By Elle Wood

MILFORD — A recently concluded eminent domain issue for a parcel of land along Rehoboth Boulevard caused a divide between many residents and city leaders.

So, Mayor Arthur Campbell is backing up City Council’s Wednesday decision to terminate its request to obtain 8 acres of Annette Billings’ land for a bike path.

“After looking at it and thinking about it and talking with other mayors, I decided, no, we won’t do this,” he said.

He explained that the case went back many years, with Milford officials attempting to work with Ms. Billings previously.

“It goes back to 2013. We set up meetings with her and the appraiser, and she never showed up,” Mayor Campbell said.

On Wednesday — prior to council’s vote to end its request — the city released information about the bike path plans and what had led council to invoke eminent domain for the land.

Knowing the background of the Billings case and the time spent on developing the bike path, Mayor Campbell said he was disappointed about the uproar in the community.

“I’m sorry, but she played us all like a piano,” he said. “So, I was really, really upset.”

During last week’s meeting, council went into an executive session after a public hearing. Mayor Campbell said members discussed the city’s earlier statement and took into consideration comments by supporters, as well as the backlash they had received.

“We had the meeting on Wednesday night and went over all of this,” he said. “And I said, ‘You know what? It’s not worth all the (trouble). It’s not really worth that.’”

He added that his frustration did not stop him from listening to Milford citizens objectively.

“After talking to people, I came in there with an open mind, but I was still very upset,” said Mayor Campbell, adding that he was also distressed by a billboard, erected earlier this month by Realtor Jamie Masten, depicting most members of City Council, including himself, as criminals.

The mayor said everyone pictured on the sign was “put in jeopardy.”

“One of the councilwomen was getting yelled and screamed at, while she was in the store,” he continued. “The director of Parks & Recreation went with his son to go play basketball, and he was harassed so much that he had to leave.”

Mayor Campbell’s main concern with the billboard was the safety of himself and his council members, as well as their families.

“What if someone was out there that really wanted to hurt someone?” he said. “Putting out that billboard was totally wrong. There was nine faces up on that board, and two of them do not even vote, including me, who only votes in a tie, and the city manager, who has no vote.”

Now that the case is settled, Mayor Campbell emphasized that the goal of City Council remains to meet the needs of Milford residents. However, he feels that the way community members fought for what they wanted ended up having bad consequences, like city leaders fearing for their safety.

“It’s sad that people would do something like that,” he said.

Mayor Campbell, who has led Milford since 2018, is running for reelection in the April 27 municipal election. With the city’s filing deadline Tuesday, he so far faces Ward 2 Councilman Todd Culotta.