By Anthony Pollreisz, WKAR
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-932244.mp3
Lansing, MI –
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Ingham County residents will vote on renewal of a 2006 millage for Lansing's Potter Park Zoo on Tuesday.
Zoo officials say the money generated from the millage of .41 mill is needed for operations and maintenance at the zoo.
Willis Bennett, the director of the Ingham County Parks Department, says the zoo could lose its accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums if the millage isn't passed.
Without AZA endorsement, the zoo cannot maintain its more-expensive and endangered animals.
With the zoo entering its 90th year of operation, Bennett says the millage renewal would help pay for new exhibits and repair the zoo's aging infrastructure.
"You do face a lot of infrastructure issues, and that's everything from simple things like replacing a roof, to a furnace, but also the sewer lines and water lines," Bennett says. "Things like that...have to be addressed."
It's unclear how the zoo would operate if the millage doesn't pass; however, not all are in favor of the renewal.
Ingham County commissioner Steve Dougan, a Republican from District 14, says many rural communities he represents might be reluctant to support the renewal when police and other municipal services are being cut.
"There's a lot of areas of this county that don't feel the zoo's a very good proposition," Dougan says. "Some of those (people) happen to be in townships (in which) I'm the person responsible for representing their interests."
Dennis Laidler, the zoo's education curator, says the zoo millage is a quality of life issue. Laidler says the region could lose one of its defining educational assets if the millage fails.
"It's very important, not only for the 30,000 mid-Michigan students that get educational programming from us, but just for general Lansing residents and Ingham County residents," says Laidler.
If the millage passes, the zoo will go forward with its master plan, which includes the opening of a Michigan species exhibit and an expanded animal care facility.
Transcription:
Joining us now is reporter Rob South. Rob, as Anthony just reported, the millage renewal will help make the park a little nicer by paying for a renovation as part of its master plan. Good morning Rob
Rob South: "Good morning, Melissa!"
Melissa Ingells: "Want to give us a quick history on the millage?"
South: "Sure. Back in 2006, the city of Lansing was having budget problems, and freshly-minted mayor Virg Benero proposed handing the zoo over to Ingham County for operations. And that happened, the county took over the zoo in 2007 and it passed an original millage to help pay for operations at the zoo. And so, now this is just a renewal of that millage, and actually, the zoo is asking for a little bit less money for operations than they did for the original zoo millage."
Ingells: "OK. The master plan sounds pretty exciting."
South: "It is, I think! I think that the county's done a really good job in making some changes to the zoo and cleaning things up, and, as part of that, they've developed a master plan that includes many different niche exhibits, including a Michigan northern lakes and forest exhibit. "
Ingells: "Ooh!"
South: "Yeah, presumably they'll have native animals that we don't often see because they'll continue some of the exhibits that they've had with Central Asia and Lake Baikal and things like that. So, they're actually going to make a lot of improvements over the coming years to make the park even more attractive than it is."
Ingells: "OK, the burning question on everybody's mind: What about the rhinos?"
South: "That is a fantastic question. As many of our listeners know, the zoo had rhinos for a long time, and they died. It was very tragic that they died. The zoo is currently building a new rhino exhibit which will open next summer, and they expect to have a breeding pair in place by summer; they can't give me exact dates because they don't know yet. So, this will be a new breeding pair, young rhinos; they're not ready to breed yet, but they said that's good because they'll get to know each other first some courting, I suppose "
Ingells: "Rhino courting?"
South: "One's from Miami, one's from Wichita, and one of them is named Jell-O,' although we don't know which one."
Ingells: "Or which flavor."
South: "Or which flavor!"
Ingells: "Rob South, thank you very much for coming in."
South: "Thank you, Melissa!"
Election 2010 - WKAR
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