Retiring parliamentarian is by-the-book guy

Special to the Green Valley News

Nineteen years after he started serving as parliamentarian for the Green Valley Community Coordinating Council Loren Thorson has given notice that he will be giving up the volunteer post.

Knowing that parliamentarians are a rather rare breed, Thorson has given one year’s notice.

If a replacement is found sooner, he’ll step aside.

The numbers are adding up for Thorson, who said he’s outlived two life insurance policies. He’ll celebrate his 60th anniversary with his wife, Marion, in September and he’ll turn 90 in November.

Thorson’s role as parliamentarian was somewhat circuitous. In 1940, an opportunity presented itself with the U.S. Navy. This was pre-World War II and his plans were to be in the Navy for a year to earn money for college.

“I thought I’d be home in a year but then World War II broke out and I returned home five years later,” he said.

By then the G.I. Bill was in place, Thorson went back to school, got his Master’s degree in recreation and his last 17 years of employment were as chief of recreation for the Wisconsin Bureau of State Parks.

One thing led to another and while living in Madison, Wis., he was asked to run for the 21-member Town Council.

On several occasions he acted as mayor and that’s where he became knowledgeable with parliamentary procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order.

“Meetings are a matter of law and order. Things have to run according to the book. It’s like football or basketball... there have to be rules of order.”

Learning the Rules

After many years of meetings, Thorson has gotten to know Robert’s Rules of Order virtually by heart, and terms such as call to order, abstain, point of order, make a motion and quorum are part of his everyday lexicon.

“As situations came up, or as I saw situations that might come up, I wondered what we would do and read up on it. Many times it paid off.

“The secret is to know where to go to look for the answer.

“A majority (one more than half) is probably the cornerstone of Robert’s Rules,” he said.

However, if the number of votes cast is an odd number such as 115, then half of 115 is 57, so a majority would be 58.

It’s these fine points that Thorson knows well, pointing out the differences between the words shall and may.

“‘You shall’ is very different from ‘you may,’” he said.

Helping hand to widows

Donating his parliamentarian services gratis isn’t the only way Thorson has served residents of Green Valley.

In 2001, he spoke with some widows who were unaware of the government’s Tricare for Life medical program, which acts as second payer picking up costs that Medicare doesn’t.

Tricare for Life is available to military retirees and spouses, widows and in some cases divorcees if they have not remarried.

“The greatest emotional experience I’ve ever had was bringing those widows to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and seeing their joy getting their Tricare ID card.

“My wife refers to me as a medical angel,” Thorson said modestly.

Regarding his year’s notice of resignation as GVCCC parliamentarian, he compares himself to the Maytag repairman — someone who’s around but whose services aren’t needed much.

“If I reach 20 years I would say I’ve reached my self-gratification goal... This is my last hurrah. GVCCC will be free to call me and if people ask for advice I’ll gladly give it.”

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.

A history of the rules

Henry Martyn Robert was an engineering officer in the Army in the late 1800s, when without warning he was asked to preside over a public meeting at a church in his community.

Realizing he didn’t know how to run a meeting he tried anyway, was greatly embarrassed and vowed never to attend another meeting until he was more familiar with parliamentary law.

Due to his military duties he was transferred to various parts of the U.S. where he found virtual parliamentary anarchy because officers from different parts of the country had differing ideas of correct procedure.

To bring order out of chaos, Robert decided to write Robert’s Rules of Order, which has become the country’s recognized guide to orderly and fairly-conducted meetings. At its heart is the rule of majority with respect for the minority.

The first edition was published in 1876; the tenth edition is due out in 2010.