A New Era For Our Zoo - Let's Hope So!

While I'd like to take a long break in posting now that Tanya is gone, I gotta keep on, keepin' on, at least with a few things.  Not only does this week and into the next, have many important dates for me personally, I need that break.  I'm going to endeavor to wrap-up those two "Unpacking" drafts, as we head into a new and hopeful era for Our Zoo. 

I wrote that and the rest of this post Saturday, and planned to publish the next day, along with one of the other drafts.  Obviously, I didn't get that far.  Considering that note of immediate ambition was days ago, and my need for personal time starts tomorrow, wrapping-up anything, may not happen in the next couple weeks.  Not only do I want it done, I also think those posts are necessary for enlightenment and awareness, for those in position to bring on change for the future betterment of Our Zoo.  So, I will try to find pockets of time.

The new COO (Chief Operating Officer) Cassandra Costello started yesterday, taking the helm assumingly along with the current CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Jeff Pace.  Pace mentioned at the last RecPark Full Commission Meeting that they would be interim Co-CEOs (Chief Executive Officers).   I previously posted about his reveal,...

"It's a bit surprising to hear the word and implementation of the term "Co-" , the Zoo has not to my knowledge ever had a team leadership at the highest level, but this has been a major component of my thoughts on Restructuring Management.  I'm disappointed that someone within Animal Care is not half that team.  Pace mentioned the search for the next Director, but didn't say if he and Costello will maintain the shared CEO duties after a new Director is hired.

If the next Director is not someone with an Animal Care background, I am leaning towards doubting that there will be much change in the management structure."

I feel very strongly that someone in Animal Care needs to have an equal voice, and seat at the table, in whatever new management structure is formed.  Regardless of whether that is interim, with this COO/CFO team, or with a new Director, regardless of whether they have Animal Care experience, I think it's important that current Animal Care Staff are included in all decisions, and their voices heard at all times.

If I had to choose just one Tanya Fail in the past seventeen years, it would probably be that Tanya (Peterson, former Director), did not listen to Animal Care Staff.  She had absolutely no experience in Animal Care, yet she failed to include those who did in on her ideas and/or plans for the Animals, which could have benefited the Animals and Zoo as a whole. 

Last Fall I wrote a detailed outline on what I thought a restructuring of management should look like, for the whole system to work to Our Zoo's advantage, moving into a thriving future.  It was based on the heavy inclusion of Animal Care Staff, as well as redefining the roles and duties of both the Zoological Society Board and the RecPark Commission.  Both the Board and Commission have been negligent in their responsibilities to Our Zoo the last seventeen years, throughout the reign of Tanya Peterson as Director. 

Members of both the Board and Commission have not expressed any negligence of duty over the past sixteen months that Our Zoo has been under scrutiny.  They need to suck it up and accept that their free rein with Peterson contributed to the state Our Zoo is in right now.  No part of past mismanagement, past misappropriation of funds, or past dictatorship, can be a part of Our Zoo's future.   Our Zoo needs a management that is tight with oversight, it needs massive fundraising from sources big and small, and it needs to be run as a team, with everyone working together for the betterment of Our Zoo.

That all said, moving forward the two big questions on my mind are,...

*Will the new COO be engaging with Animal Care Staff?

Not only including them in ideas and decision making, but most important regarding Pandas.  In my opinion, that is the one thing Animal Care Staff has to be immediately vocal about.  With the exception of one, and that person may have just resigned to it because there was seemingly no choice,  no one I have talked to thinks Pandas are a good idea.  Most infact flat-out think its a bad idea.

*Is there a plan to confer with the Board, RecPark Commission and Mayor, regarding Restructuring Management?

In my opinion, there are serious issues within the clarity and execution of the Management duties of the Zoological Society Board, and the Oversight duties of the RecPark.  These responsibilities have been ignored for the last seventeen years, thus directly related to what was allowed to happened to Our Zoo.  Sorting this out in the near future is a necessary Need.

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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