Day Returns To Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Chairman Role
Tuolumne, CA — A longtime and influential leader of the Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Council, who stepped down a few years ago, is back in the leadership position.
Kevin Day has been elected to serve as Tribal Chairman (a position that was most recently held by Andrea Reich).
Day spent nearly 25 years in the role up until his retirement in late 2020. Over recent decades Day has been instrumental in the development of Black Oak Casino Resort, and its various expansions, including the hotel and RV park. The Tribe also added the Teleili Golf Course (former Mountain Springs) in 2019.
Asked about his decision to once again seek the role, Day says, “Basically, I took a couple of years off to re-energize and do some different things, but I noticed there was a need and a lot of challenges ahead for the Tribe, and I felt that I could be a good positive influence in helping the Tribe stay involved and doing the things what we like to do.”
Questioned about the role of Tribal Chair, he says, “It is pretty diverse. You have to work with the Tribe because we are basically a big family. You help fulfill the needs of the Tribe and work to make us all self-sufficient and help offer opportunities for Tribal members, and also members of the community.”
In addition, Day will be the point person for any county, state, or federal matters that impact the Tribe. Day already has a heavy list of contacts in that area because of his decades of past experience.
In relation to Tribal projects, he said the most immediate is the 20,000 square ft. family fun park that is being built across from the hotel and next to the Bear Creek gas station (click here to read an earlier story).
“We think it is going to really add to the resort,” says Day. “It is going to be a real popular place to go for the young adults and kids in the community, and we think there is a real need for it.”
He also hints, “We have a couple of other projects we are working on right now that we can’t really talk about yet, but there are some things we are doing within the casino to improve it and make it a better place to go.”
During his previous years as Tribal Chair, Day also served in many state and community roles, including as the Chairman of the Central California Tribal Chairman’s Association, a director on the Motherlode Fair Board, past director of the Tuolumne County Chamber of Commerce, past director of the Tuolumne County Health Board, board member of Adventist Health Sonora, and a Citizen Advisory member of the Sierra Conservation Center.
