Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By EMILY SPARACINO | Staff Writer 

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Board of Education approved a construction project at Calera Elementary School and a bid for cafeteria equipment at Oak Mountain Intermediate School at a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 20.

The board approved a nearly $3.5 million bid from Williford Orman Construction for the CES project, which will add 10 classrooms to the school.

“It’s the latest in our effort in the way of a capital campaign project to try to create space for classroom needs across our county area schools,” Assistant Superintendent of Operations David Calhoun said. “This particular project is addressing a need at Calera Elementary School. The base bid includes a 10-classroom addition.”

Williford Orman Construction’s base bid of $3,479,228 was the lowest of three bids the board received for the project.

“We have a long history with Williford Orman Construction,” Calhoun said. “They’ve done work on several projects with us most recently.”

Calhoun said the new wing will be built behind the main building, near the school’s track, which will be reconfigured after construction is complete.

The board also approved a bid of $85,682 from Bresco for a walk-in cooler and freezer at OMIS.

“The only caveat with this is that because of supply chain issues, they have a very long lead time on this,” Assistant Superintendent of Finance John Gwin said. “Our CNP department has done their due diligence to try to get everything installed hopefully as quickly as possible before school starts next year.”