Bill Buckley got what he wanted for a new Mower County well-sealing cost-share program.

And, then he got more.

The Mower County Board of Commissioners approved a $15,000 appropriation for the cost-share program at Tuesday's regular meeting.

Buckley, the county's environmental health services director, had asked for $10,000.

'We feel there will be a great demand for this program" Buckley told the county commissioners.

Under the terms of the program, the county will pay 50 percent of the costs to seal a well, up to a maximum of $500. The average cost to seal a well is $1,000.

According to Buckley, residents who want to seal their wells have asked the county for financial assistance. There are 12 wells on a list compiled by Buckley that need to be sealed immediately. "We will prioritize the wells on a first-come, first-serve basis," he said.

There are thousands of unsealed wells in Mower County; possibly at least as many as four abandoned wells per section.

According to Buckley's conservative estimate, there are 36 sections per township -- less 12 in Pleasant Valley and Racine townships -- indicating how far-flung the abandoned well problem exists.

When it came time Tuesday to discuss financing, Daryl W. Franklin, county planner and zoning administrator, said an estimated $70,000 was available from the water quality management committee and other sources for such purposes

That prompted Richard P. Cummings, 1st District county commission, to suggest, "Why don't we increase it to $15,999, so that we can take care of those wells that need immediate attention, plus any others that also need to be sealed?"

That caused Buckley to observe, "This is Earth Week and I congratulate you."

Cummings made the motion and David Hillier, 3rd District, seconded it. The motion was unanimously approved by all five county commissioners.

Ray Tucker, 2nd District, had an idea to help with the effort to seal abandoned wells.

Tucker said the county's zoning ordinance should be amended to require sealing old wells when new wells are drilled on private property.

Because the county's comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance are

currently being reviewed, Cummings wanted the amendment included with the newly adopted zoning ordinance.

Buckley said he would ask Mower County Attorney Patrick A. Oman if that could be done and to report Oman's findings to the county commissioners.

Also Tuesday, Buckley informed the county commissioners of a possible exception to the well-sealing rules.

A Lansing Township property owner, who claims she didn't notice a 4-inch wide pipe jutting from the ground near her front porch is asking the county for financial assistance in paying the $3,780 costs to seal the well.

That's the amount paid by the property's third owner (it has been sold twice since the original owner offered it for sale) and because the presence of an abandoned well was not disclosed during any of the transactions, the current owner is seeking a share of the costs be paid.

Because there was no cost-share program available, when the well was sealed, it is unlikely the property owner can be reimbursed for the latest expenses incurred.

As Len Miller, 4th District county commissioner, said, "Whether there was disclosure or non-disclosure is not our problem This is a civil matter between the property owners."

The county board's finance committee will review the request and make a recommendation to the full board at an upcoming meeting.