Auburn satisfied public notice provisions prior to its Nov. 26 city council meeting, but it didn’t fulfill them. Mary Lou Magno, the city clerk, admitted a written notice wasn’t posted in Auburn Hall until the morning of the meeting, a technical violation of the city charter.

This was offset, though, by Mayor John Jenkins’ public mention of the meeting on Nov. 19, and the city’s announcement of the meeting through an e-mail alert. An agenda and notice of the meeting were also posted on the city’s Web site, www.auburnmaine.gov.

Failing to post the notice, per the charter, was an oversight. We’ve urged Auburn to follow its charter closely, however, and now remind it to keep close its guiding document, and not let minor mistakes lead to major ones.

We also credit Ed Desgrosseilliers for pointing out the oversight; the city’s charter is just a piece of paper, after all, unless somebody is watching and willing to invoke it. Desgrosseilliers’ objection gives it teeth.

This said, we’re also pleased the city e-mailed and posted notice of the meeting digitally. We’ve also urged Auburn to make better use of technology, which the city is doing. E-mail and online postings are no replacements for old-fashioned ink on paper, but they are just as valuable.

A good-faith effort was made to inform the public, so it’s right to drop consideration of the meeting as illegal. It wasn’t posted the way it should have been, according to the charter.

What Auburn now knows is that people are noticing. So it’s best to follow the rules – to the letter.