The Change That's Needed To Save Our Zoo - Part Two - Restructuring Management

Yesterday I posted Part One, which gives some backstory details on the Zoo's management structure.  If your unfamiliar, it might be beneficial to read that one first.

The Zoo's Management Structure is desperate for a change.  I've been thinking about this for at least a decade.  It started with the obvious need for a new Director.  Since then, there's been a bit of fluidity, as questions of ineptness of the Zoological Society and RecPark became apparent.  That picture has never been more clear than it has in recent times.

I think those of us who have cared and continue to, can agree on obvious simple steps.  The Zoo Needs a New Director.  Then it can regroup, and Focus on Fundraising, so we can Fix Our Zoo.  Starting with those simple steps, Our Zoo can start healing.

That said, there are other important changes that need to be made.  There needs to be an overhaul of the Management Structure.  If you have been following this blog and/or read my last post,  you know how the Zoological Society and RecPark have been negligent in their responsibilities to the Zoo.  In my opinion there needs to be a shake-up.

I've thought about this as fully as I can, considering what I have learned in my sixteen years of being engrossed in all things Zoo, and a bit consumed with wanting to fix the place. I know years ago, when I first started visiting the Zoo more, and endeavored to learn about the Animals as individuals, a Keeper who I knew told me she was asked by a Staffer about me, noting that it was weird I wanted to know so much.  Well, I think it's weird to not want to know.   Wanting to learn about something shows passion and fosters caring.  I think in the case of the Zoo, it could have used alot more people who cared, and a very long time ago.

*The Current Structure

The Zoo is part of the Recreation and Parks Dept. As I understand it, that department is supposed to have taken a management position in regards to the Zoo, as outlined in the Lease Agreement. The responsibility is supposed to provide a checks and balances, along with the Zoological Society.  

*Under the Current Structure

Neither the San Francisco Zoological Society or the SF Recreation and Park Department/Commissioners have fulfilled their "management" responsibilities to the Zoo

There has been no monitoring, no interest, no care, in far too long, if ever.  Both entities as they have been, are a failure.

*What Can Be Done To Save Our Zoo

Zoo Management Needs an overhaul and shaking things up is how we accomplish it.  People may not like it because aside from it coming from me, it doesn't allow for the disinterested and lazy to have a say in anything.

If the current Board does not agree there needs to be an overhaul, then they do not have the Zoo's best interest at heart, preferring to support the status quo of less than mediocrity.

I propose the following, or at least a version of it.  My idea is designed to prevent there ever again being a Dictatorship.  It provides for an unbiased checks and balances, that comes from Members with varied positions.

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:

1) Hiring a new Director.  

I say hiring, but I mean promoting.  I have always strongly believed a Director with an existing vested interest in Our Zoo, is better than hiring from outside.  Over the years, there have been a handful of very capable candidates.  People who care about the Zoo, who are knowledgeable about Our Zoo's Needs.  Two remain on Staff.

The position should be open to Current and Former Staff only.  HR can vet the candidates.  This process should exclude Vitus Leung, who is also currently Deputy Director and VP of  HR.

At this point, I don't know who I have faith in to choose the right person for the job.  So, I don't think it should be one person.  I also don't think it should be anyone from the Zoological Society, who have proven to support the wrong person.  I think with hiring from within, a Staff vote, is a valid way to choose, or should at least be included in a fairly designed process.  Their vote of confidence, is important.  The same process should go into choosing a Deputy or Assistant Director, if that's a role to be filled.

As I noted, I think there are two current Zoo Staffers at the Zoo, who I consider to be excellent choices for new Leadership.  Traditionally there has only been one Director.  Until several years ago, there was no Deputy Director.  As far as I know, there has never been an Assistant Director.  When it became evident that our Zoo was running in Dictator mode, I thought of a future where there were Co-Directors.  I inserted that thought into my restructuring idea.  With two, there's a built in checks and balances.  It's off book, but seems like a good idea.  

2) Restructuring of The Zoological Society Partnership

In light of all that has happened with the current Society management structure and execution of duty, I think there should be two off-shoots of the Society.  A new group, the Managing entity, and the current Board, a Fundraising entity.

SFZS Management (new board members), SFZS Fundraising (existing board members).  This would prevent the current board, who has taken no interest in the Zoo in at least sixteen years, from controling the Zoo with a bias that is not in it's best interest.

A) Society Managing entity

Currently the Zoological Society Board is where the buck is designed to stop.  They dictate who the Director is, and are supposed to be a managing entity, yet they play no active role in such responsibilities.  They defer to the current Director, and support what she says and does.

The managing of the Zoo should fall to a Team dedicated to the Welfare of the Animals and the Thriving of the Zoo.  With a caring and capable Director, a team of current and former Staff,  Community (Zoo) Members, Docents and Volunteers, can make up a team that will work together for the good of the Zoo.

B) Society Fundraising entity

The current Board has proven to be inept of fulfilling their responsibility to the Zoo, in both a managing role and a checks and balances role.  They have shown no care or interest in the Zoo, seemingly other than showing up for parties.

