ST. LOUIS (AP) - The St. Louis Zoo is getting generally high marks in a new audit that did find some policies need improvement.
Among the highlights the zoo auditors found were thousands of volunteer hours logged at the facility and a $17 million increase in donations over three years. The zoo also spent less than it budgeted to buy, demolish and landscape the grounds of the former Forest Park Hospital, according to the report.
Despite a clean bill of financial health, auditors had criticisms. They noted the zoo hadn't been following its policy requiring companies bidding for work to certify that no zoo employee has a financial interest in the work. The zoo also claimed it collected nearly 100 percent of donation pledges, but auditors found $120,000 written off as uncollectible in 2012 and $170,000 in 2013.
Other recommendations by auditors were smaller, including zoo officials to tag and inventory equipment, correct IRS forms and reconcile payroll tax returns.
"I thought overall it was a fair report," Zoo Chairman Emeritus Jim Conway told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Obviously, there are always going to be some items that will be raised."
He said the zoo has already addressed some concerns mentioned in the report. Auditors said they couldn't find financial disclosure statements for all members of the zoo's governing commission and nonprofit foundation board. The zoo said it would renew its efforts.