Let’s imagine elected officials as business leaders and the public as their shareholders. In the business world, leadership is expected to act in the best interests of the company and its investors—to vet partners, protect reputations, and mitigate risk. There are guardrails in place: background checks, compliance checks, litigation history, references, credibility reviews. These are not bureaucratic hurdles; they are foundational steps to ensure sound, ethical decision-making.

The same principles should apply to public governance—especially when major development proposals are on the table.

So why are Leominster’s officials ignoring those same safeguards when it comes to the proposed Baystate Racing/Fairgrounds project?

We’ve already detailed the concerning history of the key players behind this proposal:

• Baystate Racing LLC — a paper company with no operational track record or physical assets — has already been rejected in three other communities under the same business identity.
• Richard Fields, the project’s main promoter, has a long trail of lawsuits, regulatory violations, and questionable dealings.
• James “Jim” Whitney, owner of Whitney Companies, a local developer who was previously held in civil contempt for failing to install court-ordered infrastructure and is currently embroiled in controversy in nearby Lancaster.

In any rational system—business or government—this collection of red flags would be enough to halt the conversation. Yet in Leominster, not only is this proposal still being entertained, but city leaders are actively helping move it forward by consistently providing a platform—through internal meetings, council reviews, and regular media soundbites from the Mayor himself encouraging so-called “open-mindedness.”

This isn’t just negligence. A simple Google search or case-law lookup on any of the key players would be enough to raise serious concerns for the average citizen. For elected officials to overlook such red flags is a breach of public trust. Whether driven by ignorance, ego, or ulterior motives, the actions—and inactions—of the Mayor and several city councilors have enabled a deeply flawed group of developers to gain traction, despite the risks to public health, local resources, and our city’s reputation. The public deserves better. Due diligence isn’t optional when taxpayer dollars, community wellbeing, and environmental safety are at stake.

This is not leadership. It’s a failure of duty—and the residents of Leominster are watching closely.