It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting The Neptune Fountain in Cheltenham, PA gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Cheltenham, PA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“Dave and his staff go above and beyond with their care. They all take”
“Dave and his staff go above and beyond with their care. They all take special interest with their clients. Also a very helpful resource in future planning and current ideas. Trust your parents to these people - they will not let you down.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Pittville Park in Cheltenham, PA with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Lumiere or visit Holst Victorian House, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
Request More Information
While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Cheltenham, PA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Cheltenham, PA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Cheltenham, PA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Cheltenham Commissioners voted on Monday to go back to the drawing board on the Melrose and Conklin pool projects.CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — It's back to the drawing board after the Cheltenham Commissioners voted on Monday to pull the plug on the Melrose Pool project following a lawsuit."I applaud the Cheltenham Commissioners' decision this evening to terminate the illegal no-bid Melrose Pool contract," said Samuel Thacker, who filed a lawsuit in August over the unbid Melrose Pool project in which he received o...
CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — It's back to the drawing board after the Cheltenham Commissioners voted on Monday to pull the plug on the Melrose Pool project following a lawsuit.
"I applaud the Cheltenham Commissioners' decision this evening to terminate the illegal no-bid Melrose Pool contract," said Samuel Thacker, who filed a lawsuit in August over the unbid Melrose Pool project in which he received over 300 signatures of support against it.
"Hundreds of residents over the past few months have put a lot of time, energy, and hard-earned money into demanding accountability and transparency from our elected officials, and it's a major victory to have stopped the no-bid deal," Thacker said. "If only they had listened sooner, it could have saved us all the trouble."
The lawsuit stated that the township had a direct contradiction between municipal construction and real estate leases, failed to comply with Home Rule Charter mandates, and has an unfunded $4.5 million financial obligation.
With the board's decision, Thacker hopes that residents will be allowed to become part of the process.
"After this no-bid fiasco, we cannot take the Board at their word when they say that Melrose is the right path," he said. "So it's even more essential that they allow residents into the decision now that we're starting fresh."
Starting fresh involves decisions over the Melrose and Conklin pools.
Some residents and officials favor a new Melrose Pool while others want a new Conklin Pool.
At a recent meeting, Commissioner Emily Cheramie Walz shared her comments about the project and lawsuit.
"I felt it was important to speak honestly about where we are with Conklin and the Melrose pool projects," Walz said. "There is no conspiracy to screw over taxpayers. There is no group of Commissioners sitting around gleefully deciding to take away something people love. And the suggestion that we never considered rebuilding Conklin is simply not true. We have provided the facts. We have answered the questions. The information is available to anyone who wants to look at it."
Thacker said that the commissioners, in backing out of contract reaffirmed their commitment to finding a way to build a new pool at the Melrose Country Club.
He said the decision to close Conklin Pool was made out of public sight.
In 2024, the Board adopted Hybrid Facilities Plan E, which involved rebuilding at Conklin. This plan was the product of a year of public deliberation and over $100,000 in taxpayer dollars to cover consultants' costs, Thacker said.
"Why would we throw that plan in the trash, when it was clearly an expression of township residents' will?" he added. There is no way that rebuilding at Conklin should be out of consideration."
Thacker said that many residents, including him, want a new pool at the current Conklin site.
"If Melrose is such a great deal, get bids for both projects and bring them before the public," he said. "Keep Conklin open next year and build a new pool for 2028."
Walz said that the township determined that continuing to operate Conklin as it currently exists is not financially sustainable.
"We are open to discussing a different future for the property—whether that means repurposing it or transferring it to a community group or another organization that can demonstrate a sustainable plan," Walz said.
Walz said that deciding on a pool project is important for residents for many reasons:
"We all want a state-of-the-art replacement pool," Thacker said. "The path forward should not be the Board stubbornly doubling down even further on a contentious plan never endorsed by residents. The way to build the trust that they seem to think they're entitled to is by showing residents that they respect their opinions and take their representative role seriously."
