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Town of Greece wants the county to pursue possible legal action over Lake Ontario flooding

The Greece Town Board on Wednesday passed a resolution to ask Monroe County to explore possible legal action regarding the high levels in Lake Ontario.

Property owners in Greece are among those along the lakeshore who have been hit by flooding in recent weeks, and the resolution passed by the town board makes reference to changes brought about by Plan 2014. That’s a plan that changes the way water levels are regulated on Lake Ontario.

However the International Joint Commission, which approved the plan, has maintained that the plan is not responsible for the flooding, saying it was the very wet Spring that lead to this year’s high levels on Lake Ontario.

A similar action was taken recently by the Village of Sodus Point, which has asked Wayne County to take legal action against the continued implementation of Plan 2014.

Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo visited residents and business owners along the lakefront on Wednesday, and called on state lawmakers to find common ground on a bill to provide financial support for residents along the lake.

She also has asked the county law department to take any legal action necessary to protect the property and safety of county residents and businesses along the shoreline. A county spokesman says what the Greece Town Board is asking for in their resolution is the same thing that Dinolfo is pursuing.

Residents in Greece and other towns are bracing for more flooding along the lakefront, with a Lakeshore Flood Warning for Monroe, Orleans and Niagara Counties from 8am Thursday to 2am Friday.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.