Fresno County supervisors divided over zoo issues

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Measure Z had overwhelming support at the polls when approved in 2004, and supporters are confident voters will extend the one tenth of a cent sales tax increase to fund Fresno's Chaffee Zoo again on November 4th. But two members of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors are making their concerns an issue before the vote.

Judith Case McNairy raised the issue of the Zoo Authorities conflict of interest policies.

Case McNairy said, "I don't think you have good policies in place to assure the public that there is no conflict of interest."

Case McNairy, and Supervisor Debbie Poochigian said they aren't comfortable that the Zoo authority had enough rules in place to insure they weren't benefitting from business deals and feared they could be getting gifts and not telling anyone. Action News asked Poochigian if there had been any allegations that anything improper is going on.

"Well no, but for instance the gifts, I brought up the gift issue," said Poochigian. "Members on these commission should not be accepting gifts of over 50 dollars, or if they do they have to disclose it this committee does not have to disclose it they have very minimal disclosure."

There are six members of the Zoo Authority. Five are appointed by the Supervisors themselves. The sixth is Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin.

The Zoo Authority has submitted a revised conflict of interest policy to the Board of Supervisors, which they believe will answer the concerns expressed by Case McNairy and Poochigian. The county counsel acknowledged the document was in his office, sitting on an attorney's desk and had not yet been reviewed.

Poochigian and McNairy were in the minority in expressing their concerns at Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting. After two hours of discussion Supervisor Phil Larson said he'd heard enough.

"I think we are making a mountain out of a molehill here," said Larson.

The fact that Case McNairy and Poochigain making issues of this now before voters go to the polls to extend the zoo tax has a member of the Fresno County Zoo Corporation questioning their motives.

Colin Dougherty told Action News, "I think there is a political agenda somewhere that needs to be clarified."

The Zoo Corporation is a separate entity from the Zoo Authority, but both work together. Dougherty told the board he was concerned Poochigian and Case McNairy were trying to muddy the waters before the Measure Z vote. Something Poochigian denied.

Poochigian explained, "No I'm not trying to cloud the election the voters have every right to raise their taxes lower their taxes whatever they do is on them."

Poochigian, says she is simply trying to watch out for the best interests of the taxpayers even though it will be up to them, not the board whether to continue funding Chaffee zoo.

In an apparent effort to end the debate, Supervisor Henry Perea proposed the board consider whether to require stricter disclosure requirements from the Zoo Authority.

Board Chairman Andreas Borgeas said the vote could occur in December, after the Measure Z vote. But Poochigian and Case McNairy insisted it be heard before the November 4th vote. The measure will be heard at the board of supervisors meeting on October 28th.