Zoo society members resign

Roughly 20 people were laid off last week when Animal Park, Inc., took back control over The ZOO Northwest Florida.

Executive director Danyelle Lantz, who is employed under the Gulf Coast Zoological Society, resigned, later requesting API pay her for training purposes during the week the zoo would be closed, which was not honored.

“We’re going to close the zoo for this week and just keep the necessary people here to feed and take care of the animals,” said Pat Quinn, co-founder of API. "Our first priority now is the animals."

That decision saves API about $80,000 a month in payroll.

“They never asked us to take a pay cut,”  said Terry Whitman, building director at The ZOO. Whitman had been working at the zoo since it began 25 years ago.  “And I would have (taken a pay cut), too, if they had asked. I could have easily gone and taken a job elsewhere, but this is where we live. I love this community and I love this zoo.”

Also on Friday, Quinn received word that most of the society’s board members had resigned. However, the debt will follow them, he said.

For more on this story, see the Aug. 20 issue of the Navarre Press or subscribe online.