Forty thousand dollars will help make this year’s DeKalb holiday celebrations the best ever.

The Downtown DeKalb Association was given $30,000 in Tax Increment Financing money by the City Council, said DDA president Tom Burch.

The committee hopes to solicit the rest of the money mainly from NIU and DeKalb’s west side businesses that are not in the TIF district, he said. DeKalb’s TIF district runs from the Kishwaukee River to 8th Street.

The committee began the preparations Nov. 18, and hoped to have everything ready by the day after Thanksgiving, Burch said.

Burch said any money collected over the $10,000 goal will be returned to the TIF fund. When asked what would happen if collections fall short Burch said, “we don’t like to think about this.”

Allyn Davenport, DDA executive vice president, said he does not anticipate any problems raising $10,000 and hopes to raise much more than that to return to the TIF fund.

Most of the money will go to decorate the city, Davenport said. The committee was able to secure a deal with Wayne Manufacturing of Des Moines, Iowa for the new decorations. Wayne accepted DeKalb’s old holiday decorations for $7,200, reducing the final cost of the decorations to $25,000.

Other equipment, electrical and labor costs make up the rest of the $40,000 sum, Davenport said. The committee hopes the decorations will last for at least 10 years, he said.

Outdoor street decorations will be put up on Lincoln Highway from Eighth Street to Annie Glidden Road and a block down side streets from First Street to Fourth Street, Burch said. This is an extension from years past when the decorations stopped at the river, Davenport said.

In addition to the decorations, a Santa Claus house will be built in the park by the McDonald’s at 545 E. Lincoln Highway. “It’s going to be much better then what we had before,” Burch said.

Davenport said DeKalb citizens are encouraged to contribute to the holiday celebrations. “It’s a community support thing,” he said.