As it prepares for the transition between operators for the Henry Vilas Zoo, Dane County announced it hired a national zoo consultant to help with fundraising while the county board considers a contract for a new operator.
The county recently decided not to renew its contract with the Henry Vilas Zoological Society, a nonprofit that has operated the zoo’s concessions and rides as well as conducted fundraising for the past few decades, opting to go in a new direction. The county announced last Friday they had reached an agreement with Centerplate, a firm similarly contracted by the Alliant Energy Center, to take over concessions and rides from the Zoological Society, contingent on approval from the county board.
The county also announced Friday they would extend job offers to all Zoological Society employees working on zoo grounds until the new operator takes over, at which time they will be considered for employment with them.
Part of the reason the county will let the Society’s contract expire at the end of March is their view that the Society has not been completely transparent about their finances. In response, the county is seeking to establish a zoo trust fund so that it can see where money raised for the zoo by the Society is spent.
Though it has found an operator for concessions and rides, the county still needs to find ways to raise money for the zoo, which charges no entry fee to visitors. Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced Monday the county had hired a national zoo consultant to help establish a support organization to be in charge of fundraising. Organizations hoping to take over fundraising operations will have to submit public proposals to the county to be approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Though the county has acknowledged potential interest from the Zoological Society to continue fundraising efforts, they noted the Society would have to submit a proposal to be considered along with anyone else who wants to.
