South Kitsap School District officials say maintenance projects no longer can wait.

According to school board president Kathryn Simpson, that is the reason behind some of those facilities upgrades being included in the maintenance-and-operations levy renewal to provide local funding to SKSD schools through 2017.

The measure will be on the ballot in February.

SKSD last passed a four-year levy in 2009. But this one is a little different as district officials hope to generate enough funding during the next four years to address several overdue capital projects. Some of those include the replacement of failing roofs at Olalla and Sidney Glen elementary schools and South Kitsap High School.

Last month, Simpson said the school board discussed the possibility of placing a capital improvement bond before voters, possibly as soon as 2014, which could have entailed replacing a pair of the district’s lowest-rated buildings — South Colby Elementary and Cedar Heights Junior High. Both structures were rated well below average during a building assessment completed by the Education Service District 112 Construction Services Group in September.

“We have aging buildings that need attention,” said Simpson, adding that the board also preferred to address basic education, student enrichment and facilities with one levy. “The board was very receptive to that. It will be interesting to see how that evolves. That will involve a lot of community input.”

After further discussion among the board, Simpson said they feel it makes more sense to wait on those major projects until closer to 2018, which relates to the Washington Supreme Court’s January ruling in McCleary v. Washington. In that decision, the court ruled that the state failed to meet its constitutional duty to fully fund basic education. The court, which also retained jurisdiction until 2018, decided to require the Legislature to report annually about its progress toward meeting the funding obligations.

If that comes to fruition, Simpson said local levies could be focused more on student enrichment and facilities. With that in mind, the board passed a levy resolution that is projected to raise $89.8 million during its four years, with more than $4 million earmarked toward capital facilities projects.

The levy will not reach its lid. SKSD officials long have expressed fear — the district has passed its last three levies after just nine of 25 were successful between 1973 and 2000 — that doing that could result in a failure. A simple majority of more than 50 percent is required. Because of that, school board members agreed that keeping the levy rate at less than $4 per $1,000 of assessed property value was desirable.

“The board recognizes these are still tough economic times,” Simpson said. “We hope the taxpayers will continue to be strong supporters of South Kitsap schools.”

Taxpayers owe $2.91 per $1,000 this year with the rate increasing to an estimated $3.18 per $1,000 in 2013. A successful renewal levy would raise that to a projected $3.75 per $1,000 in 2014. That would cost the owner of a $200,000 home $750, an increase of $114 from the previous year.

The estimated levy rates for the following three years are $3.91, $3.90 and $3.86 per thousand. Actual rates for South Kitsap will depend on whether property value projections by the Kitsap County assessor are accurate.

District officials decided to “front load” the levy to take advantage of low construction costs. The projected levy collection amounts are $22 million in 2014, followed by $22.5 million in 2015 and $22.65 million in each of the final two years.

“Our bang for our buck can go really far right now,” Simpson said.

She does not want the money earmarked for facilities used elsewhere. School board member Keith Garton said while he understands the importance of that, he would like flexibility if an “emergency” arrises.

“I guess I just have a problem saying we can only spend it on [facilities],” he said. “We’re kind of tying our hands for anything else that is coming along.”

Simpson said the levy won’t resolve all of SKSD’s basic education, student enrichment and facilities needs.

“It will address our highest-need items,” she said. “We don’t have enough money even if we go to the absolute max to get everything we need.”

Sandy Rotella, the district’s chief financial officer, said SKSD is using $1.6 million in reserves to meet its operating costs this year.

“We will need to have ongoing talks,” she said. “The levy isn’t big enough to restore the existing cuts we’ve made.”