Author: Kristie Wells
Three candidates are running for two seats on the IVGID Board of Trustees. After spending over an hour with each of them, my decision is clear: I am voting for Ryan “RB” Brooks and Dave Noble.
I was not looking for candidates who agreed with me on every issue. That is not realistic, nor would it necessarily produce a stronger board. I wanted to understand how each candidate thinks, how he responds when people disagree and whether he can help a complicated public agency make decisions and follow through.
I want trustees who will prepare, listen and ask difficult questions without allowing disagreement to become the work itself. I want them to provide clear direction, respect the role of District staff and remain focused on results.
IVGID has no shortage of plans, projects, consultants or public disagreement. What it needs now is a board that can identify the most important work, give staff clear direction and hold the General Manager accountable for delivering results. It also needs trustees who know when the questions have been answered well enough to make a decision and move forward.
That is why Ryan Brooks and Dave Noble have earned my support.
Ryan Brooks Brings Experience and a Bias Toward Action
Ryan left me with the clearest impression of someone who has spent his career getting things done inside large, complicated organizations.
His experience is substantial. He has managed budgets totaling nearly $95 million and more than 300 employees. He also served nearly a decade on the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, including terms as president and vice president. His federal work, he says, spanned four presidential administrations. He understands public agencies, competing priorities and the reality that progress rarely happens without persistence.
More important than the résumé, however, was his attitude.
Ryan did not approach IVGID as though every problem has a simple answer or every past decision was wrong. He talked about rebuilding trust, setting clearer expectations and determining which capital projects are truly urgent. He wants the District to make better use of its existing assets and look for additional revenue before turning to residents for higher fees.
Throughout our conversation, Ryan kept returning to a practical question: What will it take to get this done?
That mindset matters. He did not come across as someone looking for a fight or a platform. He came across as someone ready to work.
Dave Noble Has Made the Hard Decisions
Dave Noble makes a different case for election because he is already serving on the Board. We do not have to speculate about how he might govern. We can look at the work he has done and the decisions he has been willing to make.
When Dave joined the Board, IVGID had a long list of projects that had been sitting on the shelf for far too long. Maintenance needs had accumulated, facilities were aging and several important projects had been discussed repeatedly without moving forward.
Dave helped review that backlog and establish priorities based on need, urgency and potential impact on the community. During his term, the District moved the Incline Beach House into construction and completed the Effluent Export Pipeline Replacement Project one year early. He also shared news from IVGID’s head of IT, who reported that an employee-led technology review was projected to save the District roughly $500,000.
Prioritization sounds easy until choices have to be made. Moving one project forward often means telling someone else that a project they care about must wait. It means approving work that may cost more than anyone would like because delaying it again would only increase the expense or risk.
Dave has been willing to make those decisions and accept responsibility for them.
His nearly two decades with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission give him a strong understanding of complex public agencies and the role of an elected board. Trustees must ask hard questions and set priorities, but once the Board gives direction, management and staff need room to carry out the work.
What earns my support is Dave’s willingness to move from discussion to decision. IVGID cannot continue revisiting the same needs while essential projects sit unfinished. Dave has shown that he can evaluate competing priorities, focus on the work that will make the greatest difference and keep the District moving forward.
For a community still working through years of deferred needs, that experience matters.
Why Harry Swenson Did Not Earn My Vote
I watched Harry Swenson’s 2024 campaign closely. Like Ryan Brooks and Dave Noble, he was given the same opportunity in his interview to explain his experience, priorities and approach to governing. His responses did not change my opinion of him as a candidate.
Harry raises legitimate questions about project requirements, budgets and whether IVGID is taking on more work than it can complete. Asking difficult questions is part of a trustee’s responsibility. The Board must also be able to work together, make timely decisions and move important projects from discussion to completion.
Based on what I observed during his previous campaign and heard in this interview, I do not believe Harry has the temperament or demonstrated ability to do that effectively. This conclusion is not based on one disagreement. It reflects broader concerns about how he responds to conflict, how he interacts with people who challenge him and how he would navigate the line between trustee oversight and District management.
For me, Ryan and Dave offer a stronger combination of judgment, collaboration and follow-through. They are better equipped to make difficult decisions and help IVGID move forward.
Two Different Strengths, One Practical Choice
Ryan offers new energy and extensive experience leading large public organizations. Dave offers institutional knowledge and a record of moving long-delayed work forward.
Neither candidate will agree with me every time, and that is not my standard.
I want trustees who will prepare, listen and ask difficult questions without allowing disagreement to become the work itself. I want them to provide clear direction, respect the role of District staff and remain focused on results.
Based on their experience, their approach and their ability to get things done, I believe Ryan Brooks and Dave Noble are the strongest choices for the two open seats.
My votes will go to Ryan “RB” Brooks and Dave Noble.
I encourage every voter to read all three interviews, consider how each candidate says he would govern and vote for the two people you believe can best move IVGID forward.
Editorial note: Incline Together’s individual candidate profiles were written as neutral coverage to help residents understand how each candidate would govern. This column reflects my personal opinion and endorsement.