Coupeville resident Kelly Beech joined the staff at Coupeville Town Hall last week.

Beech is the new town clerk-treasurer, replacing Judy Thomas, who retired this month.

Ten people applied for the position.

Mayor Nancy Conard said Beech was chosen because she has experience in public finance and is used to being in an environment where she has to know a lot of different things.

It’s also a bonus she’s lived in Coupeville for 14 years, she said.

While new to town hall, Beech is no stranger to the community.

Having moved to the island 22 years ago, Beech has been a steady worker in the Coupeville School District for 10 years.

She has held such positions as the secretary of the Cedar Program, which served as a home school support program; a transition specialist helping students coming back from juvenile detention; a technology teacher at the Cedar Program; and most recently a fiscal assistant.

She said there was a time when she held all of those jobs at once.

Beech said she applied for the town position because it was similar to what she was doing with the school district, but with higher responsibility.

She said she’s always looking at moving forward.

Her first day on the job was last Wednesday.

“I can’t wait to get into it,” she said. “I’m looking forward to working more with people in the community and working with the mayor.”

“She does such great things. I can’t wait to work with her.”

Beech has two children, one grown and one an eighth-grader in the school district. Her husband is a former Island County Sheriff’s deputy who is currently assisting the City of Langley’s police force.