The International Joint Commission (IJC) has appointed Bill Reilich, Supervisor of the Town of Greece, to the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River (ILOSLR) Board.
On July 17 the IJC announced it would expand the membership of its board by adding two local members – one from each country – from municipalities on the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Appointment of a local member from Canada is expected soon.
Commissioners agreed that appointment of these additional local members would be helpful to complement the existing membership of the ILOSLR board and, in particular, assist in their efforts to document the human and social impacts of recent flooding at the local and municipal levels to enrich the board’s discussions and decisions.
Greece has the highest density of shoreline residents, and though unique in that aspect, the town shares much of what the other communities along the shoreline of the Great Lakes have faced.
“Under my leadership and with a great team in place, the Town of Greece has been at the forefront in shoreline resiliency and exploring out of the box measures to support our residents who have struggled with rising waters in both 2017 and this year,” Reilich said. “I knew that I would absolutely be able to share what we have done successfully as a municipality and I have always first and foremost stood alongside our Lake and Pond residents through it all.”
The timing for the announcement comes as waters have started to recede, but Supervisor Reilich acknowledges, now is the time to be preparing for future years. He supports repeal or substantial modification to Plan 2014. This appointment will allow him the opportunity to represent the voices of the thousands of U.S. shoreline residents and weigh in on decisions that affect these homeowners, businesses, and municipalities. Adjustments made now can help alleviate issues that would likely be anticipated next year and in years to come.
The International Joint Commission was established under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to help the United States and Canada prevent and resolve disputes over the use of the waters the two countries share. Its responsibilities include approving projects that affect water levels across the international boundary, and investigating and reporting on issues of concern when asked by the governments of the two countries.
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