LEWISTON — City councilors came to a consensus Thursday night to request a two-year delay in implementing the city’s first property revaluation in 38 years.

City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath will draft a letter to City Assessor William Healey requesting the delay. 

Against his recommendation for immediate implementation, Healey previously agreed to a one-year delay, though he has not made a formal decision.

Councilors also supported the revaluation be phased in over two to three years following the delay, but conceded the approximately $800,000 cost for the phase-in would be prohibitive. Councilors also acknowledged Healey’s previous reluctance to a phased-in approach.

“Another downside is we will further delay a revaluation that is long overdue, the tax burden will still not be distributed evenly and property exemptions such as homestead and veteran will not be at their full value,” a spokesperson for the city assessor’s office said in an email.

City officials said if the revaluation is delayed a year, residents can expect a mill rate of about $36 per $1,000 of property value to be applied to their properties’ old values, not their new values received this week.

Property owners can review their information online to make sure it is correct by visiting www.lewistonmaine.gov/propertytaxrecords.

Those who believe their valuations to be incorrect can set up an informal hearing with Tyler Technologies, the firm handling the city’s revaluation. To schedule a hearing, property owners should have their Parcel ID number at hand, which can be found in their valuation notice, and visit www.tylertech.com/lewiston or call 1-888-416-9440. Tyler’s business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The deadline to schedule is Friday, May 15.

On Tuesday, city councilors are set to vote on a $129.71 million school budget.

Should the school budget pass a council vote, it will go to referendum on May 12.