CANTON — Lake Anasagunticook Dam Advisory Committee Chairman Malcolm Ray assured members Monday night that the $500,000 grant to build a dam on Whitney Brook was included in the 2010 federal budget.

Confusion about receipt of the federal funding resulted after a memorandum from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development was read at the the selectmen’s meeting last week. The letter stated that due to uncertainty over the 2011 federal funding for Public Facilities and Public Infrastructure Grants, the department was unable to move forward with awarding grants.

Selectmen interpreted the memorandum as referring to the dam money when it actually referred to a $36,000 grant requested by the Canton Water District to improve its filtration system.

The dam, which regulates the water level in the Lake Anasagunticook, is to replace one the town took by eminent domain for safety reasons. The nearly 2-mile-long lake lies in Canton and Hartford.

Leon Bucher of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife reviewed a proposal from Kleinschmidt Energy and Water Resource Consultants for engineering services for the proposed boat launch facility to be located upstream from the new dam. The proposed schedule will permit the boat launch construction to proceed this summer, simultaneously with the dam.

Bucher discussed the possibility of placing a float at the site to facilitate loading and unloading boats. He said that generally the state does not recommend floats on streams unless there is someone responsible for securing it if water levels change.

The committee has received a list of supplies needed for the multipurpose timber bridge to be installed at the site. As snowmobilers will receive the greatest benefit from the bridge, Ray is asking them to participate in the fundraising and construction. Timber was selected instead of steel so it could be built with volunteer labor. There is hope that local lumber companies will donate the material.

The next meeting of the committee will be April 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Office.