Homer Alaska - Letters

A few weeks ago I came home from work to find my yard butchered by a city of Homer public works employee. I could not believe my eyes. Alder trees I had been growing for more than 10 years were in shreds and a beautiful little spruce tree that had been dug up when Islands and Oceans was built was cut in pieces. My yard was the only yard in the entire neighborhood that had been damaged to this extent.

When I called City Hall to ask why and how this could happen without prior notification, I was told they were in the right of way, and it was my responsibility to know about the limits. The city even went so far as to hire a surveyor to mark the boundaries (taxpayer expense) which was ridiculous since it's a well known fact there are no markers out here and this survey is a joke.

I and two other people paid to have this road built 30 years ago when I purchased this property. A few years later, four owners on my street chipped in again and one of the owners leased a grader and re-graveled the entire road at no expense to the city. Several years ago about 15 of the residents met with the city manager and were promised road maintenance. From that time the city has been responsible for the maintenance of two of the roads in the Baycrest Subdivision. The tree cuts were established at that time and we had no reason to believe the boundary lines had been changed.

I have been trying to get some straight answers from the city manager for more than a month now and all he does is tap dance around the real issue which is: Why wasn't I notified before cutting down these trees? Certainly I deserved some dialogue before driving up and discovering such a shocking display of my yard.

As far as I am concerned the director of public works needs to educate himself in regard to how vital the alders are to this area on the bluff. It is well known that the engineers who did a study on the erosion of the bluff in Homer determined the alders play a crucial role in keeping the soil and bluff in this area from eroding.

After learning that my neighbors had been contacted to tell me to back off, I went to City Hall for a meeting with the city manager, who assured me he would find out who made the calls. Since that time, the manager has not taken or returned any of my calls. He has totally cut off any communication with me. (The highest form of manipulation is non-communication.)

City Hall has destroyed my trees, my privacy, my yard, my relationship with my neighbors and my sense of security. I have a real fear of coming home from work and finding more devastation to my property. I was certainly naive to think I would receive any justification in this matter. Obviously the only person being protected is the loose cannon with the mentality of a 5-year-old who chopped down my yard.

I am almost 78 years old and have owned this property for 30 years. Surely I am due more respect than a dichotomy of stupid answers from a bunch of bullies, cowards and liars who are not men enough to come out and meet with me and discuss this matter in a reasonable and truthful manner.

Shirley Thompson