NIABI ZOO OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AGENDA -- 04/12/16 at 5:00 PM 13010 Niabi Zoo Road, Coal Valley, IL – Administrative Building, Education Room

Call to Order & Roll Call: Consent Agenda**: Niabi Zoo Fund and Niabi Zoo Improvement Fund Budget Performance Report* Niabi Zoo Fund and Niabi Zoo Improvement Fund Balance Sheet Report* Animal Inventory Report for the month of March* Dan Meates – Assistant Director/Interim Director March Report* Jill Roderick – Curator of Conservation & Education March Report* Scarlet Behrens – Guest Services Manager March Report* Scott Hesselberg – Niabi Zoo Maintenance Superintendent March Report* Old Business: Approval of open session minutes from the March 17, 2016 meeting Approval of closed session minutes from the March 17, 2016 meeting Approval of closed session minutes from February 16, 2016 meeting Project Matrix Update - Playground New Business: Update from Mr. Biddle & Ms. Grace of Schultz & Williams Update from Interim Zoo Director Update from Niabi Zoological Society Set next meeting date Discussion and possible action on Zoo Director Candidates Public Comment: Closed Session: Per ILCS 120/2 (c) (1) – Discussion of Zoo Director Candidates (c) Exceptions. A public body may hold closed meetings to consider the following subjects: (1) The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. Adjourn * items are in members packets **All items under the consent agenda are considered routine and will be approved by one motion. There will be no separate discussions of these items unless a Committee Member so requests. In this case, that item will move from the Consent Agenda to New Business to be considered.

Niabi Zoo Report March 2016

Prepared by Daniel Meates

Construction Update Bids for the new Playground have been submitted to the Oversight Committee. Animal Acquisitions/Animal Department After extensive work, the process of acquiring an Amur Leopard has been completed and the animal is now on exhibit at the Cat House. This animal is on temporary loan until sexually mature at which time it will be moved to another facility as part of the SSP breeding plan. This is special opportunity for Niabi Zoo as this species is only represented by around 20 animals remaining in the wild. This is one of the rarest cats in the world and is critically endangered. Small Animal Building has taken on a great new and improved look with all exhibits being painted, fresh décor and live plants added, new modern VDU signage and over-all exhibit presentation improvements. Many additional improvements are being made throughout the zoo by keepers and maintenance in preparation for Opening Day. This month was difficult for all staff as our geriatric cats, Mufasa the Lion and Jackson the Jaguar, had to be euthanized do to age-related issues. Both these cats were very long-lived animals for their species (even in captivity). Mufasa was 22 and Jackson was 21-the equivalent to a human living to nearly 90 years old. Due to the passing of the Jaguar-Jackson, the now empty enclosure at the Cat House will become home to our pair of Bobcats. This enclosure will be more adequately suited to this species as the current Bobcat Exhibit was one of the failing points on our last AZA inspection. It will provide them a pool, a large landscaped area with excellent viewing windows, which in turn give the public a great visitor experience, indoor access to Bobcats to a temperature-controlled environment and into large dens more appropriate for when cats have to be lock inside due to weather, medical procedures, etc. This move will allow for the demolition of the current inadequate Bobcat holding and allow for the expansion of the current Red Wolf Enclosure, which could then hold a multi-generational pack in order to avoid continually changing out offspring/adults.

