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Zoo CEO Disputes City Audit

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By BAIRD HELGESON

bhelgeson@tampatrib.com

Published: December 16, 2008

TAMPA - Lowry Park Zoo President and CEO Lex Salisbury fought back Monday against community leaders who demanded he be fired because of a city audit that accuses him of using zoo animals and resources for personal gain.

Salisbury's attorney, Robert McKee, said Mayor Pam Iorio might have acted unethically when she criticized Salisbury publicly then ordered an audit into the zoo's dealings with Safari Wild, Salisbury's private exotic-animal venture.

McKee said auditors ignored Salisbury's explanations before releasing the audit Friday.

Salisbury, who has declined to comment in recent months, issued a statement acknowledging he made some mistakes and pledging to answer questions Thursday when the zoo's Board of Directors convenes to address the audit.

"I am, however, most comfortable in assuring you that I have never intentionally engaged in any conduct the purpose of which was to enrich myself at the expense of Lowry Park Zoo," Salisbury said in the statement.

Salisbury is on paid leave from his $339,000-a-year job.

Iorio, who called for Salisbury's resignation Friday, was not available for comment Monday. But the city's representative on the zoo board, Santiago Corrada, said the audit was fair, objective and comprehensive.

Auditors found Salisbury routinely took zoo animals, equipment and supplies for his private ranch and for Safari Wild, a for-profit exotic-animal park he is building in Polk County. The audit determined that Salisbury should repay the zoo at least $202,000.

The city owns the zoo land and its animals, and will give it $450,000 this year.

At a news conference, McKee rebutted several issues raised by the city's review.

The audit questioned Salisbury's decision to trade the zoo a used lawnmower and $3,433 for an old Mercedes military truck the zoo bought and refurbished for $13,178.

The zoo bought the truck, called a Unimog, to give paid visitors behind-the-scenes tours, McKee said. But the truck mostly sat unused.

The modifications reduced its resale value, which made Salisbury's offer a good deal for the zoo, McKee said.

He presented a letter from Peter Lang, the CEO of Safari West in California, who placed a value on the vehicle at $1,500 to $2,000.

Lang said he sent the letter at Salisbury's request as the zoo chief tried to gather information to dispute the audit's findings.

Lang said he only vaguely recalls the zoo's vehicle.

"I am not an expert," he said. "I've never owned one."

The zoo never tried to sell the truck in the open market and McKee said he didn't know who ordered the modifications that diminished its resale value.

McKee also challenged auditors' contention that Salisbury bought animals from the zoo cheap and overcharged when he sold.

In April 2004, Salisbury gave the zoo two zebras for a $10,000 credit. One year later, he bought two zebras from the zoo for $2,000.

The prices were fair based on market fluctuation, McKee said.

He presented an April 2004 letter from the San Diego Wild Animal Park that valued the zebras at $3,000 to $10,000 each.

Salisbury presented this information to auditors, but it didn't make it into the report, McKee said.

He also said Salisbury boarded at least 27 zoo animals at his private Dade City ranch and Safari Wild, which saved the zoo $403,117 in boarding fees over the years, based on federal rates. That doesn't include the value of dozens of other animals the zoo borrowed from Salisbury's collection for exhibits.

McKee did not address several of the issues raised in the 60-page audit.

In April, Salisbury made a handwritten change to bump his quarterly bonus to $20,827, up from $13,885. Salisbury indicated that the board chairman approved the change, but zoo staff told auditors that was not the case.

McKee said he couldn't explain the differing accounts.

He also couldn't answer why the zoo paid for Salisbury and three others to spend three days in Paris on a return trip from an international conference in South Africa. The Paris trip cost $3,800 for lodging, meals and incidentals.

Auditors could find no zoo-related reason for the trip.

Former Gov. Bob Martinez, who sits on the zoo board, said he doubts Salisbury's dealings will hold up to board scrutiny.

"He'll either resign or we'll terminate him on Thursday," Martinez said before the news conference.

Corrada, the city's administrator of neighborhood services, said the audit is the second independent review to take issue with Salisbury's conduct. As a result of his animal bartering, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums revoked the accreditation of the zoo, as well as Salisbury and Larry Killmar, the zoo's director of collections, as individuals.

"I will vote that he needs to leave, he needs to be gone," Corrada said. "I have no confidence in him to be able to lead the zoo."

Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at (813) 259-7668.

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