Governance, Accountability & Ethical Stewardship
Operating under the statutory framework of the French Association Loi 1901, our leadership is entirely voluntary, democratically elected, and committed to total fiscal and operational transparency.
Democratic Foundations of Our Non-Profit Association
Association Groupe Maison Civile et Militaire Murat (registered under RNA W281009580 and SIREN 881559082) is structured around democratic participation, peer oversight, and the selfless civic dedication of its members. We maintain an institutional framework designed to ensure that every public subsidy, membership fee, and volunteer effort directly advances our cultural and educational missions without compromise.
Unlike commercial corporations or private ventures, our association has no shareholders, generates no private profits, and distributes no dividends. Under French law governing non-profit entities (Loi du 1er juillet 1901), our assets and revenues belong exclusively to the legal collective entity and are irrevocably committed to the public interest. In the statutory event of dissolution, all remaining assets must be transferred to another certified non-profit cultural organization or local municipality, as required by public law.
The Sovereign General Assembly (Assemblée Générale)
The highest governing body of the association is the Sovereign General Assembly of Members, convened annually at our registered seat in Bailleau-le-Pin (or via accessible digital modalities for remote members). The General Assembly exercises supreme statutory oversight through the following democratic mechanisms:
- Electoral Mandate: Every active member possessing up-to-date statutory status holds equal voting power (one member, one vote). The assembly democratically elects members of the Board of Directors (Conseil d'Administration) for renewable terms of three years.
- Approval of Annual Accounts: The Treasurer presents the full audited financial ledger, detailing every revenue source and expenditure line item. The assembly reviews and votes upon the formal discharge (quitus) of financial stewardship.
- Moral & Activity Reports: The President delivers an exhaustive moral report summarizing the educational outcomes, exhibition attendance, public school engagements, and archival acquisitions achieved during the preceding twelve months.
- Strategic Orientation & Budgetary Authorization: The assembly deliberates and establishes the strategic priorities, safety policies, and provisional operating budget for the forthcoming operational year.
The Executive Bureau (Bureau Exécutif)
Elected by the Board of Directors from among its members, the Executive Bureau manages the day-to-day administrative, legal, and operational responsibilities of the association. In strict adherence to our non-profit charter, all bureau officers serve entirely free of charge (bénévolat total), receiving zero salary, fees, or personal remuneration.
Jean-Marc V.
Responsible for statutory representation, institutional liaison with municipal authorities, prefectural filings, and overall strategic guidance. Volunteer since 2018.
Hélène R.
Directs historical research, archival authenticity verification, museum coordination, and public lecture curricula across the region.
Éric D.
Manages administrative records, General Assembly minutes, membership registers, legal compliance filings, and institutional correspondence.
Marie-Laure P.
Supervises financial ledgers, banking relationships, grant applications, expense auditing, and statutory transparency publications.
Specialized Operational Commissions
To guarantee rigorous execution and safety across all public events, the Board of Directors delegates specific oversight to four permanent technical commissions:
1. Commission for Historical Authenticity & Archival Research
Examines and validates every piece of uniform, equipment, and educational documentation used in public presentations. This committee reviews original archival manuscripts from the Service Historique de la Défense (SHD), verifying textile dyes, regimental button insignia, and civil court etiquette to ensure total historical integrity.
2. Commission for Public Safety & Civil Protection
Ensures strict compliance with French civil security standards during living history encampments. This includes establishing secure perimeters for cavalry exercises, managing medical first-aid protocols in collaboration with local fire and rescue services (SDIS), and verifying comprehensive civil liability insurance coverage.
3. Commission for Educational Outreach & Pedagogical Access
Coordinates directly with school inspection academies, colleges, and community centers. Develops free pedagogical dossiers, tactile teaching kits, and student activity sheets that integrate living history into the national educational curriculum.
4. Commission for Equine Well-Being & Animal Stewardship
Oversees veterinary care, transport conditions, and humane classical dressage training for all horses participating in living history cavalry displays. Enforces strict rest intervals, field shelter requirements, and humane tack inspections.
Statutory Voting Procedures, Quorum & Democratic Safeguards
To safeguard our non-profit mission against factionalism or arbitrary decision-making, the association's statutes establish precise procedural rules governing all formal deliberations. The Ordinary General Assembly requires a minimum attendance quorum of one-quarter of registered active members, present in person or represented by written proxy. If this quorum threshold is not attained during the initial call, a second assembly is convened within fifteen days, authorized to deliberate validly regardless of the number of members present.
Decisions of the Ordinary General Assembly are taken by a simple majority vote of active members. For Extraordinary General Assemblies—convened exclusively for statutory amendments, territorial seat relocations, or asset transfers—a strict two-thirds majority of voting members present or represented is required, alongside a higher initial quorum threshold of one-third of the membership. All ballots pertaining to the election of individual Board members are conducted by secret ballot upon request of any individual member, ensuring complete electoral freedom and mutual respect.
Internal Regulations (Règlement Intérieur) & Volunteer Conduct
While our registered statutes define the legal skeleton of the association, our Internal Regulations govern the practical, day-to-day interactions and standards of conduct expected of every participating volunteer. Key provisions include:
- Commitment to Secular Inclusivity (Laïcité): In strict compliance with Republican civil principles, our living history activities welcome all citizens regardless of religious creed, philosophical conviction, or political allegiance. Proselytism, partisan political campaigning, and discriminatory behavior of any nature are strictly banned within all association activities and encampments.
- Historical Objectivity & Archival Honesty: Members agree to portray historical personas and deliver public explanations with fidelity to primary sources. Exaggeration, romanticization of warfare, and historical negationism are grounds for immediate disciplinary review.
- Safety of Material Replicas: Any bladed sabers or period weapons utilized in living history displays must remain peaceable educational objects. All edge weapons must have blunted safety edges, and firing black powder firearms is prohibited unless explicitly authorized under separate prefectural permits with certified pyrotechnic safety officers present.
- Care of Association Heritage Assets: Uniforms, saddles, tents, and educational displays purchased with public grants or membership dues are inventoried with unique catalog numbers and must be cleaned, conditioned, and stored in our climate-controlled archive in Bailleau-le-Pin.
Zero Conflict of Interest Charter
"Board members and executive officers are strictly prohibited from entering into commercial contracts with the association, receiving private financial benefits from association vendors, or using association assets for commercial purposes. All procurement of heritage textiles and tools is conducted transparently under competitive quotes."
Fiscal Transparency & Public Accounting Protocols
Financial integrity is the cornerstone of public trust. The association maintains open double-entry bookkeeping under the oversight of our certified Treasurer and an independent internal audit committee elected by the General Assembly.
All public subsidies awarded by municipalities, department councils (Conseil Départemental d'Eure-et-Loir), or regional cultural directories (DRAC) are tracked in dedicated ledger accounts and audited against the specific educational outcomes for which they were granted. Our annual balance sheets, income statements, and activity metrics are published openly on our portal for public inspection.
Public Accountability & Prefectural Compliance
Every modification to our administrative board, change in executive officers, or amendment to our registered articles of association is formally transmitted within thirty days to the Prefecture of Eure-et-Loir in Chartres, in full accordance with Article 5 of the Law of July 1, 1901. Furthermore, our legal publications are cataloged in the Official Journal of Associations (Journal Officiel des Associations et Fondations d'Entreprise - JOAFE), ensuring permanent public record and institutional legitimacy.
Join the Civic Governance of Our Heritage
We actively encourage civic engagement in our administrative and research structures. Any active member who has completed one year of volunteer participation is eligible to stand for election to the Board of Directors, bringing fresh expertise, energy, and community perspective to our non-profit mission.