CANTON – Sue Gammon presented Canton selectmen Wednesday night with information on the proposed plan to convert some town property into wetland.
Site preparation for Canton’s new fire house required filling in a small area of wetland. Canton’s agreement with the state Department of Environmental Protection requires the town to compensate by converting some of the town-owned land in the flood plain to wetland.
The town will submit its plan for planting and caring for the new wetland to DEP for approval. Canton has received a grant from the Soil and Water Conservation District to cover 75 percent of the cost of creating this wetland.
The town will propose that students doing their required community service be asked to do the planting and thereby provide the town’s 25 percent share of the cost.
In other business, selectmen discussed advice received from the town attorney concerning an illegal junkyard on the School Street property of Edward Libby. The board will send Libby a letter proposing a meeting with the Canton code enforcement officer and two selectmen. The town officers will point out to Libby items they consider junk that should be removed. Libby will be offered an opportunity to prove that any particular item has sufficient value and that it should be kept.
If Libby fails to meet with town officers, the town will petition the court for authority to clean up the lot at town expense. Town officials would then bill Libby for its expenses. If the expenses are not paid, the town can place a tax lien on the property and, if the bill remains unpaid, take the property.
Selectmen considered a letter from the town of Peru concerning the sharing of a code enforcement officer. Selectman Richard Ray will invite representatives from interested towns to a meeting on Oct. 27 to discuss the possibility of sharing a code enforcement officer. In addition to Canton and Peru, Dixfield, Hartford, Rumford and Sumner have expressed an interest in considering a proposition to share.
Selectman Wally Haynes reported that the town had incurred a veterinarian’s bill for treating a stray dog that was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in Canton. Selectmen are considering how to pay the bill because there is not a specific item in the budget for treating injured animals.
Haynes pointed out that while this particular animal has not yet been claimed, it is common for the town to pick up loose animals, pay to have them taken to a shelter in Auburn, then have the owner show up a few hours later. Haynes suggested that the board consider purchasing two wire kennels to house dogs for up to 24 hours before they are taken to the shelter. This will reduce expenses and make it easier for citizens to recover dogs that have gotten loose.
Comments are no longer available on this story