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4 by Emma TheisThe City of Arden Hills welcomes David Perrault as its new finance analyst. David will help run the finance department, supervise the utility billing clerk and the accounting analyst, and get ready for audits and perform reconciliations (making sure money leav- ing an account matches the actual money spent). David grew up in St. Paul and attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison for his undergraduate degree. He was also an analyst in the military for four years. Still living in the St. Paul area, David is currently working on his MBA (Master of Business Administration) and MPA (Master of Public Administration) from Hamline University. Before coming to the City, David worked at the State of Min- nesota in the Department of Agriculture doing accounting and finance. We sat down with David and asked him some questions so that Arden Hills resi- dents can get to know him a little better. What unique skills do you bring to the table? “I think I have a critical eye, and leader- ship skills too.” What was your first job ever? “I worked at the Science Museum in St. Meet Finance Analyst David Perrault Paul. I helped with the visitors and exhib- its and stuff. Nothing too exciting.” What is your dream job? “End goal is I kind of want to be in the Director of Finance or City Manager role. It’s nice that I’m working with the City now instead of the State, it’s setting me up to move forward from there.” What do you do when you’re not work- ing? “Going to school. I like to go for runs— and travel.” What is something you would like to do before you die? “I would like to go to South America and Antarctica because those are the two continents I haven’t been to yet—I want to hit all seven.” What is the most unusual item in your office? “Beef jerky.” What’s a lesson you live by? “Treat everyone with respect.” What would be impossible for you to live without? “I’m gonna have to go with my iPhone— probably should have said my fiancée.” You may have noticed a different look in Arden Hills’ neighbor- hoods on recycling day. Begin- ning with the May 5 and 6 pickup dates, homeowners were able to put out their new 64-gallon single sort recycling carts. The containers are black with green lids and the Arden Hills logo on the sides. The carts, which were purchased in large part with a $100,000 Public Entity Innova- tion Grant through Ramsey County, were scheduled for delivery to all single-family dwellings in Arden Hills between April 27 and May 1. The City’s five-year contract with Republic Residential Recycling Ser- vices went into effect on May 4. If, after a trial period of three months, resi- dents feel they need a smaller cart, a 32-gal- lon size will be available for exchange. A mailing from Republic to all residents encour- ages participation in the recycling pro- gram, which has been made easier with the single sort approach. Additional informa- tion is available on Republic’s website, www.republicservices.com/recyclingand- disposal. About those new recycling carts indicated Royal Hills Park (in a tie with Perry Park) as the second most-regularly- visited park in the City. Many additional survey comments refer- ring to Royal Hills Park strongly favored and requested park updates—especially in playground equipment upgrades and additions—to accommodate the explosion of kids in the neighborhood due to the ad- dition of the 39 single-family homes in the Fox Ridge development. As one survey respondent put it: “Need a bigger playset for the Fox Ridge community which has over 90 children that will utilize this park and there is insufficient play area for this growing community.” These numbers, combined with a new generation of young children and families in the surrounding original neighborhoods, will certainly put the park’s amenities to the test in the years to come. As with all other City parks, Royal Hills Park is on a 20-year equipment replacement sched- ule and is scheduled for new playground equipment in 2022. Royal Hills Park continued from page 2