Fairfield Official, Julian In Court For Public Works Yard Case

FAIRFIELD, CT — A Fairfield employee and the owner of a company hired by the town, both of whom are charged in connection with a criminal investigation of contamination at the Fairfield public works yard, appeared in court Wednesday. However, a third defendant, Fairfield Director of Public Works Joe Michelangelo, was conspicuously absent.

Michelangelo, Superintendent of Public Works Scott Bartlett and Julian Companies Owner Jason Julian were arrested earlier in the week and are accused of crimes including larceny, forgery and dumping.

Michelangelo is charged with forgery, illegal dumping, illegal discharge and handling waste without a permit, according to court records. Bartlett is charged with forgery, larceny, taking kickbacks, illegal dumping, illegal discharge and handling waste without a permit. Both Michelangelo and Bartlett have been placed on leave from their jobs with the town.

Julian is charged with forgery, larceny, paying kickbacks, illegal dumping, illegal discharge and handling waste without a permit, court records state.

The majority of the crimes are alleged to have occurred between 2013 and 2016, court records state, when Julian Development was under contract with Fairfield to operate the public works yard on Richard White Way.

Bartlett and Julian were quiet during their brief arraignments. Both of their cases were continued to Sept. 18. Court officials said Michelangelo's absence was the result of a misunderstanding. His arraignment was rescheduled for Thursday.

Fairfield hired Julian Development in 2013 to run the 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 the contract, the pile more than doubled in size, and days before the contract was set to end, contamination was discovered on the property.

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

A search warrant application for Julian's offices referenced statements from town employees suggesting Bartlett received benefits from the company for himself or his son, who works for Julian, the Connecticut Post has reported.

Michelangelo took pavers bound for the public works yard and used them to install a sidewalk and driveway at his own home, according to a legal transcript obtained by Patch under the Freedom of Information Act.

In addition to the criminal case, Fairfield has sued Julian for about $3 million in costs associated with the yard and Julian has sued the town for defamation. Arbitration for the civil proceedings is ongoing.