The future of American Canyon’s Fourth of July celebration is up in the air.

On Tuesday, the American Canyon City Council asked city staff to evaluate whether the city should run the entire event — the parade, the fireworks and a two-day festival afterwards.

While the city normally organizes the parade on the Fourth of July and pays for the fireworks display, a committee of residents raises money for a festival at Community Park One. For the past three years, City Councilwoman Cindy Coffey has raised money for the festival and expanded the event from one day to two.

On Tuesday, Coffey proposed forming a nonprofit organization to run the Fourth of July festivities, saying she wants to ensure the event’s sustainability. “I think it’s a great opportunity here,” Coffey said.

Under the current system, business donations to the event are not tax exempt because the Fourth of July committee is not a nonprofit.

Coffey’s work on behalf of the Fourth of July committee has reaped both praise and criticism. The event has seen larger crowds in recent years, but critics say the two-day festival no longer has a small-town feel.

The Fourth of July Committee reported raising more than $42,000 for the two-day festival this year — including $31,000 from Coca-Cola AmCan Beverages — and spent about $35,600.

City Councilwoman Joan Bennett questioned the two-day festival, saying nonprofit organizations have not been able to participate as they had in the past because they could not manage to be there for two days.

“That puts a real burden on people who volunteer,” she said.

Vice Mayor Don Callison questioned the current setup, saying the city cannot account for how much money is collected at the festival.

“We don’t know how many wristbands are sold,” he said, referring to the bands that grant participants access to slides, jumpy houses and other attractions.

Mike Coffey, Cindy’s husband, said the criticisms are politically motivated and aimed at his wife.

“I cannot sit by any longer and watch my wife get knocked down,” Mike Coffey said.

Bennett denied Mike Coffey’s accusations, saying she only wants to make sure the Fourth of July festivities succeed.

Marianne Young and other members of the Fourth of July committee strongly defended the two-day event, saying it has become a family tradition.

“This event has flourished under the leadership of Cindy Coffey,” Young said.

Robert Folster, 19, one of about 20 volunteers at the 2009 festival, said the two-day event was successful and gave him a chance to help serve the community. “I think we should keep it the way it is,” he said.

But Ray Marcus, a member of Impact 94503, a local community booster organization, said the event no longer has that “hometown” feel anymore and wants a change.

Sindy Biederman, American Canyon Troop Support leader, said Coffey should not head the Fourth of July effort because she is a member of the City Council.

Cori Badertscher, a resident who led the Fourth of July Committee for three years before Coffey, recalled the criticism she received during her tenure from Coffey and others. The criticisms were brutal, she said Wednesday.

Badertscher said on Wednesday, the City Council should nominate a different existing nonprofit organization to run the event each year.

Tuesday’s discussion was part of a broader debate on the city’s major special events — the annual Volunteer Recognition Ball, Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

In the end, the council unanimously approved a resolution that names all but the Fourth of July as major city events, postponing a decision on the Independence Day weekend events. The council voted unanimously to evaluate the city’s ability to run the Fourth of July parade, fireworks and festival, with a report expected later this fall.