ATTLEBORO — On April 7, 2026, the Attleboro Municipal Council took up a resolution concerning Mayor Cathleen DeSimone’s Capron Park Zoo transformation plan, first in the Committee on Finance and later before the full council.
The resolution, listed on the agenda as “Resolution regarding the Capron Park Zoo Transformation Plan (Kobus),” was read into the record by Jay DiLisio, chair at large of the Committee on Finance, at the outset of the committee’s meeting.
The resolution states that the mayor’s communication on March 17 about “reimagining” Capron Park Zoo was “informational only” and not enough on its own to authorize any ordinance, appropriation, fee adjustment, fund modification or structural reorganization. It also acknowledged the mayor’s later public decision to fund the zoo in fiscal year 2027, declared it council policy to explore “all reasonable options” to keep the zoo open for two additional years — including higher admission fees, grants, philanthropic and nonprofit support, public-private partnerships, operational efficiencies and bridge funding — and sought a commitment that zoo employees would not face retaliation for advocating for their positions during the planning process.
After reading the resolution into the record, DiLisio said it was intended to reflect both public reaction and the council’s position after Mayor Cathleen DeSimone reversed course from her earlier plan to transform Capron Park Zoo into a nature reserve and wildlife rehabilitation center.
“I think this is an important resolution as it memorializes where I’m thinking based on what I’ve heard from a lot of people, we are as a city and where we are as a council,” DiLisio said, adding that it would allow the city to explore “different funding options” and “different subsidy options.”
Ward 5 Vice President Laura Dolan objected to parts of the proposal, especially its two-year language and provisions directed at the administration. “My concern with this is the two years in the resolution. Like, I’m not sure we can get a commitment or plan that far out,” Dolan said. Later adding, “I mean, I understand the point of urging the administration regarding the procurement process and such, but that seems to be an administrative function.”
Dolan said she understood why the public was shocked by the proposal because residents were not privy to the same budget discussions and financial information councilors regularly receive. She added, however, that the zoo’s financial challenges should not have come as a surprise to council members because the council receives monthly financial statements from the zoo.
DiLisio pushed back, saying the zoo’s finances were improving and the original rollout lacked a workable plan. He said, “The zoo’s going to hit their numbers this year. They had a strong March. They had the strongest March that they’ve had.” DiLissio added, “It’s a surprise when it comes down out of the blue to say we’re closing it. And there wasn’t a real plan attached to it.”
Ward 6 Councilor Diana Holmes defended the retaliation language that was originally included in the resolution, saying zoo employees had reason to be alarmed. “If you tell somebody you’re going to have to get a new job come right after Labor Day, they’re going to start looking now,” Holmes said. President Todd Kobus, while praising the mayor for reversing course, cautioned that the council should avoid “the appearance of interfering with the administration, which would be a violation of the charter.”
Other councilors argued the measure had become unnecessary after the mayor backed away from the transformation plan. Ward 1 Councilor Sara Lynn Reynolds, who said the mayor was not a “retaliatory person,” called the retaliation language “way out of line” and stated, “There are people, we all know there are people that are going to get laid off, whether they’re at the zoo or other departments in this city. It’s going to happen. We all know where the budget is.”
The committee ultimately removed item six, the retaliation provision, from the resolution. A motion to cut the two-year language to one year failed after no other councilor seconded the proposal, and the amended resolution then passed 2-1.
During public comment, Bristol County Sheriff Paul Heroux argued that the city was framing Capron Park Zoo the wrong way by expecting ticket sales, gift shop revenue, grants and donations to make the operation sustainable. He said the zoo was being “treated like it is a business” when it should instead be funded like other municipal departments. “The city zoo is not a business. The zoo is a recreational department like the recreation department or the library,” Heroux said. He went on to compare the zoo to public services that are not expected to cover all of their own costs, saying even national parks, the MBTA, GATRA and the U.S. Postal Service do not fully pay for themselves through direct revenue.
Heroux also argued that the city was effectively defunding the zoo in the proposed fiscal 2027 budget by shifting money to other priorities while overstating the scale of the zoo’s financial and capital problems. He said the zoo had previously been funded sustainably, that its urgent capital needs were being exaggerated, and that using $900,000 in free cash while depending on Friends group donations and grants would only create another shortfall later. “The zoo should be treated and funded the same as other city departments. If it is, there is no crisis,” Heroux said. He added, “The actual urgent capital needs of the zoo are several hundred thousand dollars not tens of millions. The sky is not falling. Budgets reflect priorities. Don’t rob Peter to pay Paul. Keep money previously spent on the zoo in the zoo.”
Friends of Capron Park Zoo President Joscelyn Varieur followed, telling councilors the group was organizing support and fundraising. “The friends of the Capron Park Zoo are actively working to organize people, mobilize resources, and ensure long-term sustainability,” Varieur said. When Ward 6 Councilor Diana Holmes later questioned her about the city’s strategic plan and the need for stronger fundraising, Varieur replied, “We have made over $20,000 in a matter of two days.”
When the matter later returned to the full council, Councilor DiLisio moved to “amend and adopt” the resolution. Councilor Dolan then offered an amendment to remove items four and five, but that amendment failed, 3-8. A subsequent effort to remove item three also failed, leaving the council to proceed on the version that had come out of committee with item six removed.
The council then voted on the resolution, which passed 9-2.