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 historic Hartly, Delawre, PRR Depot 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 Hartly, DE 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.
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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 Forest Grove Mobile Home Park 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 1857 Jackson 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.
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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 Hartly, DE, 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 Hartly, DE 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 Hartly, DE 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.
Neighbors objecting to a proposed animal sanctuary near Hartly said they’re concerned about what could be done if Kent County approves the plan for a “commercial kennel” on the property without restrictions on the kind and number of animals.And they don’t like the 6-foot privacy fence the county is requiring around the land, which now has a post-and-rail fence surrounding a pasture, barn and house.About...
Neighbors objecting to a proposed animal sanctuary near Hartly said they’re concerned about what could be done if Kent County approves the plan for a “commercial kennel” on the property without restrictions on the kind and number of animals.
And they don’t like the 6-foot privacy fence the county is requiring around the land, which now has a post-and-rail fence surrounding a pasture, barn and house.
About 70 people attended the Kent County Regional Planning Commission hearing Thursday, March 6, about two plans: the proposed animal sanctuary and a separate proposal for 10 homes on Fast Landing Road near Leipsic.
For the animal sanctuary, First State Animal Center and SPCA, based in Camden, is proposing a home for animals like horses, other livestock and a few older dogs, according to First State’s Executive Director John Parana.
The property, about 11.5 acres at 3048 Hartly Road, has been donated to the animal center.
Parana said the sanctuary would primarily be used for farm animals that have been abused or neglected.
“We are funded by the Department of Agriculture to house these animals up to the point they can be rehabilitated or not," Parana said. "If they can be rehabilitated, they would go to the sanctuary."
Rehabilitated animals that could be adopted would go back to the Camden center for adoption.
The facility wouldn't be open to the public and no adoptions would be available at the sanctuary.
Some older dogs may be housed on the property – for example, one with diabetes whose owner can’t afford insulin and isn’t available to give the dog shots at the required times.
“These are animals that need help,” Parana said. “This is not to have barking animals. This is not to have violent horses. It’s to have a limited number of animals that we can give proper care to and they can live their life out.”
The hearing for the animal sanctuary was briefly interrupted when a graphic video with people in it appeared on the large screens used to show site plans and other materials at meetings. The video played with loud audio for several seconds before it could be turned off. Commission Chair William Jester apologized for the problem several times and said it was “beyond our control.”
On Friday, March 7, county public information officer Kelly Pitts said in a press release that "an unauthorized individual on the Webex session shared inappropriate material,” and apologized to all participants for the disturbance and any distress caused. Kent County Levy Court President Joanne Masten said in the press release that county officials are conducting a "thorough investigation.”
First State Animal Center and SPCA is applying for a conditional use for a “commercial kennel” on the property. The term “commercial kennel” is what this use falls under in the county code: “any building or land used for the housing, breeding, training or care of animals for commercial purposes. This use includes animal hospitals.”
No specific number of animals was listed in the application.
Planning commissioners asked questions about how many animals would be at the site.
"This board and the state and the Department of Agriculture has our word: We will never, ever, ever house more than 20 animals," Parana said.
The county planning department staff recommended these requirements:
Parana said the caretaker would be a veterinary technician who would live at the house on the property.
As for the county code requiring sidewalks along Hartly Road for such a facility, First State Animal Center and SPCA is requesting a waiver from that. The county planning department staff recommended approval of the waiver for several reasons, including that the sanctuary wouldn't be open to the public and there are no existing sidewalks to connect with.
When Planning Commission Chair William Jester asked who was in favor of the animal sanctuary plan, most people at the hearing raised their hands, but six Hartly Road residents voiced their opposition.
“My concern isn’t what they’re trying to do but if you make it a kennel, what they could do with it,” Jason Gary said. “If you do the conditional use of limiting the number of animals or dogs, I don’t really have a problem with it.”
He said farm animals like horses have been raised at the property for years.
Quentin Smart said his main concerns are the number of animals, the possibility of dogs and the noise of barking dogs.
“A lot of people who don’t live in the immediate area are speaking in favor of [the animal sanctuary] but these are the people that surround that area,” Smart said, motioning to residents of Hartly Road, “and none of them want to have that in their front or back yard.”
He questioned what would stop the sanctuary from taking in dozens of animals.
“It’s always a possibility, if it’s labeled a kennel, that they say 15 [animals] and the next thing you know, they get an influx of 50, 75, who knows,” Smart said.
Sharon Geiger said she has no problem with farm animals at the site but is worried about the noise from a commercial dog kennel. She also objected to the proposal for a privacy fence and trees around the perimeter of the property.
“We’re going to be met with this big 6-foot wall with giant trees growing in front of it that kind of looks like a government installation,” Geiger said. “We would like to have it remain a farm and look like a farm.”
The fencing already in place “should be sufficient,” Geiger said. “It has been for many, many years.”
