TRUCKEE, Calif. — Nevada County voters will elect or re-elect three board members to the Truckee Tahoe Airport District board this November. 

The candidates for the board are Timothy P. Devine, David Diamond, Birch Entriken, Bill Greeno, Greg Horvath, and Teresa O’Dette. David Diamond and Teresa O’Dette are both current board members. Read more about each board candidate below. 

David Diamond

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David Diamond is an incumbent candidate for the Truckee Tahoe Airport District board. Diamond has lived in Truckee for over 10 years and works in global marketing. He also plays in the band Berlin. 

Diamond was first elected to the Truckee Tahoe Airport District board in 2020. Among the work he’s proud of has been his effort to get $2 million approved for wildfire mitigation projects.

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In addition to his work on wildfire projects, Diamond lists “the Airport Community Team, which is a monthly Zoom meeting between the general manager, one or two board members and the community” and “the CoffeeTalk program” among his successes. 

“We needed better ways to connect with constituents,” says Diamond. “Public meetings aren’t great for constituents. They can come up to the podium and voice their concern but all we can say legally is ‘thank you for your comment’. We can’t discuss issues with them even if they’re issues we’re passionate about! That’s tough.”

Diamond’s 2024 platform emphasizes continued work on wildfire mitigation, noise and safety, and climate action.    

Bill Greeno

Bill Greeno is a Truckee local. This election is his first time running for the Truckee Tahoe Airport District board.

“The Airport is such an important piece of the Truckee area,” says Greeno. “I’ve served as the chairman of the board for the Truckee Chamber of Commerce, I’ve spent the last five years as a commissioner for Nevada County District 5, and I’ve served on various boards in our region for the last 20 years.”

Greeno distinguishes himself as “the only candidate who’s not positional”. Instead, Greeno emphasizes his ability to find agreement between diverse views. 

Greeno is, however, interested in expanding the airport district’s STEM education in ways that support career technical education (CTE). He says CTE is “an opportunity for kids to successfully join the workforce without going to college, if college isn’t right for them.”  

Birch Entriken

Birch Entriken is a candidate for the Truckee Tahoe Airport District board. Entriken has been a Truckee resident for over 45 years.

“I have a 47 year background in aviation,” says Enrtiken. “And I just feel that now’s the right time to give back, and to pay it forward.” He emphasizes that he has significantly more professional aviation experience than any of the other board members or candidates.

Entriken says that noise and safety is “number one”, but is also running on a platform of STEM education, with an eye towards partnerships with the community and supporting opportunities that make the airport more accessible to non-pilots.

“The airport board has given away a lot of property tax revenue to various organizations and there’s some concern that that may come up against state and federal regulations,” says Entriken, emphasizing that he’s “all in favor” of continuing those programs as long as they’re in compliance.

Entriken is in favor of expanding the airport with a new hangar, which he says could be used for “community events.” 

Greg Horvath

If elected, this will be Greg Horvath’s first time on the Truckee Tahoe Airport District board. Horvath is currently working as an operations consultant for an energy development company and has lived in Truckee with his wife since 2021. 

“The tagline for my campaign is ‘Keep Truckee Airport Small’,” says Horvath. “I believe that’s in line with what the community wants for the airport and what is, in the long run, the best thing we can do on the noise and safety front.”

Horvath notes that “if taxpayer dollars are going into extending the runway, it eliminates budget for wildfire programs, for STEM education, for all those other issues.” 

While Horvath’s taken a stronger stance than other candidates against infrastructure expansion for the airport, he also emphasizes that he “is solution-focussed” and wants to be part of a collaborative effort to continue functional programs. 

Teresa O’Dette

Teresa O’Dette is a current Truckee Tahoe Airport District board member. She was most recently elected in 2020.

According to the Truckee Tahoe Airport District website, O’Dette “is a long-time North Tahoe local.” O’Dette is “currently raising her two boys in the same town she grew up loving. She has run her successful business in Tahoe City for over fifteen years. She enjoys boating, running, camping and working with the airport community.

O’Dette could not be reached for comment.

Timothy P. Devine

Timothy P. Devine is not a current Truckee Tahoe Airport District board member. He could not be reached for comment.  

To attend Truckee Tahoe Airport District board meetings virtually, or to watch archived Truckee Tahoe Airport District board meetings and access transcripts, you can visit the “Board Meetings” page of the agency’s website. The board also holds “regular monthly meetings … at the airport terminal building community room at 10356 Truckee Airport Rd., Truckee, CA.” They encourage public participation and engagement.

Anna Kristina Moseidjord is a freelancer for the Tahoe Daily Tribune and Sierra Sun.