Gerstel Submits Resignation from Park and Rec
• The commission, which met Monday night, appointed a new chair after Chris Gerstel indicated he plans to leave “effective immediately.” The move follows his recent arrest.
Four of the five Needham Park and Recreation Commission members reorganized the board in Gerstel’s absence after reading a statement regarding his arrest on fraud charges.
Michelle Geddes, the commission member voted in as chair to replace Gerstel, said the arrest “is difficult news to process” and that Gerstel’s alleged charges do not involve his role on the commission or its activities. Echoing the town’s statement on the charges, Geddes said “there is no indication that any town funds were involved in the alleged conduct.”
“The town has received a note from Mr. Gerstel relaying his intention to resign from the Park and Recreation Commission, and the town clerk will notify us when the required paperwork is complete,” Geddes said Monday. “The commission will not comment further on this matter.”
Gerstel is facing 17 counts of fraud and other tax-related charges after allegedly taking more than $200,000 from Needham Baseball & Softball, a Little League organization on whose board of directors Gerstel previously served as vice chair. Gerstel entered a not guilty plea when he first appeared in court June 5.
Geddes directed questions about the matter to the U.S. attorney’s office in Massachusetts. During the meeting, there were no public comments regarding Gerstel.
In an email to the town clerk and town manager dated June 11, Gerstel shared he would be resigning from his chairmanship “effective immediately.”
“I am currently navigating personal matters that require my full attention. These are private issues, and I want to ensure they do not become a burden to the commission, staff, or town management,” Gerstel stated in the email, provided by town staff. “I truly appreciate the time I have spent on the commission and the support we received from all departments, especially town management. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. I wish everyone the best of luck moving forward.”
With his seat opening, Geddes said the commission will “work with the Select Board to figure out when we could potentially fill it.” In such cases, vacated positions are filled via appointments until the next town election, which would be in April 2027. It’s unclear what the timeline may be for appointing an interim member.
Seats on the Park and Recreation Commission are elected, and terms are three years.
The Select Board is currently reevaluating its appointment process. Since taking up the issue late last month, members have not approved any new appointments.
Gerstel has served on the commission for more than 10 years, serving as chair since April 2022, according to meeting minutes reviewed by Needham Local.
