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ChatGPTClaudePerplexity· Related development
Parks Board members say they were not told of the zoo proposal before it reached the council
The Parks director told the Parks and Recreation Board that the zoo was not leased and remained a City-operated facility, that a former council member had brought forward the nonprofit idea because of limited City funding, and that the zoo land could not be sold without a referendum. Several board members said they felt "blindsided"; the board agreed a council member should attend its meetings. He also said Wonderland lease terms were still being negotiated.[1]
What the sources say
- ✓ Verified
Michael Kashuba, Director of Parks and Recreation: The Parks Board's November 12, 2025 minutes record the Parks director saying "the zoo is currently not leased and remains a city-owned facility, operated by city staff," that the idea of a 501(c)(3) to manage it "was brought forward by a former council member, driven by the city's limited funding," that a nonprofit "could generally raise more philanthropic support than a city department," and that the zoo land "is city-owned property and cannot be sold without a referendum from the citizens." [1]
- ✓ Verified
Under an item on communication of council agenda items, the minutes say "Several park board members expressed their frustration regarding the zoo lease, with many feeling blindsided by the fact that it had not been mentioned until now," and record a consensus that a council member should attend park board meetings. [1]
