MILFORD, Del.- After weeks of heated debate, the Milford City Council voted to terminate eminent domain. The motion passed with six members voting yes and two abstaining during a meeting Wednesday night.
At the center of the issue was the city's plan to use eminent domain to purchase eight acres of resident Annette Billings' property for a public park. When Billings went public with her belief the property was undervalued, the council faced recent criticism and public pushback has gained momentum; some residents have put up yard signs in recent days to support Billings while a billboard mimicking old wild west wanted posters has gone up on Route 113. The billboard says councilmembers are wanted for theft in relation to the Billings eminent domain situation.
"I'm happy for everyone.. I'm happy for the Billings and I'm happy for the for the city that we can move forward," said city manager Mark Whitfield. "I think that there now becomes a healing process between the city and the residents, and we'll continue to work toward that."
During Wednesday night's meeting, one council member said being labeled as a thief was "deeply troubling."
Billings said she was elated to see council end eminent domain.
"The phone's been going off all day long," she said. "I've even had a cousin in Texas call me and I didn't get to talk to her, but she's called me. So yeah, I need to call her back. I've been on phone all day."Â
