard. The suspects took money from registers as well as safes that had not been bolted to the floor.

“These are professional burglars from the L.A. area,” said Lightfoot.

Lightfoot also reported there had been two separate arrests involving substance abuse made during this year’s Oktoberfest. A 16-year-old female, who was later released to her parents, and a male in his 20s were detained for the possession of marijuana. Lightfoot noted that throughout the event undercover narcotics officers patrolled the crowd to ensure the safety of Oktoberfest participants.

Joanna Linkchorst, president of the Friends of Rockhaven, thanked community members for donating to and attending the Rockhaven dinner and silent auction soiree held on Sept. 24.

“What impressed me most [about the event] was the support of the community,” said Linkchorst.

Changes to the Rockhaven property may be discussed in the near future and may include exact details of the project, which aligns with the Montrose 20/20 vision plan.

Steve Pierce, Montrose film liaison, discussed filming guidelines with frustrated local business owners. With recent street closures due to filming during critical business hours, the Montrose business owners reported seeing a decline in the number of customers who visited their businesses. While a fee is paid to businesses directly impacted by the street closures, businesses adjacent to the closed streets do not receive compensation. Additionally, merchants not directly impacted by the closures according to filming guidelines expressed dissatisfaction with the fact they were not notified until the day of filming of the street closures. Peirce noted most film companies usually give less than a week’s notice when they will be in the area, but agreed there should be notification earlier when filming takes place in the shopping park.

The next Montrose Shopping Park Association meeting will take place on Nov. 3 at Glendale Community College PDC, 2340 Honolulu Ave. in Montrose at
8 a.m.

  Nicole MOORE