Needham residents have until 5 p.m. Aug. 7 to apply for the Park and Recreation Commission seat left empty after former chair Chris Gerstel resigned in June — right after his federal arrest and indictment.

How the seat came open.

Gerstel, 50, was arrested by FBI agents on June 5 and pleaded not guilty to a 17-count indictment: 12 counts of wire fraud, two counts of filing false tax returns, and three counts of failing to file taxes at all. Prosecutors allege he stole more than $200,000 from Needham Baseball & Softball, the town's Little League nonprofit, making over 200 wire transfers from the organization's umpire payment system into his own bank account between June 2019 and October 2024.

Why nobody noticed for years.

Gerstel had sat on the Park and Rec Commission since 2015, chairing it at the time of his arrest, and separately served as NBS Vice President of Baseball Operations from 2019 to 2025 — the only board member with access to the payment platform in question. According to Boston 25, the alleged theft went undetected until April 2025, when a new NBS treasurer finally gained system access and spotted the transfers.

How the town is filling the seat.

The Select Board voted July 21 to fill the vacancy by appointment rather than a special election, advertising the opening immediately through the town's weekly newsletter, according to the Needham Observer. Whoever gets appointed serves only until April 2027, when the seat goes before voters — and wouldn't run as an incumbent even if they choose to.

Board members disagreed on timing. Vice Chair Joshua Levy pushed to move fast: "I'd like to do it quickly. It's been vacant for a little over a month," proposing interviews Aug. 11 and a vote in September. Chair Heidi Frail wanted speed too, but not at that pace, favoring a longer window to draw more applicants — a position the board majority backed. Frail suggested Levy team up with Park and Rec Chair Michelle Geddes on a subcommittee to handle interviews separately from already-packed August meetings. After the Aug. 7 deadline, the two will decide next steps based on how many residents actually apply; a joint subcommittee meeting is set for Aug. 3 at 8:30 a.m.

What the Little League itself has done since.

Town Manager Katie King said at the time of the arrest there was no indication town funds were involved. NBS, which serves more than 1,000 players a year, said Gerstel hadn't been involved with the organization since May 2025 and has since brought in an independent accountant, tightened financial controls, and updated its board governance policies, according to WCVB.

Want to apply?

Questions can go to [email protected] or 781-455-7500, extension 71500.