First Time President's Checklist

So, you’ve been elected president of your local association! Congratulations! Where do you go from here? We hope this checklist will help you get started.

1. Contact Membership Coordinator Julie Neeley at the WPPA Madison Office about the change of officers for your local association:
   
   Julie Neeley
   340 Coyier Lane
   Madison WI 53713
   608-273-3840
   800-362-8838
   608-273-3904 (FAX)
   JNeeley@wppa.com
   
   
2. Give her your local association’s name and the names and addresses of the newly-elected officers. Also, she will need the work and home telephone numbers of the president and treasurer. (The numbers will be used only for Association business.)
   
   
3. If you are a full-service local of the WPPA, contact your local association’s business agent. You will find contact information for WPPA business agents under “Business Agents” on this web site. If you do not know who your business agent is, contact the WPPA Madison office at 608-273-3840 or 800-362-8838.
   
   
4. Advise your business agent about the new officers of your local association and give him their telephone numbers and addresses. The telephone numbers are very important to the business agent; it is hard to do business without them. Also, provide him with the best times to call.
   
   
5. Ask your business agent if he would like to correspond via e-mail. For some business agents, this is a very efficient way to do business.
   
   
6. Ask your business agent about any current issues that he may be working on for your local association, such as outstanding grievances and current contract status.
   
   
7. If your agreement will expire during your term as president, you should decide who will represent your association during bargaining. Discuss this with your business agent.
   
   
8. Ask your business agent how he wants your local association to handle grievances.
   
   
9. Thoroughly review your current collective bargaining agreement and your local association’s bylaws. To view sample bylaws for local associations, look under “Resources” and click on “Sample Bylaws.”
   
   
10. As soon as possible, schedule a meeting with the newly-elected officers of your local association and, if applicable, the local association’s board members. At this meeting, make sure each officer knows his or her duties.
    
    
11. Useful committees that you may wish to form:
    • Fund-Raising
    • Political Action
    • Public Relations
    • Grievance
    • Bargaining
      
      
12. Ask the past president of your local association about fund-raising activities of your local.
    
    
13. Have your local association’s books audited.
    
    
14. General meetings of your local association should be held in accordance with your bylaws or, in the absence of bylaws, as needed to conduct the business of your association. If your local association does not have bylaws, follow Robert’s Rules of Order in your association meetings.
    
    
15. If you have questions, contact your business agent or the WPPA Madison office.
    
    
16. Please feel free to print out this checklist.