"I believe Cheltenham is better than a community where disagreement automatically becomes accusations of corruption, conspiracy, and bad faith," Walz said. "I ran for office because I believe we should strive to be better than that. We are your neighbors. We use the pools, schools, and services just like you do. We pay the same taxes. None of us ran for office to climb a political ladder. We ran because we love Cheltenham. We want Cheltenham to be better and we are here doing the hard work every single day to make it so."
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
AddWorld/USA/Pennsylvania/Cheltenham VillageAir quality in Cheltenham VillageData attribution4 stations from 4 contributors37US AQI?GoodMain pollutant:PM2.56.8 µg/m³14°9 km/h79 %Hourly forecastCheltenham Village air quality index (AQI?) forecastNow3714°9km/h 79%Fri03:003513°7km/h 82%...
Add
World/USA/Pennsylvania/Cheltenham Village
Data attribution
4 stations from 4 contributors
37
US AQI?
Good
Main pollutant:
PM2.5
6.8 µg/m³
14°
9 km/h
79 %
Cheltenham Village air quality index (AQI?) forecast
Now 37 14° 9 km/h 79% Fri | 03:00 35 13° 7 km/h 82% | 04:00 33 12° 5 km/h 88% | 05:00 29 12° 5 km/h 93% | 06:00 32 12° 6 km/h 94% | 07:00 35 11° 5 km/h 100% | 08:00 39 11° 3 km/h 97% | 09:00 41 14° 4 km/h 73% | 10:00 43 17° 5 km/h 54% | 11:00 46 20° 8 km/h 43% | 12:00 41 21° 12 km/h 39% | 13:00 36 22° 14 km/h 37% | 14:00 32 22° 17 km/h 37% | 15:00 29 22° 18 km/h 38% | 16:00 26 22° 16 km/h 42% | 17:00 23 21° 14 km/h 46% | 18:00 22 20° 9 km/h 55% | 19:00 22 20° 7 km/h 55% | 20:00 22 19° 6 km/h 59% | 21:00 21 18° 5 km/h 68% | 22:00 20 18° 6 km/h 69% | 23:00 19 17° 6 km/h 68% Sat | 00:00 18 16° 5 km/h 73% | 01:00 17 16° 5 km/h 75% | 02:00 16 15° 6 km/h 75% | 03:00 16 15° 8 km/h 74% | 04:00 16 14° 9 km/h 71% | 05:00 17 14° 8 km/h 68% | 06:00 19 13° 8 km/h 70% | 07:00 21 13° 8 km/h 73% | 08:00 24 12° 9 km/h 75% | 09:00 23 14° 10 km/h 64% | 10:00 22 16° 11 km/h 57% | 11:00 21 17° 11 km/h 48% | 12:00 21 18° 10 km/h 45% | 13:00 21 19° 10 km/h 43% | 14:00 22 19° 10 km/h 43% | 15:00 22 19° 10 km/h 47% | 16:00 22 20° 11 km/h 50% | 17:00 22 19° 10 km/h 55% | 18:00 20 18° 13 km/h 64% | 19:00 18 16° 12 km/h 70% | 20:00 16 15° 10 km/h 75% | 21:00 20 14° 9 km/h 84% | 22:00 24 13° 9 km/h 87% | 23:00 29 13° 9 km/h 88% Sun | 00:00 25 12° 8 km/h 89% | 01:00 21 12° 8 km/h 90% | 02:00 17 12° 8 km/h 90% | 03:00 18 12° 9 km/h 91% | 04:00 19 12° 8 km/h 90% | 05:00 21 12° 8 km/h 91% | 06:00 18 12° 9 km/h 89% | 07:00 15 12° 9 km/h 88% | 08:00 13 13° 11 km/h 85% | 09:00 18 80% 16° 11 km/h 85% | 10:00 23 80% 16° 12 km/h 92% | 11:00 29 16° 16 km/h 90% | 12:00 25 16° 16 km/h 92% | 13:00 21 80% 16° 18 km/h 93% | 14:00 18 80% 16° 18 km/h 95% | 15:00 15 16° 17 km/h 93% | 16:00 13 80% 16° 17 km/h 95% | 17:00 11 80% 16° 18 km/h 96% | 18:00 12 16° 22 km/h 96% | 19:00 14 16° 21 km/h 95% | 20:00 16 16° 19 km/h 96% | 21:00 20 17° 16 km/h 96% | 22:00 24 17° 12 km/h 98% | 23:00 29 17° 11 km/h 98% Mon | 00:00 24 16° 11 km/h 97% | 01:00 19 16° 10 km/h 97% |
Cheltenham Village air quality index (AQI?) forecast
| Today | 34 | 22° 11° | 18 km/h | 59% | |
| Sat | 21 | 20° 12° | 13 km/h | 62% | |
| Sun | 20 | 80% | 17° 12° | 22 km/h | 93% |
What is the current air quality in Cheltenham Village?
