The Metro-appointed Oregon Zoo Bond Citizens’ Oversight Committee provided its first assessment of the plans and improvements funded by the 2008 voter-approved, $125 million Oregon Zoo Infrastructure and Animal Welfare Bond Measure. Establishment of the 18-member committee, appointed by the Metro Council in January 2010, was a condition of the bond measure.
Noting that this first assessment addresses early stages of plans and construction projects, the Oversight Committee reported that the zoo bond program has a clear organizational and governance structure, appears to be adequately staffed, and that internal reporting processes are in place for the active construction projects.
The zoo bond covers planning and construction of new exhibits for elephants, polar bears, primates and hippos, a new conservation education facility and veterinary medical center, and improved energy and water conservation measures across the zoo campus, including a new water-saving filtration system for the penguin exhibit. These projects will be constructed over the next eight to ten years.
"We are pleased to receive this assessment of the zoo’s work and grateful for the diligence of these highly accomplished members of the community," said Shirley Craddick, Metro Councilor for District 2. "The Oversight Committee’s role is important to maintaining public trust in Metro’s management of the zoo’s bond-funded projects."
This is the first report from the Oregon Zoo Bond Citizens’ Oversight Committee, formed to assess progress in implementing the Oregon Zoo Infrastructure and Animal Welfare Bond Program on behalf of the Metro Council and citizens on an annual basis. The committee meets quarterly to assess progress in implementing bond-funded zoo improvements. Members include professionals with experience in construction, sustainability, animal welfare, labor, finance, public budgeting and auditing and general business.
The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission of inspiring the community to create a better future for wildlife. Metro, the regional government, crosses city limits and county lines to build a resilient economy, keep nature close by and respond to a changing climate. Representing a diverse population of 1.5 million people in 25 cities and three counties, Metro's directly elected council gives voters a voice in decisions about how the region grows and communities prosper.