By Nicole MOORE

Lt. Oscar Rodriguez from the Glendale Police Dept. addressed concerns mentioned by members of the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. at the monthly meeting of the MSPA. Steve Pierce, Montrose film liaison, reported that a number of syringes were found behind the Color Me Mine property. Whether the syringes were medical waste or something more sinister had not been determined. During the meeting, Lt. Rodriguez said a dispatcher would be called to scope out the situation.

Additionally, the MSPA discussed having members of the Glendale Police Explorer program ride bicycles along Honolulu Avenue during the weekly Harvest Market to discourage shoplifters. Further, Lt. Rodriguez reported there have not been any major incidents of criminal activity in the Montrose area during the month of October.

Tamara O’Connor from Community Arts Resources and Glendale City Councilmember Paula Devine attended the meeting to outline the Glendale Public Art Master Plan. For the past 10 years, Glendale developers have been putting 1% to 2% of their revenue in an escrow account to be used for public arts funding. While it has been determined this money will be used to showcase art in the Glendale area in an accessible manner, the type of art had not been decided on. O’Connor discussed various ideas with the MSPA board, including hosting art festivals and speaking events, putting up gateway art, showcasing large-scale icon art, having temporary art exhibits in the public sphere, and holding workshops. To remedy this quandary and narrow down the selection, the Glendale Public Art Master Plan committee would like for at least 300 Glendale residents to leave their suggestions and opinions regarding art in Glendale on the website myglendalepublicart.org.

MSPA executive director Dale Dawson announced that the annual Halloween Spooktacular event held in the shopping park went off “without a hitch.” However, various members of the board expressed their frustration regarding this year’s Oktoberfest. Members reported that trash, tents and equipment from the event were left throughout the shopping park. Additionally, grease was illegally poured out from one of the vendors in front of the Bank of America property, leaving a large stain. Additional ATM machines that were temporarily installed on the street for the event could not be moved due to their alarms.

“It is all very frustrating as a business owner,” said Gigi Garcia, owner of It Takes A Village.

“We are a family-friendly and family-first community … [This event] is not in alignment of who we are as a community,” added Kristina Evans, co-owner of Rest Farmhouse Inspired.

The MSPA board decided it would like to have a meeting with the chamber to discuss ways to improve Oktoberfest.

The next MSPA meeting will be on Dec. 7 at 8 a.m. at the Glendale Community College’s Public Development Center, 2340 Honolulu Ave.

  Nicole MOORE