DeKALB | The Ellwood Historic District Neighborhood Group held a formal question-and-answer session Tuesday night to clarify misconceptions regarding the Ellwood Historic District and plans to improve the area.

The Ellwood Historic District consists of the neighborhoods encompassing Locust Street, First Street and John Street.

City Manager Mark Biernacki was present at the meeting and answered questions regarding Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Biernacki explained the nature of TIF funding and how it affects the Ellwood Historic District and the TIF district as a whole.

Biernacki said once an area is added to the TIF district, a portion of the property taxes in the area go to a fund specifically designed to make improvements within the district. Biernacki said TIF money can only be spent on physical, capital-type improvements, such as street lamps or sidewalk repair.

“The purpose of TIF is to create a pool of money to use for improvements in the TIF district,” Biernacki said.

Myron Myers, director of vocal studies at NIU and a resident of the Ellwood Historic District, spoke briefly about how the neighborhood became a historic district.

Myers said residents began talking about ways to improve the area in 1996 and the DeKalb City Council approved the area as a historic district in 1997.

Many of the initial complaints were that there were more rental properties in the neighborhood than there were single family homes, Myers said.

“The goal was to identify historic properties and renewing and restoring the area,” Myers said. “The hope was to get revenue for improvements.”

Biernacki also discussed how the group could move forward with implementing improvements to the neighborhood. Biernacki said the group needs to come to a consensus on their 2010 draft implementation plan, which will specify improvements the group wants to see in the neighborhood, in order to receive funding from the city.

“The council will not spend money on the neighborhood until a consensus is reached on the 2010 draft implementation plan,” Biernacki said.

Biernacki said he has recommended a $100,000 placeholder to the council for future improvements to the Ellwood Historic District.