Denkler has been an alderman since June of 2005 when he was appointed to the position. He was elected to a full two-year term in April of 2007. He also served as the board president that year. "I just decided I wanted to have more time to spend with my wife," Denkler said after last Thursday's regular board meeting. "There's a lot of things we want to do and we never seem to have the time because I'm always at city hall. Every time we plan a trip, I have to look at the calendar to see if it conflicts with city business. "There's a whole lot more to this job than people realize," Denkler added. "It's not just a couple of meetings a month. I've always got papers spread out over my desk at home concerning board business that I need to review." Ward 1 Alderman Dave Walter's seat will also be up for election. Walter, completing his first term as an alderman, has not announced whether he will seek a second term. Denkler told city officials last week he wanted to be removed from the budget committee, which drafts the annual Wright City budget. He has served on that committee for two years. "I'd like to not be a part of that committee again this year," Denkler told the aldermen. "I've decided not to seek election to another term as an alderman." The board replaced Denkler on the budget committee with Ward 2 Alderman Angie Reynolds. City Treasurer Karen Girondo has started preliminary work on the city's 2009 budget. Girondo said all departments should have their 2009 expenditures to her by the end of October so she can prepare a first draft to present to the aldermen by Nov. 13. "I'll work on changes after that," said Girondo, "and I expect to have the final budget prepared for your (aldermen) review for the Dec. 11 meeting." Denkler said the experience of working as an alderman was "bittersweet." "There are so many good memories I will take with me," said Denkler. "I am so impressed with the personnel we have here at city hall. There are some wonderful people who work here." Denkler conceded that the long hours of the job and some frustrations over a few board decisions also led to his decision not to seek office again. "Some things turned out better than I thought," he said, "and some things in the job weren't what I expected." Board of Aldermen President Jim Schuchmann said Denkler would be sorely missed. "He's made valuable contributions to this city in his tenure," Schuchmann noted. Huey Payment Rejected The board declined a payment request from Huey Construction for $135,000 for work on the city's expanded wastewater treatment plant. Huey had requested a payment of $23,750, plus the release of a 5 percent retention from the original contract. But the aldermen, unhappy because the treatment plant has failed to meet DNR specifications for ammonia and total suspended solids levels, rejected the payment request. Wright Stop Owner Angry Elaine McCoy, who runs the Wright Stop Convenience Store, told aldermen she was disturbed by what she considered harassing behavior recently from James Justice, a member of the city's planning and zoning commission. McCoy said Justice visited her shop last week to complain about a rental truck that was illegally parked on the property. "I told him it was parked where you told me it should be," she related. "Justice told me if I didn't move it, he would take care of it." The aldermen said Justice was not authorized to act as a city inspector. "We apologize," said Schuchmann. "It's unfortunate when a city official takes it upon himself to act as a building inspector."