Somebody step up and help – please.

The city of Marysville, in its budget for 2018, set aside $15,000 for a Fourth of July celebration.

The belief is that money was to pay for a fireworks show.

The city realized that about half of its citizens were disappointed that the city has outlawed the use of personal fireworks. It its place, the city would like to have its own celebration, something akin to what goes on in Arlington, at Waterfront Park.

Yet, here it is the middle of January, and no event is in the works.

The reason: No person, persons, group or groups have stepped up to sponsor an event.

It wouldn’t take that much. A group would basically need to provide a place where people could buy food, maybe a beer garden and of course some entertainment.

The group would not have to provide all three. It could work with other organizations and businesses to make this work.

For example, let’s say the morning Rotary steps up to provide the food. It does do the Shrimp Boil every year. And then maybe they ask the Kiwanis Club to do a beer garden. They do one every Marysville Strawberry Festival. And for entertainment, the city parks department has connections with many local bands. What if the Soroptimists agree to try to set up entertainment for the event? Fireworks would probably be around 10 p.m. So the other festivities could start anywhere from 3 to 6 p.m., depending on availability.

Profits from the sale of food and beer could be split among the nonprofit organizations and the bands.

If such an event is planned the city would need to provide help with traffic and security. And, of course, it would hire the pyrotechnics.

Which brings me to another point. Mayor Jon Nehring said as time goes by, it will be harder and harder to find a fireworks company available for July 4 because they book up so fast.

He suggested an event this year may have to go without fireworks.

But that would hardly be worth it to the nonprofits. The fireworks are the big draw. They could be more important this year than ever as there is talk that there won’t be one during the Marysville Strawberry Festival.

So, if a company can’t be found, how about having a fireworks show on July 3. Before you scoff, the city of Lacey does that every year, and it’s very popular. In that area, then folks also go to the Tumwater fireworks July 4.

Up here, if we do them on July 3, that would make it so we could go to Arlington’s festival on July 4.

As Linda Richman (Mike Myers) says on Coffee Talk on Saturday Night Live, talk amongst yourselves.

Send me your thoughts about this to spowell@marysvilleglobe.com or place a comment online.

Steve Powell is the managing editor of The Marysville Globe-The Arlington Times. Backseat Coach runs as the need arises.