| PM2.5Fine particles (≤ 2.5 µm)6.8µg/m³ |
PM2.5 concentration is currently 1.4 times the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value.
Health recommendations
Enjoy outdoor activities |
Open your windows to bring clean, fresh air indoors Get a monitor |
What is the pollen count in Cheltenham Village today?
Index
Moderate
Tree None | 0% |
Grass None | 0% |
Weed Moderate | 50% |
Source:
wetter.com
Pollen forecast in Cheltenham Village
Worldwide AQI? ranking
Get exclusive articles, product updates, tips, and occasional offers delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Email address
About UsContact UsCareersMedia InquiriesFoundation for Clean AirAwards and PartnershipsExperience CenterPartner with Us
Product SupportIQAir RewardsWarranty OverviewWarranty Registration0% Financing Knowledge BaseReturn PolicyReferral ProgramFSA/HSA
Air Quality NewsCommunityAir Quality ResourcesFeatured ContributorsHealth and WellnessSuccess StoriesAwards and ReviewsPress ReleasesAir Cleaning Technology
Business SolutionsRequest a BidTalk to an ExpertClean Air FacilityClean Air SchoolIn-Person MeetingVirtual AppointmentDashboard
Air Quality AppAirVisual PlatformHistorical Air Quality DataLive AQI? City RankingWorld Air Quality ReportWorld Air Quality
About IQAir Air PurifiersCurrent Products on SaleRestored ProgramTrade-in ProgramFace MasksAir Quality MonitorsFilter SubscriptionReplacement FiltersShop All Air PurifiersHelp Me Choose Quiz
Air Purifiers for AsthmaAir Purifiers for MoldAir Purifiers for SmokeAir Purifiers for PetsAir Purifiers for DustAir Purifiers for OdorAir Purifiers for Wildfire Smoke
USA
AQI? US, metric
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy© 2026 IQAir. All rights reserved
Cheltenham Township plans to take over part of the independently run tax office amid a dispute with its finance officer over business data.The disagreement over data privacy began shortly after Melvin Pitts took office in January, according to Pitts and emails obtained by The Inquirer. Cheltenham plans to amend the township code and reassign one of Pitts’ duties to help resolve the impasse.Cheltenham’s tax office is independent from the township and collects county, school district, and municipal taxes for a flat fe...
Cheltenham Township plans to take over part of the independently run tax office amid a dispute with its finance officer over business data.
The disagreement over data privacy began shortly after Melvin Pitts took office in January, according to Pitts and emails obtained by The Inquirer. Cheltenham plans to amend the township code and reassign one of Pitts’ duties to help resolve the impasse.
Cheltenham’s tax office is independent from the township and collects county, school district, and municipal taxes for a flat fee from each entity. The tax collector, under the township code, also doubles as Cheltenham’s finance officer and issues the town’s annual $15 business licenses.
