Whitewater board approves county subagreements, temporarily lets coordinator preapprove well-sealing contracts

The Whitewater Joint Powers Board on May 27 approved subagreements that let county soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) approve well‑sealing contracts under the Whitewater well‑sealing grant and temporarily delegated limited preapproval authority to the board coordinator.

The board heard that roughly $21,600 remained in the well‑sealing grant, which pays up to 75% of sealing costs with a maximum payment of $3,000 per well. Sheila, the board coordinator, told members some property transactions require faster approvals than the board’s quarterly meeting cadence allows; she proposed identical subagreements for Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties to let local SWCDs approve contracts and then submit vouchers to Whitewater for payment.

Supporters said the change would prevent landowners from missing funding windows and let the program respond to time‑sensitive work such as windmill removal or real‑estate closings. Opponents cautioned that allowing other entities to approve contracts creates precedent and could expose the board to legal or audit questions if a local approval later conflicted with the board’s fiscal authority. The board discussed safeguards including limits on the number of approvals between meetings.

After debate, the board approved the three subagreements and passed a separate motion authorizing Sheila to preapprove well‑sealing contracts for a three‑month period within existing discretionary limits so long as approvals follow the state’s Department of Health criteria for well sealing. The motion was recorded as moved and seconded and carried by voice vote.

Board members emphasized that any subagreement approvals would still need to meet state well‑sealing standards and that SWCD staff must coordinate with Sheila before issuing approvals to avoid oversubscription of grant funds. Sheila said the subagreement model mirrors past arrangements used for cover‑crop contracts and allows a faster local approval pathway while preserving final fiscal oversight at voucher/payment time.

The action follows the board’s earlier statement that the grant exists to reduce risks from unused private wells — ‘‘an opening to the drinking‑water aquifer’’ — and to help landowners who only learn about available funding after obtaining contractor estimates. The board also noted other funding sources (WinLAC and local watershed funds) have occasionally been used when Whitewater’s timetable prevented timely payment.

The board’s decision leaves a short‑term delegation in place; members indicated they expect to revisit limits and reporting procedures if many approvals occur between meetings. The board set a next regular meeting for Aug. 26 at 8:30 a.m.