City hires outside investigator to probe complaints against now former El Paso Zoo director
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Records obtained by ABC-7 reveal that the City of El Paso has hired an outside attorney to investigate two complaints filed against now former Zoo Director Joe Montisano.
That private investigation has been going on since July -- well before Montisano was placed on paid administrative leave on September 22, records show.
ABC-7, after learning about the employment action by the city, has been investigating in recent weeks why the former director was placed on leave.
We also just learned Montisano submitted his resignation on Wednesday, according to city officials.
ABC-7 filed an open records request on behalf of our viewers under the Texas Public Information Act concerning Montisano. It covered the period since his hiring six years ago, including investigative reports, complaints, suspension notices, and disciplinary warnings.
Since his hiring in 2019, Montisano has been subject to 10 formal complaints, including four after his first year on the job, records show.
ABC 7 spent several days going through complaints filed against Montisano that revealed increased scrutiny and reported retaliation against employees who complained about various problems such as harassment and safety issues, the public records show.
The zoo has also faced multiple controversies during his tenure, including losing its accreditation with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, a disputed split with a nonprofit partner, and an ongoing wrongful termination lawsuit.
The city has declined to explain why Montisano was placed on paid leave. It also refused an interview with ABC-7, stating that it does not publicly discuss personnel matters.
We also reached out to Montisano by phone and email. When he responds, we will let you know.
City hires outside investigator to probe complaints
Records show the city combined complaints filed this year from two female zoo employees and assigned them to an outside investigator for review.
ABC-7 is withholding the names of the accusers because the cases involve allegations of harassment and retaliation.
The first complaint was filed on July 8, and the other September 28.
Records show both women said they faced retaliation from Montisano after reporting issues, including changes in schedules, office reassignments, and a poor evaluation.
In the July complaint, the zoo employee reported she was treated differently after raising concerns about the zoo’s administrative assistant, who she said discussed what she considered sensitive HR matters with her, including sexual harassment and staff discipline-- issues she told Montisano she did not want to be involved in.
In her statement, the woman said Montisano stopped communicating with her after she reported the issues, and gave her a biased evaluation, which she said she refused to sign. She also reported that Montisano moved her to a small, windowless office.
In a September 28 complaint, another female zoo worker alleged similar issues with Montisano after raising concerns over an animal welfare decision she said he made. The complaint claims she and her team were treated differently in several ways, including the denial of a schedule change, a forced weekend schedule change, and an office relocation.
City officials told ABC-7 El Paso attorney Diana Valdez was hired July 16, almost a week after the July 8 complaint was filed. The second complaint included in Valdez’s investigation was filed days after he was placed on leave.
City leaders said Valdez is working under an on-call contract at a rate of $175 per hour, and it’s unclear how much it will ultimately cost taxpayers because the cases are still ongoing.
In an email response to ABC-7's question about why the city chose an external investigator versus allowing HR to handle it, city spokeswoman Laura Cruz-Acosta said the city hires outside investigators “to ensure a completely neutral and independent review of these matters.”
“Bringing in an external professional helps maintain objectivity and reinforces public confidence that the findings are based solely on facts and evidence, free from any internal influence or perceived bias,” Cruz-Acosta explained. “This approach is consistent with best practices for handling sensitive personnel matters where impartiality and trust are essential.”
Complaints go back 6 years
Since Montisano was hired, 10 formal complaints have been filed against him, according to city records.
A list compiled by the city shows that three complaints were filed in 2020, one in 2021, one in 2023, one in 2024, and four in 2025.
The city is asking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to withhold information about two of the 2020 complaints, as well as one filed in April 2023 and another in late February of this year, citing potential litigation and attorney–client privilege in a letter sent to Paxton on October 23.
Records show the city couldn’t find documents related to a complaint from August 2020, and an anonymous complaint filed in August 2024 was determined to be unfounded.
A retaliation complaint was filed in September 2021 by a female zoo worker.
