The Democratic Foundation of Our Association
The ASSOCIATION DE SAUVEGARDE DU PATRIMOINE DE LA BOURDINIERE SAINT LOUP is established under the legal statutes of the French Law of July 1, 1901, and the Decree of August 16, 1901. Our organization is founded on principles of civic responsibility, collective decision-making, and total financial transparency. Unlike commercial corporations governed by profit-driven boards, every decision within our association is guided exclusively by the public interest and the physical preservation of the communal heritage of La Bourdinière-Saint-Loup.
Our governance model ensures that every member holds an equal voice in shaping institutional priorities. From approving major restoration campaigns on the Saint-Loup parish church to ratifying annual expenditure budgets, all strategic decisions are debated openly and decided by vote during our annual General Assemblies.
The Board of Directors (Bureau & Conseil d'Administration)
The day-to-day administration and operational management of our association are entrusted to an elected Board of Directors. In accordance with Article 8 of our registered association bylaws, every officer serves on an entirely voluntary, uncompensated basis. No member of the board receives any remuneration, honorarium, bonus, or commercial dividend of any kind.
| Executive Office | Institutional Responsibilities | Term & Election | Remuneration |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Official legal representative; coordinates public authority relations; chairs General Assemblies; oversees conservation planning. | Elected 3-Year Mandate (Renewable) | €0.00 (100% Volunteer) |
| Secretary General | Maintains statutory registries; drafts meeting minutes; manages official correspondence with the Prefecture and municipal offices. | Elected 3-Year Mandate (Renewable) | €0.00 (100% Volunteer) |
| Treasurer | Supervises accounting ledgers; prepares annual budgets; manages public subsidy grants; interfaces with independent financial auditors. | Elected 3-Year Mandate (Renewable) | €0.00 (100% Volunteer) |
| Field Operations Director | Coordinates volunteer restoration days; manages technical heritage consultations; oversees site safety and equipment logistics. | Elected 3-Year Mandate (Renewable) | €0.00 (100% Volunteer) |
Democratic Assemblies & Voting Quorum
The sovereignty of our association resides in the Annual General Assembly (Assemblée Générale Ordinaire), convened each spring in the municipal hall of La Bourdinière-Saint-Loup. Notice of the General Assembly is communicated to all registered members and publicly displayed at the municipal town hall at least 15 days in advance.
The agenda of each General Assembly comprises:
- Presentation and debate of the Moral & Activity Report delivered by the President, detailing all conservation works and educational programs completed over the past 12 months.
- Detailed examination and line-by-line review of the Financial Statement and Accounts presented by the Treasurer.
- Formal reading of the Internal Audit Certificate issued by two independent member-auditors.
- Democratic vote on the discharge of the Board of Directors and adoption of the provisional budget for the forthcoming fiscal year.
- Renewal of expiring board mandates by secret ballot or open show of hands according to assembly consensus.
Decisions are validly adopted under a statutory quorum requiring the presence or direct proxy representation of at least one-third of registered active members. Resolutions are passed by a simple majority of votes cast, guaranteeing democratic legitimacy.
Transparent Budget Allocation & Financial Governance
Because our revenues are derived from public municipal grants, private charitable gifts, and member dues, we hold ourselves to rigorous standards of fiscal discipline. Operating expenses are kept to an absolute minimum—under 4% of total revenue—allowing 96% of all available financial resources to be directed into physical heritage restoration and free educational public activities.
| Budget Category | Allocation Percentage | Direct Civic Utility & Operations |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Masonry & Monument Works | 52.0% | Purchasing natural hydraulic lime, local Beauce limestone, scaffold rentals, and specialized stone-carving masonry tools. |
| Vernacular Heritage Maintenance | 24.5% | Restoration materials for communal washhouses (lavoirs), timber truss reinforcement, iron cross anti-corrosion treatments. |
| Educational & Public Programs | 14.5% | Printing free visitor heritage maps, installing bilingual interpretive plaques, and school educational workshop supplies. |
| Digital Archiving & Research | 5.5% | High-resolution scanning of historical cadastres, archival preservation folders, and hosting our open-access public registry. |
| Statutory Insurance & Administration | 3.5% | Public liability insurance for volunteer fieldwork sites, legal compliance filings, and essential postal correspondence. |
| Executive Salaries & Director Bonuses | 0.0% | STRICTLY ZERO: All governance and leadership roles are 100% volunteer and uncompensated. |
Ethical Safeguards, Conflicts of Interest & Auditing
To preclude any appearance of conflict of interest, Article 12 of our internal regulations forbids any board member, or their immediate family members, from entering into commercial procurement contracts with the association. Any external contractor engaged for specialized scaffolding or historic stained-glass conservation must be selected through open competitive bidding submitted to the full Board of Directors.
Furthermore, each fiscal year-end, two independent internal auditors—elected directly by the General Assembly from among general association members who do not sit on the Board of Directors—conduct an exhaustive audit of all bank statements, invoices, receipt books, and grant certificates. Their signed audit report is read in full during the General Assembly and published in our open public archives on `reports.php`.