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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 14, 2006 Ladeana Hellervik stands in her Central Point backyard where Jackson Creek washed away part of her property during the Dec. 30 storm and exposed utility lines on the opposite bank. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven From toppled trees to dangling power lines, storm left its mark Couple ponder clean-up process By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Ladeana and Mark Hellervik lost five to 10 feet of their Central Point backyard during the recent storm when the banks of Jackson Creek gave way. "I’m losing real estate," said 44-year-old Mark Hellervik. He also is nervously eyeing a yellow gas line and phone lines hanging in the air on the bank across their property. "It’s kind of scary," said his 40-year-old wife, Ladeana. But Avista Utilities says there is nothing to worry about, because the gas line was retired after the 1997 flood. Advertisement "It is not any hazard as it is," said Catherine Markson, communication manager for Avista. She said the company plans to remove the line this summer. Ladeana Hellervik said a tree that used to sit on solid ground is hanging over the edge of the bank in her backyard and will have to be removed. "If it rains again and it floods, it will wash the tree away," she said. Her husband said he’s got a huge problem to deal with shoring up the banks on his side and straightening out the creek, which instead of flowing straight now goes through two curves. A preliminary estimate just to bring in rocks to keep the bank intact was $5,000, he said, but that didn’t include restoring the banks or straightening the channel. He’s gone to the city for help, but because the stream runs through private property, the city has told him it’s his problem. But Hellervik said he’s seen the city work on other parts of the waterway, so he wonders why it can’t fix his section. Bob Pierce, city public works director, said Hellervik is referring to the removal of a tree on Summerlin Drive during the last storm that was located on the city’s right of way. The tree fell down after the channel had eroded around it. Water was then directed toward a vacant lot and threatened a house, so the city had to remove the tree, said Pierce. In the case of the Hellerviks, Pierce said the stream is private property. "If it changes direction there is really nothing the city can do about it," he said. The city does send out letters to property owners in the summer warning them to clean up the banks in preparation for winter. If a tree falls into the creek from someone’s property and threatens other property, the city could step in and clear it out. Pierce said the city has sent property owners a bill for the work in the past. Hellervik said that he will look into Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance because Gov. Ted Kulongoski declared a state of emergency for 24 counties throughout the state, including Jackson County. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail Couple ponder clean-up process ">[email protected] . Ladeana Hellervik stands in her Central Point backyard where Jackson Creek washed away part of her property during the Dec. 30 storm and exposed utility lines on the opposite bank. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Distance Education Computer Security Cheap Website Hosting Discount Hotel Reservations dvd-r Online Pharmacy Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews High End Computers Online Casino News Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Advertisement s