These are, for all intents and purposes, short stories. Perhaps you/they are putting too much effort in describing secondary characters... a task better left to the reader's imagination.

I'd suggest just elaborating on the main character, that's the one you really care about... Let the reader fill in the blanks with the bulk of the rest... and that way, there is only one character they really have to remember.

"George was impressive at first sight" says volumes and allows each reader to create their own impressive visage.