ROCKPORT – Selectmen gave Town Manager Bob Peabody the green light Monday night to negotiate with a Massachusetts firm to complete a townwide property revaluation.

Vision Appraisal of Northboro, Mass., was the low bidder of two firms interested in the work. Peabody said Tuesday that Vision’s base bid was $189,500. The second bid, from Cole Layer Trumble of Dayton, Ohio, was $210,900.

If Rockport and Vision can come to terms, Peabody said, the town will have to spend about $13,000 for a dedicated computer server and special printer. The town would retain the equipment after the revaluation, and the manager said it would make the assessing department more user-friendly.

Selectmen hope to vote on awarding the contract to Vision at their Aug. 9 meeting, Peabody said.

Real estate values in town have risen sharply in recent years, leading town officials to struggle to keep assessments on par. Town Assessor Tom Edwards completed a revaluation of town properties a year ago, but the work was met with opposition from residents of the village area and other waterfront areas of town. Those areas saw substantial hikes in their assessed value.

As a way out of the controversy that resulted, selectmen agreed to contract for a town-wide revaluation.

Vision is currently working on revaluations in Camden and Rockland, Peabody said.

Also on the Aug. 9 meeting agenda will be a consideration of joining in the midcoast Pine Tree Zone. The zone now includes properties in Waldoboro, Thomaston, Rockland, Camden, Searsmont, Belfast and Searsport. Businesses operating from the identified properties are eligible for state tax breaks.

Peabody said Tom Ford, the town’s code enforcement officer, is developing a list of properties that might be considered for the zone. Though the state has already approved the midcoast Pine Tree Zone, Rockport might still be able to join, he said.

Selectmen also voted Monday to donate the Fire Department’s old pump truck to the Hope Fire Department. The towns have a mutual-aid agreement.

“It was a very nice gesture,” Peabody said.