Live reporting by
Gennifer Harding-Gosnell
Zoo staff reports on kangaroo research
Gennifer Harding-Gosnell
@GenniferwithaG_
Good morning, Cleveland! I'll be covering the @clevemetroparks Board of Trustees meeting today at 8 a.m. for @cledocumenters.
#CLEdocumenters
While we're waiting, here is a bumblebottom to help cleanse your timeline.
#CLEdocumenters
While we're waiting, here is a bumblebottom to help cleanse your timeline.
06:57 AM Jul 18, 2024 CDT
Here's the agenda. These meetings are available to watch on Webex, or you need to go in-person.
cleveland.documenters.org/documents/agen…
Think we got something wrong? Send any enquiries on the meeting or these tweets to @cledocumenters or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com.
@cledocumenters The meeting begins with the swearing in of three new Cleveland Metroparks Police officers.
@cledocumenters Metroparks CFO Wade Steen presents the financial report. The parks' profit-making entities are mostly up in revenue. The Wildwood marina is down in revenue according to Steen because the former Hornblowers restaurant barge has now been moved there:
clevelandmetroparks.com/about/planning…
Director of Parks Jim Kamps worked his way up from handyman to director with 41 years of service with the Metroparks. He's being honoured now by the Board of Trustees as he retires.
Chief Planning & Design Officer Sean McDermott is explaining several amendments for the board to consider for approval, many related to construction at the zoo and land purchases in the eastern suburbs.
A public commenter is asking for disclosure of expenditures, saying revenues are always shown but no breakdowns of how the money is spent. She also criticizes the Metroparks' response to the shooting at Edgewater.
Stephanie Kutsko tells the board about a program with @CLEMetroSchools that brought students to the West Creek Reservation to engage with science professionals on watershed preservation & do the work themselves.
@CLEMetroSchools The STREAM initiative introduces students to conservation careers and is expected to continue.
@CLEMetroSchools Metroparks' Research Curator Noah Dunham explains a project the Zoo Science program is working on with colobine monkeys.
@CLEMetroSchools Research Curator Dr. Diana Koester explained a project the Zoo Science team worked on with tree kangaroos to help identify causes of low breeding in the species.
@CLEMetroSchools Noah Dunham talks about a gorilla research program the team is involved in looking at behavior issues and heart disease.
@CLEMetroSchools Here's some of the data on the tree kangaroo research project:
clevelandzoosociety.org/z/2024/04/22/t…
@CLEMetroSchools Commissioner Yvette Ittu asks how the group's research compares to animals in the wild. Diana Koester gives examples of how the work they do in a controlled environment teaches them how to assist animals in the wider world.
The Commissoners get an update on grant money approved by the U.S. DOT to build connectors on the east side of Cleveland.
Here's the details of the construction, one trail connects Slavic Village to downtown.
The board is now moving into executive session to discuss land acquisition. This concludes my coverage of today's @clevemetroparks Board of Park Commissioners meeting for @cledocumenters. Thanks for following along!