One Butler County village could see it's water and sewage rates more than double.The issue is dividing the town.

Roger Eledge knows a big house comes with big bills, but when he found out his water and sewage rate would more than double, he was afraid he wouldn't have any money leftover.

"If it had been $5 or $10 dollars more a month, I wouldn't have to do this. I think they are way out of line on asking for it,"said Roger Eledge.

Eledge is spearheading a petition to stop village officials from increasing water and sewage rates from $20.00 a month to nearly $55.00 a month.
He says it's asking too much from a small town.

"Most people that live in Ulysses are on disability or social security or some kind of a pension and in these times any ones job is at risk. If you lose your job, how are you going to pay an extra $60.00 a month?" Eledge said.

Residents in the village of Ulysses pay a quarterly rate of $60.14 cents for their water and sewage combined.
That's about $20.00 per month. If village officials get their way, residents could be paying nearly $55.00 per month.
That's one and half times what they are paying now.

Town officials say the new rates are necessary to make an outdated sewage system more efficient and safe.
According to Leslie Wilson, Ulysses Board Chairman, some of the improvements: the lagoon needs to be dredged and re-sloped. The improvements add up to more than $500,000 in fix-ups.

"We have to do something. We are at the top of our levee for taxes and this will be a means of bringing in revenue, Leslie Wilson said.

The upgrade is one way to help keep this town from falling apart.

"Basically the new board is trying to clean the town up, save buildings that we do have in town and try to find a way of getting other businesses to come in," Wilson said.

Wilson said in order for Ulysses to stay afloat it has no where left to turn but to increase fees for water and sewage.

"I know that every town and village has to have increases. It has to go up just like everything else does but that's too much," Eledge said.

Board members are holding a public meeting September 16th at the Community Center in Ulysses.
They encourage anyone with concerns to attend.