AUBURN — In Auburn’s only contested School Committee election, Constance J. Mercier beat Lawrence Pelletier by an unofficial count of 903-580 votes. She will represent New Auburn, or Ward 5, on the committee.

“I’m very excited and hope to do a good job,” Mercier said Tuesday night. “I have a lot to learn, and I’m going to try and get a lot of information from everybody and learn as much as I can. My heart is with it, and I’m going to give it 150 percent.”

Mercier, 67, who works at Marden’s, told the Sun Journal earlier this fall that she was running to do something for the kids. While a newcomer to politics, Mercier has a history with community organizing. In 1981 she was involved in getting busing for kids in New Auburn so
students didn’t have to walk where there were no sidewalks.

In the remaining School Committee races, there were no other challengers. Results as of 11 p.m. Tuesday were unofficial. Official results will be declared sometime Wednesday.

In Ward 4, Susan Gaylord, who served on the School Committee in 2006 and 2007, was elected
with a total of 1,491 votes to replace committee member Jason Pawlina, who did not run again.

Re-elected were: at-large members Francois Bussiere, 5,718 votes, and Chairman David Das, 5,617 votes; Ward 1, Lane Feldman, 1,428 votes; Ward 2, Bonnie Hayes, 1,477 votes; and Ward 3, Thomas Kendall, 1,430 votes.

Asked whether she would be more likely to approve higher spending for education or hold the line on taxes, Mercier said she’d favor maintaining spending. “We have to use our money wisely.”

Pelletier, 62, sought re-election “because my job isn’t done. There’s so much to this …. Education is extremely important. I want to do whatever I can to help out.”

The biggest challenge facing Auburn schools is the budget, he said. Another “is how we can deal with all the social problems the students have, and take that responsibility away from teachers so they can teach and the students can learn,” Pelletier said.

Pelletier served on a subcommittee that recently recommended a new Edward Little High School be built near to the existing school.

A native of Lewiston, Pelletier graduated from Edward Little in 1965 and is semi-retired at Maine Oxy.