Montville — The town this week received a long delinquent property tax payment totaling more than $1 million, officials said Thursday.

Town officials said the owner of more than 300 acres between Route 32 and the Thames River paid $1.34 million in delinquent bills on Monday. The taxes have been due since 2010.

The property was the subject of lawsuits after plans fell through almost a decade ago for condominiums and a resort by Mohegan Hill Development LLC, a Tarragon Corporation holding company. Officials said Friday that Tarragon and Mohegan Hill Development LLC are not associated with the property, which includes dozens of vacant buildings along Massapeag Side Road, Derry Hill Road and Driscoll Drive.

Finance Committee Chairman Wills Pike said the payment was part of a wave of recent incoming back taxes after the town sent out foreclosure notices and the committee kicked up discussion of tougher tax collection policies.

"We're trying to decrease our debt and increase our revenue stream and let people know we're trying to do what's in the best interest of the community," he said. "We're serious about making it right for the people of Montville."

Asked about the timing of the payment, Mayor Ron McDaniel said it was his understanding the owner, CT Financial Partners LLC, transferred the property to another LLC. He said he was unaware of their potential plans.

"Right now we're just making sure the check clears and we'll go from there," said McDaniel, who noted the payment included substantial interest and overdue water and sewer bills. "It's nice to be able to start again with a clean slate and move forward."

Pike noted the payment was "money owed to us" and didn't amount to "a fresh cash flow."

He and McDaniel said the money would go into the general fund. Asked about a potential impact on the 2018-19 budget, McDaniel said the Town Council "is certainly able to use that to offset anything if they so choose."

The current proposed budget could increase the town's tax rate by 2.23 mills, about a $111 hike on a property assessed at $50,000.

The mayor and Tax Collector Jerl Casey said Friday the 37-parcel property is now owned by Mohegan Hill Montville LLC. That LLC, whose principal is Verde Group LLC, registered with the state April 13. A Verde Group LLC principal is Joel Greene, the former principal of CT Financial Partners LLC, which owned the property and owed the tax bill.

In 2005, Tarragon planned a hotel, an 18-hole golf course, luxury condominiums, upscale stores and a marina for the prime location. The company planned to work with the Mohegan Tribe, whose land abuts the property, but the crash in the housing market killed the plan and litigation involving lenders and owners ensued.

John Beck, whose Hartford firm Siegel, O'Connor, O'Donnell & Beck represents Mohegan Hill Montville LLC, said Friday the current owners were "not associated with Tarragon in any shape, form or manner."

Beck said the owners paid the tax bill because otherwise, "the town could have foreclosed."

He said the developers "have some ideas with the property but we have to solidify what we want to do. At this point in time we're not disclosing any plans."

An employee of CT Financial Partners, a Glastonbury-based financial planning firm, said it was not connected to the LLC of the same name and had nothing to do with the Montville property.

In 2016, Joel Greene and CT Financial Partners LLC were sued by MH investors LLC and West Hartford law firm Weinstein & Wisser for allegedly defaulting on a $2 million mortgage on the property signed in 2013. Greene and CT Financial Partners LLC countersued for slander and breach of fiduciary duty, claiming the mortgage, to Weinstein and Wisser, was signed under duress.

Superior Court records show MH Investors LLC and Weinstein & Wisser withdrew their lawsuit "as to all defendants without costs to any party" on Thursday.

Attorney Kerry Wisser, who signed the document withdrawing the lawsuit, said Friday the suit was "settled to the satisfaction of all parties."

b.kail@theday.com