Raymond Lee named city administrator in Portland, Oregon

PORTLAND, Oregon — Former Greeley city manager Raymond Lee was confirmed Wednesday as the next city administrator of Portland, Oregon. He begins his position Dec. 29.

Lee won unanimous approval from the 12-member City Council — with one member absent — after being nominated by Mayor Keith Wilson. He had been named a finalist for the position in November, shortly after he announced his resignation in Greeley.

Portland, with a population of 635,749 — compared with 116,000 in Greeley — has a strong-mayoral system and has faced conflict between the mayor and council. Lee will report to Wilson, but council members spent two hours questioning how he would bridge divides between the two branches of government.

“I’ve seen local government at its best and I’ve seen local government at its worst,” Lee said. “This opportunity is pivotal for us moving forward. All of us are in this together.

Lee pledged to meet with council members one-on-one monthly and would visit their districts regularly.

“I know we’re not going to always agree, but as long as we have the best interests of the community, we can figure out the details,” he said. “This is a great community with a ton of potential. You have my full commitment. You have my full faith in this group that we can move this thing forward. I thank you for your time, your energy, your effort to continue the work of this great city, and I look forward to partnering with you and working with you in the years to come.”

Portland voters in 2022 approved a new form of city government, with a city administrator overseeing departments and expanding the City Council. The changes took effect in January, with the city administrator role being filled on an interim basis as Wilson searched for a long-term administrator.

“Raymond has consistently demonstrated values-based leadership, innovation, and a deep commitment to public service, and his track record shows he can deliver results while building trust and collaboration,” Wilson told the City Council as he nominated Lee.

“This is a rare opportunity to reset, to reconnect, and strengthen how we serve Portland for generations to come. Raymond’s leadership will help us build a strong foundation for this new form of government, one that is aligned, it is trusted, and it’s focused on meaningful results,” Wilson said. “His experience, vision, and commitment to public service will help unlock a new chapter of safety, innovation and shared prosperity for our city.”

Lee will oversee a budget of $8.6 billion and a workforce of 6,500 — far larger than Greeley’s $515 million budget and 1,600 employees. He will receive an annual salary of $370,000, compared with $318,474 in Greeley.

Lee’s last official day with the City of Greeley was Dec. 2, with Brian McBroom serving as interim city manager. The city has begun a nationwide search for a new city manager, enlisting national recruitment agency MGT to help with the search. The city seeks to appoint a new city manager in late April or early May 2026.

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