Dukes County hired a new treasurer last week as the regional government continues to push for the position to become appointed. 

The Dukes County Commission voted Wednesday to hire Juliet Mulinare and she is set to start in the role on April 17. Ms. Mulinare, a former Edgartown town employee, will be taking over for Judy Soules, who announced in January that she planned to resign this spring. 

The county government has struggled to find qualified candidates for the position, which handles financials for all the county, and the job was open for several months before Ms. Soules was hired. 

The office is elected and restricted to residents of Dukes County. The county has petitioned the state to make it an appointed one open to people living off-Island in order to increase the potential hiring pool in the future. 

The position was budgeted for a $125,000 salary, and also includes responsibilities of the human resource department and oversee the county contributory retirement system. 

The current term for the treasurer job ends in November and Ms. Mulinare would have to run for election in order to keep the job. 

Ms. Mulinare lives in Edgartown, worked in the town dredge department and helped the town with procurement. She also served on the master plan steering committee. 

In a statement from the county, Ms. Mulinare said she prepared for the new role. 

“I’m thrilled and honored to be given the opportunity to take on this challenge, meet new people, apply my skills and learn new ones,” she said. 

Ms. Soules has been working part-time to aid in the transition and Tim McLean, the former treasurer, stepped in in an interim capacity.