RecPark Commissioner Claims Dept Can't Make Zoo Do Anything!

On an hours sleep, I wrote this post last night just after 8p.  For two hours before the night ended I tried to order my paragraphs to flow.  I was not successful, it's 5:30a now, trying again.

Written Monday June 9.

Once again, after yesterday's post, I thought, I might get a break.  Silly me.  I guess there are going to be certain things that I'm going to just have to post about.  So, I'm not trying to be like bands that keep saying this is their final tour, I am striving to hang it up, but again certain things will have to be documented, and this is one of them.

The City's RecPark Commission Meeting was today. Commissioner Larry Mazzola had much to say related to Our Zoo.  Clearly disappointed, I appreciate his honesty and his outward frustration.  That said, while it seems he truly believes what he is saying, there are things that make no sense.

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be a bitch about this but there are many of us who are exhausted and frustrated by The City's refusal to Remove a "Manager" from position in a City owned facility.  While I was glad to finally hear someone on the Park Commission mention the need for Management change at Our Zoo, it still seems the Commissioners who have sat on what is a Zoo Oversight Committee, do not want to admit their part in what's happened to Our Zoo.  

And yes, I am going to be a Dog with a bone about this, because I have literally sat and watched the negligence of duty and responsibility for over fifteen years.  So, yeah I got a bone to pick and rightfully so.

The Meeting Video can be viewed at the link.  His words run less than five minutes, starting at 49:55 in, under Item 4 Comments.  It's quite a thing, so give it a watch.

sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/50166

Mazzola repeatedly stated that the RecPark's involvement on the (Joint Zoo) Committee is only "Advisory".  If that is accurate, then Why Do the Commissioners Vote on Items to Approve?

Considering Zoo Director Tanya Peterson does whatever she wants, if the Zoo (aka Tanya) didn't have a responsibility to report to the RecPark, the Zoo wouldn't. The Zoo surely wouldn't be " seeking advice".

Mazzola boldly stated, "It's not the Commissions fault what's going on at the Zoo".  

Ahhh, Yes, in part it is.  The RecPark and the Zoological Society Board, have ignored Our Zoo for seventeen years, deferring to Tanya instead of taking an active interest in how she was running the place. 

Commissioner Mazzola himself was on the Zoo Committee when it voted to approve the acquisition of Orangutans, which resulted in those two adult sized Great Apes living exclusively in caged tubes for eight months.  No one on the Committee or Board ever questions where acquired Animals are going to live.

Mazzola also states, the Commission, "Can't make them (the Zoo) do anything...", in reference to obtaining documents.  

That might be true, but there is a seemingly confirmed Authority entity within the RecPark Department, that can Fire Director Peterson.  They can sure do that and put an end to not only the non-compliance, but the hugest part of this whole mess.

Something Mazzola also mentioned that's a little mind-boggling, is how the Zoo's lawyer is seemingly allowed to dictate what the appointed City Official can and cannot have access to, within a City Owned facility.

So, I guess we got to rehash once again, as it is all encompassing, the Recreation and Park Department's role in relation to Our Zoo.  Not only has it been my understanding for many years, as well that of several very long-term Staffers, that the RecPark, is tasked with being an Oversight entity, for Our Zoo.  I posted recently my inquiry to Supervisor Aaron Peskin, then President of the Board of Supervisors, to confirm this.  I asked, What City entity has Authority over the Zoological Society?  The answer was, "Recreation and Parks Department, under the Mayor".

Maybe Mazzola can flat-out clarify, How his statements then support what everyone has thought, and was confirmed by former Supervisor Peskin, as they then do not make any sense.  Seemingly, the Rec and Park, as well as Mayor, have Authority over the Zoological Society, which includes Zoo Director Tanya Peterson.

This Authority most certainly makes sense, as once again I repeat and document, Our Zoo is OWNED by the City of San Francisco, and only MANAGED by the Zoological Society.

So it certainly appears that the RecPark, is not only an Oversight entity, but has Authority to OVERRIDE.   That said, it appears that Mazzola is trying to say that the Commissioners have no Authority?   Maybe that Authority solely falls on Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg?  Or maybe it's just the Mayors?

So, either the RecPark does not have the Authority that we all think, or this is a play on words so the RecPark can continue to do nothing about Our Zoo's desperate need to have Tanya Peterson Removed as Director of Our Zoo. Followed by an overhaul of management, that includes Restructuring the Society (which I think could be beneficial as a Fundraising entity only), and a Redefining of the RecPark's role.

That said, Commissioner Mazzola said, he'd like to see the "Zoological Society gone".

Does that mean he is calling on the Mayor to take care of this, since he claims the RecPark is only Advisory?

Regardless of whether the buck is being passed, there is a City Official Entity that certainly has Authority over the Zoological Society, and that Authority needs to Remove Tanya, and allow the team of managers currently at the Zoo who are willing and ready to take over, to do so.  Even if temporarily.

So, Please Commissioner Mazzola, and Park GM Phil Ginsburg, enlighten us all with what's what.

Related Post:

*My Reactions To Chronicle Article -Saturday April 20, 2024

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2024/04/my-reactions-to-chronicle-article_28.html

Here are the two portions of that post that pertain the Commissioner Mazzola.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Blogger's Statement

"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."

For Full Statement see this post:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I used to use (search) labels, but too often forget.  I started noting "Hot Topic" in title, but fell lax on that.  Now I'm just going to add labels, keywords, etc., here at the bottom with hashtags.  Does it help in searches, who knows.

#SanFrancisco , #SanFranciscoZoo , #Zoos #SanFranciscoZoologicalSociety , #SanFranciscoZooDirectorTanyaPeterson , #SanFranciscoRecreationAndParksDept , #SanFranciscoMayorLondonBreed ,
#SanFranciscoMayorDanielLurie
#AssociationOfZoosAndAquariums , #AZA , #SpeciesSurvivalPlan , #SSP , #Animals , #Wildlife , #Nature , #AnimalWelfare , #AnimalCruelty , #AndeanBear , #KomodoDragon , #Chimpanzees ,  #PatasMonkey , #Fossa , #Orangutans , #Barriers , #PerimeterFence, #Pandas #Bison