Board names Christy Martindale as Inyo County treasurer and tax collector

The Inyo County Board of Supervisors appointed Christy Martindale as the county treasurer and tax collector on Jan. 14 following interviews with two finalists.

County staff told the board the vacancy followed the retirement of Alicia McMurtry and that two letters of interest were received (Lisonbee Kron and Christy Martindale). The board interviewed both candidates in separate sessions. Lisonbee Kron, an assistant assessor, spoke to her years in county service and cross-department collaboration; Christy Martindale described academic credentials in business, accounting and information technology, more than a decade working with the Treasury Oversight Committee and hands-on experience preparing the county's Gann limit and advising special districts.

Martindale emphasized a conservative investment stance and attention to cash flow. "We have to be careful. We cannot buy Bitcoin," she told supervisors, describing the treasurer's duty to safeguard public funds and prioritize stable instruments and liquidity. She also described routine work with special districts, loans and cash-flow tools, and said transparency and daily balancing are central to the office's functions.

Board deliberations praised both candidates; supervisors noted Kron's learning agility and Martindale's long experience. A supervisor moved and another seconded a motion to appoint Martindale; the board voted by voice and the motion carried. Former treasurer Alicia McMurtry publicly endorsed Martindale, saying she would be "in the best position to hit this ground running."

What this means: The appointed treasurer will serve as the county's investment officer for pooled funds, adviser to special-district participants and a department head responsible for transparency, audits and cash-flow planning. The board recorded the appointment by voice vote and adjourned the special meeting immediately afterward.