Three Multnomah County commissioners are raising conflict-of-interest alarms over Chair Jessica Vega Pederson's decision to hire a former Trail Blazers executive who simultaneously leads a nonprofit lobbying for the $600 million arena renovation he's now paid to negotiate on the county's behalf.

Vega Pederson signed Chris Oxley to a $5,000-per-month contract on July 28 to represent the county in Moda Center deal talks, according to OregonLive, which obtained the contract through a public records request.

Oxley is board president of Sport Oregon, the nonprofit behind the "We Are Rip City" coalition that has lobbied city and county leaders to back the taxpayer-funded renovation. He also spent 24 years as a Blazers and Vulcan, Inc. executive, most recently serving as senior vice president of government affairs until 2023.

The hire came five days after a majority of commissioners delayed Vega Pederson's initial funding proposal at a July 23 meeting. At that session, Commissioner Meghan Moyer called the deal "one of the worst distribution-of-benefit-for-amount-contributed I've ever seen," according to OregonLive's coverage of the July 23 meeting.

When Vega Pederson disclosed the hire during a six-hour special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 6, commissioners Moyer, Julia Brim-Edwards and Shannon Singleton all objected.

"I'm sorry, did I mishear?" Moyer asked. "We hired a negotiator that's on the board of an organization that is lobbying us on this issue? How is that not a wild conflict of interest?"

The three commissioners approved an amendment directing the county's chief operating officer to lead negotiations with the Blazers, a move that keeps Oxley on the team but removes Vega Pederson from directly overseeing the talks, OPB reported.

Vega Pederson, who has unilateral authority to sign some government service contracts without board approval, defended the decision on Monday, Aug. 10. She said Oxley's unpaid board role at Sport Oregon "does not create a legal conflict of interest" but added that the county's chief operating officer will require him to complete additional disclosure forms "out of an abundance of caution."

She declined to name other candidates she considered.

Commissioner Singleton pushed back the same day, saying the timing of the contract was "interesting" given that Sport Oregon's coalition was actively lobbying commissioners at the time Oxley was hired. She said the county needs to cover its bases on real or perceived conflicts of interest.

Oxley said his goal is to be "an honest broker" on the deal and that his motivations are not to enrich Blazers owner Tom Dundon or put the public at a fiscal disadvantage.

The dispute comes as Portland City Council prepares to vote Wednesday, Aug. 12, on a non-binding term sheet for the full Moda Center package.

The county's $101.6 million commitment, approved 4-1 on Thursday, Aug. 6, with Moyer casting the lone no vote, is incorporated into that term sheet. The overall public funding totals roughly $573 million: $365 million from the state, up to $120 million from the city and up to $101.6 million from the county. Neither the Blazers nor Dundon is contributing money.

Intergovernmental agreement negotiations between the county, city and state are expected to run through October, with the county board set to vote on the final agreement and related tax code amendments in December. Vega Pederson's term as chair also ends in December; she is not seeking reelection. Commissioners Brim-Edwards and Singleton are both running to replace her.