Jenks Aquarium authority approves FY2025–26 budget, votes to buy acrylic panels for shark quarantine tank

The Jenks Aquarium Authority on Monday approved Resolution 94, the fiscal year 2025–26 budget, and a related pay plan and benefits program, and separately awarded a purchase contract for acrylic window panels for the aquarium’s new large-animal quarantine tank.

Authority finance staff presented a revenue budget of roughly $9.9 million and said the authority is seeking a 6% base pay increase for staff. “We show a revenue budget of, roughly $9,900,000,” said Mr. Sims, the authority presenter. Trustees voted unanimously to adopt the budget and the pay plan.

The budget presentation and subsequent trustee discussion stressed conservative revenue forecasting. Trustee Montgomery said the budget’s revenue forecast was intentionally conservative compared with recent actuals and cautioned that trustees should be aware the forecast shows a decline relative to some recent actual revenue figures. “Last year we had a budget forecast of 8.3 and our actual was 9,100,000,” Montgomery said, urging trustees to keep that gap in mind while approving a cautious plan.

On expenditures, staff reported the proposed 6% pay increase would add roughly $377,000 to payroll costs. Authority staff also cited an approximate $127,000 increase in repair, maintenance and insurance costs compared with the current fiscal year. Staff characterized the forecast as conservative to avoid mid-year shortfalls.

Trustees pressed staff for more staffing detail. Trustee Montgomery asked whether open positions were filled; staff said turnover remains, notably in the invertebrate gallery where the work (including growing jellyfish) causes higher turnover. Aquarium operations manager Kenny Alexandopoulos said the authority has authority to fill positions and is actively recruiting, with plans to add two exhibits staff in the coming fiscal year to address backlogs and exhibit build needs.

During the same meeting, the authority awarded a purchase to Titan Aquatic Exhibits for two curved acrylic panels for the large-animal quarantine/shark tank in the amount of $50,786. Staff said options for such thick, curved acrylic are limited nationally and internationally; vendors discussed included Reynolds Polymer (Grand Junction, Colo.) and several international suppliers. Staff said Titan’s price beat Reynolds and that the authority intends to install the panels in-house to save on installation costs. Delivery was estimated at about three months; staff said windows would not be installed for roughly eight to 10 months while construction needs interior access.

Staff updated trustees on aquarium projects and operations. Attendance and membership remain strong and revenue is generally ahead of prior-year results, staff said, though some events underperformed because of scheduling changes. Major capital work includes waterproofing and preparation of the new shark quarantine tank; staff reported the waterproofing material was a custom order delayed in shipping and that internal crews will perform much of the work. Staff estimated the in-house waterproofing cost at about $25,000 versus roughly $150,000 for external contracting.

Staff also reported a leak in a living coral gallery tank that likely requires draining and longer-term rehabilitation of coral holdings; they said restoring the reef will take time and will temporarily reduce that gallery’s display quality. Other updates included a growing pollinator garden on site, a new digital donor wall installed by the aquarium foundation, and new promotional signage in the Tulsa airport.

The budget, procurement award and staff updates were approved by unanimous votes recorded at the meeting.

What’s next: staff said they will provide trustees with requested headcount details and bring project schedules and cost updates as work on the quarantine tank and other exhibits proceeds.