Shortly after Pitts and the township commissioner board’s new president, Matthew Areman, began their terms this year, Areman asked Pitts for a list of licensed businesses. Then in August, Pitts was asked for similar data to fulfill a Right-to-Know request.
Pitts refused both requests because, he said, he sees the information as confidential taxpayer information. Tax professionals who violate confidentiality rules can face jail time under state law.
“It’s very sensitive data,” Pitts said in an interview.
But the township argues that a list of licensed businesses does not qualify as tax information and should be public.
“I agree with you that information related to tax … is not subject to public access,” township solicitor Ed Diasio wrote to Pitts in February, “but there is no provision … that a list of businesses that the township has licensed in the township is not subject to public access.”
Two lawyers specializing in public records told The Inquirer that although the tax office is exempt from sharing certain records, the tax collector is required to provide other records as an officer of the township.
Without the business license data, Cheltenham has little way to confirm which businesses are operating in the township, spokesperson Lauren Walter said — especially more discreet enterprises like rental properties, which the township has to inspect every three years.
“Township Administration does not currently have a defined list of businesses within the Township, making communication with our business community a challenge,” Walter wrote in a statement. When the township began regulating plastic bags, for example, the environmental committee went door to door to help inform proprietors of the changes.
Cheltenham officials are also keen to build the township’s business tax base as part of its most recent comprehensive plan.
The conflict between the tax office and the code enforcement department came to a head in August, after Pitts learned that the township’s rental inspector, Michael Bluestein, had access to the tax office’s data portal. In August, after Pitts moved to cut off Bluestein’s access, Bluestein confronted Pitts.
Pitts recalls Bluestein telling him: If you take away my portal access, “I’ll crush you.”
Bluestein wrote an apology to Pitts after the incident that does not specify what he said. “I did not realize in that moment that my tone sounded aggressive or threatening,” Bluestein wrote in part. “While I was previously approved to have access, [I] honestly did not know that you did not want me to have access to that information.”
Walter, the township spokesperson, said that she conferred with Bluestein and that he had access in the system only to business contact information, not to financial data.
Now, the township is planning to transfer business licensing applications to someone who will handle accounts receivable, a now-vacant role. Information on newly licensed businesses would then be shared with Pitts’ office for tax collection purposes.
Moving the licensing process from the tax collector’s office to the township would require Cheltenham to amend the town code, which currently specifies that the collector handles it.
Cheltenham plans to post the accounts receivable position within weeks, new township manager Jonathan Altshul said, and would not move to amend the ordinance until sometime after tax day 2027.
Pitts would have to remove business licensing from a new system his office is rolling out to allow online tax payments, he said, and he worries that the licenses will become delayed by code enforcement.
That is what had led to a $30,000 backlog in licenses that Pitts inherited, he said, and has since cleared.
“We’ve been getting stuff done so quickly,” Pitts said. “I just want to do my job, and do it under the law.”
Areman, the commissioner board president, said Cheltenham “looks forward to working closely with the tax office throughout the transition” to ensure it is “seamless for the business community.”
Clarification: This story was updated to clarify the tax office’s status under the Right to Know Law.
Correction: This story was updated to correct Michael Bluestein's name.
Inquirer Greater Abington
A Weekly Newsletter
Want to get Inquirer Greater Abington straight to your inbox every week? Sign up here for our guide to the news, stories, and events shaping life in your community.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at . A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at .
A resident said he objects to the township's Aug. 12 FAQ about the $4.5 million Melrose Pool project. Updated Mon, Aug 17, 2026 at 10:15 am ETCHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — A resident has filed a lawsuit against the township in response to its $4.5 million Melrose Pool project.Resident Samuel Thacker said he filed the lawsuit (Thacker v. Cheltenham Township et al.) regarding the township putting out a FAQ on the Melrose Pool project on Aug. 12."Residents oppose this unbid contract and the lack of tr...
