PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV is hearing your concerns surrounding a proposal to build a racetrack on the 20-mile bend in Loxahatchee.
The raceway for drag, track and other types of car races would be close to residential neighborhoods and an incoming elementary school.
Some of you at home have been reaching out to us to look into a potential conflict of interest with District 6 commissioner Sara Baxter and the luxury body shop she and her husband own.
Baxter has been a staunch supporter of the racetrack on 20-mile bend since conversations started.
"I think that racing in general is a much needed sport," she said. "I think the racetrack, having some and or a possibility of having it come back to palm beach county is very important."
Here's where it gets complicated. Baxter and her husband own a body shop business by the name of Foreign Auto Specialists. They're located 14 miles away in West Palm Beach.
WPTV's Michael Hoffman took your concerns to the source and asked Baxter about the conflict of interest concerns.
"I have heard and I'm well aware that people were concerned about that," she told Hoffman. "One has nothing to do with the other. We do not work on the type of cars that will be at the racetrack."
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However, Corey Kanterman who lives nearby is not buying it.
"You know technically today she's not servicing them but it's quite an easy pivot," said Kanterman. "It's not two different businesses it would be just taking an existing business and changing a couple things and pivoting from there and you're suddenly servicing the types of vehicles that would utilize this racetrack."
That's why Kanterman believes Baxter should recuse herself from any future votes.
"It seems to be that there's a conflict of interest here and she's pushing very hard for it," said Kanterman. "So where there's smoke, there's fire. It's a little concerning."
Hoffman asked Baxter if she would recuse herself in future stages of the project and she told him that she will not.
Baxter said the commissioners are attempting to put together a town hall on the issue for Early October but no date or location has been set.
