A New Hampshire attorney and former county commissioner from the Granite State has been selected as the next Dukes county manager.

At a special meeting Wednesday the Dukes County Commission voted 5-2 to offer the position to Katherine Rogers. Ms. Rogers, a former county attorney serving Merrimack County, N.H., will relocate to the Island from Concord, N.H., to accept the full-time position.

“I am pleased because she will bring a lot of know-how to the job,” said commission chairman Melinda Loberg. “She is a seasoned veteran, a person who has had a lot of experience in these kinds of things.”

Ms. Rogers was also one of two candidates who wrote thank-you letters following their interview with the county commissioners, which took place last week. Ms. Rogers served as county attorney in Merrimack, N.H., for three years. She also served as a Merrimack County commissioner from 2001 to 2009. Ms. Rogers was the only off-Island candidate.

Not all commissioners were on board with the decision and there was heated debate before the vote. Commissioner Tristan Israel voiced concern that her current off-Island residence made her unsuitable for the position. “The history on the board of bringing someone from off-Island has been spotty,” he said. “She has impressive credentials, but I hope we’re not making a big mistake.”

Others took a different view. “This borders on ‘Irish need not apply,’ ” said county commissioner Leonard Jason Jr. “We agreed to go out and get the best person for this job.”

Under the county charter, the county manager must live on the Island. “We asked this candidate many times [about moving to the Island], and the answer was always in the affirmative,” Ms. Loberg said. “This person overcame the deficit of not living here which tells me people are able to see something really remarkable about her.”

The budget allows for a salary of $63,500. The previous county manager, Russell Smith, resigned May 1 after holding the position for four years.

There were 19 applications for the position; five finalists were interviewed publicly last week.