By MaryHelen Swanson

For 19 years Dwight Engler has served on the Harris Fire Department, but right now he is on suspension by a 3-0 vote of the city council until a criminal trial that is expected to be held in August either finds him guilty or cleared of all charges.

This action was taken at a special city council meeting Tuesday, April 11.

At that meeting, Engler, his wife, a former mayor and several fighter fighters were given time to speak. The speakers were reminded that they were to raise their hand and be recognized.

The speakers were given 3 minutes to talk following new meeting protocol adopted only the night before.

Cheri Engler was on the agenda as a separate item.

D. Engler spoke first, being given 5 minutes to wrap up his comments from a previous meeting. He clarified that he had talked to one community member about the happenings at the fire department, but said he never said there would be no fire department.

He also asked that after public comment that night and before the council made its decision on the suspension, that he be given time for a closing statement.

Speaking that night were former fire chief John Pelant, resident Anita Mohr, fireman Tim Cropper, Rodney Larson, Doris Gilquist, and Cheri Engler.

Questions asked included why the sheriffís department was used to serve papers to Engler at his home.

City Attorney Pete Grundhoefer said they are often used to serve papers for all kinds of different matters.

Pelant wanted to know it this is the way it will be with every employee in the city.

Mayor Rick Smisson said the service is for when someone feels there is danger in delivering such a notice.

Mohr supported Engler by saying he did not tell her there would be no fire department.

Cropper thought the issue should be handled within the fire department. Thereís too much drama, he said.

Larson said he never saw Engler involved in any of the alleged activities and that it was pretty poor of the city to drag Engler and his family through this.

Cheri Engler had many questions such as why the fire dept. was restructured in the first place, and why the former chief was replaced, and what allegations against her husband could be verified.

She noted that the allegations included ìa few others.î We donít see any others being accused, she said. When her time was up, the council moved to allow her 5 more minutes.

D. Engler said people in the US are innocent until proven guilty. What am I guilty of, he asked. During the comment period, 3 people left the room, including the former mayor.

Public comment was over. There was silence. The council began to discuss the issue readying to vote.

The mayor said he did not invent the allegations against Engler, but was only the documentor of things told to him.

He said the issue that night was not about those allegations but about the criminal charges. Like a teacher or policeman, he said, when there have been charges, they are put on suspension until cleared. He said the city had to be on the safe side.

While some councilors said they did not know all the facts before the vote, they supported the mayor. Councilor Doug Chaffee abstained from voting. This is a mess, he said, saying Engler was an excellent fire fighter.

If Engler is cleared of charges in August, he will receive back pay and be reinstated, and the council will make a public statement that he has been cleared.