Montisano suspended for Zoo Society email discovered by ABC-7
Before being placed on leave this year, records reveal Montisano has been suspended twice, once in June of 2021, and again in July 2024.
In his 2024 suspension notice, Montisano was given 10 days off without pay for an email he’d written about the El Paso Zoological Society, now known as the Conservation Society of El Paso.
The email was revealed when ABC-7 filed an open records request for an investigation of the fallout between the zoo and the non-profit it had worked with for decades.
“Your email included a false and highly inappropriate note that stated, ‘Do not poke the bear...because you may get bit. I killed a 63-year-old nonprofit, put 9 people out of work and made 1.6m for the zoo in one move’,” City Manager Dionne Mack wrote in a counseling form.
Records show Montisano wrote that email from his work account to Ted Molter, a consultant for zoos, in February 2024. At the time, the city was ending its 60-year partnership with the non-profit, citing financial concerns over membership funds.
Mack, who was deputy city manager at the time, described the situation as a “deviation from the expected City’s core values, code of conduct and leadership competencies.”
“In addition, your message was discovered through an open record request, potentially damaging the City’s reputation and community trust regarding an ongoing legal issue,” Mack wrote.
Less than a week after ABC-7 reported on Montisano’s email, the Zoo Society filed a lawsuit against the city, Montisano and Mack stemming from the financial dispute.
Court records show the lawsuit has since been withdrawn.
In addition to the 2024 suspension, employee records show Montisano was suspended for five days without pay in June 2021 for “inefficient performance,” related to missing copper wire from the zoo, the purchase of hats and masks for employees, and unmanaged overtime.
He was also put on notice for not cooperating fully during the investigation.
“...You were not entirely forthcoming with the El Paso Police Department about details regarding the caps and masks. Your emails conflict with statements made verbally and in writing during the investigation process with Human Resources,” wrote former Deputy City Manager Tracey Jerome in the suspension notice.
The document, which was placed in his personnel file, stated he was negligent in his duties because he was unaware of the copper wire on zoo grounds and did not know the source of funding used to buy the hats and masks.
Montisano’s latest performance evaluation meets expectations, notes areas for improvement
On a four-point scale, Montisano received a rating of 2.99, or 74.81%, according to his latest performance evaluation completed in June by Deputy City Manager Richard Bristol.
Montisano gave himself a slightly higher rating of 3.35, or 83.69%.
Records show his performance evaluation, completed July 8, covered multiple areas such as professional conduct, communication, safety, and overall professionalism.
In most of the categories, Montisano either met standards successfully or exceeded them, records show.
In the evaluation, Bristol described Montisano as a “hard-working director” and “his leadership style is both participatory and friendly."
The evaluation, however, highlighted several challenges during the review period, including the loss of AZA accreditation, HR investigations, negative media attention, and a wrongful termination lawsuit.
In the evaluation, Montisano emphasized his dedication and hard work despite several challenges and certain accusations made against him.
Montisano admitted to struggling “with putting too much information in emails and electronic communication in the past” but said he had a handle on it, records show.
ABC-7 reached out to elected officials by phone and email seeking information about Montisano and the zoo’s direction prior to his resignation earlier this week.
So far, we’ve heard back from representatives Chris Canales, Lily Limon and Cynthia Trejo.
Canales responded by email, saying he was aware that Montisano was on leave because the city manager had notified him by email. He added that he didn’t know anything beyond that “and it wouldn’t be appropriate” for him to be involved, “given that City Council, as a legislative body, is not involved in personnel matters involving city employees.” He also said the city has “clear and well-established HR policies” that he trusts are being followed.
Limon also responded by email, stating that because this is a personnel matter, she has no information to share.
Staff for Rep. Boyar Trejo said they would look into it, but we have not heard back from her office.
Representatives Alejandra Chavez, Josh Acevedo, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha, Ivan Nino, and Art Fierro never responded.
