One of Roberta’s top priorities is to help identify and pursue additional funding sources for the South Lake County Fire Protection District. The district serves a large and challenging response area, and its costs continue to rise as emergency calls, equipment needs, staffing demands, and wildfire preparedness responsibilities grow. Recent state support has helped local fire agencies obtain critical equipment, including funding for a new water tender for South Lake County Fire, but long-term sustainability will require continued advocacy and a broader funding strategy.

Roberta will work to find ways to bring additional revenue into the district, especially to address the cost of responses outside the county. At present, those responses can leave local community members subsidizing services that benefit areas beyond the district’s tax base. Roberta believes that South Lake County residents should not be expected to shoulder those costs without fair reimbursement or outside support. She will work with district leadership, county partners, state representatives, and neighboring agencies to explore reimbursement agreements, grant opportunities, state allocations, and other funding mechanisms that better compensate the district for the services it provides.