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GOOD MORNING.[Dallas Park and Recreation Board on February 23, 2023.]
FEBRUARY 23.WE'VE BEEN DALLAS PARK MEETING.
GOOD TO BEAUTIFUL DAY OUTSIDE.
UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, DAY TODAY WITH THAT, UH, FIRST POINT OF BUSINESS, OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER WHO WILL BE SPEAKING IN PERSON.
I WILL READ THE SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR.
ONLY ANY SPEAKER WHO MAKES PERSONAL IMPER, PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS, OR BECOMES BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE PARK BOARD OR RESORTS TO THROWING OBJECTS WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY AND BARRED FROM THE MEETING.
OUR SPEAKER IS MS. GLADYS LEE.
MS. LEE, DO YOU WANT TO COME UP TO THE TABLE? MS. GOOD MORNING.
YOUR THREE MINUTES PM MY NAME IS GLADYS LEE.
I'M AN L P G A CLASS TAPE PROFESSIONAL.
FOR THE LAST 37 YEARS, I'VE WORKED IN A GOLF WITH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
THE SAME TIME I WILL JUST SUBMIT, UH, THIS, UH, INFORMATION, UH, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ALL MY QUALIFI AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT I'M HERE TODAY CAUSE OF THE, UM, I WAS APPROACHED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UH, BY CAROLYN ARNOLD, AND, UM, WE APPROACHED HIM OUT AT ONE OF THE GOLF COURSES AT CRE.
UH, SHE WAS THERE FOR, UH, A RADIO ONE, I THINK IT WAS A, A GOLF TOURNAMENT.
AND, UM, ALSO I'M VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH ANNE WILLIAMS WITH, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WITH THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER.
UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, UH, WHEN CEDAR CRE STREET OPEN, UM, CAROLYN, AND OF COURSE ANNE WILLIAMS HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING THERE AND APPROACHED ME ABOUT GOING OVER TO SUBMIT MY RESUME AND APPLICATION BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED WOMEN, UH, TO COME IN TO, UH, TO GENERATE, YOU KNOW, WOMEN AND, UH, TRAFFIC THEORY, UH, AT CEDAR CCR.
SO I SAID, OKAY, I'LL, I'LL GO OVER.
I HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS, UH, WITH, UH, IRIS AND, UM, WE TALKED STARTING ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
SO MY, WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO WAS START WHAT YOU CALL, UH, WOMEN'S, UH, LEAGUES, UH, WOMEN'S, UM, MARGARITA MONDAYS, TEQUILA TUESDAYS,
I'VE, I'VE HAD, UH, JUNIORS FOR YEARS.
MATTER OF FACT, YOUNG MELANA DOK WAS THERE BEFORE, WAS IN OUR JUNIOR PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW, SHE'S IN HOUSTON, AND SO IOWA.
SO I WATCHED THESE YOUNG PEOPLE COME UP, BUT I WAS INTRODUCED TO GOLF IN LOS ANGELES.
UH, DICK CLARK AND HIS WIFE, UH, I WORKED FOR THEM OUT THE AMERICAN BAND FAN, AND THEY WERE, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GOT ME INTO GOLF TO SEE GOLF IS MORE THAN A GAME.
BUT LONG STORY SHORT, UH, I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME.
I, FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN, UH, IN DISCUSSION WITH, UH, IRA ABOUT WHAT I NEEDED TO DO AS FAR AS GENERATING AND BRINGING WOMEN IN.
UH, I HAVE, UH, ALL OF THESE, UH, WE DISCUSSED INSTRUCTIONS, AND MY JOB, OF COURSE, WAS TO WORK WITH WOMEN ON THIS PAST WEEK.
AND I'M HERE NOW, TRY TO FIND OUT I GOT THIS CONTRACT AND THE CONTRACT SAYS THAT I'M TO WORK WITH HIS FOUNDATION.
THAT IS NOT WHAT WE DISCUSSED.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I HAVE TO DO IF I WANTED TO.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND IT TO, WE ONLY HAVE ONE SPEAKER, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND HER TIME.
YOU HAVE TWO MORE MINUTES, MA'AM.
WELL, LEMME BE VERY, VERY QUICK.
UH, I RECEIVED THIS CONTRACT AND, UH, THE CONTRACT STATES THAT I'M TO WORK WITH THE, IM AS AN INDEPENDENT, UH, WHICH MEANS I TOLD HIM, I SAID, I DON'T WANNA VOLUNTEER.
I DO WANNA BE ON STAFF, BUT THIS SAYS, NO, YOU CAN'T BE ON STAFF, BUT YOU CAN WORK AND ALL FUNDS THAT YOU GENERATE WILL COME THROUGH ME.
UM, I, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS BECAUSE I GAVE HIM MY DATABASE.
I GAVE HIM THE WOMEN, AND WHEN THEY STARTED TO TRY TO SIGN UP ONLINE,
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PAID WHAT THEY CALL BACK SOLICITED AND WANTED THE YOUNG WOMEN TO COME TO THEM FOR INSTRUCTION.THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE AGREED UPON.
AND ALSO, THE 5% OF WHAT HE TAKES, WE GO TO THE CITY, HOW DO I PAY YOU 5%? IT'S 25%.
THEN HE GIVES ME, I GENERATE FUNDS, GIVE HIM 100%, HE GIVES 5% TO THE CITY, AND THEN PAYS ME IN A CHECK OR SOMETHING LATER ON.
I, I'VE NEVER DONE BUSINESS LIKE THAT.
SO I WILL NO LONGER, UH, WORK OR TRY TO BRING WOMEN TO, UH, CEDAR CREP.
UH, I TOOK A HUNDRED, UH, 75 WOMEN TO THE PGA HEADQUARTERS BECAUSE WE WERE NOT INVITED.
SO, PGA HEADQUARTERS, UH, WE GONNA HAVE AN EVENT OUT THERE IN SEPTEMBER.
LONG STORY SHORT, AND I WANNA MAKE IT VERY, VERY BRIEF.
THIS CONTRACT ABOUT I AM A GOLF FOUNDATION IS NOT SOMETHING, AND I WANNA KNOW, HOW DO I HANDLE THAT? HOW DO I GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF THAT? AND IF I OWE, UM, THERE'S, UM, JIM HENDERSON OVER AT THE STEVENS PARK HAS ALLOWED ME TO BRING WOMEN OVER THERE.
THEY ONLY CHARGE US LIKE $6 IRA FROM WHAT WE WOULD BE, WOULD BE $50 FOR THE WOMEN.
AND THEY'RE NOT ON THE GOLF COURSE.
SO OUR WOMEN HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR YEARS.
IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, YOU HARDLY HAVE ANY.
THERE'S ONLY TWO AFRICAN AMERICAN LPGA CLASSIFIED PROS.
MELANA CAME THROUGH OUR JUNIOR PROGRAM.
SHE CAME HERE, I HELPED TO RAISE THEM.
SO NOW I'M JUST KIND OF QUESTIONING, HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN IF I'M THERE TO BRING WOMEN IN, WOMEN OF ALL COLORS, I, FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, UM, WE'VE GOTTA DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT.
SO, AT ANY RATE, I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S MY TIME.
UH, THANK YOU FOR PROMOTING ALL IN THE WOMEN COMMUNITY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE KNOW THAT WE, WE HAVE ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBER REACH OUT TO YOU, UH, TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP YOU WITH ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, MA'AM, APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING HERE.
WITH THAT, WE MOVE TO OUR NEXT, UH, POINT OF BUSINESS APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 9TH.
DO I HAVE A MOTION, UH, MR. SLAUGHTER? DO I HAVE SECOND, UH, MR. WARD? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
WILL YOU MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENT, UH, FOR, UH, 1, 2, 3? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT? I SEE, UH, MR. STEWART, DO I HAVE A SECOND? UH, MR. CONNOR, ANY DISCUSSION WITH THAT? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSE? I ALWAYS HAVE IT TO OUR ITEMS FROM INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
NUMBER ONE, DALLAS, DO I HAVE A MOTION? MRK SECOND BY MS. COLLINS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE SECOND ITEM FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATION, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, MR. WARD SECONDING.
