The Edgartown select board on Tuesday appointed Sheetal Grande as its next tax collector to replace Melissa Kuehne who will retire in June after over 35 years on the job.

Last year Edgartown changed the collector position from elected to appointed, making Ms. Grande the town’s first appointed collector.

Ms. Grande comes to Edgartown from Oak Bluffs where she is the assistant collector. She also holds two advanced degrees in municipal government from Suffolk University.

“Finance is my strong skill. At the end it makes me feel good,” Ms. Grande said. “This job is what I’m passionate about.”

The select board received four applicants and interviewed three finalists in the meeting room of the town hall on Tuesday afternoon. The other two finalists were Meghan Montesion, the assessor data collector in West Tisbury, and Ken Romero, a financial support specialist at the Edgartown School.

The select board asked the finalists 10 questions about why they wanted the job, their experience and why they were the best candidate. Board members quickly came to a consensus after each expressed their preference for Ms. Grande because of her experience.

“[Ms. Grande] stood out with her experience and the way she manages things,” selectwoman Margaret Serpa said.

The decision was hard because all three candidates were qualified, selectman Arthur Smadbeck said.

“Any one of these people could definitely do this job and it’s gratifying to know that we have this level of interest in Edgartown,” Mr. Smadbeck said.

The position would be a step up in Ms. Grande’s career, she said.

“I’m ready to move forward, focusing on myself, my career and see if I can meet my potential,” Ms. Grande said.