One week before Sloan residents head to the polls to vote on dissolving the village, local government downsizing advocate Kevin Gaughan met Tuesday with village residents to appeal to them to vote for the proposition.

According to Gaughan’s stated goal for the evening, the forum that was held in the Dingens Bar and Grill, 601 Dingens St., was supposed to be more of a conversation than a lecture.

Instead it opened with an uninterrupted 40-minute presentation by Gaughan on the dire need to eliminate village governments to help reduce waste and inefficiencies, and to spur economic growth.

That was followed by what more closely resembled a question- and-answer session than a give-and-take dialogue.

In form, it was not substantially different than a forum held the previous night in the Sloan Fire Hall. Sloan Mayor Leonard Szymanski had invited Wade Beltramo, a representative of the New York Council of Mayors, to address that gathering, and Gaughan was barred from speaking.

Tuesday’s forum drew about 70 people, about a third as many as had attended the previous night’s event.

“This country in World War II liberated Europe in less time than it took Mr. Beltramo to confuse everyone last night. But I’m sure he’s a nice guy,” Gaughan said at the start of Tuesday’s forum.

“I just regretted a little bit the assertion that he was impartial or that he couldn’t debate me. I would have loved to have that opportunity,” Gaughan added.

What followed was a roughly 40-minute presentation of declining population trends and demographic changes in Sloan and Erie County against the backdrop of rising property taxes and decreasing state and federal aid. It included comparisons with other counties across the country that have fewer layers of government.

“The more government you have, the less competitive you are,” Gaughan said.

Much of Tuesday’s audience appeared receptive to Gaughan’s message. But skeptics, like Robert Jaroszewski of Currier Avenue, took issue with Gaughan’s contention that dissolving the village would not negatively affect fire protection for residents.

“If the village is dissolved, residents will have to pay a fire district tax, which could be higher than what they’re paying right now for fire protection,” Jaroszewski said.

Not so, said Gaughan. “The evidence belies that.

Not one village that dissolved its government had its services affected adversely,” Gaughan said.

The vote on dissolving the village is set for Tuesday.

hmcneil@buffnews.comnull