Auxiliary group could better Pioneer communications

In recent years, according to its critics, Pioneer Rural Water District has fallen short of good communications with its customer base. A couple of examples, the times when the board approved rate increases and during what, at times, was the controversial project to build a treatment plant. An Anderson County member of the Pioneer board, Eddie Grant, thinks the creation of an auxiliary board of Pioneer customers could help going forward. Grant today introduced the idea of an auxiliary. He got an immediate reaction from fellow board member Ronnie Williams of Oconee, who said an auxiliary board isn’t something he’s thought much about. But, after hearing Pioneer manager Terry Pruitt say he would be willing to bring further information about the creation of an auxiliary board to the next meeting, Williams said, “I agree with that.” And Pruitt said, “That’s what I’ll do.” Pruitt envisions creating a template that would show how an auxiliary board would be appointed and what its duties would be. Grant sees the auxiliary board as an avenue to better communications with customers who might feel more at ease talking to auxiliary board members than to the formal setting of official board of directors meetings.