The Demopolis Board of Education had the unenviable task Friday of sitting through a quartet of hour-long interviews for candidates, each vying for the role of the school’s chief financial officer.

The task only becomes unenviable when you consider that the position of CFO is, arguably, one of the two most critical positions in the city school system.

The superintendent is the captain of the educational boat but the CFO is its navigator. Without the navigator, the captain is lost.

A good CFO can help effectively navigate the troubled economic waters that lie ahead. Some tough decisions are going to have to be made. It may mean putting some very good men and women out of work.

A good CFO will expose ways to either avoid that, or limit it as much as possible. These are not thick economic times for anyone, especially those in education. Funding has hardly ever been lower but expectations have hardly ever been higher.

Good luck to the board member as they choose the next steward of the school’s finances. This is a critical decision that comes at a critical time.