MR. CONNOR, ANY DISCUSSION? UH, MR. A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND ON THIS? YOU'RE GOOD, MR. MR. CONNOR? YEAH, I THINK YOUR COMMITTEE HAD IT AND YOU COULD KIND OF BRING US UP TO DATE.
AND I DUNNO IF I'M ON, BUT, UH, YEAH, SO CHRIS CAN BRING UP SPEED.
WE HAD, WE HAD, WE ACTUALLY DID PULL THIS, UH, IN OUR COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS IS AN EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH, UM, UH, ARADONDO, ZDA AND BRUNS.
UH, THESE ARE PEOPLE ACTUALLY, CHRIS, I'M JUST GONNA REPEAT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY.
AND, UH, ESSENTIALLY, UM, WHEN THE BOND PROGRAM STARTED, UM, THERE WAS A PROGRAM MANAGER CONTRACT PUT OUT TO HIRE PROGRAM MANAGERS TO HELP, UM, EXECUTE BOND PROGRAM WAS BACK IN TWO 17.
AND THOSE PROGRAM MANAGER CONTRACTS ACTUALLY EXPIRED, BUT WHAT WE PRIMARILY USE THOSE PROGRAM MANAGER CONTRACTS FOR WAS FOR STAFF AUGMENTATION.
SO FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE HAD A STAFF MEMBER FROM, UM, A C B ARADONDO, SEPATA, AND BRUNS SITTING
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BACK AT OUR, UM, OFFICES WORKING, UM, AS BASICALLY AN EXTENSION OF OUR STAFF.SO WE HAVE TRAINED THEM AND THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY AN EXTENSION, AS I SAID, OF OUR STAFF.
SO WITH THE EXPLORATION OF THE PROGRAM MANAGER CONTRACTS, WE STILL NEED TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH OUR STAFF AUGMENTATION TO COMPLETE THE BOND PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UM, SINCE A ZB WAS THE PRIMARY, UM, FIRM THAT PROVIDED STAFF AUGMENTATION, WE UTILIZED A DIRECT SELECT MEMO TO CONT TO BRING A ZB ON AS THE CONTRACTING FIRM TO CONTINUE FORWARD FOR THE NEXT YEAR, THE STAFF AUGMENTATION TO CONTINUE HELPING OUR TEAM WITH THE 2017 BOND PROGRAM FOR PROPOSITIONS B AND C FOR OUR PROPOSITION IN OUR FAIR, PRO FAIR PARK PROPOSITION, WE DID THIS PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE WILL NOT HAVE A LEARNING CURVE BECAUSE WE WILL KEEP THE SAME STAFF THAT WE'VE ALREADY TRAINED.
UM, SITTING BACK WITH OUR TEAM IS, IS THIS THE ITEM THAT WAS ON OUR AGENDA LAST TIME THAT MR. CONNOR WAS GONNA BRIEF US ON? IS THIS THE SAME THING? NO.
THIS AND, AND MR. STEWART JUST, UM, THE, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT RFPS, RFPS THAT YOU AND I HAD HAD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD THE MOST ROBUST GROUPS YES.
THERE WERE SOME I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL THIS MEETING THAT, AND MAYBE I'VE JUST MISSED THIS IN MY YEARS IN THE PARK WAR, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAYBE REGISTERED IN THE CITY SYSTEM TO ACTUALLY APPLY FOR THE RFP RFQ, RIGHT? SURE.
UM, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT THAT AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT YOU AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTION AS, UH, THANK YOU PRESIDENT AAL.
WHERE CAN YOU, SO I APPRECIATE THE CONTINUITY OF VENDOR IS IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT, AND I THINK IT IS, I THINK A LOT OF THE PUBLIC AND EVEN A LOT OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS, BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONERS DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT IT TAKES TO IMPLEMENT THESE VERY, UM, GENEROUS BOND DOLLARS.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST, HOW MUCH WAS THE FIRST CONTRACT FOR WITH A ZB? THIS, THIS IS AN EXTENSION.
IT ACTUALLY, AND, AND I WANNA CLARIFY, IT IS NOT AN EXTENSION.
THIS IS A BRAND NEW CONTRACT WITH A Z B CAUSE THE FORMER, UM, PROGRAM MANAGER CONTRACT WAS A JOINT VENTURE WITH MCKISSICK AND MCKISSICK AND A ZB.
SO WHEN THAT PROGRAM MANAGER CONTRACT WAS OKAY, I MEAN WE HAD PROPOSITIONS B AND C WERE 311 MILLION COMBINED.
SO THAT WOULD, THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY TO MANAGE AND PROJECTS AND OVERSIGHT AND COORDINATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO DO YOU KNOW, AND IT, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SAY THIS IN THE AIS WITH, WITH A CB, WHAT PROJECTS NOW IN THIS NEW CONTRACT THEY'RE GOING TO BE OVERSEEING? UM, THEY'RE, THE STAFF PERSON THAT WE HAVE ON BOARD OVERSEES APPROXIMATELY 10 DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UM, IT VARIES FROM THE EMERALD LAKE DAM TO KINGS CREEK TRAIL PROJECT.
HE'S BASICALLY OVERSEEING PROJECTS IN, IN NEARLY EVERY DISTRICT AND EVEN SOME OF THE, UH, PROPOSITION C, WHICH WAS THE FAIR PARK.
UM, HE'S PRIMARILY WORKING ON PROPOSITION B PROJECTS.
UM, WE'VE KEPT OUR INTERNAL STAFF, UM, WORKING ON, ON FAIR PARK PROJECTS.
JUST EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE KIND OF UNDERSTANDING.
I THINK WE'VE LEARNED, WE KIND OF LEARNED THAT ON THE BACKSIDE, HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS TO MANAGE THAT KIND OF, UM, ALL THOSE MONIES.
AND OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT COMING IN AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT, UM, JUST HELPING US KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT AND THAT THERE'S COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT $311 MILLION.
RACHEL, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THAT CONTRACT WAS? THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT, IT WAS UP TO A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT WE COULD USE ON THE PROGRAM MANAGER.
I THINK IT WAS UP TO 7 MILLION.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TOO EXPENSIVE AND WE DIDN'T UTILIZE THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THE CONTRACT WAS ORIGINALLY, I BELIEVE UP TO 6 MILLION, BUT IT INCLUDED, UM, OVERHEAD COST AND THEN OTHER PROJECTS WERE INCLUDED IN THAT BESIDES THE ENVIRONMENTAL SECTION THAT WE WERE LEGALIZING.
SO THAT WAS PART OF THE 6 MILLION.
SO SIX'S A LOT OF MONEY TO MANAGE PROJECTS.
I MEAN, WE HAD A LOT OF PROJECTS.
DO YOU FEEL LA LAST FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
UM, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GOOD USE OF RESOURCES THAT UM, JUST OBJECTIVELY, IS THIS SOMETHING LIKE YOUR STAFF CAN'T HANDLE IT SHOULD.
THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH AND SO HAVING A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR IS A GOOD USE OF RESOURCES AND ALL THESE PROJECTS TO,
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SORRY, I PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.NO,
UH, SO WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM, WE'LL BE MORE INVOLVED.
WE DECIDE TO, ONCE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IN THE NEXT BOND PROGRAM WHEN THEY'RE SELLING BONDS, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THEY GROUP CERTAIN.
WHEN YOU SELLING BONDS, YOU NEED TO ALSO CONSIDER, DON'T JUST SAY OH PARTS, YOU GET THIS IN YEAR FIVE OR YEAR FOUR.
WE NEED TO SAY, LOOK, IF IT'S GONNA BE REC CENTERS, LET'S TRY TO GROUP THEM TOGETHER.
CUZ IT MAY MAKE SENSE TO HIRE A PROGRAM MANAGER CUZ WE COULD PROBABLY GET BETTER PRICING BECAUSE NOW THEY CAN HELP.
YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PUT ONE PROGRAM MANAGER BUILDING FOUR REC CENTERS AND THEY COULD HELP CONTROL THE PRICING, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPLIERS.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE BONDS SELLING IN THE SAME YEAR, YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITY.
