MARSHALL — The contract for curbside recycling pickup that Lyon County Commissioners approved last week was the lowest of three proposals for biweekly service, according to proposal documents released by Lyon County.

The county received curbside recycling proposals from Southwest Sanitation, Waste Management and West Central Sanitation, covering options including both weekly and biweekly pickup of recyclables. County commissioners negotiated, and later approved, a contract with Southwest Sanitation for biweekly pickup at a base price of $30,716 a month. By going with biweekly instead of weekly recycling pickup, the county would be saving over $6,000 a month, according to Southwest Sanitation’s proposal documents.

Southwest Sanitation’s proposal documents also included an option where the company would provide weekly curbside pickup for the month of October, at the current price of $25,559.85, if they were awarded a contract for curbside recycling. The $25,559.85 proposal for October recycling pickup was approved separately by Lyon County commissioners at their Oct. 1 meeting. At that meeting, Lyon County Attorney Rick Maes said county Environmental Administrator Roger Schroeder had considered the option in recommending that Lyon County negotiate with Southwest Sanitation.

Last week, the Independent requested copies of the three curbside recycling proposals the county received, after county officials said the information would be made available to the public. Commissioners had previously said they would not be discussing the particulars of the curbside recycling proposals, or making any of the proposal information public, until after they had negotiated a contract with Southwest Sanitation.

Under Minnesota law, information submitted by businesses in response to a government entity’s request for proposals is treated differently than information submitted in response to a request for bids. The names of the businesses submitting proposals become public at the time and date proposals are due. However, the rest of the information in the proposals doesn’t become public until a contract has been negotiated with one of the businesses.

The proposals Lyon County received for curbside recycling included multiple options. Proposed rates were submitted for weekly and biweekly service, as well as rates for pickup from all cities in the county compared to leaving out smaller communities like Amiret, Florence, Garvin, Green Valley and Taunton.

Southwest Sanitation’s proposal included a monthly rate of $28,588 for bi-weekly curbside service in all Lyon County cities. Their proposed rate for weekly curbside collection in all Lyon County cities was $35,539. Leaving out curbside service in smaller communities meant rates of $27,588 for biweekly pickup and $34,539 for weekly pickup.

Adding in a $2,128 monthly cost for recycling pickup at apartment buildings with 10 or more units, Southwest Sanitation’s proposal for biweekly curbside pickup in all Lyon County cities came to a base monthly cost of $30,716.

West Central Sanitation’s proposal included a rate of $36,049.22 for biweekly curbside service in all Lyon County cities. Their proposed rate for weekly curbside collection in all Lyon County cities was $42,241.12. Leaving out curbside service in smaller communities meant slightly lower rates, at $35,549.22 for biweekly pickup and $41,441.12 for weekly pickup.

Adding in a $1,897.33 monthly cost for recycling pickup at apartment buildings with 10 or more units, West Central Sanitation’s proposal for biweekly curbside pickup in all Lyon County cities came to $37,946.55. The proposal said West Central Sanitation anticipated being able to start service Oct. 1.

Waste Management’s proposal only included biweekly curbside pickup options. Waste Management’s proposal for biweekly recycling pickup in all Lyon County cities included a monthly rate of $47,866.08. Leaving out curbside service in smaller communities meant monthly rates of $44,254.

Waste Management also had two price options for serving apartment buildings with more than 10 units, a monthly rate of $71.25 for a two-yard commercial recycling container emptied once a week, and a rate of $98.84 for a four-yard recycling container emptied once a week.