Newport Harbor Museum Lays Off 10th Employee

Ellen Breitman, director of education at Newport Harbor Art Museum, has become the 10th employee to be cut from the staff since layoffs began at the institution last year.

Breitman, a member of Newport Harbor’s education department for 11 years, will be retained as a consultant for adult education (including the film series) and exhibition-related projects for the museum. Her change in status “relieves her of administrative responsibilities,” according to museum spokeswoman Maxine Gaiber.

Karen Schnell, the department’s associate director, will continue to oversee the museum’s elementary and secondary school education program.

Gaiber said the education department was the only remaining department that consisted of more than one management-level staff member. “It was the only place where we could cut a person and not lose a function,” she said, adding that “no other imminent cuts” are planned.

With Breitman’s layoff, which coincided with the start of the museum’s new fiscal year last month, the museum has 18 full-time staff members. (Although full-time receptionist Anthony Ponce also left recently--for personal reasons--the museum now employs a full-time cook for the cafe, rather than a part-timer.)

The museum budget for the 1993-93 fiscal year is $1.3 million, a 10% reduction from last year.