WE CAN GROUP PLAYGROUNDS TOGETHER SO WE COULD GET SOME ECONOMY TO SCALE.
WE JUST NEED TO BE VERY STRATEGIC NEXT TIME WHEN, AND BE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE CFO AND, AND MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE CERTAIN PROJECTS ARE PUT IN CERTAIN YEARS TOGETHER.
AND SO, AND THEN THAT WAY IT MAY MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A PROGRAM MANAGER.
CAUSE YOU TRULY ARE GETTING SOME TRUE COST SAVINGS.
I JUST FELT LIKE PROGRAM MANAGERS WERE TOO EXPENSIVE.
BUT WE, I
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, YES, MR. DICKEY? THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, JUST FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE, FIVE YEARS AGO, UH, MR. SLAUGHTER, MR. KITNER, MR. STEWART, MS. CALVERT, COLLINS, BRATTON.
REMEMBER WHEN THIS CAME UP? UH, WE WERE IN A COLD ROOM, I THINK IN THE BRISCOE CENTER AND THERE WAS GREAT RESISTANCE ON THE BOARD.
AND MR. JENKINS WAS VERY NOT FEELING WELL.
AND PRESIDENT TAHI, UH, WE DIDN'T LIKE IT.
AND MAGIC AFFREY CAME AND SAID, CAUSE THE, THE COST, CAUSE THE PARK DEPARTMENT HAD INTERNALLY MANAGED SUCCESSFULLY, UH, AND ECONOMICALLY BOND PROJECTS PREVIOUSLY.
AND THE ONLY EXPERIENCE WE HAD BEFORE, I THINK WAS MAYBE 2006, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT BOND, BUT PROJECT MANAGEMENT WAS SORT OF THRUST UPON US OR WHATEVER.
AND THAT BECAME LIKE A 10% COST.
I I SEE MS. HINKLEMAN NODDING SHE WOULD'VE BEEN FOR THAT.
UH, AND SO, UM, THIS IN THE END, UM, I GUESS WE DID NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT IT.
IT SEEMS I I HADN'T SINCE THEN I HEARD.
BUT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE COST IT ENDED UP BEING.
CAUSE THE PREVIOUS TIME IT HAD COME TO ABOUT 10 TO 12%.
AND THIS ONE, UM, I GUESS THERE ARE LESSONS LEARNED OR CAN YOU JUST GIVE A BIT OF AN UPDATE ON THE PERCENT IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE AND ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT OUR WAY NOW OR, UH, RACHEL, I KNOW SHE DON'T HAVE THE FIGURES BEFORE HER, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS GIVE YOU ALL EXACTLY OUT OF THAT $6 MILLION, HOW MUCH OF THAT WE DID USE IT MAKES MADE SENSE.
WE CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS TO YOU.
CAUSE I KNOW SHE DOESN'T HAVE THEM BEFORE HER BECAUSE WE JUST THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST TOO COSTLY TO USE THE ENTIRE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ENTIRE PROGRAM.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FINISH A LOCK PROJECTS IF WE SO TOO EXPENSIVE FOR 2024.
WILL WE KIND BE IN CONTROL OF HOW DO OUR HUNDRED PERCENT YES.
JUST FOR A QUICK CLARIFICATION.
THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM THE BOND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION FUND.
SO THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE AVAILABLE BOND MONEY THAT WE HAVE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT ORIGINALLY THE NUMBER 6 MILLION WAS FLOATING AROUND AND WE'RE LIKE, THAT'S TOO MUCH.
WE FIGURED OUT A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO IT.
THE CONTRACT WAS STRUCTURED UP TO, AND SO WE JUST, UH, WE JUST KEPT UTILIZING OUR INTERNAL STAFF TO MANAGE THOSE PROJECTS VERSUS USING THE PROGRAM MANAGER.
BUT THESE WE'RE FUNDING INTERNAL STAFF THAT AREN'T TECHNICALLY EMPLOYEES OF PARK AND RECREATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? BASICALLY WE ARE FUNDING STAFF THAT IS AUGMENTING OUR INTERNAL STAFF.
SO YES, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY CORRECT.
SO YOU KNOW HOW I LOVE TO TALK ABOUT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
SO THIS GOES RIGHT BACK INTO GETTING READY FOR OUR NEXT SPOT PROGRAM.
WE KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO STAFF JUST TO HAVE THE FOLKS THAT WE NEED TO RUN OUR BASIC GENERAL OPERATION
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HERE.WE'VE STRUGGLED TO BACKFILL SOME OF THOSE IMPORTANT PEOPLE THAT WE'VE LOST RECENTLY.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE THINK ABOUT THIS AS WE GO INTO PLANNING FOR OUR NEXT BOND PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO HIRE THESE PROFESSIONALS TO COMPLETE THESE FABULOUS PROJECTS THAT WE'RE SPENDING ALL THIS MONEY DOING.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS, THAT I REALLY WANT US TO BE THOUGHTFUL GOING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PUTTING THAT MONEY IN HOWEVER WE WANNA DO IT.
WHETHER WE WANT PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICES THAT ARE SUPPLEMENTED WITH THAT FUNDING OR IF WE WANNA OUTSOURCE IT.
BECAUSE CLEARLY WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE IN A BOND DOLLAR PROJECT, UH, LEVEL THAT WE CANNOT DO IT INTERNALLY WITH THE, WITH PARK AND REC STAFF UNLESS THE CITY WANTS TO GIVE US A WHOLE LOT MORE MONEY TO, TO PHONE APP.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING SOON.
SO LET'S BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS GOING FORWARD.
UM, FIRST THANK YOU FOR BEING PROACTIVE FOR THE NEXT BOND.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GROUPING OF, UM, I MEAN THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER.
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR US AND FOREVER AFTER FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAUSE I KNOW THAT PEOPLE WANT THINGS NOW.
UM, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE $6 MILLION? I MEAN IF WE, IF IF IT WAS PART OF THE, THAT, THAT WAS THE WHOLE PRIMER'S, LIKE THEY WOULDN'T, I SAID UP TO 6 MILLION.
IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO UTIL UTILIZE THEM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR WHEN IT CAME TO THE PARK DEPARTMENT THAT BECAUSE THE BOARD MADE IT VERY CLEAR BACK THEN, UH, WE ARE NOT GOING TO GUARANTEE WE'RE GONNA SPEND $6 MILLION.
THE BOARD MADE THAT VERY CLEAR.
IF $6 MILLION IT 6 MILLION GETS BUDGETED, IT WASN'T BUDGETED, 6 MILLION WOULD'VE CAME OUTTA OTHER PROJECTS.
I WASN'T HERE, SO ILL JUST THANK YOU.
CLEAR EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE DECIDE TODAY, HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE FUTURE IN VIETNAM.
SO IT STARTED, UH, WHEN WITH, UH, STARTED I BEING PRESIDENT AND TODAY WE ARE DISCUSSING IT.
WITH THAT WE GET TO, UH, OUR BRIEFINGS, SIR, MR. LION OCONNOR, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN ZOO AND BEING DONE.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, INTRODUCE SEAN GREEN.
WE'D LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
SEAN IS THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS ZOO, AND HE IS HERE TO GIVE A VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE DON MOORE, WHO IS THE NEW ZOO BOARD CHAIR, AND ALSO LOIS INCLEMENT, WHO REALLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION TO US HERE.
SHE'S PART OF THE FAMILY, BUT, UH, SHE'S THE OUTGOING ZOO BOARD CHAIR.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO SEAN.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
UM, MY NAME IS DAWN MOORE AND I AM CHAIR OF THE ZOO BOARD.
IT IS NICE TO BE WALKING IN ON THE TAILS OF LOIS PINKELMAN, AS SHE IS WELL LIKED HERE.
UM, SHE HAS BIG SHOES TO FOLLOW.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY AND THE JEWEL THAT THE ZOO HAS BECOME FOR THE CITY.
