North Stonington — Despite an hour-long and, at times, heated discussion, the North Stonington Board of Selectmen Tuesday night opted to allow Asplundh Tree Expert Co. to cut down six trees near Route 2 and Hewitt Road.

First Selectman Nicholas Mullane said the trees not only block the view of drivers turning onto Route 2 from Hewitt Road, but also have been a "hazard" for decades. He said he knows of 14 people who died on the Route 2 curve in part because of slamming into one of the trees.

Resident Madeline Jeffery, however, objected to the quick decision to remove trees she called iconic.

"The tree line, the aesthetics that used to be there, it's all chopped up, it doesn't exist anymore," Mullane said. "I'm sorry, but it is a safety issue, it has been a safety issue, and we can't ignore it."

Jeffery had less of a problem with the tree removal than with the way it was initiated. When members of the Hewitt Farm Committee told Mullane of the visibility issue, he called on a tree cutting company, Stephen Holliday of Public Works and ultimately on the state to resolve the issue. But, though the town marked only six trees to come down, Mullane said, the tree company marked more than 20 others, saying they would take down wires if they fell.

"The process should not be taking place in this room with just me talking," Jeffery said. "Those trees are coming down and you know it, I know it. You can call me a tree hugger, but this goes way beyond that."

She said the process was "not right" and that other groups, such as conservation and planning and zoning, should have been involved before a decision was made.

"That little part of Route 2 is an icon for everything that I believe in," Jeffery said, calling for more town involvement in what occurs along the road. "I had no way of knowing that these trees were coming down until I pursued it ... this is not how I believe government should work."

To a degree, Selectman Bob Testa agreed, saying he wished he'd been "brought into this at the beginning stages." He said he didn't learn of the issue until a March 26 email.

But Mullane said it all "developed and evolved in the last 10 days," and Testa made a motion to proceed with the removal of the six sight-limiting trees.

"It's very difficult now to step back from this, because now it's been raised with the state," Testa said. "It's my opinion (Mullane) raised it to a level that they're going to have to come up, the six trees, because of safety issues."

Testa included in the motion a trip back to Asplundh with concerns about the other more than 20 trees, though audience members said it's only the six "statuesque" trees that will be missed.

"I'm a little leery with someone who's getting paid per tree, or however they're paid, coming in and saying, 'Hey, you want six, we'll take 28,'" Testa said.

Mullane, however, said that is "only postponing the inevitable."

l.boyle@theday.com