Many schools in Warren County feature the designs of Sherman-Carter-Barnhart Architects, and their work will soon be on display once again.

The Warren County Board of Education approved the Louisville-based firm to design the expansion of its Central Office on Lovers Lane and to design a swimming pool, which will sit behind the central office. The approval came Monday during a special board meeting at which the board approved a revised facilities plan.

The school system advertised for architects for the projects from Oct. 3 through Oct. 11, said Willie McElroy, chief financial officer for the district. The district received proposals from six firms.

The vote for Sherman-Carter-Barnhart was 4-0, with one abstention from William Traugott.

“They’ve done good work for us, but we have a pattern of using the same architect,” Traugott said. “I want you all to seriously think about this. This could have been a time to look elsewhere.”

“(Sherman-Carter-Barnhart) does quality work,” said Theresa Lowe, board chairwoman.

She said a lot of firms are not large enough to handle a district the size of Warren County Schools.

“We can’t have a one-man show,” she said. “Our district is too big. (Sherman-Carter-Barnhart) had the complete package.”

Warren County is building the indoor, six-lane swimming pool to fill the void once the T.C. Cherry pool closes for the expansion of the adjacent school. The new pool will benefit high school swimmers and the entire community, much as the T. C. Cherry pool did, Superintendent Dale Brown said.

The facility plans also call for the expansion of the district’s central office, a larger meeting room for school board meetings and four classrooms for centralized instruction in advanced mathematics and science.

Sherman-Carter-Barnhart will also design Bristow and Richardsville elementary schools, which are slated to be rebuilt.

Plans call for the pool and the expansion of the central office building to be completed during the 2008-09 school year. The cost of the project will be based on design plans, McElroy said.