Cleaning up after disaster

LOGAN — The houses across the street from Sean Bartschi's home look pretty good.

After a canal breach triggered a massive mudslide last week, killing three people in its wake, the city of Logan has hauled more than 1,000 tons of mud and debris from the area, and the roads have been, for the most part, reopened.

Saturday morning, a group of 75 volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Mount Logan Stake laid new sod in four yards that were affected, and an evacuated home just west of Bartschi's has been gutted and nearly swept clean.

His work, however, has only just begun.

"The city and the canal company have told us we're on our own," said Bartschi's sister, Toni Pierce, who traveled from Twin Falls, Idaho, on Saturday to assist in the extensive cleanup. "Today's the first day they've allowed us to set foot on the property, and I don't know what we're going to do."

Bartschi's home, purchased in January 2007 as an investment, was flooded on two levels with runoff from the canal break. Debris from the ensuing mudslide now fills the kitchen, living room, family room and basement.

Congressman Rob Bishop, who met with Logan officials early Saturday, was speechless when he first viewed the damage Saturday.

"I don't even know what to say," he told the Deseret News. "When you see something like this, it's just … boy. All I can say is I'm sorry for your loss, but that doesn't mean a whole lot, does it?"

The congressman said, "The one reason I came up here today is to see how we can help from our office. We've been talking to HUD, FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers just to see what resources are available, but so far, unfortunately, there aren't any answers."

Bartschi was appreciative nonetheless.

"In coming up here and talking to me, you've shown me more consideration than the city of Logan or the canal owners," Bartschi told Bishop. "If they'd just treat us fairly, we'd be fair. But they won't even talk to me. How can they re-sod the houses across the street but then say that I'm on my own?"

Logan city attorney Kymber Housley disagrees that the city has left Bartschi hanging out to dry, but he does admit that there are no easy solutions.