MSD levy funds pay for maintenance, repair work

The Marysville School District is busy making repairs and improvements to its schools this summer with funds from the 2018 capital projects levy.

District officials have numerous projects going on throughout the district as a result of the funds.

“We have lots of work going on this summer,” said Mike Sullivan, director of finance and operations at the district.

“We’re taking care of these items because they are the things that have needed to be done for a while,” he said.

Marysville School District residents passed a 2018 capital projects levy with 52 percent approving in February of that year.

The first collection of those funds was this April and now the district is ready to implement the first projects from the levy.

Those projects include things like the fire system at Shoultes Elementary, which is being replaced.

“The system that is currently in there is an old, outdated system that you can’t really buy parts for anymore,” said Sullivan.

The district also plans to replace a portion of the roof at Totem Middle School and put in new playground equipment at Allen Creek Elementary and Quil Ceda Elementary.

“We’re continuing to use portables in many schools and some of them are getting pretty old,” said Sullivan, so some of the portables will receive repair work on them such as re-roofing or replacing the gutters.

A new portable will also be installed at the district’s Early Learning Center.

Some maintenance work is being done at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

“We’re replacing some of the cedar siding on the buildings,” said Sullivan. “In many places it was weather damaged and falling apart."

Some security improvements are scheduled to be implemented later in the summer as well.

“And then we have several smaller projects, such as some carpet replacements and fixing some doors, that are still important we get done,” said Sullivan.

The capital projects levy will bring in funds to the district for the next three years after this summer as well.

“They are dedicated funds to improving our schools,” said Sullivan, so they can't be used for any other reason.

“They will help us to do the major repairs to our schools,” he said.

Sullivan said that district officials already have some of the next work in mind for the funds.

“We still have other areas that need some work next, and we will set some new priorities next winter,” he said.

The next round of repair improvements will begin next summer with the funds, he said.

In addition to the work from the capital projects levy, the district also does regular maintenance work throughout the summer.

“All of our custodians work all summer long,” said Sullivan. He said they make repairs, wax gym floors and do deep cleanings before the school year.

Sullivan wanted to thank the voters for their support for the repair funding for the school’s facilities.