Incumbent Ward I Alderman Dave Walter, who had previously announced his candidacy for the seat, was disqualified from the ballot because he failed to pay his city personal property taxes prior to the Jan. 20 election filing deadline. Tom Black, an unsuccessful candidate in the city's mayoral election last April, is the lone Ward 1 candidate on the ballot. Walter said he still intends to run as a write-in candidate in April. Records obtained from the Warren County collector's office show Walter paid his personal property taxes on Jan. 22. Walter paid $424.12 on that date. His original tax bill was for $388.60, with the remainder of his payment being late charges. "I'm disappointed not to be on the ballot," said Walter Monday night. "There was apparently a mistake made. Mistakes happen." He contended he never received a personal property bill from the county collector's office. Records show Walter did receive a real estate tax bill from the collector's office in November, but the bill did not include any personal property taxes. Walter's real estate taxes were due by Dec. 31, 2008. "I paid my real estate taxes on Jan. 14," Walter observed. "I would have thought something might have been said at that time (about the personal property taxes), but nothing ever was." The county collector's office records show Walter did not have a 2008 assessment sheet, listing personal property, on file. The assessment sheet would have generated a personal property tax bill which would have been mailed to Walter last November, according to the assessor's office. Walter's 2008 personal property bill was not generated until Jan. 22, 2009, the date he appeared at the collector's office, according to computer records at the collector's office. According to RSMo Statute 137.280, every taxpayer must submit a list of tangible personal property items with the assessor's office prior to March 1 each year. Ironically, Walter won his alderman seat in April of 2007 as a write-in candidate. He originally filed the required paperwork prior to the deadline on Jan. 14, 2007, but was removed from the ballot when city officials discovered he had not paid his taxes and was not a registered voter. Walter paid his taxes and registered to vote on Jan. 30, 2007, so he was allowed to run as a write-in candidate in the municipal election that year. "We won two years ago as a write-in candidate," Walter said, "so I believe I can win again." Despite being a political newcomer in 2007 with no previous experience, Walter won an easy victory. He defeated incumbent Bill Schaffer and former alderman Paul Mueller with 52 votes compared to 17 votes for Schaffer and 24 for Mueller. Asked if he believed not being listed on the ballot would be a drawback in the 2009 election, Walter replied "No, I wouldn't think so." Walter has been a Wright City resident since 2003. The ballot for the Ward II seat in Wright City lists three candidates seeking to replace incumbent Richard Denkler, who is not running for re-election. The candidates include James Toothman, Jason Walker and Jamey Abercrombie.