I spent several hours this morning combining what turned out to be forty-two notepad documents of drafts and thoughts, into one place. Don't let that be confused with actually reading any those documents. So, with the day now half over, I can't handle that overwhelm, and want to just move on.
Yesterday, I couldn't decide where to go next, so I went nowhere. Unpacking my reaction to the Loan news and my comments (not bad, just honest) about so much of it, is too much for now. Not wanting to let time go without alleviating some thought weight, I decided to follow-up on two things from my last post.
I wrote about "irritations" about Panda mentions from Mayor Lurie and CEO Costello, and I ended the post with my opinion of what direction Our Zoo should take, which can also be noted as, what I'd like to see happen. The later, that references Mountain Lions and Hippos, came from that "Part Two" post I keep referring to. It's a long (in time and length) thought-out idea for the future of Animal enclosures at Our Zoo.
The "irritations" are fueled by the continued obsession with acquiring Pandas, especially in the same time frame as talk about Our Zoo's desperate financial situation. It's insanity. But there's more. While I'm not going to unpack the four News articles I read about the Loan, there are a few basic things I should note, because I don't want anyone to think I have a problem with the Loan. I don't.
I am thankful that CEO Costello went to the City and asked for this. I'm thankful that Supervisor Melgar is supportive of saving Our Zoo and was proactive in taking action to make this happen. I'm thankful Mayor Lurie was on board, despite the City's own financial woes.
That all said, there is content in those articles that harken back to many long standing issues and other related factors.
First of all, I'm sorry but this needs to be said,...
How dare anyone from The City even suggest looking at Closing Our Zoo, even be an option.
I find it offensive, and apparently keeping it open is being presented as the lessor of the financial evils.
Considering City entities, specifically the Recreation and Park Dept (Manager and Commissioners), as well as the Zoological Society Board, and primarily the former CEO/Director Tanya Peterson, are all to blame for the state Our Zoo is currently in. Each one of these entities were negligent in their responsibilities to Our Zoo, and each one turned a blind eye on Our Zoo, for at least the eighteen years I have been monitoring it. They chose to ignore endless communication from myself and constant pleas from the staff, regarding the mass mismanagement by Peterson. They chose to support their friendship with Peterson over what was right for Our Animals, the living Beings that depended on Our Zoo being stable. Nothing proves this more than both the Board and Park Dept failing to remove Peterson, even after all the shit that hit the proverbial fan.
Make no mistake, Our Zoo is in this position now because of Tanya Peterson and by proxy the Board and Park Dept negligence. This is on The City. It was long-standing before Mayor Lurie took office, but thankfully he was there when the time came, and had the balls to force Peterson out.
So, money. The Loan is obviously much needed, it will need to be paid back. Much more is needed to fix Our Zoo. In my opinion, every Board Member who supported Tanya Peterson, and her lack of fundraising, should pony-up some big bucks. The Board is, or was, made-up of some of the City's wealthiest, they were tasked with making sure Our Zoo was managed properly and failed. Additionally, someone should look into suing Peterson for the damages she did to Our Zoo.
The last thing I'll mention in this post is about what I have referred to as, The Pyramid of Power. One of the posts I've had in draft since Peterson left eight months ago is titled, "Is Hiring A New CEO Is Enough For Fundamental Change? The Mayor Must Think So." Apparently I was right, as not until just over a week ago, did Mayor Lurie ever mention Our Zoo again, and when he did it was about Pandas!
The Recreation and Park Department may have a new Manager, but will that change anything in the Park Commission's interpretation of it's role in regard to Our Zoo?
Likewise, the Zoological Society named a new Board Chairperson. Has that done anything to change how the Board views their role as the highest managing entity?
The answer to both those questions is seemingly No.
In October 2014, I wrote two blog posts. Part one, mostly about the need to get rid of Tanya Peterson. The second detailing my thoughts on the need for Restructuring Management, and Redefining Management Entity Roles, to create a better checks and balances, and most importantly creating an unbiased Zoo Board, by establishing a Co-Op Management Team. This was sent to Mayor Lurie. Maybe he should have taken a look at it. It's not too late. If he cares about Our Zoo's success, he needs to again assert authority and urge for change in the overall way the Zoo is managed.
My thoughts in that post are obviously not a stringent plan, there are even things I'd tweak a bit, but it's a guideline that I believe has some decent ideas that could work for the betterment of Our Zoo.
Instead of The City batting about notions that Closing Our Zoo could ever even be looked at as an option, maybe the scenario to look at is as I proposed, that the Zoo could benefit to run as a Cooperative Management, between the Employees and the Society. The Employees basically managing the the Zoo and the current Society (Board) Members remaining a fundraising entity. This would create an equal partnership in a newly defined Zoological Society Board.
My Restructuring idea's goal is better oversight, to prevent tasked entities from being negligent in their duties. It suggests a more balanced management group, to prevent being steamrolled by nonStaff Board Members with no awareness as to what is going on, on the grounds.
My Redefining idea's goal is to provide entities with a definite description of their duty, to prevent authority figures from claiming no authority, if an issue arises. This happened before and can not happen again.
I've linked the referenced post at the bottom. Here's a synopsis of bullet points taken from that post...
There are four things that need to happen.
1) Hiring a New Director ✔
2) Restructuring of The Zoological Society Partnership
3) Redefining the Rec and Park's role
4) Restructuring and Redefining the role and responsibility of the Joint Zoo Committee
In detail: (full description for each point in post)
1) Hiring a new Director.
2) Restructuring of The Zoological Society Partnership
2A) Society Managing entity
2B) Society Fundraising entity
2C) Creation of New Board
3) Redefining the Rec and Park's role
4) Restructuring and Redefining the role and responsibility of the Joint Zoo Committee
This went longer than planned, and my mind probably borrowed from other posts in draft. Hopefully so, less for me to document in additional posts, and less Zoo thoughts in my mind.
I still want to get to the future Animal enclosures notation I mentioned at the top. Obviously now left for a separate post. So, will take a break here and see if I got it in me for tonight.
Referenced Post:
*The Change That's Needed To Save Our Zoo - Part Two - Restructuring Management
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-change-thats-needed-to-save-our-zoo_19.html
Previous Post:
* A Week Of Zoo News - Ocelot Move, Duiker Arrival, And Two Panda Plan Irritations
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2026/04/a-week-of-zoo-news-ocelot-move-duiker.html
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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
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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 , #SanFranciscoZooCEODirectorCassandraCostello , #FormerSanFranciscoZooDirectorTanyaPeterson , #SanFranciscoRecreationAndParksDept , #FormerSanFranciscoMayorLondonBreed , #SanFranciscoMayorDanielLurie , #AssociationOfZoosAndAquariums , #AZA , #SpeciesSurvivalPlan , #SSP , #Animals , #Wildlife , #Nature , #AnimalWelfare , #AnimalCruelty , #AndeanBear , #KomodoDragon , #Chimpanzees , #PatasMonkey , #Fossa , #Orangutans , #Barriers , #PerimeterFence, #Pandas , #Bison
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