Judge’s ruling greeted warmly by the Pioneer board

Members of the board of Pioneer Rural Water are happy with a circuit court judge’s ruling that denies an injunction to stop the water plant construction.  Meantime, major aspects of the project are approaching the half-way stage, and a Pioneer engineering consultant said both the progress and the quality of work by the general contractor are acceptable.  So far, seven payments totaling $5.7 million have been processed for the contractor, the Harper Corporation.  Last month’s ruling by Judge Lawton McIntosh is not yet official, as explained by Terry Pruitt, Pioneer general manager.  Pruitt says the ruling does not become official until Pioneer’s attorneys craft a final order for McIntosh’s signature.  And once the judge signs the order, plaintiffs Oconee County and the city of Seneca will have 30 days to appeal, if they so wish.  Chairwoman Edda Cammick of the County Council told 101.7/WGOG NEWS recently her personal opinion is that the county should not appeal to allow everyone involved to move forward.  Cammick also said she thinks the “real losers” in the case will eventually be Pioneer’s retail customers, once Pioneer adjusts the rates upward to help retire the debt of the project.  But Pruitt at this afternoon’s board meeting took issue with that opinion, saying he has no doubt that over the long term it’s going to be less expensive for Pioneer to make its own water than rely on wholesale purchases.