STRONG -- The selectmen met on Tuesday, July 28 in a regularly scheduled meeting. Members set a date to meet again at 6 p.m. on Tuesday Aug. 4 for a special selectmen's meeting to set the tax commitment for the next year.

All the assessments are done in town and relevant information from the county and schools is now in.

Those attending discussed the problem they've experienced with recent water damage at the Forster Municipal Building. Due to tremendous rain this summer and significant rainfall on July 26, nearly three-quarters-of-an inch of water entered into the building causing damages.

Joseph O'Donnell, chairman of the Forster Memorial Committee and Library Trust said that they experienced three inches of rain over a 55 minute period.

According to board secretary Sandy Mitchell, members discussed various contractors and professional services which will be hired to remedy to issue. There is also ongoing dialog with the insurance company.

"The insurance company has been extremely helpful," O'Donnell said. "The selectmen have done an excellent job to this point. We're just trying to restore the building so that the public can use it."

Due to the amount of water that has entered the building, the downstairs area is not able to be occupied until the situation is controlled. In some areas, water wicked up the sheet rock and damaged the lower cabinets in the kitchen. The plan is to follow a recommendation conducted by ServiceMaster to replace the sheetrock up to the chair rail height with waterproof sheetrock, remove and replace the lower cabinets, install ventilation, remove glued-down carpeting and other carpets. Other work will be done as needed.

O'Donnell said that once the building is taken apart, ServiceMaster will come in and sterilize all surfaces.

The building's lower floor contains a vault for historical items, an office for the water district, a meeting room for the selectmen, a boiler room, bathrooms, cafeteria area and a kitchen.

The Forster Building is on the National Historical Registrar, O'Donnell said.

"The trust is working to fulfill the women's wishes who gave the building to the Town," O'Donnell explained.

A working sump pump was also purchased and installed. "There is going to be a discussion on long term remediation for the water problem," O'Donnell said.