About
On November 3, 2020, the voters of the City of Rialto affirmed their confidence in the leadership of Mayor Deborah Robertson, when she successfully prevailed in her reelection to a third four-year term as the mayor of the city. The general election heralded a historic local governance accomplishment while standing for the most recent achievement in a distinguished public service career that has now included over 22 years on the Rialto City Council; cumulatively, Deborah Robertson has over 45 years of public and governmental career service.
Mayor Robertson's visionary and distinctive leadership style has thrust the City of Rialto into the national spotlight as a recognized leader in the areas of body worn camera technology, through first ever federally funded pilot project. And, in 2013, forged a "first in the State" concession agreement of the city's water and wastewater systems into a public-private partnerships; ensuring a long-deferred capital improvement plan (CIP) could move forward with a financing structure and immediate substantial rate increases for four years. The city also explored willing partnerships through industrial environmental sustainability endeavors, "first-in-the-nation" grant-supported partnerships of environmental efficiency projects, as well as a partnership with capturing naturally forming gases and conversion, for redistribution into natural gas grid, generating local revenue outcomes, greater business development, and an opportunity for expansion of a skilled workforce platform.
In 2014, Mayor Robertson was instrumental in heralding the city as the first e3p3 Model city, which received state and federal recognition for area programs and services that address Environmental Sustainability, Economic Development, and Equity supported by Public-Private Partnerships.
In December of 2021, Mayor Deborah Robertson was appointed by the Biden-Harris Administration, to serve on the Environmental Protection Agency Local Government Advisory Committee. The appointment is a "once in a lifetime" personal accomplishment for a first-generation California native, who was born and raised in a life of service to family, church, community, work, municipal, regional, state and federal government! The appointment consists of 34 individuals throughout the United States, addressing environmental matters in four working groups. The groups work in the areas of Healthy Communities, Air and Climate, Water and Environmental Justice. Mayor Robertson was the only appointed elected official from California.