VERNONIA, Ore. - After the floods in Vernonia this winter, Tom Ramsey was the first resident to get the city's permission to raise his home in case the waters rose again.

Within days he had the house elevated 10.5 feet.

The problem?
 
Vernonia officials then asked him not to lower his home back down until new FEMA flood maps were released.

So, his house sat for weeks - and then months - collecting water underneath.

When KATU started asking questions about why Ramsey had to keep his home raised, city officials admitted their mistake.

"We don't want to make those kind of mistakes 'cause they are costly to the homeowners, and we certainly don't want to bring any more burden to the ones who've already been hit with this," said Vernonia Mayor Sally Harrison.

And on Thursday - four months after he first had it raised - Ramsey's house was lowered back down to its newly built foundation.
    
"Between fighting with the city and fighting with the insurance companies and finally getting things going and then waiting for the right contractor to show up with a license, then finally we're done," Ramsey said.

Ramsey estimates the delays with the city cost him an extra $5,000. The whole thing ended up taking four months, he said, because of problems he ran into with the contractors.

Raising the home was important to Ramsey to protect his family - but also because he is a volunteer firefighter.

"I think I feel more secure that if it floods again. (We'll be) fine. Tom can go help the community. And we're all doing our part," said his wife, Lisa Brewer. "So I think that gives me a little sigh of relief."