Carbon County officially has a new clerk of courts.

On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously confirmed Francine Heaney’s nomination to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of longtime clerk of courts William McGinley in May.

Heaney’s nomination was previously approved by Gov. Tom Wolf last month.

Heaney, of Nesquehoning, will take office in the next few days after the county receives the necessary paperwork from the state. She will serve for the next year and two months. In 2019, the position will be on the ballot for a two-year term.

The office has been in disarray, with a backlog of cases from McGinley’s time in office.

In July, the commissioners said the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is investigating the office and the county’s insurance carrier was conducting an audit of the office.

Following the governor’s approval last month, Heaney said she was appreciative of the nomination.

“During my career with the county, I have worked hard to learn as much about the court system and the way it operates as possible, including the seven years in which I was a member of the clerk of courts’ staff,” she said.

According to Heaney’s resume, she has served as administrative assistant in the clerk of courts office from 2013.

Before that, she was a clerical specialist from 2006-13; legal secretary from 2005-06; corporate secretary from 2004-05; and medical secretary from 1986 to 2004.

Heaney’s nomination had been on the state’s agendas since late April, when the Democratic Party of Carbon County made the nomination in the hopes of getting a new clerk of courts approved before McGinley retired.

Billy O’Gurek Jr., chairman of the Democratic Party of Carbon County, said that the party chose Heaney because of her experience with the Carbon County court system, as well as the clerk of courts office.

The clerk of courts’ duties include attending criminal court hearings, swearing in defendants, taking notes of court proceedings and preparing court orders for judges; processing and completing various forms and documents including warrants and orders as required by the office and the courts; accepting and processing bail money, assisting in collection or receipt of money due to the office, and maintaining accurate records and reports of such transactions; preparing reports to executive agencies including the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor and Industry, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Revenue; and interacting daily with the public, other internal offices, outside employers, agencies and courts while maintaining effective working relationships with all.

The clerk of courts office, as well as the bureau of collections, has been operated by acting clerk of courts Julie Harris, who served as the second deputy under McGinley, until a clerk of courts was confirmed by the state.

According to state law, the acting clerk of courts position should have been given to the first deputy, but that position remains unfilled.