05-09-13 PARC - Laserfiche WebLink

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PARC 5:30 P.M. May 9, 2013 Committee Members Present: Henry Davis, Gavin Ferlic, (left at 5:55 p.m.); Tim Scott Other Council Present: Valerie Schey, David Varner, Derek Dieter Others Present: Ann Puzzello, Joann Slomski, James Martindale, Jamie Richard, Jim Szucs, Tony Flora, Tom Landgrebe, Dave Walsh, George Horn Agenda: Potawatomi Zoo Henry Davis, Jr., Chairperson of the PARC Committee (Parks) called the specially called meeting of his committee to give the Potawatomi Zoological Society an opportunity to outline their proposal for hanges in the operations of the Potawatomi Zoo. Henry began by welcoming the Zoological Society while commending them for their commitment to the betterment of the zoo. Additionally while expressing a sense of gratitude for their presentation, he reminded them any changes in the governance of the zoo would come from the Mayor and the Park Board. That notwithstanding Henry expressed a willingness to work with the administration, the Society, and the public as conversations ensured. As stated this meeting was to hear the Zoological Society's proposal to operate the zoo as a public private partnership. George Horn, past president of the Zoological Society an attorney with the Barnes & Thornburg law firm made the presentation. He gave a brief background of the Zoological Society's long involvement with the zoo, helping it raise funds and achieve accreditation for the zoo. He went on to begin to provide a description of a public private partnership model for the future governance of the zoo. Essentially the City would act as landlord to the Society which would operate the zoo. They would care for the animals, enhance and expand exhibits, raise money, and manage the day to day responsibility of managing the ZOO. For its part the City would maintain ownership of the zoo and would have to approve any major changes to the zoo. The City would also commit to $1.1 million dollars per year for 10 years to help keep up the zoo operations. George Horn completed his outline, and then introduced Dave Walsh, a zoo operations consultant hired by the Society to recommend a model of "best practices" of zoo management from his research and experiences with zoos around the country. The model proposed and outlined by Mr. Walsh using a 16 slide overheard walk- through (attached) is a public private model used by many zoos around the country. He claimed the best, most interesting and most efficient zoos were based on a public private partnership model. Subsequent to his presentation Henry allotted time for those to speak in favor of the proposed governance change. In total, 6 spoke. Four supported the proposal unconditionally. Two both union