CANTON – Selectmen from Canton and Hartford met Monday night with the Dam Core Committee and the Canton Water District to discuss the steps in repairing the Whitney Brook dam, which regulates the water level of Lake Anasagunticook.

Chairman Malcolm Ray said he met last week with Dana Murch, dam supervisor for the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. He said the objectives are to get the lake level back to 402 feet above sea level, have the permanent dam be no further upstream, and have minimal flow on Whitney Brook.

He said Murch believes if a new dam is built on the old bridge abutment, the town won’t have to deal with fixing the bank at the old site.

In the meantime, a temporary dam is planned, and Ray said he thinks a 4-foot high structure would suffice.

Ray said state Sen. Bruce Bryant suggested that residents send e-mails to Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner David Littell to ask him to expedite the permit for the temporary dam. His e-mail is [email protected].

Ray plans to submit a request for the permit Tuesday.

Selectmen gave approval for the removal of the gates to the old dam. They have been open anyway, but getting them out of the way would help the flow of water, Ray said.

The board also approved writing a letter to former dam owner Ray Fortier to remove his materials from the property the town recently took from him by eminent domain.

The Dam Core Committee will meet with Murch on Aug. 25.

The committee is made up of members from both Canton and Hartford, where the lake is located.