Our new construction home has a maple tree planted dead center in our front yard. It is scrawny and unsightly and misplaced. I want to saw it off but fear shoots will grow. How can I kill it to prevent that?

This requires patience. Get some Brush Killer or Full Strength Round-Up. With an ax or hatchet chop through the bark into the cambium layer around the trunk and then immediately pour some of the liquid into the chopped cuts. This should kill the tree but it will take some time. You will be wise to do this. A neighbor cut off a Poplar without killing it first and now his lawn is full of shoots. Good Luck....