Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, July 05, 2008
Robert Monk finds keys to local democracy in knowledge of procedure
Robert Monk is a man of rules. A man of order. A man of the book.
His briefcase holds a well-thumbed leather-bound copy of “Robert’s Rules of Order,” a guide to procedure for running democratic meetings.
There’s also a copy of Henry M. Robert’s Parliamentary Law, a “very esoteric” tome by the same author.
 Registered parliamentarian Robert Monk is an expert on Roberts Rules of Order and educates boards on how to follow those rules. PETER THOMSON photo |
Monk is a registered parliamentarian, certified for his deep knowledge of parliamentary procedure — from motions to minutes, officers to elections. There are only nine active registered or professional parliamentarians in Wisconsin.
It is a profession but also a passion for the 57-year-old Monk, who proudly wears the National Association of Parliamentarians’ gold mace pin on his lapel.
Monk can talk at length on rules, whether, for instance a motion is privileged or subsidiary, or whether an amendment is in order.
He recognizes that his knowledge outstrips most people’s interest, but he holds the rules of order sacred because they are designed to protect everyone’s rights. The majority may rule when it comes to a vote, but proper procedure ensures minority voices are heard — when they’re in order.
“It creates the most fair playing field for everyone involved,” he said.
A native of Waukesha, Wis., Monk came to La Crosse in 1970 and studied physical and health education at UW-L. He worked for years as an administrator for a speech pathology practice owned by his wife, Vicki Monk.
In the early 1990s, he joined the Habitat for Humanity’s board of directors. He served on other community boards and developed a reputation as a skilled fundraiser.
“I found I loved the work,” he said.
After years of serving on boards of community organizations, he thought he knew something about how to conduct a meeting. But then he discovered the National Association of Parliamentarians, an organization dedicated to the principles and practices of democratic decision making.
“I didn’t know anything,” he said.
He began studying Robert’s Rules of Order and passed a test drawn from 300 procedural questions to become a member of the NAP.
Then his real quest began.
For more than a year, Monk studied six hours a day, often in his Jeep at Riverside Park.
“I didn’t see much of him,” Vicki Monk said of that year.
The cover fell off his study guide. The pages are stained and wrinkled from flipping back and forth as Monk quizzed himself to prepare for the 300-question exam.
The exam itself took nearly a full day.
The accreditation recognizes Monk’s knowledge of procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order. Monk is now pursuing NAP certification as a professional registered parliamentarian, a designation for parliamentarians trained to teach others.
For a fee, Monk provides guidance to boards — both public and private. He offers a three-hour seminar about procedure, which he did in 2006 for the La Crosse School District Board of Education.
“He knows his stuff,” said Christine Clair, president of the board. “He explains it in such a way that it’s easy for a chair and other board members to understand why this is the way it is.”
Boards sometimes have Monk sit in on meetings — usually for sensitive issues such as contract ratification — to guide them on procedure. Monk was hired to sit in when the school board approved its questions for last fall’s referendum — a safeguard against future challenges.
“We wanted to make sure someone wouldn’t question the process,” said Superintendent Jerry Kember. “He’s great at process.”
But never on the substance of an issue.
When advising a board, a parliamentarian is obligated to remain impartial, Monk said.
“I’m as neutral as a book.”
Chris Hubbuch can be reached at (608) 791-8217 or at chubbuch@lacrossetribune.com.
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