LIVERMORE – Fifteen percent of the roughly 1,700 tax bills that went out this fall after a townwide revaluation prompted questions.

The number was much less than the town office staff envisioned, Town Clerk Renda Libby said.

The last revaluation was done in 1988.

This revaluation or so-called equalization program and the follow-up to it went smoothly. She credited the professional staff of O’Donnell & Associates for that.

The firm helped the town’ staff and residents understand the way land and buildings were assessed, Libby said.

Some 255 tax bills were questioned by taxpayers and reviewed by John O’Donnell’s staff and residents, she said.

Of that, 12 abatements were granted, two supplemental bills were issued and three abatements were denied, Libby said.

The town office staff was so impressed with the guidance and the professionalism of the firm that they sent a letter to thank them.

“The past 24 months has been a learning experience,” Libby wrote in the letter. “With the great support team that O’Donnell has, the town of Livermore has weathered through something that should have been done many years before. The town waited, and after a 16-year period decided that it was time for everyone to be on the same playing field.”

Livermore voters allocated $90,000 over a two-year period to pay for the equalization program. The town had sold two tax-acquired properties and used about $46,000 of that money to offset tax dollars needed to pay for revaluation.

Selectpersons set the tax rate this fall after the revaluation at $14.10 per $1,000 valuation compared to $19.50 of $1,000 valuation in 2003.