UM, I TOOK THE GAVEL OVER FROM LO'S RIGHT BEFORE WE HAD OUR FIRST SECURITY INCIDENT.
UM, BELIEVE ME, WE WERE JUST AS UPSET ABOUT THAT.
BUT I ALSO WANNA TELL YOU ONE OF OUR THEMES AND OUR OUR VALUES IS, UM, WE WANT THE ZOO TO BE A PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
SO THEN WE HAD A BREACH AND WE WERE JUST AS UPSET ABOUT IT.
AND SHOP WILL PRESENT TO YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, TO PROTECT OUR ANIMALS, TO PROTECT OUR STAFF, AND TO PROTECT OUR GUESTS AND STILL KEEP THIS JEWEL.
BUT WE WILL BE BALANCING THE SECURITY, KEEPING PEOPLE OUT TO OUR POINT OF BEING A PLACE FOR EVERYONE AND KEEP IT A, A, UH, JEWEL OF THE CITY AND A MAJOR ASSET.
SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
WE HAD OUR FIRST FULL BOARD MEETING IN PERSON YESTERDAY, IN THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS.
AND, UM, YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG BOARD THAT IS, IS ANXIOUS TO PUT THIS PART BEHIND US AND PROTECT US, BUT TO CONTINUE TO GROW AS WE HAVE.
SO I'LL LET SEAN PRESENT TO YOU WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE THESE SECURITY BREACHES, AND I HOPE YOU'LL BE PLEASED WITH WHAT YOU SEE.
HI, MY NAME'S SEAN DRE ADAM THE ZOO FOR 15 YEARS.
UH, CLO I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 31 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN AT FOUR DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS
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AROUND THE COUNTRY.UM, AND I'M NOT HYPERBOLE HERE.
THIS IS THE GREATEST 15 YEARS I'VE HAD IN MY CAREER BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER.
THIS ZOO HERE IS A MODEL OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DRUG PLACES.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF ZOO ZOO CALLED US UP AND SAID, WOW, WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING THERE? WHEN I STARTED WITH 628,000 PEOPLE AT THE ZOO, BY 2017, WE HAD 1.2 MILLION.
SO THE GROWTH OUTSTANDING, AND IT REALLY IS, THE PARTNERSHIP HAS MADE IT WORK.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE'RE 105 ACRES.
UH, WE'RE THE LARGEST ZOO IN TEXAS, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT ALREADY.
UH, WE'RE THREE MILES, UH, SOUTH OF DALLAS.
IT'S A VERY UNIQUE PIECE OF PROPERTY.
WE HAVE CEDAR CREEK THAT CUTS THROUGH IT.
WE HAVE CLATON AVENUE, THE DART RAIL.
WE HAVE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND US.
UM, AS OUR SECURITY CONSULTANTS WHO ARE OUT THERE TODAY SAID, THIS IS A COMPLEX PIECE OF PROPERTY, BUT OBVIOUSLY A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT SERVED ITS PURPOSE FOR 110 YEARS SINCE 1912 ON THE SITE.
BUT WE'VE HAD SOME UNPRECEDENTED THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, UH, LAST MONTH IN THOSE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS.
AND IT FELT LIKE TWO AND A HALF YEARS, I'M SURE TO MANY OF US.
THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF, UH, ATTENTION WE WANT DALLAS TO HAVE, OR THE DALLAS ZOO IS CERTAINLY THE PARK BOARD.
THE FACT THAT THESE WERE CRIMINAL ACTS THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE ZOO.
UH, THESE WERE NOT DOORS THAT WERE LEFT OPEN.
THESE WERE MULTIPLE BARRIERS THAT WERE CROSSED THROUGH THESE CRIMINAL ACTS.
WE HAVE LAYERS OF SECURITY AT THE ZOO, OUR TECHNOLOGY LAYER WITH CAMERAS.
WE HAVE A PHYSICAL PRESENCE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
SINCE WE, UH, WENT INTO OUR PARTNERSHIP IN 2009, WE'VE HAD SECURITY OUT HERE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND THEN WE, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD HAD THE PHYSICAL CAMPUS WITH THE GATES, UH, FENCES AND THE ACCESS CONTROLS, BUT SOMEWHERE THAT BROKE DOWN AND THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE AS WELL.
AND SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW AND WHAT WE'RE DOING GOING FORWARD.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE GREG HUDSON IS OUT, UH, FOR SEVERAL WEEKS ON MEDICAL LEAD.
BUT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH GREG IS BROUGHT VISION TO THE ZOO AND HOW MUCH, UH, HE APPRECIATES EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT.
UM, SO I'M REPRESENTING HIM AND THE REST OF THE ZOO STAFF.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS HAS BEEN TRAUMATIC.
YOU CAN IMAGINE IF YOU'RE AN ANIMAL STAFF MEMBER WHO CARES FOR ANIMALS 40 HOURS A WEEK OR MORE.
ACTUALLY, IT'S MORE BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING IN AT TIMES TO TAKE YOUR ANIMALS TO EAT ADDITIONAL ATTENTION.
DURING THOSE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS, YOU'RE COMING IN HERE AND WONDERING IF YOUR ANIMAL BELOVED ANIMAL IS GONNA BE THERE THE NEXT DAY.
IT'S A, UH, A VERY UNEASY, UNSETTLED, UNSETTLING AND VIOLATED FEELING.
AND WE WENT THROUGH THAT WHERE REALLY WAS A, A, UH, A DIFFICULT TIME.
AND THE STAFF IS STILL HEALING.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT SOME RESOLUTION HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS THANKS TO D'S EFFORTS AND THE DETECTIVES, UM, IT'S STILL SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO, TO, TO GET BACK TO WALKING IN AND FEELING AGAIN THAT, UH, EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE RIGHT.
UM, SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT AND SHOW YOU SOME OF THE SLIDES.
WE'VE, UM, JANUARY 13TH, OUR STAFF COMES IN.
UH, THEY DO A ROUTINE CHECK TO MAKE SURE ALL THE ANIMALS ARE PRESENT, OBVIOUSLY, AND TO MAKE SURE THE HABITATS ARE SECURED.
THEY FIND OUT THAT OUR CLOUDED LEOPARD NOVA IS NOT IN HER HABITAT.
NOW, A CLOUDED LEOPARD, WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD LEOPARD, YOU THINK 110 POUNDS GIANT, UH, CAT.
UH, THIS IS A CLOUDED LEOPARD.
IT'S A VERY UNIQUE SPECIES FOUND IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD 'EM AT THE ZOO, UM, UH, IN A LONG, LONG TIME.
THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, NOVA'S DISCOVERED, UH, OUT OF HER HABITAT NOT ACCOUNTED FOR.
UM, DURING THE PROCESS OF SEARCHING FOR THIS ANIMAL, UH, THE HABITAT IS NOTICED TO HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED, TO HAVE BEEN CUT, SOMETHING THAT IS UNUSUAL.
THIS IS NOT A, A FAILURE OF THE ACTUAL HABITAT STRUCTURE.
UM, D P D IS IMMEDIATELY CALLED TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT THAT.
AS SOON AS THEY SEE THAT, THEY, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT, UH, IT SOMETHING IS AMISS DURING THAT PROCESS.
THEY ALSO FIND OUT THAT OUR LANGER MONKEY HABITAT, WHICH IS TWO, TWO DOORS DOWN, BASICALLY ON A PLACE THAT WE HAVE HAD OUT HERE FOR MANY YEARS, IS ALSO, UH, UH, COMPROMISED THE SAME TYPE OF CUT THAT'S THROUGH THERE, ALL THE WHILE OUR STAFF IS TRYING TO PROCESS.
WHEREAS THIS CATEGORY, OBVIOUSLY FOR IN SAFETY, UH, FORTUNATELY THROUGHOUT THAT DAY, WE DID CLOSE THE ZOO FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
WE ENDED UP FINDING THAT ANIMAL TOWARDS THE END OF THE DAY.
OUR VET TEAM WAS ABLE TO IMMOBILIZE THAT ANIMAL AND SHE'S SAFELY BACK IN HER HABITAT WITH HER COMPANION.
