Now that Auburn Mayor Timothy Lattimore and the Auburn City Council have adopted a budget for 2007-08, it is time for them to take the time to look at the way they conduct business, to better hear and involve the people they represent. On Wednesday, in this space, the issue of broadcasting every meeting was addressed #- just as much attention needs to be paid on how they handle what have now become very contentious Public Be Heard sessions.

These sessions have, in the last year, become a sore subject with some at city hall #- usually those who are on the receiving end of criticism #- something that all public officials should be prepared for, no matter how vitriolic.

Two of the focal points, for most of the controversy, during this time period have been Mary Lou Picciano and her questions raised over the handling of her son in a skateboard incident several years ago, and Earl Starring Jr., who says that he is running for mayor against Lattimore (while he did get a single vote in the Democratic committee meeting last month, it is not clear if he is circulating petitions to get his name on the ballot) and uses the sessions to state his differences.

On several occasions they have been called out of order or interrupted during their comments. Last week city corporation counsel John Rossi challenged both of them on crossing the line in getting personal. Rossi's comments have received mixed reviews. For example, some have suggested that he was right in challenging Picciano, who has continually attacked members of the Auburn Police Department and city council. Others have been uncomfortable with Rossi suggesting that addressing city council is a “privilege and not a right.” Legally, he is correct. Yet, in the fundamental sprit of the democratic ideals that we celebrate this week - there are some who think that it is the elected that are being overly protected and not the rights of the general public, whom they represent. On the one hand you have an individual, whose basic complaint is the same week in and week out. Yes, it is monotonous for those who sit on the other side of the brass bar that represent the government.

At the same time, one should be able to address their grievances to the elected #- no matter how boring or repetitive it may seem. What the council does need to figure out is a way to not bar such comments, but to sit through them, not get into petty debates and keep the rules for Public Be Heard sessions uniform and equally enforced, whether the speaker is in favor of city policies or attacking them.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com