Longtime former Tisbury town treasurer Tim McLean will take over as county treasurer, taking on some of the duties of retiring elected treasurer Ann Metcalf, whose departure was announced earlier this month. The Dukes County commission met Monday to appoint Mr. McLean, voting unanimously to approve him for the position.

“[I] have heard terrific things about you both from fellow commissioners and our community,” county commissioner Christine Todd said to Mr. McLean.

County manager Martina Thornton said Mr. McLean was repeatedly referred to her for the position as the county searched for a new treasurer. She added that Mr. McLean’s role will likely be temporary, as the county will continue to search for a more permanent replacement for Ms. Metcalf until the 2023 election.

The commission also voted to separate the remainder of Ms. Metcalf’s salary for fiscal year 2023 into two parts: $36,450 to pay Mr. McLean and $57,000 to add to the accounting budget to pay for additional help as the county searches for a more permanent treasurer.

In a phone call to the Gazette Wednesday, Ms. Thornton said Mr. McLean will focus on the treasury-based duties of the county treasurer. Accounting duties typically performed by the treasurer will be outsourced to a certified public accountant.

County treasurer is an elected position, and Mr. McLean’s appointment will run until the next available election in 2023. The timing of Ms. Metcalf’s resignation was such that the position could not be placed on the ballot this November. In the meantime, Mr. McLean will fill the role while the county continues to search for a treasurer.

“When we do find a qualified person, then Tim could resign and we could appoint the new person,” Ms. Thornton said.

Mr. McLean said he was ready to jump once more into the fray of government finance.

“You can thank Martina, she was the salesperson on this one,” he said.