CEDAR BLUFF — There's a battle raging along both sides of the Highway 9/68 causeway that splits Weiss Lake just south of downtown. If you'll pardon the well-worn allusion to Shakespeare, the question in Cedar Bluff these days is, overwhelmingly, “to cut, or not to cut?”

Earlier this summer, the Town Council voted 3-2 to accept an offer from Gov. Robert Bentley to provide one-time Department of Transportation (ALDOT) funding to clear-cut a section of causeway between Cedar Bluff and Centre.

A few weeks later, after a public hearing at which several citizens voiced opposition to the plan, the Council reaffirmed its intention to proceed by rejecting one councilman's attempt to resend the resolution requesting the promised state assistance.

The opposition feels there's an abundance of natural beauty growing along the roadbed and that clearing it would be unsightly and detrimental to wildlife. The other side, citing the desire for economic growth, claims the town's most valuable tourist commodity—Weiss Lake—is in danger of being hidden from view unless the growth comes down.

Last week, several residents who oppose clear-cutting the 2.2-mile stretch sat down with this reporter to air their grievances.

“I just don't like the idea of cutting it,” said longtime resident Mary Grace Adams. “I'm a little prejudiced, but I don't give a rip about the lake. I don't think it ought to be done. It's a refuge for animals.”

Lance Wiseman, the town's maintenance supervisor, has attended meetings with state officials since the town's formal request to ALDOT for assistance in June. He said his understanding of the proposal calls for a total clearing along both sides of the road.

“They said they were not in the business of cutting rights-of-way, but since the governor asked them to look into it, they said they would give the money to the town to have that right-of-way cut,” Wiseman said. “But just this one time, because the state doesn't want to do it. And if gets done this time they will have it in writing that they will not do it again. Trimming the causeway will be up to the town, the county, whoever, in the future.”

Wiseman added that if the town does not accept the ALDOT money, it won't be available for any other use.

“This is one-time money that has been set aside for the town of Cedar Bluff at the request of the governor,” Wiseman said. “But if we don't use it for this one thing, we aren't going to get it to use to pave a road or something else. It's going to be gone.”

Wiseman said “selective” tree removal is an option. But he said he believes that the process of requesting funding would require the town to submit additional paperwork.

“I think it is different for trimming than for clear-cutting,” Wiseman said. “We'd have to pay for an arborist if we were only going to trim.”

ALDOT District Manager Ben Thackerson confirmed last week that the town's permit application has been received and forwarded to headquarters for final approval.

“That has been sent to Montgomery, were those decisions are made,” Thackerson told The Post Friday afternoon.

ALDOT spokesman Tony Harris explained that after approval is granted, ALDOT will work with the town to establish a cost estimate for the project. Then, a funding plan will be created.

Town records show that an independent estimate of $225,803 was submitted to the mayor's office last October by a tree service company from the area. After the issue was initially discussed during the governor's visit to Cherokee County in December, the Town Council submitted a formal request for ALDOT assistance on June 20, 2012.

Tony Harris said a final estimate of the cost might involve a combination of the tree service's quote plus an analysis conducted independently by engineers from ALDOT. Wiseman said that process has already taken place.

“They had one of their guys come and look at it, but I don't know what the final dollar amount was that they settled on,” he said. “I think it was probably around $130,000.”

The town's request to ALDOT calls for permission to pay for “the removal of trees and spraying of stumps.” The document lays out the requirements for completing such a project, including procedures for traffic control and litter removal.

Cedar Bluff resident Herman Alford, who attended the group meeting of those opposed to the clear-cutting, said he would like for both sides to sit down and try to find some middle ground.

“I like that idea, it should not be all one way,” Alford said. “Let's sit down as grown-up, intelligent people and discuss this.”

Johnny Harris, the ALDOT division engineer with responsibilities in Cherokee County, said he doesn’t see any problem with the two sides reaching some sort of compromise.

“If the town decided to do less that what the permit allowed, we would not have a problem with that,” Johnny Harris said.