Appoint members to the Oregon Arena Joint Authority

TO THE COUNCIL: The Oregon Arena Joint Authority is being established by the State of Oregon, City of Portland, and Multnomah County to facilitate the deployment, stewardship and oversight of public funds from the three governments dedicated to the Moda Center Arena Renovation Project. The Joint Authority will help ensure that the public funds being invested at Moda Center are used for the public purposes for which they have been or will be appropriated, including the renovation and long-term viability of the Arena as a premier public venue. Establishment of the Oregon Arena Joint Authority is required by Senate Bill 1501, which provides up to $365 million in State funding for arena renovations, and was signed into law on March 31, 2026. As the owner of the arena and a provider of funds for the Arena Renovation Project, the City of Portland is responsible for appointing three of the seven members of the Joint Authority. Per the Joint Authority Agreement, to be approved separately by the City Council, initial members of the Joint Authority are to be members of the management or the professional administrative staff of the appointing party. As Mayor, I request a Council motion to vote and confirm the following appointments to the Oregon Arena Joint Authority: 1. Raymond C. Lee III, City Administrator 2. Natalie Didion, Building Official 3. Brian Connell, Deputy Director, City Budget Office Each of these members will serve a term that begins on the date of their appointment and continues through the final completion of the Arena Renovation Project. These individuals bring the relevant knowledge and technical skills needed to represent the City on the Joint Authority during the planning and implementation of major renovations to Moda Center arena. Biographies for the three appointees are provided below: Raymond C. Lee III City Administrator – City of Portland Bio Raymond C. Lee III serves as City Administrator for the City of Portland, Oregon, where he oversees day to day operations across more than two dozen bureaus and offices, supporting over 7,000 employees and an $8.6 billion total budget that delivers essential services to the community. He works closely with the Mayor and City Council to align citywide operations, implement Portland's new form of government, and advance a financially sustainable future for the organization. Lee brings two decades of public sector leadership experience, with a focus on organizational alignment, economic development, service delivery, and building high performing local governments. Prior to Portland, he served as City Manager of Greeley, Colorado, and held progressive leadership roles with the City of Dallas, as well as serving as Public Works Director for the City of Amarillo, Texas. He holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Kansas and a bachelor's degree in public administration from Henderson State University. He has completed executive leadership programs at Harvard University, Yale University, and Brown University, and holds executive certificates from Cornell University in labor relations and financial management. He is a Credentialed Manager through the International City County Management Association and is also a certified Project Management Professional and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Statement of Interest I look forward to representing the City's interests as a member of the Oregon Arena Joint Authority. As City Administrator, I have responsibility for and exposure to the broadest range of the City's policy goals and operational priorities. I will bring this perspective to the Joint Authority's work, representing the City in impactful decisions regarding the public investment in renovating the City-owned Moda Center Arena. I also bring relevant technical experience into this role as I played a central role in the planning and development of a new arena in Greeley Colorado while serving as City Manager there. Natalie Didion Building Official Portland Permitting & Development – City of Portland Bio Natalie Didion has served as the Building Official for Portland since February 2025. As the Building Official, she is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the City's building permitting, plan review and inspection programs. Ms. Didion joined the City of Portland in 2014 as a Commercial Plans Examiner and was promoted to supervisor of the Plan Review Section in 2017. Ms. Didion is a Registered Architect in the state of Oregon and holds multiple certifications from the State of Oregon and the International Code Council relating to the examination of building. In addition, she currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Building Official Association. A native of Texas, she received a bachelor's degree in fine arts from the University of Texas at Austin. After relocating to Oregon, Didion worked for the Rebuilding Center, becoming a certified lumber grader. This work led to an interest in construction and architecture, and she earned a master's degree in architecture from the University of Oregon. Prior to joining Permitting & Development, Ms. Didion worked at Portland area firms Yost Grube Hall Architecture and Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects. Statement of Interest I am dedicated to Portland both professionally and personally, and I look forward to participating in this project that supports the growth of our city. Because of my background in architecture, it is also exciting to play a role in the upgrades to this landmark arena that I pass by on my way to work every day. Brian Connell Deputy Director City Budget Office – City of Portland Bio Brian Connell is a public finance professional with more than a decade of experience managing complex budgets and fiscal operations across city and state government. As Deputy Budget Director for the City of Portland, he helps lead the City's budget process, including the development, monitoring, and analysis of its $8.5 billion annual budget, and supports bureaus in developing budget proposals. He also supervises senior budget staff, advises and trains staff in technical budgeting practices, and helps ensure compliance with financial policies and budget law. As Budget Officer for the University of the District of Columbia, Brian led a team managing the multi-fund operating budget and capital plan for the renovation, modernization, and reconstruction of academic and campus facilities, including building systems, tracking spending against approved budgets, approving changes with fiscal impact, and reporting variances. He previously held analyst and management roles at District of Columbia Public Schools, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and the Washington State Senate Transportation Committee, working on multimillion- to multibillion-dollar operating and capital programs with restricted funding sources. His work included preparing forecasts and quarterly reports on revenue and expenditures, analyzing budget policy, responding to audits and oversight inquiries, and testifying before legislators. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with an M.S. in Government Analytics from Johns Hopkins University, Brian lives with his family in Northeast Portland, where he's proud to put his experience to work for the community he calls home. Statement of Interest I look forward to contributing my public finance analysis and budgeting experience across city and state government to the work of the Oregon Arena Authority. I understand the responsibility this role requires in protecting the City's interests as owner of the arena and overseeing this public investment, and I'm committed to carrying that out with diligence, accuracy, and transparency, on behalf of my community.