IMMEDIATELY, WE ADJUSTED OUR OVERNIGHT SECURITY, WE ADDED MORE OFFICERS IN THERE.
AND WE ALSO LOOKED AT OUR CAMERA FOOTAGE AS WELL.
SHARED THAT WITH D P D, UH, AND MADE SOME PLANS AS WELL TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL CAMERAS IN THAT LOCATION.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IN THOSE THREE LAYERS, WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED CAMERAS AT THE ZOO, BUT IT'S CLIMBING.
UM, IT WAS BASED ORIGINALLY TO COVER, UH, EXTERNAL GATES AND ACCESS.
[00:30:01]
THIS DAY AND AGE, IT'S, IT'S SAD THAT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT WE HAD SET 'EM UP IN PUBLIC AREAS IN CASE WE EVER, GOD FORBID, HAD A, AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION OR HAD TO MONITOR THINGS IN THE PARK.THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE HAD SET UP IN PHASE ONE.
OBVIOUSLY THAT HAS BEEN ACCELERATED NOW INTO, UH, WE'RE PUTTING CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE PARK IN TANDEM WITH OUR SECURITY CONSULTANT.
UM, BUT THOSE CAMERAS THERE COVER EVERYTHING FROM THE GUEST AREAS, THE EXTERNAL GATES, AND A LOT OF THEM COVER FOR THE ACTUALLY ANIMALS IN THE HABITAT.
SO STAFF CAN SEE WHAT ANIMALS ARE DOING WITHIN THEIR ENVIRONMENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE.
SO EIGHT DAYS LATER, WE HAVE ON, UH, I THINK IT'S A SATURDAY MORNING, OUR STAFF COMES IN AND FINDS A LAPID FACE.
VULTURE NAMED PIN WHO HAS PASSED AWAY IS DECEASED.
PIN WAS A 35 YEAR OLD VULTURE.
LAPID FACE VULTURES ARE THE LARGEST SPECIES OF VULTURE.
UH, THESE ARE, UH, ENDANGERED SPECIES.
UM, UPON INITIAL EXAM WITH OUR VETS, UH, IT WAS FOUND AT THAT ANIMAL, HAD A PUNCTURE ON THE FATAL PUNCTURE WOUND.
NO OBJECT, NO WEAPON, ANYTHING WAS FOUND.
BUT YOU CAN, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT, WE ARE HIGHLY TRANSPARENT.
UM, WE'VE BEEN THAT WAY WITH THE MEDIA.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRANSPARENT WITH D P D.
WE CALL THEM OUT TO LOOK AT THIS.
UM, THEY ALSO AGREE THAT IT'S SUSPICIOUS AND THEY BRING THEIR ANIMAL CRUELTY TEAM OUT KIND OF ON THE HEELS OF WHAT WE HAD WITH, UH, THE, THE LEOPARD AND THE LANGER MONKEYS.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES CALLED AS WELL.
UM, AGAIN, WE DOUBLE OUR SECURITY.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MORE THAN DOUBLE OUR SECURITY STAFF ON FOUR.
UM, WE HAVE D P D GRACIOUSLY ADDING TWO D P D SOLAR POWERED, UH, CAMERA TOWERS, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN PARKING LOTS, BUT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT INFRARED TECH TECHNOLOGY, HIGHTECH STUFF.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW IN A CAMPUS OF 105 ACRES WHERE THIS IS HAPPENING.
SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO PROCESS, THIS IS TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF THE PARK NOW.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY.
UM, SO WE HAVE THAT LAYER IN THERE AND THEN WE START ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL TRAIL CAMERAS THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
THINGS THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
AND JUST, UH, ONE PERSON BASICALLY KNOWS WHERE THEY'RE AT.
BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EXTERNAL OR, OR INTERNAL TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND THE, AND THE DETECTIVE ARE TELLING US THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING TO A T WHAT THEY NEED.
CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO COMPROMISE THE CASE, UM, THAT EVERYBODY IS SORT OF GONNA NEED TO BE INTERVIEWED, WHETHER IT'S MYSELF OR ANYBODY ELSE.
AND SO IT'S A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ESTABLISH A REWARD FOR $10,000, BUT WE WANT TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO GET INFORMATION THAT CAN LEAD TO SOME TYPE OF ANSWERS ON WHY THE ZOO IS BEING VANDALIZED, BURGLARIZED, AND JUST IN GENERAL, UH, THE CRIMINAL TRESPASSING THAT'S HAPPENING.
FLASH FORWARD NINE DAYS LATER.
UH, THIS IS THE MOST EGREGIOUS EVENT, UH, THAT I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY CAREER.
UM, WE HAVE SOME STAFF COME INTO OUR CHILDREN'S ZOO.
TWO EMPEROR TAMARINS ARE FOUND MISSING.
THEY'RE NOT ONLY MISSING, THEY ARE, THERE'S A COMPLICATED WAY OF, I'VE MENTIONED MULTIPLE BARRIERS THAT ARE BREACHED TO GET HERE.
THIS IS DELIBERATE, PREMEDITATED, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, YEAH, I'VE JUST NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE.
AND DVD'S CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY.
THEY SEE THAT WE HAVE OUR STAFF THAT'S OUT SEARCHING FOR THE ANIMAL, BUT WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, WE KNOW THESE ANIMALS ARE LIKELY HAVE BEEN TAKEN.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THE DAY BEFORE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ZOO STAFF IS WHEN YOU ARE IN A CRISIS, YOU WANT ANIMAL STAFF MEMBERS ON YOUR TEAM.
WHEN YOU DEAL WITH WILD ANIMALS, WHEN YOU DEAL WITH ANIMALS, UH, ON A DAILY BASIS, YOU BECOME VERY IN TUNE, VERY PERCEPTIVE.
THESE, THESE STAFF WORK 365 DAYS A YEAR AT ALL ELEMENTS.
THE HOTTEST, THE SUMMERS, THE ICE STORMS IN THE WINTERTIME, VERY RESILIENT.
AND WHEN YOU MESS WITH THEIR ANIMALS, THEY'RE, UM, PRETTY PASSIONATE.
THE DAY BEFORE WE HAD SOMEBODY THAT WAS ASKING QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE A MILLION PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE PARK, UH, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR US TO GET UNUSUAL QUESTIONS, BUT DURING THE SECOND AWARENESS, OUR STAFF HAD HEARD AND, AND HEARD SOME THINGS FROM AN INDIVIDUALS IN THE PARK SAYING, HEY, HOW'D YOU GET THESE ANIMALS? WHERE DO YOU KEEP 'EM MIDNIGHT? JUST THINGS THAT WERE ODD.
UM, THE NEXT DAY WHEN THOSE CAMERAS WERE OUT, WE STARTED TO PIECE THAT TOGETHER.
WE WERE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE EXISTING CAMERAS.
WE'D ALREADY HAD FULL VIDEO FOOTAGE THAT MATCHED UP OF THE DESCRIPTION.
AND THOSE TRAIL CAMERAS THAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT WE HAD PUT IN IN PLACE CAPTURED THE STILL FOOTAGE THAT YOU SAW, UH, HERE ON, ON THE, UH, SLIDE.
AFTER THE, THE VULTURE, WE AGAIN UPPED SECURITY.
AFTER THE TAMIN, WE UPPED SECURITY AGAIN.
WE ADDED ADDITIONAL PATROLS EXTERNALLY WITH VEHICLES.
D P D CAME IN AND GAVE US EXTRA EXTERNAL PATROLS AROUND THE PERIMETER AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
I'VE EVER SEEN AT ANY ZOO, TO BE HONEST, OTHER THAN MAYBE DISNEY.I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY HAS THE SECURITY RIGHT NOW THAT THE DALLAS ZOO DOES OUT IN THE PARK, UH, BETWEEN 6:00 PM AND 6:00 AM PICTURES ARE RELEASED AND THE REWARD, AND THEN OUR BOARD WITH FULL SUPPORT GOES TO $25,000.
AS SOON AS THOSE PHOTOS ARE RELEASED BY D P D, ALL TYPES OF INFORMATION STARTS COMING IN.
