Emergency manager says township will review who can cancel permitted parades after flood close calls

Emergency Management Coordinator Ken Hildall told the Cheltenham Township public safety committee that the township will review who has the legal authority to cancel or pull parade permits after safety threats such as flooding, hazardous-material incidents or extreme heat.

Hildall, speaking during the committee’s July meeting, thanked the Cheltenham Fire Company for flood response during multiple downpours and described steps taken to reduce risky driving around parkway gates, including adding “road closed” signs at gates. “I have to publicly thank the Cheltenham Fire Company,” he said, praising crews who shut parkway gates and worked outside normal hours.

Hildall said municipalities in the region have varied approaches: two townships he heard from have the power to rescind permits, while most do not. He told commissioners the issue requires clearer policy and said he would bring a proposal to the board in the next couple of months to define who can revoke or cancel permitted events when public safety is at risk.

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said uncertainty about which office can act created confusion during recent events and places first responders in difficult positions when they must balance crowd safety and traffic control. Chair urged commissioners to begin conversations about permit authority so future decisions can be made more quickly and with clear legal backing.

Next steps: Hildall will prepare a draft proposal clarifying permit cancellation authority for commissioners to review; the committee recorded approval of the emergency management coordinator’s report for June 2026 during the meeting.