In September, La Jolla Village Merchants Association continued its search for a new executive director and supported the upcoming La Jolla Art & Wine Festival, while receiving an update on community efforts to design and build bike racks.
“We are in the midst of a new hire for executive director,” said LJVMA president Alisha Hawrylyszyn Frank. “We’re getting a lot of different applications and resumes.”
Hawrylyszyn Frank said she was hoping to be able to announce a selection for executive director in October. She added LJVMA is also seeking to sublease its existing office at 7590 Fay Ave., Suite 404, to save costs. “We’re hoping to get a little more than half the rent in a short, three-month sublease,” she said.
Ann Parode Dynes of La Jolla Parks and Beaches, Inc. presented on community bike racks.
“It’s very hard to ask people to park their bikes, if there are no bike racks, corrals or other places to leave a bike,” Parode Dynes said adding, “There is an opportunity for La Jolla to do a better job with bike racks  and bike corrals.”
Parode Dynes said the City suggested La Jolla go with a “generic” bike rack.
“We went, how about an arched bike rack with La Jolla and a cutout of a bicycle on it?” 
The parks group chair pointed out there are other communities around town with branded bike racks. She added five of the new arched, branded La Jolla bike racks are going in at Children’s Pool with other sites, like La Jolla Post Office on Wall Street, being considered for bike racks.
“We could promote a program to improve and brand the bike racks,” Parode Dynes said. “It’s a step in the right direction of cleaning up La Jolla.”
Sherry Ahern presented on the upcoming Oct. 6-7 La Jolla Art & Wine Festival in the Village noting the event will be improved this year.
“This is our 10th year and we’ve given about $1 million to local elementary and middle schools,” Ahern said adding three youth bands, as well as La Jolla High’s Marching Band, will perform during the event.
Ahern said the LJAWF has truly become international, offering wines now from such far-flung places as Portugal, Italy, Germany and France, as well as Oregon, domestically. 
“We are going to have more than 155 artists,” Ahern said adding, “We encourage merchants to come and bring their businesses outside on the sidewalk to take advantage of the event.”
In other action:
 • The LJVMA Board supported nighttime-only work on the Torrey Pines Slope Stabilization Project.
LJVMA Board balked at a proposal to temporarily close four parking spaces at 1230 Prospect St. needed during upcoming facade construction. The board agreed it was appropriate for neighboring property owners to weigh-in on the proposal before taking action. The board, however, did sanction a request for ongoing construction at The Conrad Project to reconfigure its traffic-control plan for Fay Avenue.
LJVMA Board secretary Krista Baroudi said Pillage the Village Halloween celebration and costume-judging contest for kids will go on again this year in the Village on Wednesday, Oct. 31.
City staffer Lesley Henegar clued the group in on a citywide tree-planting program.
Following the debate, LJVMA approved throwing in with BizX to host the merchant group’s annual holiday party.
LJVMA’s annual board election day is Wednesday, Oct. 3.