Ashland asked to donate to Fourth of July fireworks show

Every year, Don “Ocky” Jaskowiak helps raise money for the annual Fourth of July fireworks show.

And every year, he’s asked if the city of Ashland is pitching in. The answer is always no, he said.

“It’s embarrassing,” he said.

He is unable to provide an answer when asked why the city typically does not chip in. With that in mind, Jaskowiak and event organizer Mark Drolson asked city council earlier this month if the city would consider doing so. It’s a big expense, Jaskowiak said, costing about $20,000-$25,000.

“So we need all the help we can get. We keep going to the same businesses. I think down the road, they’re going to get tired of giving all the time,” he said.

The city has donated to the cause before. The last time was in 2014 that the city donated any kind of money whatsoever, Drolson said.

These fireworks are a big draw for the area, bringing in people from across the country who patronize local businesses while in town, he said.

“I got people coming from Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, North and South Dakota, all around there. Over on the east coast, I got people coming from New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire. They come here to watch the fireworks,” he said.

People have spread the word about Fourth of July in Ashland, and attendance has gone up, Drolson said.

“If you haven’t noticed, in the last three-to-four years, there’s bigger crowds at our parades, and a lot bigger crowds at our Fourth of July fireworks,” he said.

After some discussion, city council agreed to consider contributing when officials put together the city’s budget later in the year.