Park County is going to be earning $145 per net ton of scrap metal removed from the landfills after commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved the high bid. 

Usually commissioners are after a low bid, but in this case the roles were reversed. 

Pacific Steel and Recycling out of Billings was the high bid, which just edged out Powell company Wyoming Steel Services, which had bid 131 per ton. Commissioners added 10% to that bid amount — 5% by state statute for companies in Wyoming, and another 5% for being in Park County due to a county rule, but still the bid was less than a dollar lower. 

Due to that measure, County Engineer Brian Edwards said he was recommending the Billings company. 

“You want to do local, but it needs to be competitive too,” he said, adding that especially with the kind of money the county could make off the high bid, it made it more important. 

Pacific Steel will purchase all the current scrap metal at the agreed upon rate, and will also be under a four-year contract to purchase scrap metal from the county. 

Edwards told commissioners they would still be able to renegotiate in a year if prices for scrap metal rise to make the deal more in the county’s favor.