MUNSTER | The Town Council unanimously agreed to work with the city of Hammond to resolve flooding problems on the north side of town.

The leaders agreed in principle to develop a flood emergency response plan between the two communities, acquire a bridge study and the money to implement flood protection at the Northcote Avenue bridge within 75 days.

The plan calls for the county to step up to the plate by raising the bridge above the flood walls.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., who threatened to sue Munster if it closed access to the bridge, met with Munster leaders Monday. They discussed an option that McDermott said could satisfy both communities.

"When we walked in, we asked them if it was about water or about traffic," McDermott said, shortly after the meeting ended.

McDermott is proposing the towns work together to provide a local match of approximately $500,000 to help with construction of the "approaches" or entry to the bridge from Hammond and Munster. He said the project could be funded through the Hammond Sanitary District.

However, he said the Lake County Board of Commissioners, which owns the bridge, needs to bear the responsibility to raise the bridge above the flood wall.

"I believe the county is running away from its responsibility. It is required to maintain the bridge under state statute," he said. "The federal flood control project will still be done. That way residents of Wicker Park and Schleicher will be assured the bridge remains open and they have flood protection at Northcote."

Residents in Munster's Wicker Park neighborhood have said the bridge's elevation over the Little Calumet River is so low that it was the source of massive flooding in September. They say the bridge will remain a flooding peril and an obstacle to completion of a flood levee system unless it is walled off.

Last week, the Lake County commissioners approved a resolution saying it would not sue the town if it chose to close off access to the bridge, dumping the issue in Munster's lap.

Commissioner Fran DuPey could not be reached for comment Monday night.

In an unprecedented move, McDermott attended the Munster Town Council meeting and responded to questions from the community. McDermott met with boos and hisses when he suggested the money for the project could come from the Hammond Sanitary District.

Residents contended they have been waiting for many years for the district to complete sewer separations in their neighborhood, so why should they believe the district could fund a flood control project.

Resident Steve Enger, armed with a map of the area, suggested closing off the bridge at River Road and Northcote Avenue, offering an alternate traffic route.

He suggested the city of Hammond purchase land now owned by Cabela's to construct an egress road at Northcote Avenue to Cabela Drive, about a half-mile in length. McDermott said he would look into it.