By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – The city won’t try to close down informal property value reviews with property taxpayers.

“We’re not trying to shut anything down, but we are trying to move things along,” said Laurie Smith, assistant city manager.

Assessing staff has met informally with more than 600 Auburn taxpayers since November to review their proposed revaluations. The city mailed new property value notices to 9,000 Auburn residents then, the culmination of a three-year property revaluation project. The notices included a property tax calculation that showed taxes doubling or tripling for many homeowners.

That has led to protests, the formation of a city government watchdog group and a sputtering effort to recall Mayor Normand Guay and four city councilors.

Members of the watchdog group United Citizens of Auburn said Thursday that the city has stopped informal meetings where taxpayers could protest their proposed values and get them clarified.

That’s not true, Smith said. The city began scheduling site visits with taxpayers earlier in January, and that’s left less time for in-office meetings.

“We’re at nexus here, finishing up one part and moving on to the next,” Smith said. Assessing staff are also scheduled to begin work on personal property inventories for Auburn businesses in the next few weeks.