Evansville parks board approves consent agenda, increases Mesco Park Zoo feeding and paddle-boat fees

The Evansville Board of Parks Commission approved its consent agenda at a meeting on March 5, 2025, authorizing multiple facility permits and agreements and approving modest price increases for two Mesco Park Zoo and Botanic Garden attractions.

The consent agenda, which passed by voice vote after a motion and second, included park property use permits for the Westside Nut Club fall festival and for events at the Westside Library Park, execution of a janitorial-services agreement for Mesco Park Zoo and Botanic Garden, permission to seek quotes to purchase a new truck for park operations, approval of the zoo’s summer camp scholarship program, authorization to increase the fee for the zoo’s giraffe-feeding experience and for paddle-boat rentals, permission to seek quotes to replace and upgrade the Amazonia fire monitoring and alarm system at the zoo, and payment approvals with Sunitro for various park facilities.

Stephanie Sanderson, guest services manager at Mesco Park Zoo and Botanic Garden, told the board the zoo has charged $2 per person for giraffe feedings “for well over 20 years” and that costs for lettuce and labor have risen. “We’re asking permission to increase it from $2 a feeding to $4 a feeding,” Sanderson said. She said that change would keep the experience “very affordable compared to other, facilities and zoos” and that “We did about $72,000 worth of draft feedings last year.”

Sanderson also described the proposed paddle-boat fee change, saying the zoo has charged $2 per person for paddle-boat rentals for roughly 20–25 years and is proposing a modest increase to $3 per person. She said the zoo expects revenue to rise as an expanded fleet becomes available: “So with this new fleet, the combination of the new fleet of paddle boats, that'll give us more to rent out, and the slight price increase. Our revenues should, increase hopefully substantially.” Sanderson said last year’s revenue from paddle boats was about $6,100, a low number she attributed to limited working boats.

Board members did not request separate votes on individual consent items and approved the entire package by voice vote. The motion was recorded as carried after an affirmative voice response to “All in favor? Aye.”

The action takes effect as approved by the commission; staff will implement the fee changes and the other consented items according to department procedures and any applicable vendor agreements.