BREAKING: Director has resigned from Monk Gardens
Director Darcie Howard announced she is stepping down after seven years with the gardens
Monk Botanical Gardens Director Darcie Howard announced she is stepping down from her post after seven years running the gardens.
The announcement comes on the heels of a major controversy after the Monk Botanical Gardens board approved changing the name to Wausau Botanic Gardens. The name change sparked a massive controversy in the community as Wausonians of all backgrounds recoiled at the change.
The change cost Monk Gardens $10,000 from the Weston Tourism Commission following a heated meeting as tourism board members questioned Howard about the change and some other concerns at the gardens. One board member, Dino Corvino, told Howard he was trying to help her out but eventually moved to deny the grant after being taken aback by some of her comments that evening.
Most recently, as The Wausonian reported this morning (sorry again, that was supposed to have gone out Tuesday morning), Howard in a letter to the Rib Mountain board accused a group dedicated to stopping the construction of new facilities at the Monk Gardens of launching a hate campaign against her and the gardens and said they employed bots and social media influencers in their campaign. The Wausonian asked Howard for evidence of the use of bots and social media influencers, and did not receive any response.
That letter seemed to have come as a surprise to Board President Paul Davids, those present at the meeting said. Davids gave a speech before the board apologizing for not getting more community feedback in making the name change decision, which seemed at odds with the tone of Howard’s letter.
Howard will stay on until early July, according to the press release.
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