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Cedar Lake resident asks St. John council about Trump Group property, wells and water tower
Summary
At the Town of St. John special meeting on Aug. 7, a resident asked what the Trump Group’s plans are for a nearby property and whether proposed wells and a water tower would drain private residential wells and force homeowners onto town water.
Katie Hegg, a resident of unincorporated Cedar Lake, asked the Town of St. John council during public comment on Aug. 7 what the specific boundaries are of property owned by the Trump Group and why a person identified as "Don Junior" had become involved in the area. Hegg also questioned why the Trump Group would invest in wells and a water tower and whether those town installations would drain private residential wells and force homeowners on to town water service and bills.
The matter was offered during the meeting’s public comment period and was not a council agenda item. "So, my question, I have a few questions for you. What are the specific boundaries of the property owned by the Trump Group?" Hegg said. She later asked, "Are they gonna be forced onto city water and paying for city bills when they pay for their own wells to be built and their own septics." The transcript records Hegg giving her street address as 11600 Calumet Avenue in Cedar Lake.
Council members did not debate the substance during the meeting; a council official told Hegg that the meeting’s public-comment format is not a back-and-forth and that staff would follow up separately. The presiding official offered to share a contact email and said staff would put answers in writing. The transcript records a statement that "as that project moves along... there will be public hearings and those will be advertised not only in the newspaper but also on our website," indicating formal public hearings on any relevant water-easement matter will be scheduled and publicly noticed.
Hegg asked whether the town records the meeting and whether her questions would be retained; the transcript shows staff agreed to put responses in writing and to follow up by email. The council did not take any formal action on the topic during the meeting.
The questions raised reference several names and entities mentioned on or off the record: the Trump Group, Don Junior and Eliana Christian. The town’s staff responses in the meeting were limited to promising follow-up and to noting that public hearings would be advertised; no technical or engineering details about well placement, hydrology or forced hookup policies were provided at the meeting.
