A swirling debate over one of the top appointed positions in Maui County government came to a unanimous conclusion Friday.

The Maui County Council confirmed Moana Lutey, the county’s former top attorney, as clerk in a 9-0 vote. She will serve as the county’s top election official and administrator for the council through 2025.

The council had extended its recruitment process after members of the public aired concerns over Lutey, including her handling of a number of the county’s legal issues, such as the battle over the county’s injection wells.

The council vetted her and 10 other applicants before making its decision. The council also chose Richelle Thomson as deputy clerk.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by grants from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation and the Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation.