AA Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

Given the choice, most of us want to stay in our homes. Sometimes, people need help to remain at home. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Personal Care Consultation

×
TESTIMONIALS

“We are 3 weeks into working with this agency for homecare for my dad. There were a few bumps in the road, but we have hit the jackpot with two of our caregivers. Melissa Pericas and Jordene have been amazing! My mother has been struggling with having strangers in her home and letting someone else take care of her husband, but these two lovely women have melded into the family and put her completely at ease. They are both very experienced and are doing and amazing job. My mom is able to put the caregiving into their capable hands and focus on being his wife and spend valuable time with him. These ladies both deserve 5 stars!! I rated the agency with 4 stars because we had some scheduling issues in the beginning and had one caregiver that was problematic, but he was removed from our schedule as soon as I reported the issue.”

Sherry D.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“Our caregiver Anne Sumner is more than a passionate, compassionate, caring, dependable and dedicated professional. She quickly became a family member and friend.”

t M.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“Cynthia Montano is the amazing from Always Best Care. Cynthia has helped my parents and us with this transition process. She has been wonderful explaining everything. If we had questions or just needed to talk about what is going on with the parents she was there to help. She goes above and beyond. She has help us tremendously. I feel blessed for having Cynthia during this time. Our family would like to say thank you for everything. We couldn't have done it without her.”

Deborah M.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“I just want to thank ABC agency for allowing us our angel giver which is what we call her. Shay is a life saver without her I'll be running like a chicken with my head cut off. She has stepped in and saved the day numerous times between changing her schedule to work with ours, to even making sure Steve visits his wife grave. We appreciate her please don't take her from us steve would be devastated. She's amazing”

Stephanie B.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“They are very hospitable and provide a wide range of job and in various locations. They communicate these job very well and make access to these opportunities easy. I definately like working for them.”

Jardene R.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“My experience with ABC has been great. My current caregiver Tashaya S. Is helpful and quick”

Virginia C.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“I enjoy my job , I love the flexible hours :)”

Zhane C.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“The caregivers talk with me. I like that the caregivers clean for me.”

Walter S.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“ABC has been very supportive in providing excellent caregivers to take care of my 96 year old father. It’s been a very good experience working with them over the past few months. Responsive and flexible in covering last minute requests. We are also blessed to have Ginny as our full time day caregiver and Mike for overnight. Both are very passionate about the care they give and do a terrific job. We have no worries when they are with dad. They care for him as if he was their own and it means a great deal to my family. They go above and beyond our expectations. We are more than grateful for their assistance.”

Donna M.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“My uncle needed support-fast! Cynthia’s assistance helped him weigh his options and make the transition from home to assisted living in surprisingly quick fashion. In addition, she suggested vendors and agencies to help support and manage the distribution of his belongings. We are forever grateful.”

Deborah S.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“Nothing in particular. Generally, I get people who are good people, most of the people they send are okay and I have had 2 or 3 people who were bad. I have someone now who is good and I have had some people who were not good from the agency. Some of them need to be more thorough.”

Anonymous_7278
×
TESTIMONIALS

“Great company to work with, flexible and reasonable. Always involved and available as well as continued contact from beginning to end of service. The caregiver we had was amazing and devoted as well as super knowledgeable and driven to not only care but to rehabilitate . I would recommend them to anyone in need without hesitation.”

Kevin A.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“ABC was a great care giving company to work with. If there were issues, they were corrected quickly by the office staff and the aides my mother had were kind and caring. Kudos to everyone!”

Rich R.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“Great company to work with, flexible and reasonable. Always involved and available as well as continued contact from beginning to end of service. The caregiver we had was amazing and devoted as well as super knowledgeable and driven to not only care but to rehabilitate . I would recommend them to anyone in need without hesitation.”

KJA511
×
TESTIMONIALS

“She talks with her while I go to appointment and if there is a problem. I would recommend because it provides companionship.”

Connie B.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“They've boosted my husband's spirits and his wellbeing. We've had two people, and they're absolutely incredible.”

George G.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“My Mom started requiring 24x7 care 2 years ago and her primary aid was attentive to her needs and treated her with dignity and respect. She would often call my Mom her "Queen". They always provided advanced notice whenever the aid needed time off and was responsive to questions and concerns. I don't know what we would have done if not for ABC and its services.”

KBPells
×
TESTIMONIALS

“If my back is hurting, the aid will do everything I need. She takes me to every one of my appointments. I would recommend this agency because the people that have cared for me have all been great people, and they are willing to do everything for me.”

Andrew R.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“The client feels comfortable with the provider. I like that they are attentive to the patient.”

Domenico B.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“The first time you send an aid to someone, send a list of expected duties the aid is supposed to do. I like that they always offer a fill in care giver. They always make sure I have an aid when I am supposed to have one.”

Barry P.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“My Mom started only requiring part time care due to her cancer but as it progressed, we needed around the clock care. The aides were always extremely helpful and kind to my Mom and when we needed care 24x7 our aide was Na who was here for my Mom day in and day out. In a six month period she had only taken two days off where we needed coverage which Always Best took care of for us. Na was just wonderful and my Mom loved her and everything she had done to comfort her. I also appreciated everything Na had done for my Mom and to have an aide as dedicated to my Mom was critical in my eyes. I would also like to thank their entire office they always worked with me and were always available whenever I needed anything. Thank you Always best Care, my Mom couldn't have been treated any better!!!”

kevinRK
×
TESTIMONIALS

“I deal with Deanna, and I can ask her to do what I need without question. I like that they're prompt.”

Gilmay L.
×
TESTIMONIALS

“Tommico, she makes my bed, she helps me with cleaning my floors cleans my bathroom, and she really does a nice job. They try hard to get caregivers and the right care to have someone here for me.”

Barbara K.
 In-Home Care West Haven, CT

How does In-home Senior Care in West Haven, CT work?

Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it's 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 ages, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

Request More Informationright-arrow-light
 Senior Care West Haven, CT

Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

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.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a unfamiliar assisted living community, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

Comfort
Comfort

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, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old. With the help of elderly care in West Haven, CT, 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.

Healthy Living
Healthy Living

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.

Independence
Independence

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 an assisted living community. 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.

Cost and Convenience
Cost and Convenience

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 to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, can be 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 in West Haven, CT 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.

Empowers Seniors

Affordable Care Plans

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:

Veteran's Benefits
Veteran's Benefits

Aid and Attendance benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.

Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-Term Care Insurance

Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.

Private Insurance
Private Insurance

Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.

Life Insurance
Life Insurance

Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.


Respite Care West Haven, CT

During your Care Plan consultation with Always Best Care, your Care Coordinator will speak with you about in-home care costs and what options there may be to help meet your budget needs.

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers

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 West Haven,CT 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.

 Caregivers West Haven, CT

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced 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:

An assessment of your senior loved one

01

An in-depth discussion of the needs of your senior loved one to remain in their own home

02

Reviewing a detailed Care Plan that will meet your senior loved one's needs

03

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.

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.

Latest News in West Haven, CT

West Haven officials consider ordinance change on trash collection after pilot program

WEST HAVEN — City officials must determine whether they will change the city's ordinance regarding garbage and refuse in order to codify an ongoing co-collection program that was piloted in the city last fall and has been met with concerns from some residents.The ...

WEST HAVEN — City officials must determine whether they will change the city's ordinance regarding garbage and refuse in order to codify an ongoing co-collection program that was piloted in the city last fall and has been met with concerns from some residents.

The city last year accepted a $1.3 million grant from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to launch a citywide pilot program in which residents were encouraged and reminded to separate food waste into a separate bag from the rest of their trash. The bags — green for food waste and orange for household trash — have been collected through the city's regular pickup service and taken to a facility where the food waste is transferred to an anaerobic digester and turned into renewable energy.

Advocates for the program said the benefit of removing food scraps from the waste stream goes beyond the environmental benefits of reducing emissions from landfills and incinerators — it also is expected to stave off a tax increase, as the city's contract for its tipping fees, the amount a municipality pays per tonnage of waste, is due to expire next year and is likely to roughly double. As a cost saving measure, officials have suggested diverting food scraps from the waste stream in addition to encouraging residents to produce less waste overall.

More News

The program currently is operating through $93,000 in extended grant funding as state officials await West Haven's decision on whether it intends on continuing the co-collection program before the end of September. Public Works Director Tom McCarthy said in a communication to the City Council that up to $799,400 in additional grant funding is available should the council act on the proposal.

City officials this week reviewed proposed language for a change to the city's ordinance that would affect the waste collection process, including language that would standardize the city's rules around revenue streams for collector fees and recycling, an expected year-round transfer station and recycling center on Helm Street, as well as fines and enforcement actions for noncompliance.

Kristen Brown, vice president of waste reduction strategy for WasteZero and a DEEP consultant facilitating the program, told council members that the city has roughly a 20 percent participation rate, although that figure has decreased somewhat from a "plateau" when residents had free bags offered to them through grant funding; Brown responded to a complaint raised by council members that some residents are having issues finding more bags to purchase, saying some retailers are awaiting assurance the program will be permanent before restocking the bags.

According to a presentation Brown prepared for the meeting, the estimated cost to the city of "doing nothing" would be $600,000 in the 2025 fiscal year. Brown's estimations of the cost of maintaining the roughly 20 percent participation rate in the co-collection program is that the city would incur $281,233 in costs in that fiscal year. For the city to have 100 percent participation without marking up the trash bags, Brown estimated the city would see a roughly $500,000 savings.

In March, Brown presented data to the council demonstrating an 11.6 percent overall reduction in waste in the first nine weeks of the calendar year compared to 2022. She said the amount of properly-sorted recyclables also increased from 15 percent to 24 percent.

Councilman Ron Quagliani, D-At Large, said Brown's figures reflect that about 80 percent of the city is not participating in the program after the pilot; although Brown told the council that the city's participation rate is "really, really successful" for a pilot, Quagliani expressed concerns that the city still has a long way to go to get community buy-in before codifying the program.

“I don't want a good program to be ruined because we acted too quickly,” he said. "I don’t want to make the situation worse than it is now."

Councilman Robert Bruneau, D-9, said many seniors in the city are barely scraping by, and the cost of the garbage bags used in the program, which are thicker to increase their durability, could be cost-prohibitive. Brown said it is projected in her industry that the average American spends $35 on garbage bags annually, but the expected yearly cost of trash bags in the program would be $28.20.

McCarthy said one feature of the program is that residents may be more thoughtful about the volume of their waste, especially as the pilot program encouraged limiting the amount of trash bags residents put in their curbside receptacles to last the duration of the program. Each household is expected to use no more than two orange trash bags and one food waste bag per week.

“There are ways to subsidize if anyone is having a problem paying,” Brown said.

Councilman Gary Donovan, D-At Large, said he would want to see a program that is not means-tested, and for trash bags to be subsidized for all residents citywide. Donovan also questioned the materials used in the bags — despite the thicker material used in the bags compared to market-brand trash bags, he said he has experienced burst seams, requiring him to double-up bags to prevent leaking food waste.

Councilwoman Colleen O'Connor, R-At Large, told the Register she is making attempts to participate in the program in her home, which has been "slow going" but "nothing that we cannot get used to." She said that it takes more time to think about what to recycle.

The issue has animated many residents in the city, many of whom have taken to social media groups to express dismay about government overreach in changing the waste collection process.

In the earliest weeks of the program, residents received flyers alerting them to their "non-compliance," which some council members chided program officials for designing to resemble a fine or a ticket. O'Connor said one elderly constituent told her that she feared she may be evicted.

The council is expected to have a workshop Sept. 6 to discuss and review the proposed changes to the ordinance language. Council Chairman Peter Massaro, D-6, said a public hearing would be scheduled before the council could make any changes to a city ordinance.

With brewery plan scrapped, conference center site an issue for West Haven's next mayor

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateWEST HAVEN — After two years of planning and negotiations, a brewery and taproom along the city's shoreline intended to be the permanent home of local brewery New England Brewing Co. and a bootstrap economic development concept for West Haven came toppling down last week.What remains at the site, however, is the former ...

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

WEST HAVEN — After two years of planning and negotiations, a brewery and taproom along the city's shoreline intended to be the permanent home of local brewery New England Brewing Co. and a bootstrap economic development concept for West Haven came toppling down last week.

What remains at the site, however, is the former Savin Rock Conference Center, a dilapidated building with a leaking roof that initially was to be demolished to make way for the brewery development.

In a statement, Mayor Nancy Rossi blamed the collapse of the brewery development — which likely would have been remembered as the greatest economic development legacy of her three terms in office — on “some City Council members, a few Land Trust of West Haven members and an appeal filed by the owners of Jimmies of Savin Rock restaurant.” The latter two groups filed appeals that tied up the development proposal in litigation for roughly a year.

More News

Doug Gray, the developer who intended on leasing the land of the city-owned Rock Street parcel and building a brewery and taproom to rent to NEBCO, has not responded to multiple requests for comment about the project falling through.

With Rossi not seeking reelection in November, there will be pressure on the city's next mayor to figure out a new plan for the conference center site as the city seeks to generate more tax revenue and bring vitality to its beach.

State Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, the Democratic mayoral nominee in November's election, said she has "no interest" in selling the property.

Borer said she sees two options for the space: either the city goes directly back out to bid or it invests in renovations for the property before going back to bid. Borer said she believes the latter option potentially could draw more attractive bids, but the city would need to have a good sense of what the parcel's future use would be before any renovation.

One thing she would prioritize before beginning the process, she said, has to do with a criticism she repeatedly has made of the city for lacking over the last few years: the hiring of an economic development director to navigate and support the process.

"Before we can consider bids, we need to have a team in place: a crackerjack lawyer, an economic development director and a finance director that knows what makes financial sense,” she said. "But I can assure you that building will not sit there in the shape it's in.”

On Tuesday, Republican rivals Barry Lee Cohen and Paige Weinstein will face off for their party's nomination in a primary election. Weinstein, the party's endorsed candidate, and Cohen, a former councilman who lost to Rossi by fewer than three-dozen votes in 2021, both said they believe the city needs to look forward.

In a text message comment, Weinstein said she believes NEBCO's withdrawal from the city reflects the difficulty developers have with working with the city under current leadership. She said she intends to focus on "sustainable developments" on day one of her administration, with developers she said she already has spoken with privately.

"When it comes to economic development, we are the bridesmaid who once again has dropped the bouquet," said Cohen in an emailed comment.

Cohen said he believes the city has not paid close enough attention to its Plan of Conservation and Development, and recent efforts to amend shoreline zoning regulations are "too little" and "too late" for the brewery. Cohen said his administration would be closely engaged with the Planning and Zoning Commission to ensure there is "versatility" in the zoning regulations to attract development.

"The zoning regs cannot be a 'one size fits all,' and must have input by the public and businesses being impacted by the zoning," he wrote. "Without such collaboration, we will continue to deal with more lawsuits, misunderstandings, and 'Plan Bs' where businesses and developers flee to other municipalities."

Republican Steven Mullins, who qualified for Tuesday's primary before pulling out and announcing his intention to run a write-in campaign, said he believes the first priority for the city must be cleaning up the 6 Rock St. conference center property.

"I’ve visited the property several times. It’s a mess!" he said in a text message comment. Mullins said he believes repairs should be made to the building so the city can rent it out for "a reasonable market rent."

Michael Moses, president of the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement the chamber "is committed to fostering a vibrant and sustainable local economy that benefits businesses, residents, and the broader community."

"We support commercial development projects that stimulate economic growth, create job opportunities, and contribute to the prosperity of our region," he said in the statement.

Although city leaders believe there is strong economic development potential for the land, which abuts the boardwalk overlooking the water, some in the city believe the city's history is just as valuable as its future. Michael Mercuriano, chairman of the West Haven Carousel Committee and a longtime advocate for returning a carousel to the area of the former Savin Rock Amusement Park, said the city should commit itself to a full museum at the site.

Previously, the conference center played host to the Savin Rock Museum and Learning Center in its basement before city officials catalogued and removed items in preparation for the brewery development. Mercuriano said he believes there's too much history in the city and in the area to be overlooked.

"To me, the whole building would be a great place for a museum: a museum of West Haven history. A museum that would be supported by funds from the state and fed government once applied for in the proper way,” he said. "And let's get a carousel there. It doesn’t have to be a grand carousel, but something to symbolize what West Haven was all about for years. I think it makes a lot of sense and it could be a destination and a gathering place for seniors.”

$29 million approved toward improvements to West Haven's Surfside Apartments

WEST HAVEN — Following claims of years of neglect at the city housing authority's Surfside Apartments, residents soon could see some improvements.Board members for Savin Rock Communities voted unanimously to borrow up to $29.3 million to make upgrades to Surfside, a 254-unit public housing property designated obsolete in early 2020 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, accor...

WEST HAVEN — Following claims of years of neglect at the city housing authority's Surfside Apartments, residents soon could see some improvements.

Board members for Savin Rock Communities voted unanimously to borrow up to $29.3 million to make upgrades to Surfside, a 254-unit public housing property designated obsolete in early 2020 by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to authority Executive Director John Counter,

"I've got goose bumps about this," Counter said after Tuesday's vote. "I am so excited, we’re going to flip every one of those units."

According to the approved resolution, the board of directors approved Counter to obtain an amount “not to exceed $29,296,000" in a mortgage loan from Lument Real Estate Capital.

Counter said in March that plans to borrow in order to renovate Surfside Apartments would be the first phase of a multiphase plan to update the West Haven housing authority's housing stock.

More News

Counter has said when he was hired to the executive director role in 2014 that Surfside had been neglected for years. He told the Register in 2021 that the true cost of updating the building was "cost-prohibitive" without first being approved for grants and loans that were delayed by a bureaucratic logjam caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although Counter had said 24-hour maintenance service is available to Surfside residents, the repairs that must be made to the building are beyond patchwork. On Tuesday, he said the borrowing will support upgrades to the roofing, boiler system and fencing, among other things.

“The building is going to look gorgeous from the street," he said.

When Counter was hired as director of Savin Rock Communities, the West Haven Housing Authority was embroiled in controversy over a bribery and conspiracy scandal. Former West Haven Housing Authority Director Michael Siwek pleaded guilty to accepting bribes for contracts in 2016 over a five-year period beginning in 2007. In 2021, residents complained of security and safety concerns following an alleged sexual assault of a resident of the building, an incident that led to a lawsuit earlier this year.

West Haven Denny's developers mum on future restaurant: Could it be Chick-fil-A?

WEST HAVEN — Applicants for a proposed fast food restaurant on Saw Mill Road, where Denny's operated from 1978 to 2022, have declined to say the name of the restaurant they are working on. But some local officials suspect it could be a Chick-fil-A.The city's Planning and Zoning office has received a site plan detailing the square-footage, parking, operating hours and various other el...

WEST HAVEN — Applicants for a proposed fast food restaurant on Saw Mill Road, where Denny's operated from 1978 to 2022, have declined to say the name of the restaurant they are working on. But some local officials suspect it could be a Chick-fil-A.

The city's Planning and Zoning office has received a site plan detailing the square-footage, parking, operating hours and various other elements of the proposed new building for a restaurant under development, but officials have said the future tenant has yet to be decided.

"The landlord is still working out the details," said attorney Vincent Amendola, who represented the application before the Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday.

It echoed what developer Bill Baker told the Register last month: he still has some restaurants in mind that can go at that site.

However, ZBA commissioners seemed to have an idea of what was being proposed at Wednesday's meeting. Commissioner Ed Wise asked senior project manager Kevin Hixson if the proposed development would be open seven days a week; Hixson said it was his understanding that the application is for a restaurant intended to be open for six days of the week.

More News

Commission Chairman John Clifford said that sounded to him like Chick-fil-A, a national chicken sandwich restaurant that is closed Sundays.

"I can say it, but you can't," Clifford said to Hixson.

"That's why I asked the question," Wise laughed.

Although all plans filed with city departments related to the development do not name the intended restaurant, the proposed hours on the application of 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. match up with the operating hours of the nearest existing Chick-fil-A franchises in North Haven, Wallingford and Southington. On its website, Chick-fil-A says its restaurants operate minimum hours of 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The applicants were approved for four variances at Wednesday's ZBA meeting related to the location of the planned 2,700-square-foot restaurant on the site, which would offer only drive-thru and counter service options, with no internal dining. However, applicants said they intend to add some tables outside the restaurant for dining options. Included among the parking options, Hixson said, will be four electric vehicle charging stations.

Amendola said the hardship claimed by the application is related to safety, especially the flow of traffic. Although drive-thru restaurant queues can sometimes become backed up, Amendola said the fact that the site's driveway aligns directly with the Interstate 95 exit ramp, which is controlled by a traffic light, is to the site's advantage.

A proposed timetable included on the application suggests developers anticipate the restaurant will open in the spring of 2024; first, the developers intend on demolishing the existing former Denny's structure.

West Haven reports more than 800 percent growth in marriage license fees in 4 years

WEST HAVEN — Newlyweds may bring something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue, but West Haven officials are seeing green.According to city officials, there has been considerable growth in the number of marriage licenses — and resulting revenue — issued in City Hall, a trend they said dates back to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.City Clerk Patty Horvath said she believes one factor is that, while municipal offices around the region closed during the earliest days of the COVID-19 pande...

WEST HAVEN — Newlyweds may bring something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue, but West Haven officials are seeing green.

According to city officials, there has been considerable growth in the number of marriage licenses — and resulting revenue — issued in City Hall, a trend they said dates back to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

City Clerk Patty Horvath said she believes one factor is that, while municipal offices around the region closed during the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, her office continued to function through an exterior window. However, the growth of wedding licenses issued by West Haven has continued to balloon since then, with $82,000 in revenue collected between June 30, 2022, and June 30 this year.

By comparison, the city collected $9,550 in revenue between July 2, 2018, and July 1, 2019, according to information provided by the city clerk's office.

Although the revenue from wedding licenses has grown, the city keeps less than half: in the most recent year, $55,760 went to the state, and West Haven held onto $26,240. Horvath said the cost of a marriage license has remained at $50 throughout the four-year period. In 2019, West Haven's share of the marriage license fee was $3,056.

More News

Horvath said the city charges $20 for each certified copy of a marriage license that it issues, and the city keeps all of that revenue. Between June 30, 2022, and June 30 of this year, that totaled $47,456, documents show.

Horvath said an additional reason why West Haven City Hall has "weddings galore" is that the city has a model that makes it more convenient: her office makes justices of the peace available to officiate weddings in City Hall, whereas other municipalities often require that couples find an officiant of their own. Horvath said the cost of a West Haven justice of the peace officiant, which is paid directly to the justice of the peace, is lower than what couples would find most anywhere else.

"It probably is more unique here," she said.

Steven Mullins, a justice of the peace since 1999, said he gets called on occasion to officiate weddings.

"I'm called and if I'm available I take care of the ceremony, and if I'm not, I'm not. I'm happy to participate," he said.

Mullins said he also has noticed, anecdotally, an increased number of marriages in City Hall since the building reopened to the public after the pandemic.

"West Haven is one of the only [municipalities] in the state that will provide the JP," he said. "That's one thing that makes us rather appealing to people."

Horvath said the city is required to issue marriage licenses by law, and is only able to refuse them if they are able to prove that some sort of fraud has occurred. As a means of addressing the increasing numbers of applications for marriage certificates and City Hall weddings, Horvath said City Hall has ceased weddings on Fridays. She said they have also limited the hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., which allows her office to get work done in the morning in case there is an influx of couples seeking marriage licenses and also provides enough time at the end of the work day to wrap up their duties.

"I have a lot less staff than there were years ago, and our transactions have increased across the board: the land sales have gone up and elections are always plentiful," she said.

Victor Borras, a city councilman who also is a justice of the peace and an employee of the tax office — which is situated across the hall from the clerk's office on the first floor of City Hall, said the building gets "congested" during tax season, when couples waiting for marriage licenses wait in the hall alongside residents queued up to pay their taxes.

"It seems like it jumped up in the last three years for some reason. It seems kind of strange," he said. "It seems like it just bloomed."

Although the increase in marriages has created more work for city employees and increased the overall foot traffic in City Hall, Mullins said there are financial upsides for city businesses and tourist spots. He said he has officiated numerous weddings for couples traveling from outside the city or outside the state, and they'll ask him for recommendations on places to eat or visit.

"They utilize our restaurants and flower shops and jewelry stores, so it's good for downtown business," he said. "I think it's a small boost to the local economy."

Patricia Spruance, Windham town clerk and president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association, said municipal clerks across the state have observed that they are issuing more marriage licenses. She said that, year over year, it's true of Windham: in June, she issued 30 marriage licenses but last June she issued only 13 and in July 2023 she issued 14 whereas last July she issued 12.

Spruance said neither she nor the state's clerks can identify any specific reason for the uptick.

"I guess that seems to speak to maybe hopefulness," she said. "We say that maybe love is in the air."

Disclaimer:

This website publishes news articles that contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The non-commercial use of these news articles for the purposes of local news reporting constitutes "Fair Use" of the copyrighted materials as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law.