Most of the candidates for Hamburg Town Board who are running in the Democratic and Independence parties’ primaries said Thursday night that they favor downsizing the board from five members to three.

Some favor it wholeheartedly, including supervisor candidates Dennis Gaughan and Patricia Michalek, as well as Gary Klumpp and Leonard Kowalski, who are running for the Town Board.

Two other board candidates, Ford Beckwith and Blasdell Mayor Ernest Jewett, oppose downsizing.

Those in favor of giving it a try, or letting the voters decide, include board candidates Jon Gorman, Joe Collins, Franklin Cirrincione, Ted Casey and Vincent Gugliuzza.

They gave their views during a candidate forum sponsored by the Hamburg Sun and Erie County Independent and the Hamburg Democratic Party at Immaculata Academy.

It looks as if Hamburg residents will be voting on downsizing in November’s general election. Civic activist Kevin Gaughan filed petitions Thursday calling for a referendum on downsizing the board.

Gaughan said he submitted 1,625 signatures, more than the required 1,002.

Dennis Gaughan, a cousin of Kevin Gaughan, said that when businesses experience financial difficulties, they downsize.

“We have to run government like a business,” he said.

Michalek, who is running against Gaughan in the Democratic primary, said she believes that there are other ways to save money but that residents need to see action regarding change in government.

“We need tangible change; we need to try it,” said Michalek, 55, curriculum and instruction coordinator at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf.

She also said her career as an educator has prepared her to be supervisor.

“I think the skills I have are transferable to be our next supervisor,” she said.

Dennis Gaughan, 53, a lawyer, said he would improve the town Web site and make it more interactive. He also would allow the public to comment at the beginning of Town Board meetings and would spend time talking with all employees and reaching out to residents.

“Maybe we should remove the supervisor’s door for good,” he said.

Michalek said that there are talented people inside and out of town government and that she would enlist them to help solve problems that arise in the town. She said the budget needs to be more user- friendly.

“I would ask the people: If you have a better idea, I want to hear it,” she said.

Michalek said that if elected, she would resign from her job at St. Mary’s. Dennis Gaughan said that if he were elected, he would not work for his law firm but that he had not decided whether he would sell his law practice.

Also running for supervisor is Republican incumbent Steven Walters. He is vying with Gaughan in the Independence Party primary and will have the Conservative line as well as the GOP line in November.

Walters, 34, said he is campaigning to continue the path of tax reduction in the town, smart growth, openness in government and citizen participation.