Contamination Test Results Delayed At Fairfield School Sites

FAIRFIELD, CT — The results of contamination testing at Fairfield school district fields will not be ready as quickly as initially expected, the superintendent announced Friday.

Although the tests are complete, the processing of the results is delayed, leaving the district waiting to find out if grass areas at some schools and playscapes at all elementary schools are contaminated, Superintendent Mike Cummings said in an email to parents.

"I very much understand the frustration with the pace of progress," Cummings said in the email, which was also posted on the district website. "We continue to push for the results and we will work with the town and state health officials to communicate those results to you as quickly as possible."

District officials declined to provide additional information when asked about the cause of the delay and when the results are expected.

The closure and testing of all district fields and playscapes was ordered after the town of Fairfield in August released a list of 20 high-priority locations for contamination testing in connection with an investigation of illegal dumping at the public works yard and the company hired to run the facility. All the locations on the priority list received material from the yard between 2013 and 2016, when Julian Development was operating the yard.

The list included nine school sites, three of which tested positive for contaminants, and two of which have since partially reopened. The school system's testing of sites not on the town priority list began last week, and results were initially expected to arrive this week and next week.

So far, 10 of the priority locations have been confirmed to contain contaminants such as arsenic, asbestos, lead and PCBs. The town is working with a consultant and state officials to remediate the sites.

Fairfield hired Julian Development in 2013 to run its public works yard and reduce the size of a pile of unused project material by 40,000 cubic yards. But over the next three years, the pile more than doubled in size, and days before the agreement was set to end, PCBs and lead were discovered on the property.

After conservation officials said the transportation and dumping of contaminated material could have violated state or federal law, police opened an investigation in 2017.

Director of Public Works Joe Michelangelo, former superintendent of public works Scott Bartlett and Julian Companies Owner Jason Julian were arrested last 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. Bartlett was recently fired from his town job and Michelangelo was placed on leave.

In addition to the criminal case, Fairfield has sued Julian for millions in damages and Julian has sued the town for defamation.

For updates on school district testing, go to fpsct.net/fields. For more information about the town test results, visit www.fairfieldct.org/filluseissues.