Preston — First Selectman Robert Congdon, serving as town meeting moderator, asked four times if any of the 40 residents and town officials in the audience had any questions or comments on the proposed sale of the former Norwich Hospital property in town to the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority.

No hands were raised and no one approached the microphone.

The meeting adjourned, with the question of whether to approve the proposed Property Disposition and Development Agreement sent to an April 18 referendum. On the second agenda item at Thursday's town meeting, residents did vote to extend the referendum hours to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall.

“I asked four times,” Congdon said of the lack of discussion. “What else are you going to do?”

After the adjournment, however, resident Robert O'Neil attempted to ask about police and fire protection for what is proposed to be a $200 million to $600 million development of sports, entertainment, resort and residential facilities. But the meeting already was adjourned, Congdon said.

This was the second time residents gathered for a town meeting discussion on the proposed sale of the former Norwich Hospital property to the Mohegans and adjourned after only several minutes.

Congdon and Preston Redevelopment Agency Chairman Sean Nugent said the town had good turnouts at the two recent public informational meetings, where residents did ask detailed and technical questions about the proposed developments.

The proposal also has been in the news since last May, when the PRA and tribal leaders first announced they had negotiated a memorandum of understanding to guide the contract negotiations. Both urged residents to come out and vote at the April 18 referendum.

In January, the tribe unveiled conceptual master plan maps depicting a 40-acre theme park, indoor water park, marina, synthetic skiing, an outdoor adventure park, sports training complex, large sports-themed retail store, three hotels, senior housing and time share units.

As far as police and fire coverage goes, Congdon said town officials approached the negotiations as they would have with any tax-paying private developer. As with any project — hotel or commercial facility — the developer would not be expected to provide its own police and fire coverage. Those services are the responsibility of the town, to be paid for through property taxes. The same will be true for the gaming authority's projects, Congdon said.

The agreement lays out a property tax phasing schedule in which developments would be taxed at a percentage of their total value for the first seven to 10 years. For example, a project component valued at between $10 million and $45 million would be taxed at 75 percent of assessed value for the first seven years. Projects valued at more than $45 million would be taxed at 60 percent of assessed value for the first five years, gradually increasing to full taxes after 10 years.

c.bessette@theday.com