Zoo hires outside firm to review use of resources
An outside firm will conduct an independent investigation into executives’ use of Columbus Zoo and Aquarium resources, the chairman of the zoo’s board of directors said Wednesday.
The board hired Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP to conduct the investigation, board chairman Keith Shumate said.
The board originally planned an internal review by a group of its members after The Dispatch asked about the personal use of zoo resources by the top executives of the taxpayer-supported nonprofit organization.
That group of board members then recommended hiring outside counsel to investigate, Shumate said.
“It just made sense to have the independent review,” he said, noting that outside counsel is “doing their work right now,” which includes conducting interviews and reviewing documents.
Porter Wright is reviewing “the allegations that have been made and looking at the facts behind them,” Shumate said.
“Obviously, we take this seriously, so that’s why we’ve asked for an independent investigation as well,” he said.
The Dispatch reported earlier this month that Zoo President and CEO Tom Stalf and Chief Financial Officer Greg Bell allowed family members to live in houses owned or controlled by the zoo, and internal zoo emails showed the two men sought tickets for their family members to attend various entertainment events.
The homes in question were not advertised for rent or offered to outsiders or other zoo employees. Zoo officials said the homes were leased for belowmarket rent in exchange for the residents making improvements to the property. Zoo officials would not provide copies of the zoo’s written lease agreements or share how much rent it charged family members.
Internal zoo emails showed Stalf and Bell sought the use of the zoo’s suites and tickets to local entertainment venues for themselves and their family members between 2013 and 2019. Most of the tickets requested were available through the zoo’s marketing contracts with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ohio State University, and were intended for hosting zoo supporters and building donor and sponsor relations.
A special meeting of the zoo’s board of directors and appointed board has been scheduled for Monday for “an executive policy and procedure review,” according to the meeting notice.
Shumate said the meeting is related to the independent investigation but wouldn’t give additional details. He said because the special meeting will deal with personnel matters, it will be held in executive session and is not open to the public.
The outside investigation could conclude within a couple of weeks, Shumate said.
“My goal is to have this wrapped up by the end of the month,” he said.
The Ohio Ethics Commission is also considering an investigation into zoo executives and examining whether they violated Ohio law by using zoo assets personally. The commission is still reviewing whether the zoo is a public agency subject to its investigative jurisdiction, said Paul Nick, the commission’s executive director.
Nick said the commission is also waiting for the results of the zoo board’s investigation.
Dispatch reporter Alissa Widman Neese contributed to this report. jsmola@dispatch.com @jennsmola