3 More Charged In Fairfield Fill Pile Contamination Investigation

FAIRFIELD, CT — Current and former Fairfield employees were charged this week in connection with the ongoing fill pile contamination investigation, police announced Thursday.

Brian Carey, conservation director and interim public works director; Emmet Hibson, former town human resources director; and environmental contractor Robert Grabarek are among those newly charged in the case, police said.

Carey has been placed on administrative leave, pending an internal investigation, according to a statement from First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick. Hibson was terminated in January.

Scott Bartlett, the town’s former public works superintendent, was arrested Wednesday for the third time since summer 2019, when the first charges were brought in the investigation of corruption and environmental crimes at the town site, according to police. As of this week, Bartlett faces several additional charges.

The charges primarily pertain to the illegal disposal of PCBs in connection with construction in 2017 and 2018 of a berm surrounding the fill pile, police said. The estimated cost to remediate the site is between $5 million and $10 million, according to the town attorney.

Carey and Bartlett are also charged with multiple offenses related to the illegal disposal of solid waste after they authorized contaminated material that was dredged from Owen Fish Pond to be dumped at the pile while the berm was being built, according to police.

Also previously charged in the case are former public works director Joe Michelangelo, whose lawyer confirmed Michelangelo was expected to surrender on new charges Friday, as well as former chief fiscal officer Bob Mayer and contractor Jason Julian.

Carey was named to take over the public works department after Michelangelo’s termination in 2019.

Carey, Hibson, Grabarek and Bartlett are all free on a promise to appear and set to go before a judge Dec. 4, police said. Their cases are being prosecuted by the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Environmental Crimes Unit.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.