Valley Park mayor treated for methamphetamine abuse, documents say

2012-07-13T07:00:00Z 2013-11-07T12:15:35Z Valley Park mayor treated for methamphetamine abuse, documents sayBY STEPHEN DEERE • sdeere@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8116 stltoday.com

VALLEY PARK • Mayor Nathan Grellner did not check himself into a hospital last month for "exhaustion," as city officials have said, but was being treated for "methamphetamine abuse," according to copies of documents obtained by the Post-Dispatch.

The documents — discharge papers from CenterPointe Hospital in Weldon Spring that reference Grellner — show the embattled mayor was admitted on June 8 and checked out on June 11.

The discharge papers, which appear to include Grellner's signature, note a planned transfer to a "CD unit," an apparent reference to a chemical dependency unit, after the hospital stay. The papers list the reason for the hospitalization as "methamphetamine abuse."

The hospital did not provide the records to the Post-Dispatch.

Grellner declined to comment on the discharge papers when shown a copy this week at his home.

A CenterPointe representative said officials could not comment on Grellner's treatment or the documents, citing patient privacy. She said she would refer the newspaper's request to the hospital's top executive, who did not call back.

Grellner's stay at CenterPointe began two days after his arrest by Byrnes Mill police in Jefferson County on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest.

The night of his arrest, Grellner was taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Crystal City. Byrnes Mill Police Chief Ed Locke said that hospital officials told police they "weren't sure what all may be in his system." Grellner, 27, was left unguarded at the hospital and disappeared that night.

On June 8, City Attorney Eric M. Martin told reporters the mayor had checked himself into another hospital for exhaustion. Nearly two weeks later, Martin said Grellner was back home and was participating in an outpatient program at CenterPointe. Martin at that time said he didn't know details about the mayor's treatment.

The revelation of the mayor's apparent drug use will likely add fuel to residents clamoring for Grellner's resignation.

St. Louis County police said last week they were investigating Grellner and possible misuse of public funds. Nearly three weeks ago, the Board of Aldermen gave the mayor a "no confidence vote" after they learned he spent thousands of dollars on the city's credit card for personal items, mostly high-end tools and appliances.

Until earlier this month, Grellner, who earns $10,000 a year for the part-time mayoral position, hadn't shown up at an aldermanic meeting since late February. At a meeting on July 2, he apologized to residents for his arrest, attributing it to "high levels of stress."

So far, Grellner has given no hint that he will step down. Grellner has not been charged with any crime. Authorities in Jefferson County are waiting for toxicology tests on blood samples taken the night of his arrest and on evidence seized from the truck he was driving.

Officers said they first stopped Grellner for speeding on Highway 30 about 11:30 p.m. on June 5. While they checked his drivers license, Grellner sped off, leading police on a short pursuit, police said. Eventually, Grellner turned down a dead-end road where police caught up to him, police said. During his arrest, police said Grellner became so combative that they used pepper spray to subdue him and placed a mask over his face to prevent him from spitting at them. He continued to be combative at Jefferson Regional, police said.

CREDIT CARD EXPENSES

The arrest quickly brought to light a series of expenses — totaling nearly $5,000 — that Grellner made on a city credit card at Lowe's, Home Depot and Hydraflow.

On June 6, the day after Grellner's arrest, members of Grellner's family called Martin and Public Works Director Gerald Martin. The family asked the two city employees to come to the mayor's house because he was missing, according to a timeline that Eric M. Martin recently wrote for the city's aldermen.

When the two men arrived at the house, the mayor had already come home. The mayor showed off his "family room, that is in the process of receiving hardwood flooring, and basement, which has a workshop area," Eric Martin wrote.

Martin noticed several new tools, including an expensive Bosch shop vacuum, which made him suspicious, he wrote.

In an interview Thursday, Martin said he did not know why he immediately thought some of the tools were bought with city funds.

"The whole day was a very strange set of circumstances is about all I can say," Martin said.

Martin then went to City Hall to review the mayor's purchases, determining that the $575 shop vac was purchased with a city credit card, according to the timeline. That afternoon, Martin returned to the mayor's house with Gerald Martin to collect the item and had the public works director return it to Hydraflow.

Over the next few days, Martin and City Clerk Marguerite Wilburn began looking into other charges.

Grellner, it turns out, had made personal purchases with a city MasterCard as early as April 6, when he bought a miter saw and hammer drill at Lowe's for a total of $1,233, according to receipts from the city.

The receipts show a pattern of purchases and returns on items such as a nail gun, ceiling fan and tool chests.

For example, the hammer drill was returned on April 27, putting $356 back on the city's credit card. The mayor also bought a $2,151 washer and dryer set from Lowe's on May 28; it was returned on June 6, the day after his arrest.

Grellner said in his apology that his personal credit card looks similar to the city's and that he was not in a state of mind where he could distinguish between the two.

In all, Grellner used the city's credit card at least six times for items totaling about $5,000.

City officials say nearly all the purchases were returned, either by Grellner, his family, or the city. A relative of Grellner's wrote a check to the city for $340 for items that could not be returned.

Martin held off on informing the Board of Aldermen for nearly a week while he investigated the credit expenses.

Meanwhile, Alderman A.J. Levinson, who himself was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated earlier this year, said a number of residents were asking him if "we were paying for (Grellner's) partying."

On the afternoon of June 13, Levinson called board President Michael Pennise and asked him to get copies of the city's credit card statements.

Within a few hours, Wilburn told Pennise about the mayor's purchases. Later that night, Martin, who was on vacation in Florida, called Pennise to brief him on his investigation.

DELAY QUESTIONED

Some aldermen said the timing was suspicious and say they do not understand why Martin, who is appointed by the mayor, waited so long to disclose the expenses.

"I find it odd that all of this activity was going on and no elected officials were told until one of us asked for the receipts," said Alderman Rita Collins.

Eric Martin, who has a practice in Chesterfield, said he had wanted to make sure he had a complete account of what had been charged.

Alderman Betty Halker said it seemed unusual that the city attorney made sure the shop vac was returned.

"It would appear as though that was going a little bit above and beyond the call of duty for a city attorney," Halker said.

Last week, the city — responding to an open records request — released all of Grellner's credit card receipts since his mayoral election in 2010.

The receipts indicate that, in addition to the $5,000, Grellner had spent more than $2,100 at restaurants and bars. The meals range in price from a $2.39 McFlurry at McDonald's to an $80 tab at TJ Wings Family Pub and Grill. The receipts aren't itemized, and in their initial response to the records request, city employees did not provide documentation about whom Grellner dined with or what city business was discussed.

On Wednesday, Martin called the lack of documentation an oversight and said explanations for the meals were handwritten on the back of the receipts. The city then provided copies of the reverse side of more than 50 receipts. In some cases, Grellner wrote he had discussed road projects, no-parking signs and personnel issues. In others, he only noted who was present or simply signed his name.

The mayor's credit card has since been canceled, and aldermen are crafting a new policy for approving city expenses.

On Thursday, some aldermen acknowledged they had heard rumors about the mayor but said the specifics of his stay at CenterPointe were a shock.

"I'm speechless," said Alderman Laurie Henderson. "I don't know what my reaction is."

Editor's note: This story was updated to clarify that CenterPointe Hospital did not provide patient records to the Post-Dispatch.

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