Updated Mon, Aug 17, 2026 at 10:15 am ET
CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — A resident has filed a lawsuit against the township in response to its $4.5 million Melrose Pool project.
Resident Samuel Thacker said he filed the lawsuit (Thacker v. Cheltenham Township et al.) regarding the township putting out a FAQ on the Melrose Pool project on Aug. 12.
"Residents oppose this unbid contract and the lack of transparency that got us there," said Thacker, adding that he was supported by a change.org petition that has drawn over 330 signatures so far.
Thacker said the FAQ created :a direct contradiction" with its own legal stance in court.
"While telling the public that it is purchasing a $4.5 million municipal pool built to precise township specifications, the township argues in court filings that the deal is merely a 'real estate lease' exempt from public bidding," Thacker said. "Our pending lawsuit in the Court of Common Pleas challenges this legal fiction, while public concern continues to surge — our resident petition raising these legal and fiscal concerns reached 331 signatories in its first 48 hours alone."
The township issued a statement to Patch on Monday regarding the lawsuit.
"The township does not comment on any matters of active litigation," said Lauren Walter, the township's public information officer.
She said the township posted this list of FAQs surrounding the community pool situation in general.
The suit states that the township has a direct contradiction between municipal construction and real estate leases, failed to comply with Home Rule Charter mandates, and has an unfunded $4.5 million financial obligation.
"The township cannot have it both ways," Thacker said. "They cannot tell the public they are acquiring a custom-built $4.5 million municipal pool complex, while telling a judge it is just a routine real estate lease that doesn't need to be competitively bid. You cannot build public infrastructure by setting aside the Home Rule Charter and using legal loopholes to bypass public procurement statutes. Gaining over 330 signatures in two days demonstrates that residents expect full statutory compliance when millions of taxpayer dollars are at stake. Our lawsuit asks the Court of Common Pleas to enforce the law and ensure that public taxpayer dollars are protected."
The Cheltenham school board met for the first time since charges against 10 people regarding the assault of a high school football player.CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — Following charges against 10 people for the assault of a Cheltenham Township High School football player, parents are demanding safety improvements.In the wake of the charges and the resignation last week of Schools Superintendent Brian W. Scriven, parents turned out at Tuesday night's Cheltenham Township School Board meeting to demand answers after two locke...
CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — Following charges against 10 people for the assault of a Cheltenham Township High School football player, parents are demanding safety improvements.
In the wake of the charges and the resignation last week of Schools Superintendent Brian W. Scriven, parents turned out at Tuesday night's Cheltenham Township School Board meeting to demand answers after two locker room hazing incidents that led to the cancellation of this year's varsity and junior varsity high school football schedule.
“You should all be ashamed of yourselves. You brought us here. The District Attorney of Montgomery County told us you can't protect our children, let alone our teachers,” Cheltenham resident Elizabeth Karras said at the meeting.
Cheltenham School Board President Leah Mulhearn addressed the district's challenges after a "tumultuous" school year.
Mulhearn informed parents that the school board has retained a private attorney to lead an independent review of the school district's policies and procedures.
Four Cheltenham High School football coaches and six players were charged last week in two locker room incidents where multiple players beat a sophomore player in August and September 2025, authorities said.
The charges stemmed from two alleged assaults of a football player that happened in the locker room and led to the eventual cancellation of two football seasons.
A grand jury interviewed over 25 witnesses and found out that there were two incidents instead of one initially reported: One on Aug.15, 2025, and one on Sept. 3, 2025.
On both occasions, multiple football players were in the locker room when a 15-year-old sophomore and member of the football team was assaulted.
Mulhearn said that the football program won't be reinstated again after all sports programs have been examined for safety.
The charges were followed by the resignation of Schools Superintendent Brian W. Scriven last Thursday.
The parent-teachers organization at Cheltenham High School is urging the community to focus on the well-being of the students, families, and staff who make up the entirety of the school.
Over 1,200 students start school on Aug. 31.
215-914-5055
