Galesburg's City Manager says approval of essentially two new targeted economic development areas in the city does something very important.

Galesburg aldermen, with no discussion Monday night, unanimously approved two new Tax Increment Financing Districts -- one, Dane Bragg says, covers East Main Street in downtown Galesburg, the other, East Main Street at Interstate 74.

Bragg told aldermen the establishment of the fourth and fifth TIF districts in town means, essentially, one big TIF district.  "By the adoption of TIF 4, the extension last year of TIF 2, and now the adoption of TIF 5, we'll (the city) be able to provide a continuous corridor from downtown all the way to the I-74 interstate."

Bragg says in the case of the new TIF affecting downtown Galesburg, its development was crucial to the city's downtown redevelopment plan, while in the case of the I-74 area TIF, the hope is that it will further spur development in the area of the Galesburg off-ramp.

Galesburg aldermen Monday night, among other items, also approved allowing parking on one side of East Berrien Street between Chambers and Pearl Streets, okayed stop signs at Ohio Avenue and South Street, and officially okayed the use of Lake Storey Park for the annual "Big Bang Boom" Fourth of July Fireworks celebration.