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I n s i d e Arden Hills, MN . 55112-5734 ECR-WSS PRST STD U.S. Postage Paid Twin Cities, MN Permit #1962 Postal Customer From the Mayor On an annual basis I do a ride-along with the Ramsey County Sheriff Department. It is a chance to see what is going on in our community, to see what the issues are, any trends, and how things are addressed. As in past years things have been very quiet and we remain a city with relatively low crime. This year I chose a Friday night with a full moon and things were more active. Not all the calls were within Arden Hills but there were some. Based on this year’s experi- ence, I would like to pass along a few items that I learned. One of the things I learned from this year’s ride-along is there are a number of situations where calling 911 could involve gray areas in terms of a decision on when to call. Two of the major categories are medical attention and mental health. Is the person in enough medical need to call 911? Is the person’s mental state such that someone should call? What I want to share with you is, if you are in doubt, call 911. The highly trained 911 staff will ask questions to help assess and clarify what is needed. If a response is need, proper law enforcement, medical services, Ramsey County Mental Health or fire department can be dispatched for further assistance. There was a situation that night, where 911 should have been called much earlier. If you are in doubt, don’t wait until the situa- tion gets worse, call 911 and let them help you. Calling 911 in an emergency is a quick and valuable service. Calling 911 does not have to be used exclusively for emergen- cies. If you have information that you believe law enforcement should be aware of, you can call 911 or better yet call the non-emergency number 651-767-0640. The non-emergency number is answered 24 hours per day by the same staff as 911. Response is based on the situation, not the number you call. In general, most of the calls that we have in our City are minor in nature and not illegal. Noise complaints, especially later at night, come to mind. In such cases, the officer is simply keeping the peace by way of a gentle reminder. I encourage you to be receptive and responsive. The officer is there to help you. As the year draws to a close, it is a good time to consider emptying your medicine cabinets of medications that are no longer needed. For young children, pills can look like candy and pose a serious risk. Unused medications from family members, espe- cially pain killers, can be a starting point for abuse. Unused medications should not be flushed down the toilet due to environ- mental concerns. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) offers an anonymous and no questions asked drop off program. During a typical year, over 6,000 pounds are dropped off. Simply take your unused medications (includes unused epinephrine pens with liquid) to the RCSD located at 1411 Kirkwold Drive, Arden Hills. The RCSD located in the northeast corner of Highway 96 and Hamline Avenue and drop-off is available Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. For more informa- tion see: https://www.ramseycounty.us/ medicinecollection Used needles, syringes and lancets should be disposed of at Ramsey County Hazard- ous Disposal sites. For more information go to: https://www.ramseycounty.us/house- holdhazardouswaste Have a happy, safe, and joyous holiday season. Sincerely, David Grant Mayor of Arden Hills Law and order Your City needs you! Arden Hills currently is looking for volunteers for several of its commit- tees and commissions including: • the Communications Committee, which is looking for writers and graphic design/desktop publishing volunteers • The Economic Development Com- mission • The Parks Trails and Recreation Committee • The Planning Commission Volunteering for a committee or commis- sion is not only a great way to serve your community, it’s also a wonderful oppor- tunity to meet your neighbors and to learn how city government operates. For more information, call City Hall at 651-792-7800 or visit www.cityofardenhills.org and enter the keyword “volunteer.” Construction projects Park and Rec information City nominated for award Holiday recycling