WILTON – Barriers will be set up at Wilson Lake in order to prevent large boats from having access to the boat launch during the summer, selectmen decided Tuesday. Signs will also be posted stating that only carry-in watercraft will be allowed.

Daniel Buckley, a biology professor at the University of Maine at Farmington, told officials the water at the north end of the lake is very shallow, raising concerns that invasive aquatic plants could enter the lake on large watercraft and the trailers that carry them.

Buckley said trailers carrying large boats have to back into the water for a good distance in order to unload their boats, causing silt and sand to be stirred up. In addition, he said, the fact that plants are already growing there makes it “very favorable” for milfoil and other infestations to grow.

Buckley said there are currently four invasive aquatic plant species in Maine. He said an infestation would be a considerable expense to the town. There is no monitoring of boats there.

Buckley told officials there is a much lower chance that infestations could arise from plants carried by canoes and kayaks. He said invasive aquatic plants tend to cling to the angular iron on boat trailers.

Buckley said he was reaffirming the same concerns raised by resident Debbie Aseltine in September. Aseltine had asked that barriers and signs be put up restricting the boat launch to carry-in watercraft. Officials took no action at that time, but said they would research the issue further.

Now officials said they will put up jersey barriers beginning in early April. The barriers will be removed in the fall to allow access during winter so people can put their ice shacks on the lake.

In other business, officials met with Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments development specialist Sarah Doscinski to discuss sponsoring a revolving loan fund through the Rural Development Enterprise Grant Program.

Doscinski said the program would provide loans to new and existing small businesses with 50 or fewer employees at 3 to 8 percent interest. She said the amount of loans and specific interest rates will be determined later.

Doscinski told officials that AVCOG would administer the program and she would write the program grant applications.

Doscinski recommended that the town apply for $99,000. If approved, the grant requires a $50,000 local match. Officials said that would come from the Wilton development fund.

Town Manager Peter Nielsen said $54,734 will be available in that fund after the town pays a $5,000 bill for economic development work that was done this past summer.

Officials also accepted the resignation of Code Enforcement Officer Katharine Shoaps. Shoaps has been absent from her position since October due to a family emergency.

Officials said they will look at two other applicants who had been interviewed in April to see if they can fill the position.