The future of Sawdust Days in Oshkosh

OSHKOSH - It looks like the city of Oshkosh and one of the city's traditional summer celebrations have worked out a compromise.

According to festival organizers, fees the city has charged the last two years has threatened the decades-old Sawdust Days.

But the city approved a new approach late Tuesday night.

Despite long, sometimes heated discussion, it seems both the city and the organizers of Sawdust Days have worked out a deal, at least for next year's event.

It will be the 42nd annual.

The city voted to sponsor the 2013 fireworks on July 5th. The cost is around $12,500. However the city is looking for other sponsors to help cover the cost.

In the past, Sawdust Days has covered that cost, but organizers asked the city to take over in 2013, and the city agreed.

"We're trying to make this work for everybody," said Oshkosh Mayor Burk Tower.

But the city decided not to cover the cost of police for the entire 4th of July festival as it has in the past.  Next year, the city will only cover three hours of overtime police costs the night of the fireworks.    

That's a $2,000 price tag.

"Saying we'll pay for the fireworks that was meant to help, the fireworks help both groups, both groups are responsible for the crowds," Tower said.

However, organizers say they couldn't afford the whole police tab and wanted more help from the city, beyond just the three hours.

"If they think people trickling in and they think the 4th of July works and ends in 3 hours they haven't been down to the park, people are down there all day long. But I guess it's their decision and we'll deal with it the best we can," explained Sawdust Days Chair Ellen Schmidt.

Despite the disappointment, Schmidt says the event will go on, July 3rd through the 7th.

The city approved its special event permit Tuesday night as well.