Keepers worked with Palmer College in Davenport, IA to relocate over 300 Koi from a pond deemed to be demolished on this local campus. The donated Koi have been rehomed in our large Koi pond to join our current collection. In quarantine, we currently have 3 new French Lop rabbits, which will be a new addition to the petting zoo this year. A flock of Golden Weavers (birds) will be entering quarantine this month to be exhibited as part of the Africa Mixed Species Exhibit in the Giraffe Barn. One of our female Colobus will be leaving Niabi to be part of the SSP Breeding Program as part of another zoological facility. Working currently on updating the progress of reapplication for AZA Accreditation. What I currently deem as staff/management controllable’ s are maintenance program, keeping staff, record keeping, veterinary program, enrichment, husbandry training, standard operating procedures, keeper and animal training, etc. are all up to standards. However, what I deem as the uncontrollable are the upgrade of the Zebra Exhibit, Aoudad Exhibit, Bobcat Exhibit, Australia Exhibit, Lion Exhibit, and so forth. We are unable to repair and upgrade these exhibits, once again, due to lack of funding. Accreditation with AZA was lost in 2012. As we move further away from this loss of status, accreditation will become more difficult to acquire and obtaining animals for exhibit and involvement in animal programs with many of the reputable zoos will become nearly impossible. As stated in my previous reports, I am meeting more and more obstacles and dead ends when trying to acquire animals (Healthy animals that have a documented medical, enrichment, reproductive and behavioral history) for Niabi Zoo.

Marketing Department Report:

We have been working extensively with Mindfire Marketing Company for our advertising campaign, zoo signage, marketing and graphics. We are moving forward with this process very aggressively. We have had a very busy schedule with the Media promoting the opening season. Posters, Web Design, Television, Radio, Social Media, Graphics, and Public Relations are all a part of this very time-consuming aspect of the zoos functionality.

Members-Only Egg Hunt:

The annual egg hunt for Zoo Members was a great success this year with nearly 900 guests participating in the event. A big thanks to all staff that helped make this day the biggest egg-hunt the Zoo has ever done.

Guest Services Manager Report: Prepared by Scarlet Behrens MEMBERSHIP/EVENT:

• This past month was a busy month gearing for our soft opening in regards to the Members Only Event! Overall, the event was successful and brought in the highest number of attendees we have had for the Egg Hunt. We had many guest stop on their way out to thank us and even say this was the best egg hunt they had been to! This “Sneak Peek” was very important to us because since I have worked here at Niabi that has been a repeated request and thankfully, the timing of everything worked out. We were able to give the members what they had been asking for and it was a great way for us to show them how thankful we are for the continued support.

• We are in the process of approving the revamped/final copy of the member’s

newsletter that will be going to print in the next couple of weeks.

GIFTSHOPS:

• The new inventory software has been installed, training is done and everything is working.

CAROUSEL:

• The Update from Chance regarding the 4 new carousel animals is that they will be arriving here by the middle of June. They are ready for the art shop and are next in line following a MGR and 20 refurb horses.

HIRING:

• Hiring and training for seasonal departments (Gift Shop, Carousel and Membership) is at a stopping point for right now. Schedules are done and they are all ready for opening!

MISC:

• The new hurricane simulator should be here by the end of the month. • I have also been working with Mindfire and John Ferrell on marketing for the upcoming

Golf Outing. We are in the process of finalizing the sign-up and sponsorship sheet.

CONCESSIONS: • Concessions are getting ready for the season. Here is there basic menu, which we have

posted on our website. They are also continuing the zoo’s relationship with Dr.Pepper for the 2016 season.

A E

Menu Item Name Item Sell Price

Hot Dog $3.75 Chili Dog $4.25 Hamburger $4.75 Cheeseburger $5.00 Loaded Nacho $5.00 Nacho $3.00 Pretzel $2.50 Cheese Pretzel $3.00 Kid Dog $2.00 PB&J $3.00 Chicken Sandwich $4.50 Chick Strips $3.50 Cotton Candy $3.00 Smoothies $3.00/$4.00 Ice Cream Bars $1.50-$3.50 Popcorn $1.00

Kids Meals For Schools/Birthday Parties PB&J, chip, milk or juice, popsicle $4.00 Hot Dog, chip, milk or juice, popsicle $4.00 Chicken Strip, chip, milk or juice, popsicle $5.00

Curator of Conservation Education Report: Prepared by Jill Roderick What the Education Department has been working on: Volunteers

• JZK applications are due April 23, we have had a lot of interest from new students so it should be an exciting class.

• A volunteer committee has been established to plan our Earth Day on April 16th. They have a lot of great ideas and it should be a great event.

• We have a volunteer meeting Saturday, April 9th to cover safety procedures before the Zoo opens.

