Embattled Coconut Grove Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Arnold Mittelman took another hit on Wednesday, April 26, when he was accused of misusing money earmarked for building improvements. Nevertheless he remains in his post, according to The Miami Herald.
The Playhouse's board of directors requested Mittelman resign late last week after it became public that the theater was more than $4 million in debt. Earlier this week he refused, saying he would like to remain in his position through the end of his contract in 2008. Both of those actions occurred before the latest allegations surfaced.
Mittelman allegedly withdrew $125,000 from Coconut Grove Bank to cover the theater's payroll which includes his own salary using as collateral a grant from the Florida Department of State's Division of Cultural Affairs that had been restricted for use on building improvements. The board has reportedly deemed this an "unauthorized use of state funds." Also, if the allegation is true, it appears that Mittelman violated theater bylaws because only the board of directors can incur debt on the Playhouse's behalf.
Despite these new allegations, the board of directors did not vote at Wednesday's meeting to remove Mittelman from his post. The meeting ended without a formal action taken against Mittelman.
