Many were hoping to see the fourth annual Battlefield Christmas Parade this holiday season, but it now appears that will not happen.
The main organizer of the parade, Deziree Marsh, says the event this year will not take place due to a permit dispute.
Marsh began the parade back in 2021 with only five weeks to prepare, but was able to accomplish it. The parade was also enjoyed in 2022, but was rained out last year in 2023.
She says some 17 floats were signed up and ready to go for this years parade, but then a request for a meeting from the city administrator and other city leaders was made for December 3.
During that meeting, Marsh was given a document outlining road closure procedures, including additional police coverage and barricades, which she would have to pay for.
Then, on December 16, she was contacted again with what she says was a completely different format for the barricades and would have to apply for a permit in order for the parade to take place.
The Battlefield Board of Alderman scheduled a vote on the permit for December 17, giving her just 24 hours to complete and submit the permit request.
Marsh’s attorney advised her not to fill out the permit request, which was ultimately denied by the board on a 4-2 vote.
A statement from the City of Battlefield regarding the situation can be read below:
“The City engaged in a verbal agreement with Mrs. Marsh on December 3 to coordinate traffic control and law enforcement involvement for the Christmas parade. After consulting with the City’s insurance broker, it was recommended that a formal agreement include an indemnification/hold harmless clause to protect the City.
On Monday, December 16, Mrs. Marsh emailed to confirm she had secured barricades for the event. In response, she was notified of the need to amend the agreement to align with a new road closure permit. Mrs. Marsh had previously signed a similar agreement for a block party request, which served as a reference for this process.
On Tuesday, the Board of Aldermen discussed the updated permit. However, they voted not to approve it. While no motion was made to cancel the parade, the City was left without a formal agreement to mitigate liability. As a result, we had no choice but to withdraw our services from the event.
At no point did communications from City Hall instruct Mrs. Marsh to cancel her event. The City’s inability to provide services was strictly due to unresolved liability concerns. I have repeatedly offered to collaborate with Mrs. Marsh to find a path forward, but no action has been taken on her part except reaching out to local media.
The City remains open to working with Mrs. Marsh to address these issues and move forward collaboratively.”
