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Fresno Zoo Gets Time to Improve

Posted on: Saturday, 1 April 2006, 12:00 CST

By Marc Benjamin, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

Apr. 1--The American Zoo Association delayed a decision on accrediting Fresno's Chaffee Zoo for a year to evaluate the new management structure.

Citing what was described as board stability issues, the AZA evaluation team chose to table the vote for a year.

The zoo will remain accredited, but the AZA will take up the issue again next year.

Fresno zoo officials met with the evaluation team and accreditation panel Friday during a regional meeting of the AZA in Jacksonville, Fla.

"The accreditation inspection occurred during a time of great change for the Fresno Chaffee Zoo," said Lewis Greene, the zoo's new director.

Greene assisted Fresno zoo officials in discussions with the AZA panel Friday and wrote a response to the AZA's report.

The Fresno zoo was twice granted an extension, the last time shortly before Measure Z went to voters in 2004. Under AZA rules, only two extensions may be granted.

Tabling the accreditation is technically not an extension.

Measure Z sales tax revenues are expected to provide at least $100 million for improvements over the next 10 years. Two-thirds of the money is for new and upgraded facilities, and one-third is for zoo operations.

Accreditation, which is good for five years, ensures that the zoo meets accepted standards for its facilities and animal care.

The accreditation team visited Fresno in early February and filed a report that was generally positive but also listed a few concerns.

The concerns about the board mentioned a need for members to recognize their roles. Three board members resigned late last year during a controversy over the zoo's operation. The board members resigned after zoo director Donna Fernandes resigned. A fourth vacancy occurred after another board member's term expired. All four vacancies were filled by the board last month.

At the time, the zoo also had not received any funding through the Fresno County Zoo Authority, which is dispensing Measure Z funds to the zoo corporation.

During the examination, AZA inspectors also were concerned about the hiring of a CEO. The week after inspectors were at the zoo, Greene, who is coming from the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, was hired. He officially begins work at Chaffee Zoo in two weeks.

Many of the zoo's programs were highly regarded by the inspection team, including its education team, the Sunda Forest, elephant management, animal enrichment and conditioning, and the level of animal well-being.

Inspectors also said efforts to make the zoo financially viable by the zoo's board, the Fresno Zoo Society, the city of Fresno and citizens were "tremendous achievements." And, the accreditation team recognized the technical expertise and dedication of the zoo's staff as well as safety procedures.

The inspection team said the zoo should fill vacancies on the maintenance staff. The zoo lost five of seven maintenance employees in its transition from a city-run operation to the zoo corporation because longtime staff members had a better retirement plan through the city.

Maintenance positions are being filled, zoo officials say.

The accreditation team also was concerned about a water-filtration system the zoo installed recently that now needs upgrading because of new environmental regulations.

Other concerns included: the small size of the chimpanzee exhibit, a location that floods near the bear enclosure, walkway repairs and a concession stand that needs enlarging.

But those issues are expected to be addressed as the zoo embarks on its master planning process with Measure Z money.

"This is an exciting time for the zoo, and I am confident one year from now the positive transformation will be recognized by the accreditation commission," Greene said.

The reporter can be reached at mbenjamin@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6166.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

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Source: The Fresno Bee

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