This had to be a tough job to fill — so much so that the job has been split in two.

But given the challenges of solving the real managerial problems of the troubled State Historic Preservation Division, the selection panel has hit on a reasonable solution in tapping Puaalaokalani Aiu as the new administrator.

Both Aiu and her new colleague — Nancy McMahon, hired as the archaeology and historic preservation manager — deserve a chance to set things right at this agency.

In the contentious realm of historic-site and burials protection, any candidate with experience was bound to have a record, with detractors from one side of an issue or another. Aiu was a paid consultant working on the Wal-Mart burials case, one of the most contentious of all, so the raised eyebrows from some who faced off against Wal-Mart is no surprise.

But that's no reason to obstruct the appointment of Aiu, who has rightly agreed to recuse herself from further decisions in that case.

As a team, Aiu and McMahon complement each other's skills. Aiu impressed the panel with her knowledge of the law and the communications acumen so critical in bridging the agency's divergent interests. And McMahon, who has run the division on an acting basis, has been a Department of Land and Natural Resources archaeologist for 20 years.

The panel was well-credentialed itself: Ku Kahakalau, a burial council member; retired judge Patrick Yim, a trustee of the Queen Lili'uokalani Trust; and Tim Johns, the former DLNR chairman who now heads Bishop Museum. The DLNR came to the reasoned conclusion that a team approach would work.

They now need the opportunity to tackle the work backlog and to re-establish a rational process of reviewing projects. And the work should begin now.