New Langley finance director appointed

The position will soon be vacated by Wanda Grone, who announced her retirement last month.

The city of Langley has found a new finance director.

During a meeting Monday night, the city council confirmed the appointment of Kelly Beech to the position, which will soon be vacated by Wanda Grone, who announced her retirement last month.

In a memo to the council, Mayor Kennedy Horstman wrote that Beech “brings a depth of knowledge regarding municipal finance in Washington state, as well as significant experience with Vision Financials, the city’s current financial system.”

According to Beech’s LinkedIn page, she served as the clerk treasurer for the town of Coupeville from 2014 to 2022. She also worked as a fiscal assistant for the Coupeville School District for three years.

Beech will start work Oct. 1 and overlap with Grone for two weeks until Oct. 15. Horstman said her salary will be $98,000.