....February 12, 4:46 PM
	Ex-Town Hall Exec Arrested By Joseph Orovic Harvey Seifter, former Executive Director of the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts (FCCA) and consultant for the Americans for Arts (AFTA), was arrested and charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for the alleged theft of $4,230 while working for the two organizations. A release by the Department of Investigations claims Seifter used an FCCA-issued debit card and personal credit card to double-bill both arts organizations for duplicate expenses from February 2004 to May 2006. “Executives at city-funded nonprofits must be careful stewards of their organizations’ money. Intentionally double-billing is a crime that wastes precious resources,” said DOI Commissioner Rose Gil Hearn. Members of FCCA’s board and administration declined comment while the charges are being aired in court. “From managing your audience, your contributors, your staff, your programs, and all the processes to run a successful arts organization – it’s tough. But you do it for the love of the organization, the love of the arts and the love of Queens,” said a noted Queens arts director after hearing of Seifter’s arrest. “It’s a shame that someone couldn’t see past themselves and let their selfishness get the better of them.” If found guilty, Seifter could face up to seven years in prison. Seifter was suddenly ushered out as Flushing Town Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director in November 2006, with little explanation from any parties involved. His tenure is often remembered as a time when Flushing Town Hall and the Smithsonian Institute established a working relationship, as well as helping expose Queens’ children to the arts.