A municipal takeover of a community pasture in the RM of Woodlands is starting to take shape. The municipality decided to operate the pasture, after the federal government ceased involvement on that portfolio. At this week's meeting gave final approval to a $125,000 start-up loan, as well as approval of the rates and equipment purchases. Reeve Trevor King is pleased to see things starting to fall in place, noting there are only a few

Trevor Kingaspects that still need to be worked out.

"I think everybody has positive thoughts toward it. I think we're going in the right direction here. We still have a few little kinks to work out with the province and AMCP because of the provincial lands involved there, but other than that everything seems to be moving forward really well."

King says rates still stay around the same as when the pasture was federally operated, other than a slight increase on the head deposit. When it comes to the actual operation, King anticipates little will change.

"None whatsoever. We're really hoping it's going to follow the PFRA model. There'll be some differences in the bull program, but other than that it's going to follow the model as it has in previous years."

He notes part of the reason behind their decision to run the pasture themselves was to maintain the level of service that was seen before.

"We just felt it was one way of keeping those lands as they have been in the past. I think that was the biggest reason, so the RM could have some control over that. Maybe a little bit of profitability there, so the RM could conduct some improvements that may be needed in that pasture in the future."

He anticipates the pasture will be up and running for use in the spring, barring any major issues.