Newburgh recreation director arrested on harassment charge, city investigates

Newburgh’s summer recreation season was jolted when newly hired recreation director Nicholas Galella was arrested on a harassment charge, raising fresh questions about supervision inside a department that runs programs for children, families and park users across the city. The arrest came as the Delano-Hitch Aquatic Center was already open for the season and the city’s busiest months for public programming were getting underway.

City officials said Newburgh Police arrested Galella, 32, of Newburgh, on June 16 after an incident involving another employee the previous day. The city said its investigation was still ongoing. Galella had been appointed recreation director on March 2, giving him only a brief run in one of City Hall’s most visible jobs before the matter became public.

The recreation director post carries broad responsibility in Newburgh. The city says the position oversees, plans, promotes and conducts recreation activities and programs in city parks, playgrounds, trails and facilities, including the Delano-Hitch Aquatic Center. City Manager Todd Venning said when Galella was appointed that recreation programs and services are “fundamental to quality of life” and help promote health, bring residents together and build neighborhood connections.

The timing makes the case especially sensitive for families who rely on summer services. The Delano-Hitch Aquatic Center was open for the 2026 summer season, with hours Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The facility includes a youth splash pad and a full-size accessible swimming pool, and season passes were available only to city residents until June 21 before opening to the general public. Daily admission was set at $10 for adults, $5 for children and $2 for seniors.

The recreation department is also in the middle of seasonal hiring, with summer camp counselor jobs posted at $20 an hour for 40 hours a week over seven weeks. The department works closely with Public Works to maintain Downing Park and the Delano-Hitch Recreation Park complex, which means any disruption at the top can ripple beyond office staffing into day-to-day park operations and summer scheduling.

Registration for recreation programs is handled at the Activity Center at 401 Washington Street in Newburgh, and the department’s phone number is 845-565-3230. For a city that depends on parks, pools and youth programming to carry it through the summer, the arrest of its recreation director has quickly turned into a test of management oversight and public confidence.