County Mayor Claude Ramsey said Thursday he would ask Mayor Ron Littlefield to consider modifying a whopping water fee increase that county officials said is hitting local business owners and churches hard.

County Mayor Ramsey said, "I'll talk to the mayor and see if we can't get some relief on the amount of the increase. I don't have any doubt that the city is under a mandate" regarding the necessity for raising the fee, "but the severity of this increase is pretty sharp."

County Commission members said the sudden water quality rate hike is cauing some business owners to consider closing and others to move out of the city and possibly into an adjacent county or North Georgia.

Commissioner Bill Hullander said when he and other county officials met with some affected business owners earlier Thursday "some had tears in their eyes."

He said the city water charge went in one year from $2.15 per square foot of imperious area (roofs and parking lots) to $9.60. He said it is slated to go up another dollar each year until it reached $13.60.

He said the fee is due to bring the city $25 million in revenue the first year.

Commissioner Hullander said businesses are getting bills "thousands of dollars" higher than they paid in the past.

He added, "Churches are really getting hit. They have a lot of parking lot area."

Commissioner Hullander said, "Government works very hard to bring industry in, then overnight we tear it apart with this.

"I would hope the mayor and the City Council would take another look at this."

Tax bills with the much=higher rates have already been sent to many businesses and churches.

Chairman Curtis Adams said the bill for Ridgedale Baptist Church went from $110 to $3,000.

Commissioner Jim Coppinger said Valleybrook Golf and Country Club is looking at a rise from $1,749 to over $13,000, according to manager Gibby Gilbert. He said the golf course is facing a down year due to the weather.

Commissioner Fred Skillern said, "What we're doing is discouraging small business. It's affecting those who make a marginal profit, and that's a great concern for me."

Mike Grant said his small electrical firm is facing a jump from $500 to almost $2,900.

He said Bill Raines advised him that the bill for the Four Squares Center rose from $4,000 to $14,000.

Mr. Grant said he appealed to the city "and I got no compassion whatsoever." He said there is no appeals process other than making a plea to your council member.

He said Mayor Littlefield told him that some of the revenue would be used to hire staff who could advise business owners on how to cut down on their impervious areas and get a credit toward the fee of up to 50 percent.

Mr. Grant said, "It's just getting harder and harder to make a living in this area."