Tracye Whitfield says she is taking responsibility after a conflict of interest violation, but will not step down.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
SPRINGFIELD — City Council President Tracye Whitfield will not step down from her position leading the city’s legislative body. At a Feb. 16 press conference on the steps of City Hall, Whitfield said that she respected Ward 6 Councilor Victor Davila’s opinion but would “respectfully and firmly decline” his call for her to give up the gavel.
“I made a mistake,” Whitfield said of failing to recuse herself from a matter she had financial and familial connections to. “I take full responsibility for my actions. It is my duty to understand the rules, especially those concerning conflicts of interest.” Despite having built a reputation of “integrity and service,” she said her “incomplete” understanding of the regulations “understandably raised concerns.”
Whitfield’s statements are the latest in the public fallout from a Feb. 2 meeting in which JETS Property Development, of which Whitfield and her son, Jelani Bland, were part-owners, petitioned the council to discontinue 600 square feet of land at the end of Wallace Street. The company planned to acquire the land with hopes of building it. Whitfield oversaw the discussion of the issue until Councilor Michael Fenton inquired whether she would recuse herself. She has said that she thought she was supposed to recuse herself from the vote only, and not the entire matter.
Whitfield contacted City Solicitor Stephen Buoniconti immediately following the meeting, and he issued an opinion two days later that she had violated the city’s rules and state conflict of interest law. After press conferences in which Whitfield admitted her error and several of her fellow councilors acknowledged the issue, a special meeting was held on Feb. 13 to rescind the vote. In the days since then, Buoniconti released more information about potential conflicts Whitfield was involved in.
At the meeting, many of the councilors spoke about ensuring the public trust in the City Council. Davila asked that Whitfield step down as president of the council in service of preserving that trust. If she did not, he said he would call for a vote of no confidence at the council’s Feb. 23 meeting. Whitfield later said that if Davila follows through on his intention to call for a no confidence vote, she believes that she has the support of most of her colleagues.
“Let me be clear, I have never intentionally used my position for personal gain,” asserted Whitfield. She admitted to contacting city staff and officials “to better understand certain processes,” taking part in city auctions and interceding on behalf of a constituent.
That constituent, Desi Jackson, had performed work for the Old Hill Neighborhood Council, and Whitfield said he was owed $13,000. After her involvement, she said Jackson was paid more than $10,000 of the compensation he was due. According to Buoniconti, in December 2025, Whitfield said she would encourage the city to audit the neighborhood council. Her intervention in the matter resulted in a complaint by Old Hill Neighborhood Council Vice President Awilda Sanchez.
Referring to Sanchez, Whitfield said, “If my words or actions caused her to feel targeted in any way, I sincerely apologize.” She insisted her comments about auditing the council were an attempt to “advocate for transparency and accountability” in the use of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, which was used to pay for Jackson’s work and not a “threat,” as Buoniconti described in his findings.
“I believe all ARPA funding, whether awarded to neighborhood councils or other entities, should be audited to ensure transparency and responsible stewardship of public resources,” Whitfield said.
The councilor also took exception to media coverage stating Jackson is listed on the state’s sex offender registry. He had been convicted of child rape and indecent assault and battery on a person over age 14, but his record has since been sealed and he no longer appears on the registry. “Accuracy matters and so do public reputations,” Whitfield said.
To ensure there are no conflicts in the future, Whitfield said she has taken several steps. Most notably, she has resigned as a managing agent from JETS Property Development and vowed to not do business with the city during the remainder of her time as an elected official. She also said she has reviewed the law and rules with the City Council counsel to confirm that she understands them. Whitfield confirmed that councilors are required to undergo conflict-of-interest training regularly. Buoniconti stated that he had shared the rules regarding conflicts as recently as the council’s swearing in in January. However, Whitfield said she did not receive them. She also said she is working to implement regular training on the state’s Open Meeting Law.
Whitfield, who contacted the state Ethics Commission the day after the bungled recusal, said she would answer questions from the body. The commission is charged with reviewing or investigating potential violations of state law regarding elected officials, including conflicts of interest. If it finds cause, it can compel officials to pay a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each violation.
Among the more than 40 people who attended the press conference to support Whitfield was School Committee member Rosa Valentin. “I do support Tracye in this,” she said. “As a School Committee member, I’m new. That could be me one day. We’re human beings. We all make mistakes. What is important is how you handle it.”
City Council President Tracye Whitfield stands with more than 40 supporters after refusing to step down amid controversy.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
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