I can't attest to what happened before I got involved with all things Zoo, but I was told in the beginning, the Society allegedly wanted to take over management to be in control of how their Donations were being used.  That seems to be somewhat if not completely accurate still today, with so many of their funds locked for unnecessary and non-Animal related projects.

The Society Donors have a habit of putting forth their personal Wants over the Needs of the Zoo, which in my opinion is not something that a  Zoological Board should be supporting.  I am not trying to diss Donors, it's their money.  That said, if you are invested in the Wellness of the Zoo, by being a Member of it's Society, then supporting it's Needs, should be the priority.   And a Director should bank those Wants, until Needs are fulfilled, before grabbing checks.  And yes, I'm talking specifically about the Madagascar project.  

It seems the best use of the Zoological Society is for it to return back to being a Fundraising entity.  Their Members can control their personal donations, and any other funds raised will go to Zoo Needs.

C) Creation of New Board

A new Board should be formed with Members who are invested in taking a dedicated interest in the Zoo.  Members should consist of current and former Staff and Board.  Four from each entity, Managing and Fundraising, that do not include the Zoo Director, and Two truely unbiased Community (Zoo) Members. .... Board Members will be subjected to a vote to remain on Board, by a top tier group annually. That does not include any of the current Board Members.  Group to include a majority of Zoo Staff, a Union Rep, additional Community (Zoo) Members, RecPark Commissioners and an Animal Welfare Commission Rep. ... The Voting Group must meet at least every other month on Zoo grounds.  Meeting to include a presentation by the Managing entity, and walk-thru of Zoo.  Top Tier group must review all monthly Joint Zoo Meeting minutes, and attend the presentation and walk-thru prior to vote. 

I truly feel that by splitting up and redefining the Society Member roles, there with be a more unbiased and responsible Management Team.

These changes are important.  They may be different and hard, but they are necessary.  What the Society Board has done by supporting Tanya Peterson's reign of Cruelty and Disregard, of Our Animals and Zoo, is the utmost example of Why drastic changes like these need to be made.

3) Redefining the Rec and Park's role

This is much needed, because personally I don't see the RecPark involved with anything that has to do with the Zoo, either as a managing entity or serving as a checks and balances.  They have been negligent in everyway to any responsibility they have been tasked with.  Additionally other than the Zoo's appearance in front of the Commission and participation in the Joint Zoo Committee Meeting, it doesn't seem like the RecPark even acknowledges the Zoo as part of their Department.

4) Restructuring and Redefining the role and responsibility of the Joint Zoo Committee

Let's face it, well let THEM face it, the Joint Zoo Committee has been a joke since I became aware of it in 2009.  I've watched as the panel has been negligent of their responsibilities, approve acquisitions without questions, rarely ask any questions about anything, literally pat eachother on the back, and disrespectfully demean and dismiss Animal Staff who tried to convey issues, in addition to other offenses.

Currently the panel or Committee consists of Three Board Members (with Director Peterson as an alternate), Three Commissioners, an Animal Welfare rep, and a Vet.  I'm sorry, but all these people have been useless.  The Meetings are nothing more than paper pushing.  Considering this is a RecPark event, I don't know how much it can be Reconstructed, but it definitely needs something, because as is, it's not working.  

The only way I see a change is if the Society changes I think should happen do, then there should be a change to their panel seats from three to four (two from each entity), and the RecPark Commissioners take a serious interest in the Zoo.  Otherwise, the monthly appearances at the Full RecPark Commission seem all that's necessary, because the Joint Zoo is a waster of everyone's time.

The other thing that needs to change in regards to the Joint Zoo Meetings, is the documentation.  The minutes should be called the seconds, as they are so void of details.  There needs to be fuller notes taken.  That said, I would like to see the Meetings Recorded and Archived.  If not visual, audio at least.  Not everyone can get to the Meetings, and the content needs to be available to everyone.  

Lastly, there needs to be a Lease Agreement Revision in regards to the annual "management" fee the Zoo receives from the City.  I've expressed this before, as I was hipped to it by a longtime Staffer years ago.  The Lease.was first signed in 1993, with the $4 Million fee.  It has never increased.  There has at least got to be a yearly cost of living increase.  Why no one has attended to this is mind-blowing.

I'll wrap this up by noting from my previous post...

The San Francisco Zoo is owned by the City of San Francisco.  The Mayor has the authority to either make this happen, or seek approval to make this happen.  The Mayor, or whoever has the authority, needs to pull rank on the Zoological Society, and forge a new Management Structure.  Our San Francisco Zoo can not continue to dwindle under the current mismanagement structure and leadership.

Regardless of whether it's the current Mayor London Breed, (as the re-elected) or her sucessor, something needs to happen soon. 

Who Will Help Save Our Zoo?

Related Post:  Part One to this post...

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-change-thats-needed-to-save-our-zoo.html

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

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