To own a Patek Philippe wristwatch, a person must part with six figures.

Chris Miller got his hands on one recently. It was in Paris – Paris, Missouri – and it needed a bit of work.

“That’s top of the drawer,” he said. “It’s something I’d never torn apart and put back together before.”

Many people know Miller as the owner of M&M Golf Carts, a distribution operation with location in Mexico, or of M&M Vehicle Manufacturing. He also runs a destination antique shop at the old Coca-Cola bottling plant in the city, one that specializes in clock and watch repair.

Miller calls Coke Plant Antiques his hobby, but he graduated from watchmaking school in 1969 and has been traveling all over the country working on classic timepieces ever since.

He has also been a member of the Mexico City Council for the past six years. If there’s a comparison between clock repair and local government it’s patience, he says.

“And when you do get it fixed, it doesn’t always work,” he added with a laugh.

Miller is one of four candidates for city council seats in this year’s election, which takes place on April 6. He’s an incumbent, along with Vicki Briggs. She is -- or was -- an avid golfer and long time teacher.

She is a part time chemistry instructor at Missouri Military Academy. But the Mexico resident spent much of her career at Community R-6, which is fortunate because she says she wanted to avoid teaching in the same district as her kids.

In fact, she wasn’t even settled on Community.

“I thought I’d be there a short time,” she observed. “I stayed 30 years.”

Richard Gold is a relative newcomer to Mexico. He purchased the Budget Inn four years ago, shortly after retiring from 20 years in the Navy.

His last two posts were in Hawaii and San Diego. Gold said he paid $3,000 a month in rent while in the islands, as well as whopping amounts for gas and groceries. In California it was $2,000 a month for rent.

“I thought ‘this is so much better,’” Gold said. “Then I moved here. This is great.”

Joshua Price, a fourth candidate, did not respond to attempts to reach him.

The last day to register to vote is March 10.

Here are other candidate filings from around the county:

Mexico City Council

Chris Miller and Vicki Briggs are running for reelection. Richard Gold and Joshua Price have filed for the two seats, as well. City council members serve at large, as there are no districts in Mexico.

Mexico School Board

There are two seats open for three year terms. Randolph Scott Reinwald, Keith Louder, Andrew B. Craig, Marci Minor and Scott Joseph Nichols have filed to be on the ballot.

Community R-6 School Board

Scott Sims and Amy Brooks are running for reelection unopposed.

Vandalia Board of Aldermen

Ward 1 – incumbent Teresa Wenzel is the only one who filed.

Ward 2 – Edna Wheeler is running unopposed for reelection.

Ward 3 – Debbie Hopke is the incumbent as is running unopposed.

Van-Far School Board

There are two open seats. Tony Dameron is an incumbent and filed for another term. Pete Nasir filed to fill the other vacancy.

Vandiver Village

Jack Nengel, Kerri Ferrari and Tony Rutherford are the only ones to file. All three are incumbents.

Farber Board of Aldermen

There are two seats open and three vying for the positions: James Day, Jeff Gay and Lee Scrogin. Farber will also vote on a proposition to decide whether or not to hold an election if the number of candidates filing do not exceed the number of positions to be filled.

Laddonia and Martinsburg did not send filings by press time. Check The Ledger for more filings.