Lehigh Valley Zoo Funding in Limbo

The Lehigh County Board of Commissioners delayed a decision on the Lehigh Valley Zoo's funding.

The commissioners voted 5 to 4 Wednesday night to table a vote on a proposed six-year contract for the zoo until Dec. 11, according to LehighValleyLive.com.

Under the terms of the contract, the zoo would get an annual subsidy of $277,500 from 2014 to 2016 and $242,500 from 2017 to 2019. The figures include an annual $92,500 subsidy for the care of the county-owned bison and elk at the Trexler Nature Preserve. 

Zoo supporters who packed the meeting shouted, "Shame!" after the vote, according to WFMZ.

Commissioners Lisa Scheller, Vic Mazziotti, Scott Ott, Michael Schware and Thomas Creighton voted for the delay, according to WFMZ.com. Voting against it were Dan McCarthy, Brad Osborne, Percy Dougherty and David Jones. 

Lehigh Valley Zoo President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Molchany has said the if the zoo's finances improve, the subsidies could drop by $35,000. 

The zoo generated $2 million in revenue in 2012 and had $1.8 million in expenses. It spent $110,000 in capital investment.