Supervisor Bill Reilich today is pleased to announce that Governor Cuomo made a visit to the Town of Greece this Memorial Day to answer our pleas for help. Since the first signs of the ill effects of the rising waters on Lake Ontario, the Greece Town Board and the Supervisor have been all hands on deck.
The Governor made a visit a few weeks ago and declared the shoreline along the Town of Greece and throughout the entire shoreline as a State of Emergency. This allowed affected towns the ability to receive help from the US Army National Guard and also many additional services to help our residents cope with flooding, rising waters and mounting potential damage to their homes.
When the lake levels first showed signs of rising, Supervisor Reilich and the Greece Town Board gathered in their new Emergency Response Center inside of Precinct One before the official opening of the building. There our Police, Department Heads and representatives from all of our first responders met to plans in motion.
To date, with the assistance of the US Army National Guard, our employees and so many of the individuals from the community, we have filled and distributed over 200,000 sand bags.
However, Supervisor Reilich’s constant theme has been that we must get financial relief to our residents. The Governor has previously committed $5M for small business who have incurred damages, as well as a commitment to assist municipalities
“Today’s announcement is the answer to my number one concern and top priority on behalf of our lakefront neighbors: financial assistance.” said Supervisor Reilich. “First and foremost we have looked out for the safety and security of our residents, and the next step has always been financial help so they can repair their beloved lake front properties. Governor, what you have delivered to our residents is hope – I’ve told them the Town Board and I would not stop trying and though we have a long way to go, there is one choice they won’t have to make, and that is whether to stay in their homes or be forced to abandon them.”