AUBURN – After contentious debate that included some anger and raised voices, the Auburn School Committee voted 5-2 Wednesday to move one assistant principal at the high school and another at the middle school to other jobs.

The vote also eliminated former Superintendent Barbara Eretzian’s $45,000 consultant contract.

The proposal was offered by city Councilor Ron Potvin, the mayor’s representative on the committee. Potvin stressed the change will not cost anyone their job, and will save taxpayers about $150,000.

The move also reduced the number of school administrators in Auburn, which he said are too many, compared to state’s Essential Programs and Services formula and to other districts. Also, Eretzian’s contract, which paid her $45,000 for 60 days work, has been controversial. Superintendent Tom Morrill said Eretzian has worked past those 60 days, and is still working, essentially volunteering.

According to Wednesday’s vote, one of the assistant principals will become principal at the Washburn Elementary School, a position now vacant. The other will help in the superintendent’s office and oversee the high school and middle school.

The 5-2 vote was split among veteran and newer members. Bonnie Hayes and David Das voted against, insisting the decisions not be made until the board sees the budget next week. Then it could be considered with other changes. To take the action before getting the budget “would be shortsighted,” Das said. “Everyone knows what we need to do. We know we need to make cuts. I really do want to see the entire budget.”

But Potvin, Jason Pawlina, Francois Bussiere, Lane Feldman and Larry Pelletier voted in favor, saying cuts are going to have to be made. Potvin’s proposal “has a lot of merit. We’re not talking about letting people go. We have to take steps this year to cut expenses,” Bussiere said.

Committee member Thomas Kendall was absent.

Potvin said he made the proposal before the budget “because of the reality that exists this year. We face tough decisions.” Part of his urgency is to give good direction “before we’re faced with guns to our head budget-wise.”

Morrill cautioned that not all administration skills “are interchangable.” Speaking of Eretzian’s contract, Morrill said the former superintendent is “very, very experienced administrator” who can perform duties in a fraction of the time it would take others. Her contract “is a good value,” Morrill said.

“She’s welcome to come here on her own time without a contract,” Potvin said, adding that administration costs need to be addressed. In every line of work administration is being examined, and all workers are being asked to do more with less. “We need to face the facts here.”

Auburn Middle School Principal Kathi Cutler and Edward Little High School Principal Jim Miller spoke against the change.

“We’ve been down this road before,” Cutler said. Years ago after an assistant principal was cut from the middle school, educators discovered “kids were going to high school unprepared” and with emotional problems. “People were asking, ‘What’s wrong with our middle school?’ A study found we needed to go back to having two assistant principals.”

Miller criticized eliminating Eretzian’s contract, saying “you get three for one” with Eretzian’s work. If School Committee members didn’t know that, “you haven’t done your homework.”

Miller said he had a problem with the process, and they were making a decision without considering the budget. Committee members need to listen to advice “from people who have the expertise and training.”

Several Auburn city councilors blasted School Committee members, saying past budgets haven’t been upfront, and this year’s budget needs to be clear and honest. “Cuts need to be made somewhere,” Ward 1 Councilor Michael Farrell said.

Several councilors complained that teachers were blaming councilors for pending cuts. Teachers were e-mailing and lobbying elected officials with school resources and on school time, Potvin said. “That is very disturbing.”

School on March 20-21

In other business, the committee voted to convert teacher workshop days scheduled for March 20 and 21 to regular school days. Winter storms have meant Auburn and Lewiston schools have had to close on eight days. With March 20 and 21 converted to regular school days, the last day of school would be June 19, Morrill said.

He said he’ll ask the state Department of Education to waive the mandated 170 days for seniors. If that is allowed, graduation could happen as scheduled on June 7.