Pala Band elects new Tribal Council

PALA – On December 5, the Pala Band of Mission Indians (Tribe) held its biennial election for the positions of Tribal Chairman, Treasurer and one at-large Executive Committee member. The posts of Vice-Chairman, Secretary and the other at-large Executive Committee member are voted on in odd-numbered years.

As a testament to their appreciation for the housing, healthcare and educational opportunities that have emerged as a result of their leadership, the same three individuals were re-elected to the Tribal Council.

Robert H. Smith will continue to serve as Tribal Chairman, as he has done for the last 16 years. Theresa Nieto was once again re-elected to the post of Tribal Secretary and Annalee Yanez will become the at-large Executive Committee member for a second time.

“I am extremely fortunate to be able to serve the Tribe yet again,” said Smith. “We have made tremendous progress in asserting ourselves culturally, socially and economically, but we still have much more to achieve in the years to come.”

The Pala Band of Mission Indians consists of 867 members with 600 living on the reservation along the Palomar Mountain range, located along 5,000 square miles of California’s desert and approximately 30 miles northeast of San Diego on Interstate 15. Pala Casino, an 185,000-square-foot, $115 million casino, entertainment and dining complex owned by the Pala Band of Mission Indians, opened in April 2001.