THETFORD — A 190-foot cellphone tower proposed near Route 113 in Thetford Center may be tough for the town to stop, according to Selectboard Chairman Nick Clark.

But a group of Thetford residents still hopes to form a coalition against the project — or at least bring forth some alternatives.

“We should not just resign ourselves to it,” resident Kevin Llewellyn said during a Selectboard discussion, held by videoconference, attended by about 80 people Monday night.

Llewellyn was one of many Thetford residents who spoke out against the proposal during the special two-hour virtual public comment session. It was intended to give Selectboard members a sense of where residents stood on the issue, and an overwhelming majority of speakers raised concerns over the tower’s potentially negative environmental and aesthetic impacts.

The tower, which would sit about half a mile off 121 Sawnee Bean Road is intended to improve cellular reception near Routes 113 and 132 as part of the First Responder Network Authority, known as FirstNet, and also improve service for AT&T customers.

AT&T’s attorneys will submit the proposal by the end of June for approval by the Vermont Public Utility Commission, and they plan to hold a balloon test to determine the tower’s visual impact.

Neither a representative for AT&T nor Clark know when the test will be held, but Clark said town attorneys will be in communication with AT&T soon.

The proposal follows a 2017 decision by Vermont Gov. Phil Scott to opt into the FirstNet program, essentially creating a “fast-tracked” application process for projects like the proposed tower, Clark said at the meeting.

“It seems at first look that stopping a telecommunications facility is a rare occurrence in Vermont,” Clark said.

Even Thetford’s telecommunications ordinance, which bars cell towers from reaching more than 20 feet above the treetops, may not do much to sway the PUC, according to Clark.

“The needs of the state … typically outweigh the needs of the community,” he said.

But that didn’t deter many of the speakers Monday night.

“I think it’s important we at least make an attempt to do what we think is the right thing to do,” said resident Didi Pershouse.

Eric Ko, a member of Thetford’s Energy Committee, said the tower could have a negative impact on the land, including “significant disturbance to one forest block.” Additionally, the half-mile access road leading to the tower could cause erosion because of its proximity to the Ompompanoosuc River, she said.

“AT&T is fundamentally here to make money. This isn’t altruistic,” Ko added.

Some residents, including Ko, also worried the general look of the tower, which would reach around 120 feet above the treetops, could bring down residents’ property values.

“If this tower goes in, it’s irrevocable,” said resident Arthur Kahn, who called the proposed project an “eyesore.”

The Selectboard didn’t take any action during Monday’s meeting, but several speakers including Kahn suggested forming a coalition of community members to oppose the development. Kahn said he hopes the group would be able to get legal representation on the issue.

But other residents, such as Patrick Parenteau, the senior counsel for Vermont Law School’s Environmental Advocacy Clinic, said the town should focus on proposing an alternative plan that would expand coverage for first responders in the corridor.

“Focusing on what’s needed to support first responders is the right way to go. (The town) must have an alternative that at least meets that need,” he wrote in the chat feature of the virtual meeting.

“Expert costs and legal fees to participate in the PUC proceedings … and the inevitable appeal to the Supreme Court would be in the range of ($50,000 to $100,000). With no guarantee of success,” he wrote.

Karen Twomey, a representative for AT&T New England, declined to comment on the tower Tuesday.

Anna Merriman can be reached at amerriman@vnews.com or 603-727-3216.