Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Tuesday that he’s selected Baird Fleming to be the new director of the troubled Honolulu Zoo.

Fleming is the zoo’s longtime assistant director. Jeffrey Wilkinson resigned as director in January after less than a year on the job.

Caldwell, during his State of the City Speech Tuesday morning, half-kiddingly said he’s hopeful Fleming intends to be director for a long time. Wilkinson was the fourth director to resign in five years. Fleming has served as acting director following the resignations of Wilkinson, Jeffrey Mahon and Manuel Mollinedo. 

"We need a zoo director who is committed to staying for the long haul, who loves the place, who is not going to quit and then talk stink," Caldwell said, a reference to criticisms that were raised by Molinedo. 

Mollinedo questioned whether the city would be able to regain re-accreditation for the zoo due to what he viewed a lack of commitment from the city.

City Managing Director Roy Amemiya told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser after Caldwell’s speech that more than 20 zoo employees submitted a petition urging Caldwell to make Fleming, a veterinarian, their permanent boss. 

Also during his address at Foster Botanical Garden, Caldwell announced that he is nominating Gary Nakata as his director of the Department of Community Services. Nakata was deputy director of the department when he took the acting director post after Pam Witty-Oakland resigned in September. 

"We realized the best (person) for the job is on the job," Caldwell said.

Nakata’s nomination needs to be confirmed by the City Council. Fleming’s hire does not.