Planning Commissioner Glenn Gauvry asked residents if they would be in favor of the animal sanctuary if the county capped the number of animals and prohibited it from being a dog kennel. Most said yes.
Steven Downs said no: “I don’t want it at all.”
He said he’s heard conflicting information about what’s proposed, including from the animal center staff.
The animal center should have provided a specific plan for what kind of animals and how many will be kept at the Hartly Road property before they asked the county for approval, Downs said. He also objected to the proposed privacy fence.
“To have to look at this big tall fence every morning … that’s just ridiculous," Downs said. "This is farmland. You don’t put a solid fence around farmland. It doesn’t even make sense.”
Some Hartly Road residents voiced concerns about the safety of their children and grandchildren if dogs or other animals get out. They were also concerned about the safety of the animals because if animals escape the fenced area, they could get hit by vehicles along the busy 50-mph road.
Planning Commission Chair William Jester said probably not everyone in favor of the proposal would be able to speak because of time constraints, so he asked if representatives could summarize their reasons.
Among the people speaking in favor of the sanctuary were state veterinarian Dr. Karen Lopez, Democratic state Rep. Sean Lynn of Dover, people who work or volunteer at First State Animal Center and people who have donated to the center.
Lopez, who works in the Department of Agriculture, said she supports the animal sanctuary as a place for neglected or abused animals seized during investigations by the state.
While First State Animal Center and SPCA has a few stalls for larger animals like horses, more space is needed, she said.
First State Animal Center employee Jennifer Wright talked about the animal cruelty cases the center handles, referred to them by the Department of Agriculture.
“There’s no way to put into words how important this facility would be,” Wright said.
The Regional Planning Commission could vote on a recommendation on the animal sanctuary at its business meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 13. No public comments will be accepted at that meeting.
The Planning Commission’s recommendation would go to Levy Court, with a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 25. No agenda has been posted for that hearing yet.
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business news. Reach him at [email protected].
Click here for important updates to our privacy policy.NEWSDelaware News JournalNeighbors who objected to the plan for an animal san...
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Delaware News Journal
Neighbors who objected to the plan for an animal sanctuary near Hartly got some of what they asked for from the Kent County Regional Planning Commission on Thursday, but not everything.
The property, about 11.5 acres at 3048 Hartly Road, has been donated to First State Animal Center and SPCA, which proposes a sanctuary and rehabilitation center for older, abused or neglected farm animals and dogs. The zoned agricultural residential property has a house, barn and pasture.
After a public hearing March 6 with people testifying for and against the proposal, the Planning Commission held a business meeting March 13 to vote on a recommendation.
The commission approved the animal sanctuary plan 7-0 with restrictions including a maximum of 20 animals and a 4-foot-high split-rail vinyl fence along Hartly Road instead of the proposed 6-foot-high privacy fence.
The next step for the proposal is the Kent County Levy Court public hearing Tuesday, March 25. No agenda for that meeting has been posted as of March 14.
After the Planning Commission’s decision, First State’s executive director John Parana said, “We’re very grateful for the board to go that extra step and to look at what we’re actually doing at the property. … We’re doing a good deed. Let’s get some animals out there and save their lives.”
But the commission didn’t specify anything about dogs, just the total number of animals, so in theory there could be up to 20 dogs at the property if no other animals were housed there.
Planning Commissioner Denise Kaercher said, “The motion talked about kennels but it has been described very accurately as a sanctuary.”
Parana said the facility would primarily be for farm animals like horses.
A few older dogs could be housed there, such as a dog with diabetes whose owner can’t afford insulin and isn’t available to give the dog shots at the required times.
“These are animals that need help,” Parana said at the March 6 public hearing. “This is not to have barking animals. This is not to have violent horses. It’s to have a limited number of animals that we can give proper care to and they can live their life out.”
Animals that have been nursed back to good health and are eligible for adoption would go back to the First State Animal Center in Camden for adoption.
The sanctuary would not be open to the public.
First State Animal Center has several stalls for larger animals like horses, but the center needs more space, Parana said.
“We are funded by the Department of Agriculture to house these animals up to the point they can be rehabilitated or not,” he said March 6. “If they can be rehabilitated, they would go to the sanctuary.”
In addition to the restrictions approved by the Planning Commission, the county Planning Department staff recommended these requirements:
Parana said the caretaker would be a veterinary technician who would live at the house on the property.
First State Animal Center requested a waiver from the county code requiring sidewalks along Hartly Road.
The Planning Department staff recommended approval of the waiver for several reasons including that the facility wouldn't be open to the public and there are no existing sidewalks to connect with.
First State Animal Center applied for a conditional use for a “commercial kennel” on the property because that’s the closest use in the county code for what the animal center plans to do.
Neighbors at the March 6 public hearing said they understand the animal center's plans, but wondered what could happen if the county approves the commercial kennel use, particularly the number of dogs that could be housed at the site.
Neighbor Quentin Smart said his main concerns are the number of animals, the possibility of dogs and the noise of barking dogs.
