CANTON — Professional forester Stephen Gettle says the town’s 179-acre woodlot is ready for selective cutting and perhaps $50,000 could be realized from the harvest. 
 
In an effort to cut taxes, the Board of Selectmen has been looking at opportunities to make money, and harvesting the woodlot is one area they have been exploring.  
 
Selectman Donald Hutchins explained to the large crowd at the meeting that seven years ago they cut a 79-acre woodlot and it’s not ready to be cut again.
 
Hutchins said next year they should have an ordinance, so growth of timber could continue. 
 
He reported Thursday on the meeting of the Land Committee, which oversees property in town and the former village property that was bought out after the flood of 2001.
 
“People are coming in asking to use some of the land that was bought out and houses were demolished after the 2001 flood,” he said.
Some of the property is being used for pasture now and the Girl Scouts are looking to start a community garden. People must submit plans saying what they are going to do with the land.

“We want the land used, but we want the use to be fair,” Hutchins said.

In other business:

* Chris Dailey presented four petitions, which the board voted to table until the town lawyer could check them and the signatures were verified.
 
One petition requested that all meetings be videoed and broadcast on the public access channel.
 
Hutchins reminded Dailey that should the measure pass at town meeting in June, Dailey would have to talk to the Budget Committee to put in funds for the project.
 
Another petition asks for a line-item veto on budget items at the annual town meeting. Another asks that the old brick building at routes 140 and 108 be demolished because it’s considered dangerous. 
 
The last petition lists 14 instances in which selectmen’s practices were deemed less than proper and asks for proper business to be conducted.
 
* Animal Control Officer Tracy Wing reported that items had been taken from her office in the old municipal building. She said most of her cat food had been taken and a lot of dog food and perhaps dome cages. 
 
Hutchins told her to get more locks and make sure the doors were locked. 
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