MECHANIC FALLS — The City Council Tuesday night gave the go-ahead to a plan to harvest trees growing on town-owned land near the transfer station.

The council appointed Fred Huntress as the town forester and signed an agreement with Huntress’ company, New England Forestry Consultants, to manage the cutting operation.

Huntress has already made a preliminary assessment of the transfer station property and mapped it off into three primary stands of trees.

The council gave Huntress the go-ahead to mark trees in two of the stands for selective cutting: stand No. 1, about 31 acres, which Huntress characterized as having a fair amount of timber suitable for the sawmill; and stand No. 2, about 70 acres, in which pulpwood predominates.

Huntress will mark the trees for cutting and mark skidder trails and landings, as well.

“I know where I want them to go, how to move across the land,” Huntress said.

Huntress, who is Poland’s town forester and manages forests for a number of private owners, will handle everything, including the bidding process, and will be paid a commission estimated at between 12 percent and 15 percent of what is sold, according to the contract.

Town manager John Hawley said the operation could commence this winter.

In other business, the council directed Hawley to contact the Mechanic Falls Sewer District Trustees to see if they are interested in exploring the feasibility of consolidating with the town water department. The trustees next meet on Sept. 28.

The council also signed a public resolve that opposes November’s referendum question that would alter the state’s Vehicle Excise Tax Law.

Hawley noted that the proposal “sounds good” until you take a closer look.

“If the referendum passes, it will cost our town $149,000 and it will go into effect this Jan. 1, meaning we’ll probably have to call a special town meeting to make up the loss for this year’s budget,” Hawley said.

Council Chairman Dan Blanchard said he understood voter frustration with what might be extravagant spending at some higher levels or in big cities but noted that such wasn’t the case locally.

“How can small towns tighten their belts when there’s nothing to cut? We’re starving already,” Blanchard said.

The council accepted the resignation of Katie Bryant from the Regional School Unit 16 School Committee and named Yvon Gilbert to serve as an interim appointee until municipal elections at next May’s annual town meeting.