News staff writer

The Hood River City Council approved a 25-percent increase for sewer rates at its Monday night meeting that will affect households on city sewer that live outside city limits.

The increase takes effect with the March billing. City Manager Bob Francis said the change was made to reflect the higher cost of maintaining service for those residences.

The council also approved a one-residence annexation on Westcliff Drive to the east of Columbia Gorge Hotel. As part of the annexation, the city has now assumed emergency services including fire and ambulance for all of Westcliff Drive.

“Public safety being paramount was one of the main reasons,” said Francis.

He said in previous annexations, the actions ended up creating “service islands” where West Side Fire was responsible for an area entirely surrounded by the city. The council did not want to create that same situation again.

The council also approved charging disconnect, reconnect and administrative fees for part-time residents.