AUBURN - Mary Lou Picciano has made herself a fixture of Thursday evening council meetings, but new regulations may change that.

The Auburn resident is on a crusade to have the city investigate the alleged excessive force an Auburn Police officer used in the August 2004 arrest of her son.

However, her latest speech during the Auburn City Council meeting has sent city leaders scrambling to reform the public comment portion of the weekly meeting.

Last week, Picciano named an officer whom she accused of excessive physical contact. Previously, she claimed a city employee, referred to by name, made a police report against the mayor.

The mayor couldn't rule out of order Picciano's violation of pointing to individuals last week because the council failed to read an outline of procedures. At the mayor's request, the clerk reads a list of rules for speakers, limiting their time to three minutes, and asking their comments to remaining respectful in nature.

Picciano has received warnings before not to use names.

“The last few months we've been giving a lot of latitude,” Corporation Counsel Thomas Leone said.

Policy states that they don't discuss individuals names and speakers treat all the council equally, not referring to any one person alone. It also prohibits personal attacks and abusive or defamatory language.

Any change in policy won't limit speech but rather will allow council to gain more control, Leone said.

“We need a consistent format,” he said.

The council will discuss different options and are to draft a specific policy addressing the public to be heard during a work session Thursday, Oct. 12.

Mayor Timothy Lattimore asked about turning off the camera that records each meeting for broadcast later in the week. Another option is to have the tape edited or the audio erased in the case of a controversial remark.

Leone clarified that the edited version would be broadcast, but an original copy would remain intact.

Councilor David Dempsey wondered who would edit the tapes and expressed concern about one person deeming certain material unfit.

“This is not a free-for-all,” Leone said.

A specific policy is necessary to protect the city employees.

“I have an open door policy,” Lattimore said. “(Council meetings) are not the place to discuss personnel issues. Our staff are hard-working people.”

Lattimore asked about a provision that would address “repeated material.”

Picciano, who sat quiet during most of the discussion, responded by calling out “You're unbelievable” from the fourth row.

She frequently voiced her dedication to coming to the weekly meeting until she gets justice for her son - a subject she calls for nearly every week.

“It's not going to work, Mr. Lattimore,” she said.

Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311 ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net