• We have been holding volunteer trainings for tours and interpretation at exhibits (primarily the meerkat/porcupine exhibit)

Programs and Events • 3 Zoo camps are already filled, with more applications coming in daily. • We held our last Zoo Tots and homeschool classes for the season this month. They will

start again in August. We had over 75 students in our homeschool class, 45 families with our homeschool day and 90 families came to our Zoo Tots program in the off-season.

• Booking school group and summer field trips, with over 45 booked so far. • Working with animal handlers to assure quality programs, with more training and

evaluation of programs. • We have had to turn down programs due to the Curator of Education being on

maternity leave and not enough trained educators/keepers to do programs requested. So far, we have turned down 3 Zoo Snoozes, 4 birthday parties and 10 outreaches due to lack of trained staff able to do it. With full time education staff, we would alleviate the need to pull keepers from their duties to do outreaches as well as being able to offer more programs with unified messages.

Graphics

• All temporary signs should be up, working on new graphics in the small animal building. Using digital picture frames for the animals so that we can change out the information a little easier.

• Working on posters for areas around the Zoo. • Provided wording for our new Coins for Conservation kiosk.

Website/Facebook • Website should be updated with all the information for events through the summer.

Hoping to add everything on there for the fall and anticipate any changes that might need to be done before I am back.

Maintenance superintendent Report: Prepared by Scott Hesselberg - Removed old Bane from River Rock Grill concession stand - Repaired bracket on dump truck snowplow - Removed snow plow on the F-250 - Installed new hitch pins on all train coaches - Installed monitor boxes in small animals - Ed. Center sink remount and secure - Repaired metal cabinet doors in hospital - Heated barn overhead door repair new weather strip - Fixed hyrax furnace - Repaired winch in lion’s den - Fixed broken vent in small animals - Removed plastic off ticket booth windows - Repaired squeegee for small animals - Regrade maintenance area parking lot - Dug trench, glued and set 1” PVC, then backfilled in wolf yard. Pulled camera cable,

set new underground camera, then terminated camera - Fixed leak under sink in small animals Men’s restroom - Removed, refinished, and reinstalled boards on train coach seats. - Repaired breakroom chair in Ed. Center. - Butterfly chairs: re-welded, painted, and set onto a concrete pad. - Repaired courtesy steps for the train and refinished - Small animals: removed old heat lamp, installed new GFCI, and rewired lights above

window in stall 1. - Pulled all garbage cans out of storage and distributed around the zoo. - Installed new faucet at nutrition center. - Fixed front map sign by gift shop. - Repaired stroller-parking kiosk at train station. - Fixed utilities door at Gibbons. - Repaired/replaced door at frog exhibit- Ed. Center. - Installed thermostat lock box covers in small animals.

- Modified door latch at Gibbons. - Repaired and stained wooden sign stands around zoo. - DE winterized red restroom - Took down fallen trees around playground. - Hung parking lot flags - Installed safety retainers on carousel. - Greased carousel - Reinstalled feeders at petting zoo and koi pond deck. - Set a pole and installed bat houses by Giraffe barn. - Removed old coins for conservation deck and planted grass in its place. - Installed ticket booth flags - Installed a key box in the train station. - Fixed door handle at old maintenance. - Repaired back gate at River Rock concession stand. - Had Erickson Plumbing flush out all tank less water heaters and RPZ around the zoo. - Installed new sensor module in urinal at red restroom. - New battery in Sprinter van. - Replaced aerators on all faucets at Wolf Ridge concession stand. - Painted doors at the red restroom. - Installed pump at Eagles exhibit. - Repaired outside automatic water dish at Giraffe barn. - Installed backflow preventer devices throughout the zoo. - Replaced GFCI at nutrition center. - Repaired gate at petting zoo. - Secured bars on shift doors at the cathouse. - Installed a weathertight WIFI box, ran conduit, pulled cable, and set antennas at

petting zoo light pole - Cleaned out all rain gutters throughout zoo. - Installed new bubblers on drinking fountains around zoo. - Greased all train coach cars.

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