Fairfield Labor Day Soccer Tournament Canceled Amid Field Testing

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield United Soccer Association has canceled its annual FAST Tournament after athletic fields all over town were closed for contamination testing amid an investigation of illegal dumping at the town public works yard and the company hired to run the facility.

"We have run into an insurmountable situation outside our control," association leadership said in an announcement of the cancellation posted online.

The tournament was scheduled to occupy 16 fields in town, Fairfield Parks and Recreation Director Anthony Calabrese said. Of those fields, 15 were closed for testing, but five have since reopened, he said. Of the 45 athletic fields in town, 24 were open as of late Monday, according to Calabrese, who said it is possible more will open later in the week as test results come in.

The timing of the closures prevented the association from getting alternate fields for the event, according to the cancellation announcement. The tournament was scheduled for Labor Day weekend and would have been the 11th annual event. It typically attracts more than 125 teams and over 25 sponsors, and is the nonprofit association's main fundraiser. Registered teams will receive a full refund.

The field testing and closures followed the discovery of suspected asbestos shingles at Gould Manor Park. The presence of asbestos was confirmed at the park, as well as elevated levels of arsenic and lead, after the site was evaluated at the request of law enforcement due to concerns that contaminated fill from the public works yard was used for a 2013-14 sidewalk project.

In addition to the park, the town identified 19 high-priority sites — including nine schools — for contamination testing. All the priority locations received material from the public works yard between 2013 and 2016, when Julian Development was operating the facility.

The majority of the sites were closed pending testing, which is complete for eight of the school locations and revealed contamination at three school sites. The five school locations that were not found to be contaminated have reopened. The school district has closed all school fields and playgrounds not on the town priority list and will test those locations separate from the priority sites.

Additional locations will be identified for testing as the town continues to review public works records.

Fairfield hired Julian Development in 2013 to run its public works yard and reduce the size of a pile of leftover project material on the property from 40,000 cubic yards. Over the course of Julian's three-year contract, the pile more than doubled in size, and days before the contract was set to end, contamination was 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.

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. 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.