Transparency? It'll cost you.

Note:  See important UPDATE below!

I haven't been posting much here this week, but I've been busy with some matters behind the scenes. One thing I've been doing is pursuing public records requests in an effort to do the due diligence that Portland City Hall won't do about its new, obscenely high-paid city "administrator," Raymond Lee. Lee left his old job as city manager in Greeley, Colorado before he was even a finalist for the Portland position, and the persistent rumor is that he was asked to leave his gig in Greeley because of his lavish expenditures of city funds there. Everyone involved there is sworn to secrecy. Lee says he left because of regime change on the Greeley city council, but to many folks in that town, that explanation seems unlikely.

I've asked both Greeley and Portland city bureaucrats for documents relating to Lee, and they've sent me back some pretty stunning invoices for how much I will have to pay to see them. Greeley says they need $1,116.99 up front to process my request; Portland wants $377.62 up front. And these amounts are only half of the estimated final totals! Neither city is willing to waive the fees in the public interest.

I don't have three grand lying around for this. A previous request made of Greeley set me back $129, and a kind reader chipped in another $388. (That led to this post about Lee's nonstop hiring of "executive coaches" to teach him and his staff how to do their jobs.) And so, with great reluctance, I am asking you readers to help defray the costs of my public records requests.

I've set up a GoFundMe campaign, something I've never before done, here. If you support this effort to learn all we can about Lee, please consider making a donation there as soon as you can.

If I can raise $2,000, I'll pay Greeley and get them started. If I can raise another $750, I'll give Portland the green light.

I really am interested in poring over the documents in question, and so I hope you'll make it possible for me to do so.

Just so you know what I've asked for, I'm reproducing my records requests below. Maybe the charges are so high because I've tried to write air-tight requests that the bureaucrats can't weasel out of. You be the judge of whether I've left anything out.

If I don't reach my funding goals, I'll rewrite the requests and hope that that will lower the bills, although I do think it will lessen the quality of what I get to see. In the end, I promise that all funds I receive will be spent on public records requests on matters of public interest, with the results published on this blog. Any contributions you make are nonrefundable.

Many thanks in advance for your support. It's good to know what we're getting into with Lee. These saviors from out of town tend to be more trouble than they're worth, and I doubt he will be any exception to the rule.

* * * * * * * * * *

Here's my request to Greeley:

All billing statements, statements of account, expense reports, and other documents showing: (1) reimbursement by the City of Greeley or its agencies of expenses of the following individuals, or (2) use of purchasing cards, credit cards, debit cards, or similar accounts of the City of Greeley or its agencies by or for the benefit of the following individuals, in each case between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2025, inclusive: 

Raymond Lee 

Kendi Knop 

Valerie Scheffer 

Corey Olin 

Corey Vasquez 

Juli Wacker

Here's my request to Portland:

Oregon Public Records Request

ORS 192.311–192.478

Subject: Public Records Request – Terms of Employment for Raymond C. Lee III

Pursuant to the Oregon Public Records Law, ORS 192.311–192.478, I request access to and copies of all public records in the possession or control of the City of Portland ( the “City”) that reflect or memorialize the terms and conditions of employment under which Raymond C. Lee III has been or will be hired by the City.

This request includes, but is not limited to, records reflecting the following:

1. Employment Agreement and Compensation

All records showing the compensation and benefits offered to or received by Raymond C. Lee III, including:

• Offer letters and appointment letters

• Employment contracts or agreements

• Salary, pay grade, and step placement

• Signing bonuses, incentive pay, or retention bonuses

• Deferred compensation or special compensation arrangements

2. Allowances and Perquisites

All records reflecting any allowances, stipends, or special benefits, including:

• Expense account allowances

• Housing, relocation, or moving allowances

• Vehicle, transportation, or parking benefits

• Travel, meal, or entertainment allowances

• Technology, communication, or home-office allowances

3. Approval and Negotiation Records

All records reflecting the negotiation, approval, or authorization of Raymond C. Lee III’s employment terms, including:

• Internal memoranda or emails discussing compensation or benefits

• City Council, bureau, or management approvals

• Records comparing Raymond C. Lee III’s terms to standard compensation or policies

4. Policies and Deviations

All records reflecting:

• Standard employment, compensation, or benefits policies applicable to Raymond C. Lee III’s position

• Any exceptions, waivers, or deviations from standard policies granted to or requested for Raymond C. Lee III

5. Amendments and Changes

All records reflecting any modifications to the terms of employment after hire, including:

• Contract amendments

• Salary adjustments

• Additional allowances or benefits approved post-hire

6. Timeframe

This request covers records from January 1, 2025 to the present.

Format of Production

I request that records be provided electronically, in native format where available. Please provide records on a rolling basis as they are located and reviewed.

Fees

If fees are anticipated under ORS 192.324, please provide a written cost estimate before proceeding. I request a fee waiver or reduction on the grounds that disclosure will contribute to public understanding of government operations. The results of this request will be discussed on a blog with substantial readership.

Redactions and Withholdings

If any records or portions of records are withheld or redacted, please:

• Identify the specific statutory exemption relied upon for each withholding or redaction; and

• Produce all reasonably segregable, non-exempt portions of responsive records.

Timeline

Oregon law requires prompt acknowledgment and response to this request under ORS 192.324(5).

Portland did send me, for free, the city's offer letter to Lee, which reveals nothing we did not already know.

UPDATE, Thursday night: In less than a day, this appeal has brought in $2,740, and I have a reliable pledge of the rest of what should be needed, at least for now. And so I am pausing the GoFundMe campaign effective immediately. I'm grateful and honored to have the trust of the folks who have chipped in, in large and small amounts. I have paid the deposits with both cities and await the results of the search, which I'll be writing about here when they have arrived. Thank you!