Looking Ahead: Challenges Facing West Islip in 2013

West Islip residents rang in 2013 on Tuesday and as with every New Year, local government leaders, school officials and residents begin working on challenges that face the community.

With 2012 in the rear-view mirror, West Islip Patch is looking ahead at some of the big issues that our community will face in the months ahead.

School budget and board of education vote: The annual formation of the school district’s spending plan always captures the attention local residents. This year, the focus is again expected to be on maintaining programs while school officials work to stay within the state mandated tax levy cap. Also, which local residents will step forth and run for the BOE? Stay tuned.

Who will move into Kirdahy and Westbrook? With two of the district's elementary buildings now vacant for six months, one of the biggest challenges faceing to BOE right now is to find suitable tenants for the properties to generate tax revenue for the district. Hopefully, agreeable tenants will be found within the year.

Local business growth: This is an on-going challenge for any community, but macro-economic conditions coupled with Sandy’s impact could present more challenges for West Islip. The futures of the proposed 7-Eleven and the current La Grange Inn remain to be seen, and continue to serve as a point of contention within the community. How local government officials and business leaders face these challenges could be a big story in the 12 months ahead.

Continued recovery from Hurricane Sandy: It’s been more than two months since areas of West Islip were inundated with floodwaters from the historic super storm. As more and more residents return to normalcy in their lives, what impact the storm had on the real estate market, local businesses and how folks feel about living along the hamlet's waterways will come into greater focus.

What do you feel are the big challenges facing West Islip in 2013? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.