COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The state and a group of landowners are sparring over whether Ohio is meeting a deadline to compensate the landowners for losses from flooding near Ohio's largest inland lake.
At issue is how fast the Department of Natural Resources is responding to a year-old court order to compensate 87 landowners near Grand Lake St. Marys, a 20-square-mile lake between Dayton and Toledo.
The Ohio Supreme Court said three months ago the landowners had shown "clear and convincing evidence" that the state was in contempt of the court's December 2011 decision ordering compensation.
Natural Resources spokeswoman Bethany McCorkle said Monday the state has completed the 45 appraisals the court required to be done this week.
Joe Miller, a lawyer for the landowners, contends not all appraisals are done.
