DYER | An organization opposed to Dyer's proposed annexation has taken its first official step against the plan.

A group called the St. John Township Property Owners Association sent a letter to the Dyer Town Council, objecting to the town's consideration of a nearly 4,000-acre hostile annexation.

"They know how we feel," association President Richard Hucker said. "We've expressed it in so many ways."

Dyer Town Manager Joe Neeb said members of the Town Council each has a copy of the letter but they haven't met to discuss it.

Residents of the unincorporated area that Dyer is eyeing to annex have spoken out against the plan during two meetings the town has hosted. But sending the letter is the first correspondence of opposition to the annexation, Hucker said.

Hucker said he gets between 20 and 30 e-mails and phone calls a day from people who want to fight the annexation.

The letter cites Dyer's financial situation, suggesting it reviews its financial state before taking on more residents.

"Dyer is attempting to push this off on us so we can pay their bills," Hucker said. "We're suggesting they go back over their fiscal policies and correct what they've done wrong."

The letter is meant to "get in their face" but not to "chew them up," Hucker said.

Dyer officials recently said that, despite the opposition, they plan to continue moving forward with the annexation process at this point.

The letter charges, "If you continue to consider annexation of our lands, you will continue to spend your taxpayers' money on a losing proposition."

It states that the property owners association will incur an expense as well, but in the long run will be less than the millions of dollars in tax money that Dyer would receive if the land is annexed.

"When all is said and done, we need 65 percent of the signatures (of unincorporated land owners)," Hucker said. "We'll probably get 100 percent."