Other neighbors voiced similar concerns at the hearing, stating they didn’t mind farm animals like horses, but they didn’t want the sanctuary to turn into a place to house a lot of dogs.
Another sticking point: The original proposal for a 6-foot privacy fence and trees surrounding the property.
“We’re going to be met with this big 6-foot wall with giant trees growing in front of it that kind of looks like a government installation,” Sharon Geiger said at the March 6 hearing. “We would like to have it remain a farm and look like a farm.”
The fencing already in place “should be sufficient,” Geiger said. “It has been for many, many years.”
Commission Chair William Jester said he visited the property and favors a fence and landscaping along Hartly Road that’s similar to the existing farm pasture.
The Planning Commission agreed to most of those changes, requiring a 4-foot, split-rail vinyl fence similar in style to the existing fence along Hartly Road, with a 6-foot privacy fence along the property’s eastern border.
However, the Commission didn’t put a specific restriction on the number of dogs, just the limit of 20 animals at the sanctuary.
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business news. Reach him at [email protected].
The town of Hartly, Delaware’s smallest incorporated municipality, reached a major milestone Thursday, emerging from years of debt.Following its Aug. 10 meeting town commission president Mark Maguire said Hartly has paid off $27,000 owed to Delmarva Power, zeroing out more than five years of obligations to the electric company.Delmarva Power kept the town’s street lights burning during the roughly half-decade when there was no effective government in the town, population 74, Maguire said. Hartly had b...
The town of Hartly, Delaware’s smallest incorporated municipality, reached a major milestone Thursday, emerging from years of debt.
Following its Aug. 10 meeting town commission president Mark Maguire said Hartly has paid off $27,000 owed to Delmarva Power, zeroing out more than five years of obligations to the electric company.
Delmarva Power kept the town’s street lights burning during the roughly half-decade when there was no effective government in the town, population 74, Maguire said. Hartly had been unable to pay its debts without a functioning town commission empowered to collect taxes and accrue other revenue.
Paying off Delmarva Power was a collective effort, Maguire said.
“We had a building permit from the Family Dollar store that went toward some of it,” he explained. “We devoted a lot of money collected from our holiday event last Christmas, and some people just donated money.”
The town learned in July 2015 of plans by the Family Dollar chain to build a store at the corner of Main Street and Arthursville Road. Opened in late 2016, it was the first major business to come to Hartly in years, providing a major financial boost for the town.
“The town commission was responsible for some of it, but the community did a lot,” Maguire added. “Hartly’s community goes out a lot further than the town’s boundaries. There are a lot of people who don’t live in the town limits, but who have a feel for Hartly.”
Speeders being caught
Hartly has seen other improvements of late, including dealing with its traffic situation.
Because it is so small and lies along two major county roads, Hartly has a speeding problem. Drivers rarely observe the town’s 25-mph speed limit, a situation that prompted the town commission to hire state troopers. They patrol about 12 hours a month and have brought about $600 into town coffers. Actually, the figure is higher, but some scofflaws have yet to pay their fines, Maguire said.
In February, a speeding tractor trailer flipped onto its side while driving through the town, the 13th such accident since 1994. Since then, DelDOT has installed new signs, directional arrows and warning strips to slow down speeding drivers.
Tentative 2018 budget
Maguire announced the appointment of town resident Rebekah Legar as the commission’s fourth member; she was out of town Thursday night, but will be sworn in at the October meeting, he said.
Hartly’s five-member commission has been operating with just three -- Maguire, Raymond K. Morris and Suzanne Morris -- since April.
The panel also gave preliminary approval to a 2018 fiscal spending plan, which will take effect Jan. 1. The budget is balanced between expected revenues and planned expenses of about $24,000.
The town still is owed about $900 in outstanding property taxes and penalties, Suzanne Morris said.
Commission members also voted on a proposal to raise the town’s property tax from 0.005 percent to 0.0075 percent of the assessed value of the property when the new budget takes effect.
In addition to keeping the town solvent, the money would help establish a savings fund for unexpected expenses or future expenditures, to include the possibility of buying land for a town park.
The final budget will be voted on at the October session.
Additionally, commission members voted to bill town residents $70 annually as a means to keep the street light fund solvent. That will be added to property tax bills.
Hartly still is recovering from an embezzlement scheme by former town treasurer Richard Casson Jr., who stole about $89,000 over a three-year period more than a decade ago. Casson was ordered to spend one year in jail and to pay back the money, but so far has returned only a fraction of the total. Suzanne Morris said he is expected to repay only $600 in 2018.
Maguire said the town also has made progress in cleaning up three eyesores, including clearing out one property that had become known simply as the “trash house.” It has been sold, Maguire said.
Two others, including a former bank, still are for sale, he added.
“Overall, I think that since we’re out of debt, we’re moving in a very good direction,” Maguire said. “A lot of people were concerned about that, but it’s a big rain cloud off the town commission.”
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