TIPS COME IN WITHIN LESS THAN 36 HOURS, AROUND 30 HOURS AFTER THOSE ANIMALS WERE TAKEN OFF THE PROPERTY, THEY'RE FOUND IN A HOUSE ABOUT 20 MINUTES AWAY.
LANCASTER, OUR STAFF, OUR ANIMAL STAFF, OUR SECURITY DIRECTOR, UH, DRIVES OUT IN THAT AWFUL ICE STORM.
GO PICK THOSE TWO TAMARINS UP.
THEY'RE FOUND IN SQUA CONDITIONS, OR I'M SORRY, FILTH CONDITIONS.
UH, THEY WERE, THEY, THEY WERE CALLED, THEY WERE WITH OTHER ANIMALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT A TA, BUT I KNOW THEY WERE PROBABLY EXCITED TO SEE STAFF.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ANIMALS HAVE LOST SOME, SOME WEIGHT.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE DOING BETTER.
UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A TRAUMATIC EVENT FOR THEM AS WELL.
UH, AT THAT POINT WE HAVE D P D, UH, INVESTIGATING THIS.
UH, AND THEN AS YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE, A COUPLE DAYS LATER, THIS PERSON IS BACK AT DALLAS WORLD AQUARIUM ASKING QUESTIONS, UH, DALLAS WORLD AQUARIUM CONTACTS, UH, D P D, UH, AND THIS PERSON IS PICKED UP.
UM, THE PERSON OF INTEREST IS A SUSPECT.
THEY STILL REMAINED IN THE DALLAS COUNTY JAIL.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THAT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS SPAN OF WHAT THE ZOO'S BEEN GOING THROUGH.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE HAVE THE MEDIA PIECE OF THIS, AND IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT WE'VE HAD NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION ABOUT THIS.
UM, FOR ALL THE REASONS WHY I MENTIONED BEFORE, THIS IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE WANNA BE IN THE NEWS.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND FROM THIS MEDIA THAT WERE IMPORTANT FOR US.
UM, ONE, UH, CARRIE STREIBER, WHO'S BEHIND IT, ME HERE, WHO IS, UM, RUNS ALL OF OUR MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, HAS REALLY BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF MAKING SURE WE CAN GET OUR MESSAGE OUT GOOD OR BAD.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS, WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE AS QUIET, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A BAD, UH, A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE COULD DISCUSS WHAT WE COULD DISCUSS DURING AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION.
WE WORKED WITH THE SPOKESPEOPLE FOR D D AS WELL.
THE OTHER THING THAT I, I WANT TO THANK THE MEDIA FOR IS, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE RECOVER THESE ANIMALS IN 30 HOURS.
I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE A SUSPECT IN CUSTODY IN 72 HOURS IF IT'S NOT FOR THEM.
ALSO PUSHING US OUT IN THE MEDIA.
SO I THANK THEM FOR THAT, THE REWARD AND ALSO FOR THE INFORMATION.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE STILL, UH, THIS IS GONNA BE A CONTINUING STORY AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR SECURITY PIECE.
UM, BUT, UH, IT, IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE WISH WERE UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING GOING FORWARD? UH, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED MAKING ADJUSTMENTS.
UH, WE WERE ALREADY DOING THAT.
AND I MENTIONED BEFORE WE HAD CAMERAS THAT WERE IN PLACE THAT WERE BEING SCALED UP.
WE HAD PERIMETER VENTS THAT WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WE PUT THAT IN PLACE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, A SECURITY GROUP THAT WE HAD SCALED UP AND STILL HAVE SCALED UP, UH, AS WELL.
THE PERIMETER FENCE HANSEN WE PUT IN ARE ONGOING.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOME PHOTOS OF THAT.
UM, LIKE I SAID TO COUNSEL, THIS IS AN AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE.
UH, THIS IS A FUN FAMILY CONSERVATION MISSION BASED VERY, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC 1888 STARTED PARK.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO TURN THIS INTO SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A MAXIMUM SECURITY AND CORRECTION FACILITY.
THERE'S A BALANCE WHERE A NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS LOOKS APPEALING.
BUT WE ALSO ARE NOW DEALING WITH, IF PEOPLE WANT TO REALLY GET IN HERE, THEN WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO KEEP THEM OUT THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
SO THERE'S A BALANCE THERE AND, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED PROBABLY SOME ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FROM YOU ALL AS WELL AS, UH, WITH THE SECURITY ASSESSMENT THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR ON GROUNDS CAMERA SYSTEM.
WE'VE INCREASED THE SECURITY LIGHTING.
UH, THE OUTSIDE SECURITY EXPERT IS HERE, HERE, UM, UH, IN THE NEXT WEEK TO DO A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OVER THE NEXT 30 TO 45 DAYS.
IT'S LARE AND ASSOCIATES CONSULTING GROUP THAT ARE WITH US.
UH, THEY HAVE A INCREDIBLE RESUME, UH, HERE IN DALLAS AS WELL AS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL.
UM, WE THINK THEY'RE GONNA HELP US A LOT, UH, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR, UM, ADDITIONAL SET OF, OF EXPERT EYES ON THE ZOO AND THEIR SECURITY GOING FORWARD.
THE EXPANDED USE OF STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY.
OUR CAMERA SYSTEMS NOW HAVE MOTION AND ALARM SYSTEMS. WE HAVEN'T HAD THOSE BEFORE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA EXPAND THAT WITH OUR SECURITY CONSULTANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN UTILIZE THAT.
UH, OUR EVALUATION OF OUR CURRENT ON GROUND SECURITY PROVIDER IS
[00:40:01]
PROBABLY GONNA BE SOME, UH, ENHANCEMENTS AND CHANGES, UH, THERE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH.AND THEN WE ALSO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE EXPANDED OUTSIDE PERIMETER, UM, PATROLS WITH NOT ONLY OUR SECURITY GROUP, BUT WITH D P T, WHICH AGAIN, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR, THEIR EFFORTS.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK LOOK AT THE EXPANDED TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT, UH, I'M LOOKING AT ON MY PHONE AT NIGHT.
UH, JUST CUZ I'M HABITUATED NOW TO LOOK AT CAMERA SYSTEMS. UM, WE HAVE THIS SET UP AS WELL TO MAKE SURE WE MONITOR THE PARK AND SEE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE SURVEILLANCE TOWERS I MENTIONED FROM D P D, THE SOLAR MOTION LIGHTING.
AND THIS IS THE BALANCE WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH HOW WE MAKE SURE WE, WE TREAT AESTHETICS, UH, WITH SECURITY AND TRYING TO BALANCE THIS OUT.
UH, WE WANT TO TRY TO SOLVE IT WHERE WE CAN, BUT WE KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TO, TO CHANGE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THE ZOO AS IT, IT NORMALLY EXISTED.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T TAKE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS TO KIND OF GET YOUR ATTENTION.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE BEEN A SAFE PARK HERE.
AND, UM, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP JUST BECAUSE WE THINK WE MIGHT HAVE A POTENTIAL PERSON OF INTEREST WHO, UH, IS IN CUSTODY.
THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING OUT THE BEST SECURITY PROGRAM, USING THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD TO GET BETTER.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW IN OUR, UH, SECURITY PROGRAM.
WE ARE INSPECTED BY U S D A, ALL ANIMALS THAT ARE LICENSED, LICENSED, ALL FACILITIES THAT ARE LICENSED TO HAVE ANIMALS ARE INSPECTED BY U S D A.
WE HAVE THAT HAPPEN ONCE A YEAR.
UH, WE JUST HAD OURS, UH, THAT TOOK PLACE WITH NO NON-COMPLIANT ISSUES.
WE'RE ALSO, UH, EVERY FIVE YEARS INSPECTED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS IS REALLY THE LEADER FOR ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS IN TERMS OF, UH, ANIMAL CARE, WELFARE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, UH, AND BASICALLY HOW ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS, UH, ARE RUN AND OPERATED.
UH, WE WILL HAVE OUR INSPECTION, UH, FINAL INSPECTION WITH THE COMMISSION OR HEARING, UH, LATER NEXT, UH, MONTH.
