Well now you know one of the first things you can do at your new job: help them improve the hiring process so it isn't so stupid. Even just a 1-page document that defines the steps and the timeline within which each step should be completed, will help keep these things on track and give your next co-worker a better experience.
From what I understand, the process was so involved and long because the board could not decide - and they kept meeting to discuss/deliberate. That's also why there was a second interview too. They have also hired a part-time accounting person, and it seems the process was a lot easier since the choice was a lot clearer. I think it's just a function of making decisions with 7 people around the table. The cool thing is that I get to re-negotiate my contract in 7 months. So I get to leave if I feel I've learned enough and am ready to move on. And also will have leverage to negociate more pay/vacations if they feel i do good work and they're too lazy to go through a hiring nightmare again.