From Receptionist to Mayor

Sally Rae at the ODT reports:

From Mackenzie District Council receptionist to the district’s new mayor – Claire Barlow is finding her new position “very exciting and quite surreal”.

Mrs Barlow (47), who is Mackenzie’s first female mayor, beat two sitting councillors, Graeme Page and Dave Pullen, for the top job after John O’Neill decided not to seek re-election. …

In her job, she had been meeting the public for the past seven years and had an indication of their frustrations.

As a council staff member, she saw things she wanted to achieve but could not do it from the receptionist’s position.

She could not stand for council and also continue as receptionist so “I thought I’ll go for the top”.

She decided she had nothing to lose and was “stoked” with the result.

Congratulations to Mrs Barlow. Some people look down at receptionists (NB I spent several years part-time as a receptionist), and it’s a nice sign that people judge someone on their merits – not on a stereotype about the sort of jib they hold.