The new city clerk in Idaho Springs is resident Tami DuBois.

DuBois is replacing former city clerk Reba Bechtel, who stepped down from the elected position to pursue an appointed clerk’s position in Central City. Bechtel was elected in an uncontested race in 2005.

DuBois, a former teacher, was hired effective Jan. 18 and began working in City Hall full-time last week. DuBois will be paid $38,000 a year.

Idaho Springs City Administrator Cindy Condon said the city received 18 applications for the position. Of those, only eight met the mandatory qualification of living in the city. DuBois was one of the final four interviewed for the position. DuBois will serve the remainder of Bechtel’s term; Bechtel was re-elected last November.

“From all the applications that we had, I think she was the best choice,” Condon said. “I think the council did a great appointment — and I’m glad we work with her.”

Condon added that she thought DuBois was personable and came with a lot of great ideas.

DuBois originally moved to Idaho Springs in 1996 when her husband, Dave DuBois, was hired on as the high school principal. Their jobs eventually took them to several other states, while they maintained a home in Idaho Springs. When her husband died in 2006, DuBois returned permanently to Idaho Springs.

DuBois taught home economics for 15 years in Kansas and has worked as a secretary and most recently as a medical insurance billing encoder in Lakewood for the past three years.

She has three adult children — one of whom is a police officer in Kansas.

DuBois said she found out about the job after a friend called her and gave her the details. She mailed her resume and application, and was called back for an interview only a few days later.

DuBois said one of the major reasons she wanted the job as city clerk was so she could work within the community.

“… I was tired of driving down the hill. It was costing me gas money and wear and tear of vehicle, mileage — and I never knew what was going on in town,” DuBois said. “… I wanted to be a part of my community.”

She said her first few days on the job were a little hectic but her experience as a teacher helped with both time management and organization.

She said one of the things she was most looking forward to is changing her commute from a long drive to a short walk.

“I get to walk to work — it’s only five blocks from home,” DuBois said.

She said the city clerk’s position is intriguing because much of the time it requires her to do some investigating to find answers to residents’ questions.

“It is not going to be a mundane job. It is going to be something different every time the phone is picked up or somebody comes to the counter — it is something different,” DuBois said. “… To me, it keeps the job more interesting, and you don’t get bored with it.”

Contact Ian Neligh at couranteditor@evergreenco.com, and check www.clearcreekcourant.com for updates and breaking news.