Fairfield Park Tested For Asbestos In Connection With Julian Case

FAIRFIELD, CT — State officials were testing for contamination Wednesday at Gould Manor Park in connection with an investigation of Fairfield's public works yard and Julian Development, the contractor hired to run the yard.

Siding shingles that may contain asbestos were tested by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection along a 3-foot stretch of sidewalk bordering Holland Hill Road, according to First Selectman Mike Tetreau. The tests were done at the direction of Fairfield police and the state's attorney, and the results are expected in a few days, he said.

The site was being tested because officials are concerned it contains contaminated material from the public works yard, he said. So far, Gould Manor Park is the only site to be tested, but there may be others, according to Tetreau.

"We're looking for any other potential projects that may have contained fill from the public works yard at the moment, so we're in the process of researching those," he said.

Fairfield officials are meeting Thursday with experts to discuss how to limit potential exposure in the interim, a town news release stated. The testing is not expected to significantly affect use of the park's playground and ball fields, according to the release.

The town 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 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, 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.

Both Michelangelo and Bartlett have been placed on leave from their town jobs. Bartlett and Julian were arraigned Wednesday and Michelangelo is scheduled for an arraignment Thursday.

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, court records state.

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.