January 20, 2012
The citizens of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation have sworn into office their newly elected Chairman, Tribal Officers and Council Members to lead their sovereign nation for the next three years.
- Marshall McKay has been re-elected Chairman and will serve his third term in that post.
- James Kinter, an incumbent at-large member of the Tribal Council, has been elected Tribal Secretary, replacing Leland Kinter, who did not seek re-election.
- Anthony Roberts has been re-elected to serve his third term as Tribal Treasurer.
- Mia Durham will return to serve her second term as an at-large Council Member.
- Matt Lowell, Jr. has been elected as an at-large member for his first term on Tribal Council.
“I am honored by the confidence the Yocha Dehe membership has placed in me to lead this government in a third term as we continue to grow and build our nation,” said Chairman McKay. “So much has been accomplished in the past several years through the hard work and leadership of this Council and our entire tribal community. I am also gratified to recognize the partnerships we have undertaken with local organizations and governments. I am particularly excited and committed to the growing participation of our young members in the tribal government. The young adults of Yocha Dehe are the Tribe’s future, and I heartily welcome Matt Lowell to the Council.”
Under the Tribe’s constitution, elections for Chairman, Tribal Secretary, Tribal Treasurer and the two at-large Tribal Council seats are held every three years. Leaders are chosen through open nominations and a popular vote of the adult members of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
The Yocha Dehe Tribal Council is the governing body of the Tribe. It oversees all areas of the tribal government and its businesses, evaluating and making final decisions on the recommendations of all of the Tribe’s departments, committees and commissions. These include:
- Governmental operations including education, health and wellness, fire and emergency services, public safety, and cultural resource programs.
- The Yocha Dehe Community Fund, the Tribe’s philanthropic branch, which over the past decade has distributed more than $18 million in grants and sponsorships to nearly 300 organizations.
- Tribal business interests and investments, including the Cache Creek Casino Resort and Yocha Dehe Property, Farm and Ranch operations and its new Séka Hills brand of premium food products.
Leland Kinter, who did not seek re-election as Tribal Secretary, has chosen to focus his attention on tribal language, education and culture. He will also be involved in the Yocha Dehe-led initiative to build a Tribal College in California.
“Leland has been a valuable member of the Council these past three years, fulfilling the duties of Secretary while still making remarkable advances in the revival of our language and the protection of our ancestral heritage and sites,” said Chairman McKay. “His commitment to our language and culture is profound and we look forward to his continued work on these important programs.”
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is an independent, self-governed nation that supports our people and the Capay Valley, CA community by strengthening our culture, stewarding our land and creating economic independence for future generations.