Kohl’s is inching ever closer to DeKalb.

On Tuesday, the Economic Development Committee unanimously voted in favor of bringing Kohl’s to town.

“Kohl’s is the apple everyone’s looked for,” committee member Warren Osenberg said.

County Administrator Ray Bockman, who is spearheading the Kohl’s movement, was in attendance and answered questions the committee had.

He said DeKalb is missing an aspect that draws away people to stores in Rockford and Batavia, which both have Kohl’s locations.

“Right in the heart of that is apparel,” Bockman said. “Kohl’s will fill that hole.”

Bockman hopes Kohl’s will draw shoppers not only locally but also regionally.

DeKalb is suffering from low retail sales, compared to the rest of the state, Community Development Director Paul Rasmussen said.

In 2000, as a state, retail sales per person was $378, while DeKalb County was at $74. Furniture, appliance and radio sales sat at $175. The state average was $582.

“Our goal is not to reach the state average,” Rasmussen said, “but we would like to become a retail center.”

Bockman said Kohl’s had some reservations about coming to town because of the low retail numbers, but has been reassured that it would be a good move.

Ruthanne Trunda, broker for Milner and Associates Inc. Real Estate, said DeKalb’s population is increasing and would be a smart location for Kohl’s.

The biggest question the committee had for Bockman and the county was the 10-year extension of the county and city cost-sharing agreement.

The extension would put the Kohl’s store on the same footing as other large deals where the county received sales proceeds from the land sale, Bockman said.

The deal states that the county and the city will share jointly the infrastructure improvements, which will not exceed $775,000 each, or a total of no more than $1.55 million.

“If [those] numbers are worked out, then it is a sure deal,” Bockman said about the store’s intentions of coming to town.

The committee unanimously voted to endorse the extension, but left it to the county to decide.

The deal may need to be worked out soon in order for Kohl’s to move in, though.

“If Kohl’s wants to do something before our time, this is not a good deal for us,” Bockman said. “We are buying location and time.”

Bockman hopes the project will be completed in October 2003.

“It would have to go perfectly for that to happen, though,” Bockman said.