POLL: What Local Stories Will Matter Most in 2012?

On Thursday, Patch took a look at some of the ongoing local stories that are likely to play out in 2012.

We identified four issues/stories that have the potential to dominate the headlines from a month or two, to the better part of the year and beyond.

Those four issues—by no means the only stories that will matter in the coming year—were as follows:

• Fort Lee Superintendent of Schools

How long will Acting Superintendent of Schools Steven Engravalle continue to “act” in the role? He’s currently approved to do so only through February, and the Board of Education is going to have to decide whether to extend that time period, give Engravalle the job outright or go in another direction.

• School Bond Referendum

It’s $30.2 million. If approved it would come with $9,775,611 in state aid. It’s significantly scaled back—mostly infrastructure improvements school officials see as absolutely necessary—from the previous two that failed. And Fort Lee voters will have the final say on Jan. 24.

• Redevelopment Area 5

It’s been “vacant and fallow,” as Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich has said, for 46 years. In 2011, there was progress. Could 2012 be the year for the area formerly known as Centuria—and the Helmsley property before that?

• Downtown Business

What can be done about increasingly empty storefronts and local establishments that have either recently gone out of business or moved out of the borough?

What we really want is to hear from you. What matters most to you in 2012 where the Borough of Fort Lee is concerned? Tell us in the comments and take our poll.