STRONG — Selectmen met Tuesday evening to review several details before the March 4 municipal election and March 5 town meeting.

Despite their final budget calculations for the 2016 fiscal year, some unexpected costs have popped up. The heat chamber in the town garage furnace has failed and has to be replaced, Selectmen Mike Pond said.

“That will cost about $500 to $700,” he said. “Another piece inside is going, so it will be about $1,300 or so in parts and labor.”

The furnace itself is 17 years old, so Pond suggested that selectmen ask voters at town meeting to approve funding to replace it. If the issue cannot be resolved at that meeting, voters would have to address the problem at a special town meeting, he said.

Road Foreman Duayne Boyd estimated that a new furnace would cost about $3,500, but local plumber Bud Kempton will be supplying an estimate. Once selectmen have more information, they will be able to present the figures to town meeting voters.

“It would pay for itself in efficiency over the next three to five years,” Selectman Dick Worthley said.

Pond suggested the price to constantly repair an old furnace might be more costly over the long run. 

“If you put $1,500 here and there into a 17-year-old furnace, that gets expensive,” he said.

Town treasurer Sandra Mitchell said the town reports will be available at the Town Office, beginning Thursday.

Voting will take place at the Forster Memorial Building from 1 to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 4. Voters will elect two selectmen, a fire chief and two school board members. Fire Chief Duayne Boyd, school board directors Jesse Stinchfield and Loretta Deming and Selectman Mike Pond are running unopposed for re-election. Rob Elliott will be on the ballot to fill the seat left vacant by outgoing Selectman Milton Baston.

The 64 warrant articles will be presented for approval at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 5. The Methodist Church Auxiliary will serve lunch at noon.