COEUR d'ALENE - A recommendation calling for more than $30 million in building improvements is scheduled Monday to go before Coeur d'Alene School District trustees.

The long-range planning committee is recommending the school board run a $32.7 million bond levy in August.

The committee is advising the board "to seek a fiscally conservative bond length that exceeds 12 years."

Several schools would receive major improvements including gym additions, more classrooms, heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades and removal of portables.

Borah, Bryan and Winton elementary schools are targeted for about $5 million each in work, while Sorensen would receive $3.9 million. Canfield Middle School would undergo the most improvements at $8.7 million.

"The cost of improvements for these schools would bring them up to the current school district standards for health, safety, programs and functionality," the committee's recommendation says.

Technology would also be upgraded to the tune of several hundred dollars at each of those schools.

"We've concluded that the technological needs of the school district are too great to be adequately supplied by the maintenance and operations budget," the committee wrote.

The committee did not recommend including construction of a new district office in the bond. Instead, it called for the school board "to seek a suitable space to relocate the district office without using bond money.

"In addition, we agree that removing the district office from Sorensen's campus is critical for Sorensen to facilitate its improvements," it wrote.

Many of the district's 17 schools need costly improvements, superintendent Hazel Bauman previously told the Press.

She said many such schools lack proper air conditioning and ventilating systems, have poorly functioning boilers and include 80 to 90-year-old classrooms that are too small.

In the past few months, committee members toured schools, received input from school district administration, evaluated the political climate of the community and received the 10-year facility plan before making its recommendation.

The district may pursue a ballot measure now because the Lake City High School bond and the Kootenai Technical Education Campus levy will drop off the tax rolls this year.

The committee "believes that it is a reasonable opportunity to ask voters to support a bond that focuses on the health and safety needs of school district facilities."

The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at the Midtown Center, 1505 N. Fifth St.