By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Verbena High School is one step closer to receiving a long-awaited multipurpose building following a unanimous vote by the Chilton County Board of Education to take bids for the project.

The vote was made during the Jan. 22 meeting of the school board held at Chilton County High School.

A multipurpose building has been a desire for the school for several years.

A grant of $15,000 from Sen. Cam Ward had been received for the project, and the V Club has held fundraisers to gather its needed contribution to the project.

“Our biggest goal is to provide for our student athletes at Verbena a multipurpose facility that would be for a weight room, locker room for boys football and a locker room for our girls softball,” V Club Vice President Jason Kelly said during a 2018 interview.

Offices, a film room area and space for indoor practices in case of bad weather could also be included.

In 2018, the principal at the time, Todd Davis, and coaches visited schools in Central Alabama for ideas of the design they would prefer.

A feasibility study was also conducted.

The building is planned to be behind the south end zone of the football field, which is adjacent to the girls softball field.

The south bleachers at the school will also be repaired or replaced following a unanimous vote by the Board on Jan. 22.

Clanton Middle School’s multipurpose building also received unanimous approval to be bid. Bids will be accepted for two designs.

Superintendent Jason Griffin said the school system had architectural renderings for a design that would be attached to the existing building and one that would be separate.

Depending on the location chosen, drainage work may also be required.