Chloe the kinkajou stole the show.
Chloe, one of the Akron Zoo’s animal ambassadors, was the star of an annual presentation Monday by the zoo before Summit County Council.
“The animal ambassadors serve a tremendous role at the zoo. They serve a role in all of our education programs, in our outreach programs and in the ability to directly connect people and wildlife,” said Doug Piekarz, zoo president and chief executive officer.
Council members were clearly mesmerized by the presence of 12-year-old Chloe, whose species is native to the rainforest canopies of Central and South America. Kinkajous are also known as honey bears because their favorite food is honey, said Todd Boerner, zoo education specialist. He held Chloe and walked around the council chamber, letting council members pet her as he talked about the kinkajou and the ambassador program.
“You guys can check her out,” he said.
The zoo has had Chloe since she was a year old, and the species has lived to be more than 40 at other zoos, Boerner said.
And while Chloe looks monkeylike, she is not a monkey, he said.
“Her closest relative is the raccoon,” he said.
Chloe and other Akron Zoo animal ambassadors take part in hundreds of educational presentations annually at schools, Boerner said.
The Akron Zoo finished 2016 with record high attendance of 398,878 on-site visitors, Piekarz said.
In addition, the zoo remains on schedule to open its new exhibit, Curious Creatures, on June 3, he said. The exhibit, which will feature naked mole rats, electric eels and much more, including animal-eating plants, will take up completely redesigned space that previously held the Journey to the Reef exhibit.
In another presentation that followed, Heidi Swindell, director of administration, government affairs, talked about County Engineer Al Brubaker’s proposal for a new Surface Water Management District. The plan addresses stormwater runoff and flooding issues in Summit County.
Brubaker earlier in the month unveiled the new proposal to the Summit County Township Association, asking the organization to respond to him by the end of the month. Eight of the nine association members took part in a workshop Monday on the district proposal.
The voluntary program, if approved, also gives other county villages and cities the option to join.
Under Brubaker’s latest plan, residential property owners would pay a minimum of $4 a month. Commercial property owners would pay a separate fee.
Voters in 2014 voted against a proposed sales tax that would have directed a portion of the new revenue to deal with stormwater issues.
Also Monday, the council:
• Approved 2.5 percent pay raises for 634 nonunion county employees. The raises work out to an average of $1,617.17 per nonunion employee. The percentage increase matches what county union employees are getting this year. The salary budget increase totals $1,027,828.
• Gave initial approval to joining the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council, or NOPEC, and adopting an opt-out natural gas aggregation program for county residents.
• Confirmed an award not to exceed $225,000 for a one-year professional service contract with the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties for homeless prevention services.
• Approved an increase in annual salary to $8,190 each for the three-member county Human Resource Commission. The increase means the three commission members qualify for the minimum service credit threshold for the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him @JimMackinnonABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/JimMackinnonABJ