Vicksburg Warren School District trustees have awarded a bid for the renovation and remodeling of Warren Central High School to a Laurel contractor.

The trustees accepted the bid of $29.67 million from Chris Albritton Construction for the Warren Central project, which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2020. The project is the second school remodeling project for the district.

A $37 million renovation and remodeling of Vicksburg High is presently underway. Thrash Commercial Contractors of Brandon, the only bidder on the project, is the contractor.

Jason Stewart, project manager for Dale Bailey Architects, the project architect, said the school district has four active projects underway at its facilities, adding, “Pending your action on Warren Central High School, you will, as a district, be looking at roughly $75 million worth of construction.”

He said the roofing projects at Beechwood Elementary School and Vicksburg Junior High School are expected to be completed by the end of April and work is underway on the high schools’ athletic facilities.

Stewart said crews are removing the sod from the football field at Vicksburg High School with a target to have the new artificial turf on the field by the end of July.

He said the sod has been removed and the old storm drain system has been demolished at Warren Central’s football field, and crews are preparing the field for the new artificial turf, which is expected to be installed by May.

The renovation and remodeling projects at the high schools, the roofing at Beechwood and Vicksburg Junior High, and the improvements of the athletic facilities are part of an estimated $132 million school district-wide capital improvements project to renovate and expand school facilities funded in part by an $83 million bond issue.

In another matter, the trustees approved a compromise agreement over the county’s 16th Section Land lease for Clear Creek Golf Course.

According to the agreement, the county’s new lease payment totals $42,900, with the county paying $28,500 a year and granting $14,400 in credit to let school district school golf teams play at the course. The county currently pays $8,500 a year on the lease.

The lease amount is the result of discussions between the Warren County Board of Supervisors, the school district and the Secretary of State’s office following an appraisal of the property, which would have increased the lease to about $68,000 a year.