Yavapai County treasurer reports $452 million in cash and investments, highlights tax‑lien auction and investment returns

Yavapai County Treasurer Chip and his staff told the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 3 that the treasurer’s office is managing finances for 94 taxing authorities and processing nearly $2 billion in transactions each year. "We manage almost $2,000,000,000 in transactions each year that runs through our office," Chip said during the annual report presentation.

The treasurer’s office reported $452,000,000 in cash and investments and said receipts exceeded disbursements for the fiscal year ending June 30 by about $711,000,000, leaving a county government balance of roughly $232,900,000. Mel Murdock, fiscal supervisor, told the board the office has kept short maturities — principal investments average about 2.6 years and the maximum maturity is five years — to preserve principal and liquidity.

"We have to safeguard the principal," Murdock said, describing the office’s investment rules and noting a recent return on investments of roughly 4.4% for the year. Treasurer staff said the last three years generated about $51,000,000 in interest that is allocated proportionally back to the county’s funds and other districts.

Stormy Gormley, property tax supervisor, reviewed the department’s tax functions and the 2025 tax‑lien auction. She said the office began the auction with 2,263 parcels, offered 1,915 for auction and sold 1,554 liens, bringing in "over $1,400,000" that will be distributed to the appropriate districts. Gormley also explained the statutory cap on lien interest: per state statute, the county collects up to 16% per year, and lien buyers bid down the interest they will accept.

Staff also highlighted operational changes that reduced customer-service phone volume: a brochure explaining how to read tax bills and increased electronic payments. The treasurer’s office said electronic check payments rose from about 4,770 in 2019–20 to over 33,000 in the most recent year; convenience fees were negotiated down to 50¢ for online check payments.

Board members and the chair praised the office’s efficiency and controls. The treasurer’s team described a new program to extend short-term loans to local districts at the office’s investment rate to ease cash-flow issues, and they said they have daily reconciliations to reduce accounting errors.

The board did not take action on the report; members thanked staff for the presentation and for operational improvements that reduce costs and support county agencies.