Treasurer reports $459M in deposits, $18M returned from investments and tax-lien auction results

Treasurer (Chip) and deputy Melvin Murdoch presented the treasurer's annual report at the Sept. 2 Yavapai County Board of Supervisors meeting, outlining deposits, investment returns and property-tax collection performance.

Chip said the treasurer's office held a little over $459 million in deposits as of June 30 and manages investments and cash flow for the county and 95 taxing authorities. "One of the things that we take very seriously is our investments," he said. "Last year we returned $18,000,000 from our investments back to the county and the other districts within the county." Melvin Murdoch and property-tax supervisor Stormy Gormley walked the board through receipts and disbursements: the office transacted nearly $2 billion in money moving in and out over the fiscal year, and collected about $328 million in property taxes (including prior-year collections).

Gormley described the 2026 tax-lien auction process: of 2,572 parcels initially identified, 2,151 went to auction and 1,813 liens were purchased, producing roughly $1.6 million in otherwise uncollected funds. Staff noted many liens are now held at low or zero interest rates to reduce homeowner burden and that several parcels were subsequently sold over-the-counter. The treasurer's office also highlighted improvements in e-payment processing and online collections, which have reduced call volumes and convenience fees.