Shown is an artist’s rendering for renovations at Clements High School.

The $5 million project to overhaul Clements High School has moved beyond the bid process, with the Limestone County Board of Education accepting a contract from low bidder Civicon General Contractors in Cullman during Tuesday’s board meeting.

Limestone Superintendent Dr. Tom Sisk said all bids submitted came in over the $5.4 million budget approved by the board, which prompted the school system to work with Clements officials, a community committee, Civicon and project architect Seawell McKee to reduce the scope of renovations.

The bid is $5.2 million but the actual work will involve $200,000 more because of tax savings, according to Sisk. The board had previously approved $5.4 million for the renovations as part of the school district’s updated $27.1 million capital plan submitted to the state Department of Education three months ago.

Sisk said “value engineering” and removing the option to build a new multipurpose building from the original plan helped shrink the bid from nearly $7 million to the budgeted amount.

The value engineering included finding new suppliers for electrical subcontracting and switching from an electric air conditioning system to gas-powered AC units, said Sisk.

Sisk and board member Bret McGill said Clements stakeholders and project officials are mulling whether the old gym at Clements could be revamped into a multipurpose building for the arts.

The superintendent said plans to remodel 84,000 square feet of classroom space remains unchanged. The project still calls for a more secure and visible front office and a revamped science lab.

Ardmore sign

The school board also approved a $17,399 new marquee sign for Ardmore High School, where a separate $4.2 million project to build a new gymnasium and classrooms began in August.

Stewart Signs of Sarasota, Fla., submitted the low bid among four companies for a display sign to be placed in front of the school to inform the community about upcoming events.

Golden Rule Signs of Louisville submitted a $16,059 bid but did not include a bid bond or meet contract specifications, according to the school system’s Chief School Finance Officer Ann Swanner.