MARS — Mars Borough council members determined the show must go on.

After months of debating how and if to offer residents a July 4 fireworks show because of pandemic concerns, council Monday night voted to move ahead with the display.

Mike Fleming, council president, said the borough has been able to determine exactly what event insurance would cover. There were concerns leading up to the meeting that the borough might be liable if someone contracted coronavirus in the time frame of an event.

“We have coverage equal to what we've always had,” Fleming said. “No exclusions for the COVID-19 or any other potential disease.”

Fleming said the next step was to determine if the borough's fireworks provider, New Castle-based Pyrotechnico, could fill an order for a full show this year.

Bonnie Forsythe, borough secretary, said the company would be able to provide fireworks if she called them as soon as possible. However, they may not be the same fireworks as last year.

“(The company) couldn't guarantee that it would be like last shows,” Forsythe said.

Fleming said even a 20-minute show would be good.

Julie Schultheis, parks and recreation chair for council, asked where funding for the estimated $9,995 fireworks purchase would come from. In past years, the fireworks have been purchased with donations.

“We don't have it in the budget that we would spend that,” Schultheis said. “We always know that we get enough to cover it.”

Mayor Gregg Hartung and a few council members said they could ask donors for support. Additional costs could be covered by the borough.

“We may not pull in our donation level that we pulled in past years,” Fleming said. “But I think that we'd get some donations.”

The fireworks event was approved for July 4 at dusk, with suggested social distancing guidelines in place.

Residents can find more information about the event as it approaches on the borough website.