LOWELL | About 50 people living in unincorporated West Creek Township came out Thursday to express concerns about Cedar Lake's intentions for the 114 nearby acres the town purchased.

West Creek resident Bob Smith, of West 159th Avenue, led the gathering at American Legion Post 101.

"We have a three-stage fight coming up," Smith told the crowd, explaining that the first fight involves the Cedar Lake Town Council's expressed plans to dredge the lake and put the dredged material on the land. "If we can talk the right people into the right decision, we won't have another fight," he said.

West Creek resident Maureen Carroll told the group that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is conducting the study for the ecosystem restoration project at the lake, has six options under consideration, three of which include dredging the lake.

"You need to contact the Corps. Don't tell them what you don't want," she said, adding, "Casey Pittman of the Army Corps said you need to come to meetings and tell them what you want. She was adamant about that."

Core samples taken by the Corps have found higher than acceptable levels of some metals, including lead and arsenic. Smith said that if the sediment is allowed to remain undisturbed with a substance applied to make it bind and form a crust, the issue of dredged materials becomes moot. The Corps is weighing such an option.

Some members of the crowd said they see the purchase of the land and dredging plans as a precursor to more.

Smith said he expects a domino effect that will put West Creek Township as a target for annexation by Cedar Lake.

Cedar Lake Councilman William Landske, R-5th, was the only councilman attending. He said little, but listened.

Likewise, Lake County Commissioner Gerald Scheub listened to those gathered.

West Creek Township Trustee Rick Niemeyer told the group, "At the local end, we can voice our opinion. ...When the hearings come out is the proper time to remonstrate."

He added that elections can change viewpoints, including that of the Cedar Lake Town Council.

Smith encouraged those attending to contact the Corps, U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., and local officials. He said the group has been named United Concerned Citizens.

The telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for officials to be contacted will be on the group's Web site --

www.unitedconcernedcitizens.com -- soon, he said.