Posted: 2/12/03

Administratorís Feb. 1 DUI arrest adds to Wyoming personnel issues

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

The arrest of the Wyoming city administrator on Feb. 1 for suspicion of driving under the influence has added a new twist to ongoing personnel issues in the city of Wyoming.

Dennis J. Coryell, 58, was arrested at 2:48 a.m. in the city hall parking lot on probable cause of driving under the influence after being stopped by a Wyoming police officer. The formal booking was handled by a Chisago County deputy to avoid any conflict of interest, said Chief Deputy Bob Shoemaker this week.

Coryell has not been charged with any crime and final determination of any charges wonít be made until results of a urine test are known, Shoemaker said.

Coryell was taken to the Chisago County Jail in Center City where he completed a preliminary breath test and voluntarily provided a urine sample to police. He was released to his wife around 6 a.m., Shoemaker said this week.

The city administrator declined comment for this story and referred the matter to his attorney, Mike Welch of Forest Lake.

Welch said Coryell was arrested when he exercised his legal right to refuse a field sobriety test after being stopped. He was taken to the jail where the PBT and urine test were completed, Welch said.

Under jail policy, Shoemaker said anyone arrested for DUI is given a PBT. If the preliminary test result is .20 or higher, the person is taken to detox. Under state law, the legal limit is .10.

Shoemaker said a test result of .04 or lower results in the person being released. The PBT tests are non-admissible in court, the chief deputy said.

What happened?

What happened for sure on the morning of Feb. 1 is yet to be known fully.

Wyoming Police Chief Mike Temte said under terms of the data practices provisions he could not discuss details of the arrest. ìI canít get into that,î he said of arrest specifics.

Until a person is formally charged, ìI canít release that information,î the chief said.

Mayor Vern Haag said Coryell notified him of the police matter the next day. Haag said it was his understanding Coryell went for a drive early that morning and was checking to see if the cityís 24-hour police protection system was working.

ìHe (Coryell) has evidently done this before,î the mayor said.

Welch said it was his understanding Coryell could not sleep and left the residence.

Personnel issues

The arrest came as the city council and the police chief continued a stand off over insubordination charges against Temte. Coryell, as administrator, is deeply involved in the personnel matter.

Temte, a 22-year veteran, was hit with the allegation by the city over use of a drug forfeiture fund. The city contends the chief disobeyed direct orders from Coryell and council to follow a purchasing procedure with use of drug forfeiture dollars.

Temte has disagreed, saying he is only following state law in how the funds are controlled and spent.

A negotiated agreement in the matter fell through at the council meeting on Monday, Feb. 3 when the chief balked at a provision that he would agree to not sue the city. Council is expected to take up the matter again at its next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Mayor Haag said he has heard the rumor mill churning since the incident and said opponents of the council in the Temte matter are feasting on Coryellís arrest.

He said the talk swirling in Wyoming points to the ìdeep division and stressî in the city. He said Coryellís relationship with the council ìhas been strongî and he is working to solidify the chain of command within city departments and put an end to isolated departments functioning without city council authorization.

Haag said council would take up the matter when more information is available, if necessary.

ìWeíre awaiting test results,î the mayor said. ìThere is not much we can do or say until those test results come back.î

Was Coryell working at the time of his arrest? Welch said there is no ìtime clockî for a salary employee such as Coryell and the administrator was most likely not in the scope of his employment when stopped.

ìItís not what you would consider his normal working hours,î Welch said.

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