Saint John council to decide financial future of zoo

Saint John council is expected to decide the financial future of the city's beleaguered Cherry Brook Zoo on Monday night.

Council is scheduled to vote on a recommendation from the community grants committee that would see the zoo's funding cut by about $40,000.

"I think the initial reaction was a bit of shock and disappointment, a little bit of fear as well," said executive director Martha McDevitt, who learned of the recommendation on Friday night.

We're definitely going to be fighting for this.- Martha McDevitt, zoo's executive director

The city had been planning to give the zoo $50,000 — the same amount it received last year — but council made a last-minute amendment to the 2017 operating budget, which reallocated that money, along with $50,000 earmarked for the Human Development Council and $20,000 for PRUDE to the community grants pool, which is dispersed to various community organizations, projects and events.

In a report to council, dated Jan. 31, the committee recommends the city cover the zoo's property taxes, up to $10,000, but provide no operational funding.

"This time of year will definitely make it a lot harder on us just to be able to make up those funds," said McDevitt, noting this is the low season for the zoo, which is a non-profit.

But the board isn't giving up, she said.

"We're definitely going to be fighting for this." The board has requested an opportunity to address council.

"We're very passionate," said McDevitt. "We also feel we've taken a lot of positive strides in the last six to eight months now, since the changeover in management. We've come a long way.

"So this has definitely been a bit of a negative setback."

The zoo has secured some funding from Quispamsis and Hampton, but McDevitt is calling on the greater Saint John community for support.

'We need to be good stewards'

"The way I see it, the zoo is not my zoo, it's not the board's zoo, or staff; the moral owner of the zoo is the community, so we're definitely going to have to look at reaching out to the community and saying, 'This is our zoo.'

"We need to be good stewards of these animals, that's our responsibility.

"They also rely on our community to gather around and say this is worth fighting for."

The community grants pool totals nearly $180,000.

The committee reviewed 36 grant applications totalling more than $600,000.

It recommends the city distribute $129,600 among 16 of the applicants and keep a reserve of $50,121 "for a second iteration to support future requests."

"The evaluation process considers community need and social impact of the organization's service, project or event; its history in serving the community; its alignment with council and city priorities, and its organizational strengths and financial responsibility," the committee's report states.

The committee is made up of two community members, two members of council and three staff.