The township council's current president hopes to retain role on the board.
EDISON -- Township Council President Michael Lombardi said he believes he will have enough support from his fellow board members to retain his role when the council votes at next week's annual reorganization meeting.
"I've contacted the other council people, and most of them have given me a positive response," Lombardi said.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held on Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. at the Edison Municipal Complex.
Councilman Joseph Coyle, who beat a Republican challenger in the November race, will be sworn in at the meeting. He was the only council member to run in this past election.
At the ceremony, the seven-member council will vote for president and vice president.
Lombardi praised the council's current vice president, Alvaro Gomez, saying, "I think Alvaro is one of the finest for the job."
Alvaro in an email said, "I'm grateful for Councilman Lombardi's confidence in me."
The state's fifth-largest municipality, which handles a nearly $127-million budget, has had to contend with a number of challenges in recent years, including multiple tax hikes.
In 2014, the council voted for a 9-percent hike to the tax levy -- or the total amount to be raised by taxes. The following year, the council voted to raise the levy by 3 percent.
However, some officials believe taxes will remain where they are for the moment.
"I'm confident our taxes will be stable right now," Coyle said.
The township has also had to rebound from the heavy cost of lawsuit settlements and legal fees in recent years.
The town -- legally represented by township attorney William Northgrave, of McManimon, Scotland & Baumann -- has doled out millions of taxpayer dollars largely due to previous lawsuits involving the long-troubled Edison Police Department.
Recently, the township agreed to a roughly $244,000 settlement with one of its officers after a three-year legal battle.
Former councilman Wayne Mascola voiced frustration at the amount of money the township has spent on legal fees and settlements in recent years, saying that if the township's attorney "tries to save us any more money, we'll be broke."
Northgrave did not respond to multiple attempts seeking comment.
Coyle said morale is good at the police department, which recently swore in nine new officers.
In the upcoming year, Lombardi said he believes the council should continue its focus on the township's road and sewer improvement programs, on stabilizing the tax base, and on economic redevelopment.
Coyle said his goal this year is to continue pushing for more neighborhood beautification -- a focus he said he began last year when he was selected to fill the council seat left vacant by former councilman and current state Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak (D-Middlesex).
As for business in Edison, the township has been excited about the recent opening of a new sports entertainment complex, Topgolf, located off Route 1. The worldwide company said that it selected Edison because of its central location and reputation as a place continuing to grow.
Mayor Thomas Lankey said he was looking forward to the coming year and continuing with his administration's goal of improving the cost-effective delivery of municipal services to residents.
He added that the township is also "enjoying local economic successes, both large and small."
"We will work hard to see that also continues in 2017," said Lankey, who added that Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar and Starbucks would be coming soon near the Topgolf at the Edison Towne Square on Route 1.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.