DRUG PIPE REPORT SPURS CITY PROBE

Clive city and police officials are investigating allegations that a
marijuana pipe was found at a July party attended by some city leaders
and members of the volunteer fire department, authorities said Monday.

City officials said that the case is being investigated as a personnel
matter, and they would not provide details.

Clive City Manager Dennis Henderson said the incident reportedly took
place at a July 25 going-away party for the former fire chief at the
home of Dave Ennen, a volunteer firefighter and member of Clive's
planning and zoning commission. Ennon did not return calls to his
home Monday.

"The allegation is that there was a small, silver marijuana pipe
spotted at the party," Henderson said.

He would not comment on anyone involved and said that, to his
knowledge, no drugs were found.

"It's a personnel matter at this point. We tried to keep it as such
and handle it in that manner," he said.

Clive Police Chief Dean Dymond said that his department received a
report from the Iowa State Patrol, but that it did not contain enough
information to warrant charges. He said he would not release a copy
because the report was made by another agency and is still under
investigation. State Patrol officials said they were not aware of such
a report.

Four of Clive's five City Council members said Monday that they were
unaware of the investigation. The fifth, Councilman John Schiefer,
said he had attended the party, but he would not comment at length.

Clive Mayor Robert Brownell said that he and Henderson met with
members of the firefighters association at a regular meeting three or
four weeks after the party.

"We wanted to assure the fire department that appropriate action would
be taken against disciplinary matters," Brownell said.

At this point, city officials said, they have no evidence to support
the allegations.

Henderson added that the context of the meeting with the association
was to ask volunteers to trust that city officials will conduct a
thorough investigation. If warranted, disciplinary action will be
taken, he said.

Acting Fire Chief Tony Collins, who was not at the party, said he
fears the department will suffer repercussions.

He added that the city is looking into every angle possible to check
on the charges, including drug testing. Procedures also are in place
if drug use is discovered, but they depend on the circumstances, he
said. One option could be substance-abuse rehabilitation.

"I have zero tolerance, and am taking these allegations very
seriously," Collins said.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady