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PAGE 12, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1976, WHITBY FREEPRESS Whitby's Deputy Clerk Brian Switzer (right>, who is resigning from his position to take on the same job in Oshiawa, talks business with Jack Frost who worked for the Town for 48 years before retiring in 1971. Mr. Switzer hopes to one day become administrator of a municipality, as Mr. Frost was for approximately f ive years. Free Press Photo Bin Sitzer:O An ambtitous Young man orpower hungry egotist? By BLAKE PURDY Staff Writer Brian Swîtzcr's resignation as l)eputy Clerk of* the Town sliould nut be viewed as an end tu a job. lnstcad, it sliuuldbe louked upon as anuther step in Mir. Switzer's career in miunicipal goverrnment, a carecr whichi lie hupes vill one day se hlmi, literally, running an entire cumimunity. As it is nuw, Mr. Switzer hias sunie pretty hieavy respuiîsibilities resting on his shoulders, r Thuse responisibilitie- dlIl take un mure weighit ,vlen Mir. Switzer assumies the duties as Oshawa's Deputy Clerk ji, Nuvemiber. Althuugh hle is sonmewhat apprehiensive about adjusting tu new peuple and a new syste i in Oshawa, M r. Switzer is confident that lie cati liandle the jub. I will give Oshawa I10O per cent", lie says. "I feel 1 have a lut tu uffer thern and 1 ain sure that it will be a rnutally beneficial tenure uf employment". The big plus in bis favour, Mr. Switzer feels, is the fact that hie has worked for municipalities of various sizes. "I can bring to your inunicipality that broad base of experience", says Mr.1 Switzer in case anyone is1 listening in Oshawa. I have1 the capability of adapting to1 different environments". The different environ- mnents Mr. Switzer is talking about are Nepean, a township t of 71 ,000 near Ottawa, an 'd, of course, Whitby, our town 1 of 28,500. The 28-year-old Ottawa f native's career in municipal V~ government began in 1969 f as junior tax clerk in Nepean. r( Mr. Switzer earned $3,600 a y year. S Mr. Switzer then worked tl as the township's senior tax d clerk, paymiaster aind assistant « clerk before applying for lits current position. c Mr. Switzer began his jo as Whitby's Deputy Clerk or March Il1, 1974. lie nov earns approximately S 19,00( and, when lie moves t( Oshawa, his salary will b( 1sumewvhat in excess of that. Frumi juniior tax cleri earning S3,600 to Deputý Clerk at S 19,000 in seven-an<' a-hall' short years. "Whien 1 started seven-and- a-half years ago, 1 never expected to be where 1 arr nuow", says Mr. Switzer. "I dun't thînk you will find many people whu have risen iii muinicipal governm-ent as fast as 1 have".* When asked why hielias climbed su quickly, Mr. Switzer attributes it to the supernatu rai. Mr. Switzer is a Pisces and Pisces are supposed to be able tu look into the future and sec what lies ahiead for thern. "I dun't look at the current day's job," he says. "1Ilook at the future" Mr. Switzer also believes iii fate-que sera sera, whatever will be will be. "I believe in destiny", lie says. "Everything is meant to be". Example: When Mr. Switzer applied for lis current position, lie also applied for a position in Vancouver, one for which lie feels lie was more qualified. Wel1, he was turned down by Vancouver and the rest is history. "Somebody was Iooking out fo r me", says Mr. Switzer and he is glad, glad of the opportunity to work in Nhitby, especially with Clerk Bill Wallace. "1 arn extremely grateful for the opportunity that Bill Wallace gave me and the con- fidence lie expressed -In a relatively inexperienced and young individual", says Mr. Switzer. "You just can't find that in municipal government". "Bill Wallace. is a~ trenien- Jous inidividu?,l", lie says. '1Heois one of the most b worked for". n Aithougli Mr. Switzer %Venjoyed working with Mr. ýOWallace and in Whitby, it was 0time for himi to make a move, e a move hc' on tlie ue klooks like a lateral rather than an upward one., y But, it is an upward move, binsists Mr: Switzer. He believes that, when lie seeks a position as administrator of a munici- r pality, potiential employers 1will be more impressed by 1bis experience as Oshawa's Deputy Clerk than as Whitby's Deputy Clerk. s "There are advantages to Sbeing in a larger municipality", says Mr. Switzer. Advantages which lie liopes will push hlmi further up the ladder of municipal government. "The higlier 1 climb, the more responsibilities 1 have and the more power I wield", lie says. I1 want to be an adminis- trator", says Mr. Switzer. "An administrator runs the whole show and«I want to run the wliole show". When asked wliylhe is s0 ambitious, hie replies I came from nothing. Wlien you are a have flot, you want lots and 1 want lots. That is what drives me". However, the climb up the ladder of municipal govern- ment can be a risky one, Mr. Switzer believes, especially when it is being done at the rapid pace lie is doing it at. "The turtie only gets aliead because it sticks out its neck", lie says. "There are a lot of people these days wlio won't stick out their necks". "This kid is going to keep pushing and pushing as long as lie can", says Mr. Switzer. "Witli my drive and desire to keep moving, 1 sit back sometimes and wonder when I am going to get to the point where the Peter Principal is applicable"'. "Somnetirnes' I think there isn't a goddamin thing 1 can't do", he savs.