COLOURS director ousted

By Jen Colletta
PGN Staff Writer
© 2008 Philadelphia Gay News

Dr. Victor Seltzer, executive director of the COLOURS Organization since last August, was abruptly terminated this week.

Seltzer said he received a phone call July 25 from Sandra Higginbotham, human-resources manager of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, which oversees the organization, asking to meet with him July 28 to discuss employment issues.

When Seltzer arrived at the GPUAC office that morning, he also found COLOURS board members Tara Webb and Tony Morse, who presented him with a termination letter, effective immediately.

The letter, signed by GPUAC director of operations Trino Boix, stated in part: “Victor, the COLOURS board of directors recently met with the GPUAC management team to discuss the goals and objectives of the COLORS Organization and expressed their concerns and lack of confidence in your ability to provide effective leadership to the COLOURS Organization. As a result of this meeting, the decision was made that your leadership skills were not the right fit for the progression of the organization.”

COLOURS serves the city’s sexual minorities of color with a focus on HIV/AIDS outreach.

Seltzer took over the lead position last summer from Dorena Kearney, who had served as the COLOURS executive director since 2001. Organization founder and former executive director Michael Hinson was brought in as the interim leader the day after Seltzer’s termination.

Seltzer said the firing was unexpected, especially since he increased programs, employed additional staff, moved the group from its old location into a functional new space and provided more HIV testing, prevention and education opportunities, among other efforts.

Seltzer also contended that he never received a performance evaluation or a warning that his performance was not up to par.

No one from COLOURS returned repeated calls for comment on Seltzer’s termination. Mary-Anne Smith, GPUAC communications director, said she could not “disclose specific information about policy issues,” such as the organization’s practice of issuing performance evaluations.

Seltzer admitted he had difficulty connecting with the COLOURS board, but he maintained this was because the board lacked organization and commitment.

“The board was very dysfunctional from the moment I came onboard. All of the meetings I attended turned into just a discussion because there were never enough board members to actually make decisions.”

Seltzer said tensions with the board increased when he hired his partner, Wardell Selby, as a COLOURS program director. He said Selby was the most qualified candidate for the position and that he followed the proper GPUAC channels in getting permission to hire his partner.

Selby brought in about $6,000 for hepatitis-C testing and facilitated a partnership between COLOURS and Thomas Jefferson University and Hahnemann University hospitals, said Seltzer, adding that despite these accomplishments, board members still felt his partner’s hiring was inappropriate.

Selby still works for COLOURS.

Seltzer said he believes his termination was motivated by a desire to reinstate Hinson.

“I’m not quite sure who it was planned by, but I do believe those involved knew that they wanted Michael Hinson back in the organization,” said Seltzer.

Smith said the COLOURS board and GPUAC management will begin the search for a full-time executive director “immediately” and that Hinson will head the organization in the meantime.

Hinson served as the executive director of the organization from its founding in 1991 until 2001, when he was appointed by former mayor John Street as the mayor’s liaison to the LGBT community. Hinson vacated this role when the new administration took over earlier this year and was replaced by Gloria Casarez.

Seltzer said he became more suspicious about the motive for his firing when, immediately after the termination meeting, he received several phone calls.

“I was terminated at 9 o’clock Monday morning. At 9:25 I got a call from someone in Atlanta to say, ‘I heard you were terminated.’ I got a call from someone in California at 9:45. Then I got a call from New York City. It wasn’t even 11:30 that morning.”

Kevin Trimell Jones, a former COLOURS board member, worked with the former head for about nine months before he left in May.

“It seemed like he was engaged in the community,” Trimmell Jones said. “All signs pointed to him doing a wonderful job in the community. This was a shock to all of us.”

Seltzer said he plans to challenge the termination.

“I’m going to file a wrongful-termination grievance with whomever I need to. There is no justifiable reason as to why I was terminated.”

Jen Colletta can be reached at jen@epgn.com.