AND SO THOSE TWO ACCREDITATION INSPECTIONS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS.
UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO OBVIOUSLY, UH, WORK AND TAKING AS MUCH FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE TO BE THE BEST SUIT THAT WE CAN BE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE VULTURE IS STILL GOING THROUGH SOME ADDITIONAL TESTING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT TOOK PLACE, UH, WITH THAT PARTICULAR ANIMAL.
UM, NOVA, THE CLOUD LEOPARD IS BACK IN HER HABITAT.
SHE ENJOYED A WONDERFUL, QUIET, RELAXING, SLEEPING DURING THE DAY WEEKEND.
UH, WE HAD 25,000 PEOPLE OUT OF THE ZOO OVER PRESIDENT STAY WEEKEND.
UH, AND WE ALSO HAD OUR TWO TAMARINS BACK INTO, UM, THEIR HABITAT DOING WELL.
I'M TOLD THEY GAINED WEIGHT WHILE THEY WERE DURING THEIR QUARANTINE PERIOD AT THE, UH, ZOO DURING THEIR TWO AND A HALF WEEKS.
UM, THEY GOT SOME GREAT FOOD AND SOME GREAT CARE, AND THEY'RE BACK IN THEIR FAMILIAR, UM, HABITAT.
SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO KEEP THE ZOO SAFE.
BECAUSE WITHOUT A SAFE AND SECURE ZOO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE HALLMARK FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO COME OUT AND VISIT AND FAMILIES TO VISIT.
AND THAT'S A, A BIG INITIATIVE AND A GOAL, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE GET THE SECURITY PROGRAM TO WHERE WE NEED IT TO BE.
I HAVE BEEN EN ZONE COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE THIS HAPPENED, AND I THINK GARY, YOU DID FANTASTIC JOB WITH THE COMMUNICATION AND, YOU KNOW, JUST LEADING FROM THE FRONT AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE KNOWS AND THAT SHOWS OFF YOUR RECORD, UH, TRAFFIC ON PRESIDENT STATE.
SO THANKS FOR COMING HERE AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THAT.
I SEE MS. COLLINS HAS A COMMENT OR A QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU SEAN AND DON AND LOIS AND THE WHOLE BOARD.
AND PLEASE GIVE OUR BEST TO GREG AS WELL.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT BEEN EASY FOR HIM AND OF COURSE IN HARRISON AND THE WHOLE ANIMAL CARE TEAM.
SO I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST, BIGGEST QUESTION IS MOTIVATION.
WHAT, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT WAS THIS SUSPECT? WHAT WERE HIS PLANS IN TAKING THE TAMARINS? WAS IT TO, TO SELL, TO KEEP AND ALSO WHY INJURE? WHY KILL A VULTURE? DO YOU KNOW? SO IT'S AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION TOO, AND I DON'T WANT TO COMPROMISE ANYTHING ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MOTIVATION WAS.
I CAN TELL YOU MOTIVATIONS CAN BE ALL DIFFERENT TYPES.
UM, YOU CAN IMAGINE, UM, I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA SAY THAT BECAUSE IT IS AN ACT INVESTIGATION AND, UM, THE D D CAME OUT AND SAID THIS, THIS PERSON IS NOT CURRENTLY LINKED TO THE VULTURE.
SO, UM, THEY'RE LINKED, YOU KNOW, TO THIS IS PUBLIC INFORMATION'S
[00:45:01]
COME OUT LINKED TO THE HABITATS AND THE TAMARA MONKEYS, BUT THE VULTURE IS, UH, NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TIME.SO, UM, I'M GONNA GONNA NOT COMMENT ANYMORE ON THAT SINCE IT'S AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION.
BUT THERE, THEY'RE, AT THIS POINT, D D DOESN'T, DOESN'T THINK THERE'S, UH, THERE ARE FUTURE PERPETRATORS OUT THERE.
THIS IS NOT A RING OF SOME KIND.
WE'RE GONNA GO WITH WE HOPE NOT
I MEAN, LET, LEMME HIDE THIS WAY.
WE'VE HAD A VERY, UH, QUIET THREE WEEKS OKAY.
AND I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
AND THIS, UM, FROM THE NEWS REPORTS THAT THIS SUSPECT WAS ABLE TO GET ON A DART TRAIN WITH THE MONKEYS AS WELL AND WASN'T INJURED.
IT'S, IT'S A, UH, IT'S WHEN THIS STORY COMES OUT AND IT GOES THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS, IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT, UH, HOW THIS HAPPENED.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS FROM THE INFORMATION THAT'S PUBLIC, WE KNOW WHERE THIS INDIVIDUAL SAID THAT THEY CROSSED OVER AND IT'S BEEN A FOCUS FOR US TO MAKE SURE WE SOLIDIFY THAT AREA.
UM, AND AS FAR AS HOW THEY MOVED IN AND OUTTA HERE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE LAYERS OF SECURITY WITH INCREASED SECURITY.
UM, I WOULD'VE HOPED WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE AT LEAST, UH, CAPTURE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA BE A BUILDING BLOCK FOR US WITH OUR SECURITY PROGRAM GOING FORWARD.
WELL, AND EVEN AFTER YOUR ENHANCED SECURITY, THIS PERSON WAS STILL ABLE TO GET TO THE MONKEYS AND, AND RESPOND WITH THEM.
SO CLEARLY HE WAS THERE OVERNIGHT OR SOMEWHERE SOMEHOW TO GET ACCESS TO THEM.
YEAH, WE, WE, UH, WE, WE, WE DON'T BELIEVE, OH NO, WE DON'T.
WE DON'T, WELL REALLY, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB AND VERY UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND IT WASN'T A SINGLE ISOLATED INCIDENT.
SO IT, IT CERTAINLY APPEARS LIKE YOU DID THE RIGHT THINGS, THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY.
AND HOPEFULLY THIS WAS, UH, UH, WE NEVER HAVE TO SEE THIS AGAIN.
BUT WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE, ALL YOU CONTINUE TO DO IN THE DALLAS IS
HAS THE, UH, SUSPECT ARE CHARGED WITH ANY YET? THERE ARE, UH, I BELIEVE CHARGED WITH SIX COUNTS RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND, UH, THEY'RE STILL MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S UM, THERE'S, UH, BAIL HAS BEEN SET AND SO THERE'S, UH, AND CURRENTLY THERE BEING HELD IN DALLAS COUNTY JAIL.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THEY'VE BEEN CHARGED? HE'S BEEN CHARGED WITH YOU.
IT'S, UM, IN SIX COUNTS OF, UH, ANIMAL CRUELTY AND, AND TWO COUNTS.
THE BURGLARY, BURGLARY, THOSE, THOSE COUNTS.
WE HAVE THE, UM, ARE THEY, IS THERE A LEVEL, LIKE THE KILLING OF AN ANIMAL? I MEAN, LIKE IS THERE, ARE THERE DIFFERENT LEVELS? LIKE THERE'S MISDEMEANORS AND FELONIES AND I THINK THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, ARE WE SUPPLEMENTING THE VULTURE LOSS AT ALL? ARE WE, I KNOW THEY'RE THE DANGER.
ARE WE, ARE WE LOOKING TO BRING IN ANOTHER VULTURE? ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE SEVERAL VULTURES THERE.
UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH A CAP ZOO'S WORK WITH A CAPTIVE MANAGED, UM, PROPAGATION PROGRAM, UH, FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES.
SO WE KIND OF WORK WITH WHAT'S CALLED A SPECIES SURVIVAL PROGRAM THROUGH THE AZA.
UH, AND SO IF THAT WARRANTS IT TO BRING IN ANOTHER ONE AT SOME POINT WE WILL, BUT, UM, STILL BE DETERMINED.
UM, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, ADMITTED, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ADMITTED TO WHERE HE HAD CROSSED OVER.
YEAH, THAT WAS PUBLIC INFORMATION.
ALL I CAN DO IS JUST GIVE YOU BACK WHAT WAS REPORTED IN, IN THE MEDIA WAS THAT THEY SAID THEY CROSSED IN A CERTAIN LOCATION, UH, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER DETAILS.
