Deputies plan to create a supervisory board for Odesa Zoo

The Odesa City Council has started a discussion about the new regulation on the Odesa Zoo. The deputies could not immediately agree on the role of the supervisory board and the procedure for appointing the director.

This was reported by Intent.

During the consideration of the regulation on the municipal institution Odesa Zoological Park in the Odesa City Council, the deputies faced fundamental disagreements on the management of the institution. The idea of creating a supervisory board caused the most controversy.

Deputy Anastasia Bolshedvorova sharply criticized the proposed model, saying that under the guise of reform, a "shadow body" was actually being created. According to her, instead of forming new structures, the focus should be on holding an open competition for the position of the zoo director. She also emphasized that supervisory boards do not function in any zoo in Ukraine, and the proposed board will duplicate the powers of the relevant department.

In addition, the deputy emphasized that even if such a body is created, it should remain exclusively advisory, without any influence on the financial and administrative decisions of the institution.

Instead, the acting mayor, Ihor Koval, defended the document, noting that it had been carefully prepared and that the regulation provides for a competition for the position of director. He also said that the supervisory board is a tool for strengthening public control, not a threat to management.

In her turn, Inna Popovska, Director of the Legal Department, explained that the only thing being discussed now is the approval of the principle of establishing a supervisory board. Detailed regulations on its activities should be developed by the executive committee, which will also form a special commission to select its members.

Additional tension was caused by the fact that some MPs were sent an outdated version of the document. This raised new questions for the council's staff and delayed the decision.

During the discussion, MP Kutsenko suggested limiting the supervisory board's functions to advisory ones, excluding controlling powers. According to Popovska, the relevant amendments have already been taken into account in the updated version of the document.

There were also proposals on the personal composition of the future board. In particular, Svitlana Osaulenko advocated the inclusion of Anastasia Bolshedvorova, and also emphasized that the former director of the zoo , Ihor Bilyakov , has the right to participate in the competition for the leadership position. Koval confirmed that there were no restrictions on this.

As a result, the issue remained controversial, and the final decision will depend on the coordination of the positions of the deputy corps.

Recently, the director of the Odesa Zoo announced the end of his contract. In his address, he emphasized that over the years of his leadership, he had managed to significantly change the zoo for the better. According to his assessment, these changes are visible to the citizens, but at the same time, there are still many unresolved problems that require attention and further solutions.

Анна Бальчінос