Members of Wauneta’s Village Board of Trustees took another step forward Monday evening in the process of improving the Village’s water quality.
    Trustee Page Johnston and Village Superintendent Bill Bischoff recently met with Lloyd, Hank and Dale Wicke about the possibility of a new well field on the Wickes’ property.
    The group was open to the Village drilling up to four test wells on their property. The Village will pay the Wickes $500 per test well.
    After receiving the results, the Village has the option to acquire the sites. The Wickes are willing to donate 100 feet square sites around each well to the Village, but will keep the initial payment for the test wells.
    Along with the site around the well, the Village is asking for an easement for “ingress and egress to the tracts to drill, maintain and operate water wells and pipe the water to the municipal water system.”
    The Wickes will be able to file for an income tax deduction based on the donation. The Village will not be responsible for the evaluation of the land, but will cover the costs to survey the land if permanent wells are drilled.
    The next step in the process is for Village Attorney Arlan Wine to draw up an agreement for the Wickes to review. Wine provided a sample agreement at Monday’s meeting to give the board a jumping off point. After reviewing the document and providing suggestions, the board approved Wine drafting the proposal.
    Though the board was willing to offer compensation if the sites pan out, Johnston said the Wickes were satisfied with the tax deduction.

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