Be sure to click on the image to enlarge it so you can read the names and titles, (image from Metropolitan Magazine).
Let me give you a bit of history about the Salisbury Zoo most of you aren't aware of.
Considering the Salisbury Zoo is one of the smallest Zoo's in America, the AZA, (or whatever they are called now) who accredits the Zoo at one point demanded the Salisbury Zoo have a formal Director. So in other words, it wasn't a former Mayor who decided the Zoo needed a Director, it was shoved down their throat.
The AZA is an organization that pretty much does absolutely nothing for the Salisbury Zoo. However, what you do get from the AZA is a list of demands that cost the taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars. In order to stay accredited for example, the Zoo is being forced to build a $3,000,000.00 Animal Services Building. Now, does a Zoo our size actually NEED more than what they have, not really, especially AFTER the City had to pony up more than $300,000.00 to renovate the current building in place.
However, the Salisbury Zoo Commission does a LOT of things behind the scenes that creates a fortune worth of improvements and or changes you are not aware of. For example, as the above picture shows, Cathy Bassett has been added to the Zoo to basically do fundraising.
I don't want to sound like a broken record but I have been saying for more than 7 years now, WHAT THE HELL DOES THE DIRECTOR DO? I think we can all agree, Joel Hamilton is a very nice guy but seriously, he doesn't fund raise, he doesn't clean exhibits, in fact, he doesn't even have a whole lot to do with the Staff at the Zoo. However, 99% of ALL Zoo Directors in other Zoo's across America are fully responsible for raising 100% of the overhead of their Zoo's. Not Joel and now they have someone else to do that job.
So look close at the above picture. When you enlarge it you'll see the name Stacey Weisner. Oh, look again! Is she the NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR?????? So how did the Zoo bring in Cathy Bassett and Stacey Weisner without your knowledge, THE SAME WAY THEY'VE DONE IT WITH MOST OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES AT THE ZOO.
The Zoo Commission brings them in through grants OR out of the DONATIONS you make when you visit the Zoo, supposedly to feed the animals. And what happens when those funds dry up, the come to the Council and ask that the taxpayers pay their salaries. When you have a rubber stamp Council like Barrie Tilghman had in the past, you get whatever you want. Not so today and NOT so if I'm elected Mayor.
It's bad enough OTHER City Empployees are complaining they aren't making enough money, NOW YOU KNOW WHY. The Salisbury Zoo is out of control. Your Mayor is fully aware of what is going on down there, yet once again he keeps quiet about it.
I wrote an article a few weeks ago about how they hired Cathy Bassett. Now all of a sudden they've taken on Stacey Weisner. 10 years ago the Zoo relied on VOLUNTEERS. Today, those volunteer positions are full time paid staff, yet there are a TON of people who would volunteer for those very same positions and did so for more than 40 years.
Mayor Ireton wants bigger government and continues to prove so. Yet he only wants to give raises to the Mayors Office Staff as well as a tax increase to do so, even though it wasn't even necessary.
I'd still LOVE to know just what the Zoo Director does at the Zoo each and every day, let alone a new Executive Director. It seems to me the Salisbury Zoo Commission is trying to keep up with the major Zoo's with the AZA. It's been foolish since day one and even more costly to City Taxpayers.
So, WHO are YOU really feeding when you make those donations to the Salisbury Zoo?
By the way, NONE of the Council Members I spoke to about this were aware there is a new Executive Director at the Zoo.
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