CANTON – The Board of Selectmen is having a letter drafted to the Maine Emergency Management Agency advising it of a serious leak in a gate at the Canton Lake dam.

Town Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Dyment told the board Tuesday night that one of the gates is leaking badly and dam owner Raymond Fortier has not followed the guidelines from the state EMA. He said Fortier has cut the brush that was required around the dam, but hasn’t removed the stumps, filled in the banks or repaired the gates as he was supposed to do.

Dyment said the leaking gate will not hold through another winter.

It was agreed to have Administrative Assistant Kathleen Hutchins draft a letter to the head of the Maine Emergency Management Agency stating the selectmen’s concern.

In other news, Hutchins said the No Loitering signs have arrived and will be placed in areas where vandalism has occurred such as the ball field, town beach and the corner by the flashing light on Route 108.

A request from Dave Bowen of Pine Shores Association in Hartford to rent Canton’s grader to do the roads in the private housing development was denied. The board said the association should rent from their own town.

Hutchins said Bowen advised that that request had been denied.

The town is prepared to proceed to a sheriff’s sale on the Edward Libby property because he still owes the town approximately $3,000 in fines and legal fees for his continuing violation of the state junkyard ordinance.

Road Commissioner Craig Gammon said he was pleased to be able to get the railroad to work on its crossings on Plant Road, putting in mud rails and fixing the road. It will also be working on River Road while that road is closed to all traffic from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4 or until the restoration of the historic culvert is completed by David Bragg of Sumner. Gammon also reported he will be putting concrete slabs on the Meadow View Bridge on Monday.

Canton’s board will be joining Hartford’s today at a Crime Watch program. Oxford County Sheriff’s Capt. James P. Miclon will be speaking to the group. All residents of Canton are urged to attend the meeting at the Hartford Town Hall.<.000>