Itasca delays decision on funding theater group

Itasca trustees canceled a meeting scheduled for Tuesday to give an attorney more time to advise them on a proposal to use hotel tax revenue to help fund a not-for-profit theater group.

Overshadowed Productions, which is run by Reba Hervas, wife of village attorney Chuck Hervas, is seeking about $450,000 to provide a down payment on a permanent home in the village. Reba Hervas is considering several Itasca sites with prices ranging from $1.8 million to $2.5 million.

But trustees have expressed concern that funding Overshadowed could cause a problem with church and state separation, since the theater group's mission statement says it aims to promote biblical messages. Some also wondered if Itasca can purchase the land where the Overshadowed building would stand, so the village might profit if the theater group ever sells its site.

Village President Jeff Pruyn said labor attorney Karl Ottosen, of the law firm Ottosen, Britz, Kelly, Cooper and Gilbert, Ltd., is still researching the issue. Itasca must consult an outside attorney because Chuck Hervas sits on the Overshadowed Productions board of directors.

"There's a lot of hurdles for them to overcome aside from these two points," Pruyn said. "There is still a lot to consider with the actual site and granting of the funds is not something we'd necessarily do before going through the whole (site plan and zoning) process."

In addition, talk show host and atheist activist Rob Sherman is lobbying to give a presentation to the board, explaining why he believes it cannot provide tax revenue to Overshadowed. When Illinois' Moment of Silence law went into effect last year, Sherman and his teenage daughter sued to challenge its legality.

"Atheists must subsidize religious and parochial groups, when the members declined to subsidize it themselves," he said. "When churches can't get their own members to support the church, they go to Springfield to ask the atheists and other nonbelievers for help."

Sherman is not an Itasca resident and Pruyn said he is not considering including a presentation from him at future meetings.

"We don't think it is necessary at this point," Pruyn said.

Pruyn added that talks will continue with Overshadowed.