Accountability, Safety Topics At Fairfield Contamination Meeting

FAIRFIELD, CT — The same day that Fairfield officials decided to close fields identified as high priorities for contamination testing, town representatives took the stage at Fairfield Ludlowe High School to answer to the public about how the potential contamination happened and what's being done to fix it.

"We'll be here as long as we need to to answer all the questions," First Selectman Mike Tetreau said at the public meeting Wednesday.

The event was held after elevated arsenic and lead levels, and asbestos shingles were discovered at Gould Manor Park. The park was tested due to concerns that contaminated fill from the town public works yard was used for a 2013-14 sidewalk project.

Nineteen additional sites, including nine schools, have been named as high-priority testing locations in connection with an investigation of the fill at the public works yard and contractor Julian Development, the company hired to run the facility from 2013 to 2016. As a precaution, Fairfield Public Schools have closed not only the fields identified for testing by the town, but all fields in the district. More locations in Fairfield will be tested as the town continues to review its public works records.

Wednesday's meeting covered a wide range of topics, including government accountability, safety concerns and testing procedures. Questions from the audience were submitted on handwritten notecards, which the panel of Fairfield officials and environmental experts then read aloud and answered. Well over 50 people attended the event, which lasted more than two hours. A second meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Fairfield Woods Middle School auditorium, 1115 Fairfield Woods Road.

'The buck stops with me'

Many of the questions Wednesday were directed toward Tetreau and his handling of the public works employees who were involved with Julian's operation of the town yard.

Director of Public Works Joe Michelangelo, former superintendent of public works Scott Bartlett and Julian Companies Owner Jason Julian were arrested earlier this month and are accused of crimes including larceny, forgery and dumping. The majority of the crimes are alleged to have occurred during the years Julian Development was under contract to operate the yard on Richard White Way.

"Being arrested is not proof of guilt," Tetreau said. "... There are significant management issues independent of the criminal investigation."

Michelangelo is on leave from his town job, and Tetreau announced during the meeting Wednesday that Bartlett had been fired.

"The buck stops with me," Tetreau said. "... You count on your trusted managers to tell you the truth."

Tetreau was also repeatedly asked about reports from a town resident in 2014 of possible asbestos and broken glass at Gould Manor Park. Dana Kery made the initial complaint in January 2014, according to emails obtained by Patch, and it was not resolved until May 2015. Tetreau, who was included on multiple emails about the issue, has confirmed the suspected asbestos was not tested in response to Kery's emails.

On Wednesday, Tetreau said that Kery's complaint was made to public works, and he assumed officials from that department notified the health department. After his response, someone in the audience shouted, "Follow up!" and there were whispers among the crowd.

'Please don't be concerned'

Other questions Wednesday pertained to public health risks in the wake of the recent testing site announcements. One person asked if they should be concerned about their daughter, who plays goalie on the town fields and is regularly exposed to the soil.

Meg Harvey, an epidemiologist for the state department of health, said the presence of an elevated contaminant level does not necessarily mean those exposed to the soil are at risk.

"Please don't be concerned, even if you know your child has a decent amount of soil exposure on a soccer field," she said. "... We have such a large margin of safety built into our numbers."

Harvey also said that the amount of soil exposure children get playing at a park is not comparable to exposure in a residential setting, which is the standard used to test for elevated contaminants at parks.

However, the town will fence off areas as it becomes evident remediation is needed, said Conservation Director and Interim Superintendent of Public Works Brian Carey.

"The risk to the general public is very, very, very low," he said.

Cost and process

The panel was also asked Wednesday about what's being tested, how the tests are conducted, and who's paying for it.

Fairfield's initial testing contract with licensed environmental professional Tighe & Bond cost $80,000, Tetreau said. Additional expenses will depend on the town's remediation needs.

Fairfield has sued Julian for about $3 million in costs associated with the public works yard and hopes to pay for the testing and remediation with funds obtained through the lawsuit, Tetreau said. Julian has also sued the town for defamation.

"It shouldn't be a cost to the Fairfield taxpayer," Tetreau said.

The parameters for testing are based on the types of contaminants found in the public works yard — PCBs, lead and petroleum compounds, according to Tighe & Bond Vice President Jim Olsen.

Once the town determines the complete list of testing sites, they will be released to the public, according to Tetreau.