AND I'M, IF YOU CAN'T, IF YOU CAN'T DIVULGE OR YOU DON'T KNOW, UM, SO HAVE THEY ADMITTED TO THIS? I MEAN, LIKE, I MEAN, IS THIS YEAH, I MEAN, ACCORDING TO THE AFFIDAVIT THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE INFORMATION THAT THEY, THEY ADMITTED TO CERTAIN, UH, ASPECTS OF THESE CRIMINAL ACTS, I, I, I WANT TO, UM, ECHO BRATTON AND JUST SAY THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT, UM, I MEAN, I HAVE SECURITY SYSTEMS ON YOUR HOUSE, YOU HAVE LOCKS ON YOUR HOUSE, YOU'VE GOT CAMERAS.
I MEAN, SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME IN, THEY'RE COMING IN.
UM, AND SO, UM, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DO AS MUCH AS YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, SAVE PUTTING A BUBBLE.
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU GUYS.
I KNOW WHEN THE LEOPARDS GOT OUT, THERE WAS KIND OF A FEELING THAT I HAD HEARD OF PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS INCOMPETENCE.
IT WAS SOMEBODY LEFT A GATE OPEN AND THEN IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST WANNA, YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
I, I WANNA MAKE SURE IT WASN'T, THERE WAS NO KEY ERROR.
THERE WAS NO FAULTY OF THE HABITAT.
THIS WAS A DELIBERATE, DELIBERATE ACT OF VANDALISM.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT BECAUSE UM,
[00:50:01]
YOU KNOW, YOUR MIND GOES A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.BUT, UM, ABSOLUTELY THE ZOO WAS ACTUALLY THE VICTORY RIGHT.
OR THAT IT WAS AN INSIDE TYPE OF TALK TO SOMEBODY TO DO THIS.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK, I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PARK IS AS BIG AS IT IS.
UM, SO IT'S, YEAH, WE HAVE THE LARGEST ZOO IN TEXAS AND ACREAGE, WE'RE TWICE AS BIG AN ACREAGE IS HOUSTON, WE'RE 40 ACRES BIGGER THAN FORT WORTH.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, AMAZING SPACE.
AND I THINK THAT BODES WELL FOR THE ZOO IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS WE START MOVING, MOVING FORWARD INTO, UH, WHAT THE FUTURE COULD LOOK LIKE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE, THAT'S, UM, RECAP.
I, I CHOSE TO NOT TURN ON MY NEWS DURING THIS TIME.
I HAVE A 10 YEAR OLD WHO'S ATTENDED YOUR WONDERFUL CAMPS, WHO IS, YOU KNOW, GOT HIS LITTLE BADGE OF BEING A JUNIOR, YOU KNOW, ZOO RANGER.
AND, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAGIC AWAY FROM HIM FROM THIS PLACE.
UM, SO THANK YOU SEAN AND LOIS AND DAWN.
UM, I THINK THE IDEA OF FEELING VIOLATED IS A REALLY UGLY, HORRIBLE FEELING.
UM, AND SO, UM, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS AS A COMMUNITY, AS YOU GUYS HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THIS, HAS INSURANCE BEEN ABLE TO STEP UP BECAUSE THIS HAS REALLY GOTTA BE COSTLY TO THEN COME UP WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS TO, TO MAKE THE ZOO A SAFER, BETTER PLACE FOR THE ANIMALS THAN FOR, FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO DO SOME ANALYSIS.
WE HAVE DEDICATED THE FUNDS TO FIX OUR FENCES, PARTICULARLY THIS PLACE.
AND A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, THAT SEAN DIDN'T SHOW YOU.
WE'VE HAD TO PUT NOW BARB WIRE ON TOP OF OUR FENCE, BUT THROUGH TRYING TO MAKE IT SO THAT IT DOESN'T JUST TOTALLY STAND OUT.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT WE, WE REALIZE PEOPLE COULD GET BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE FENCE, OUR PERIMETER FENCE, WE'VE CLOSED THAT OPPORTUNITY OFF.
SO WE'VE DONE SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.
I HOPE THAT WHEN WE GET A FULL ANALYSIS OF THIS, WE CAN LOOK INTO ANY INSURANCE POSSIBILITIES.
THERE'S GONNA BE A CAPITAL, A SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND THERE'S GONNA BE A SIGNIFICANT OPERATIONAL INCREASE, BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
WE'RE GONNA FIND A WAY TO DO IT.
AND BEFORE IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE, UH, OF THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR, WE'RE DEVELOPING OUR STRATEGY AS WE MOVE FORWARD HERE AS WELL.
BUT, UM, YEAH, THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS READY AS WE GO THROUGH THE SENSITIVE TIME.
UM, HOW CAN WE BEST HELP YOU AS A BOARD HERE
I MEAN, WE KNOW THE BOND PROGRAM IS COMING UP AND WE HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT THINGS WE'D LIKE TO DO AT THE ZOO.
I, I'M JUST GONNA CONFESS, I GOT INVITED TO JOIN THE BOARD AND I SAID, SURE.
WHO DOESN'T WANNA BE ON A WINNING TEAM? THIS IS A REAL JEWEL FOR THIS CITY, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE WE CAN DO WITH THE HELP.
AND AS I SAID TO THE BOARD YESTERDAY, THIS WAS A, A HORRIBLE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TO US.
OTHER ZOOS IN THE NATION HAVE HAD THINGS HAPPEN AND THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
AND YOU SAID EARLIER YOU APPRECIATE OUR TRANSPARENCY.
THAT'S THE GOOD THING ABOUT OUR STAFF AND OUR BOARD.
WE'RE TRANSPARENT, WE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS, AND WE DIDN'T STOP WHEN PEOPLE WERE CRITICIZING US.
UH, MR. KITMAN, THANK, UH, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THIS TRANSPARENT AND THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A VERY, VERY CHALLENGING TIME FOR THE ZOO.
I ALSO HAVE A 10 YEAR OLD THAT LOVES THE ZOO AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND THIS REPORT AND JUST THE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO MAKE THE ZOO OR CONTINUE TO MAKE THE ZOO THE GREAT PLACE THAT IT IS.
UM, WHAT, ONE QUESTION ABOUT COSTS, AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH THIS IS, THESE INCIDENTS ARE GOING TO COST THE ZOO BETWEEN ENHANCED SECURITY OR LOST REVENUE FOR THE DAYS THAT WE HAD TO CLOSE OR ADDITIONAL DEBT COSTS? OR HAVE WE PAID THE REWARD MONEY AS AN EXAMPLE? LIKE WHAT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THE REWARD MONEY IS, UH, WE'RE STILL GONNA BE WORKING WITH THE D P D ON THAT EXACTLY WHAT THE QUALIFIERS FOR WHAT IT IS.
BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE SOME GREAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HELPED OUT WITH THAT, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF THAT.
UM, SO IN PROCESS, UM, THE NUMBERS AREN'T ADDED UP YET.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, PART OF IT IS, UM, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE SPENT RIGHT NOW.
[00:55:01]
HONESTLY IT'S, IT'S A FRACTION OF WHAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET ONCE THE SECURITY CONSULTANT'S DONE AND, AND AT THE, AND I THINK WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT ONCE WE GET THROUGH THAT 45 DAY PROCESS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE AT MULTIPLE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO DO THIS.
HOW MANY, HOW MANY TOTAL DAYS DID THE ZOO HAVE TO CLOSE BECAUSE OF THESE INCIDENTS? EXCUSE ONE.
I THINK IT WAS, SO IT WAS, IT WAS ONE FOR THE LEOPARD AND THEN WHEN THE ICE HAPPENED WAS RIGHT ON THAT DAY WITH THE TA AND WE WERE CLOSE FOR I THINK FOUR DAYS WE'RE CLOSE ANYWAY.
AS SOON AS THE CLOUD LEOPARD GOT BACK, WE HAD THE CROWD MM-HMM.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK AND THEY FEEL SAFE AND THEY WANT TO SEE THESE ANIMALS.