PORTLAND, Ore. — A Metro audit has confirmed a conflict of interest involving a former Oregon Zoo employee after an anonymous tip was submitted to the agency’s Accountability Hotline.
The contract at the center of the investigation was worth up to $120,000 and covered ZooLights display work. The agreement ran from May 2024 through June 2027. According to the audit, the contractor received about $30,500 between May and September 2024 before the issue was uncovered.
Metro Auditor Brian Evans said the review began after a hotline complaint alleged the former employee had a financial interest in the business awarded the contract…