What is this world and our town coming to when discourse and decorum during a municipal meeting devolve into viciously hurled insults, accusations of ethical impropriety, and threats of doing physical harm to volunteer public servants and officials?

We are referring to the scene that erupted on June 2 when Newtown’s elected Planning & Zoning Commission chair closed a public hearing on a requested special exception by a commercial developer proposing an industrial facility on a zoned industrial parcel in Hawleyville. For the full backstory, readers only need to run the word “Wharton” in our newtownbee.com search box, or consult our back print editions dating to early February when Newtown’s Inland Wetlands Commission took up the Wharton Equity Partners proposal.

As a groundswell of project opponents gathered traction and represented themselves respectably, responsibly, and respectfully over the past couple of months, it appears most have been concerned about potential traffic and the environmental impacts of the project, whose occupants are not yet known. The biggest concerns voiced have been over the air, noise, and light pollution that could be generated if the warehouse, or freight terminal, or distribution center, or truck hub is developed.

But be reminded that the appointed Inland Wetlands panel charged with and experienced in being among Newtown’s most effective environmental watchdogs found the proposal was, after requested modifications, nearly unanimously approved. And as the project took its next administrative step to P&Z, to help inform the public The Newtown Bee worked to help clarify the parameters and statutes under which that elected panel could operate as it considers the extremely narrow scope of a special exception to Newtown’s existing industrial zoning.

That industrial zoning in Hawleyville was put in place in the late 1970s, and the marketability of the parcel in question was fortified more recently by over $2 million in taxpayer dollars to create utility infrastructure to adequately serve a facility like the one being proposed by Wharton.

In regard to the June 2 meeting, opponents who were listening during the previous hearing already heard there would be no further public comment accepted. In addition, according to officials, if this hearing dragged on much longer, the special exception Wharton is requesting could have automatically been granted. So if it was the P&Z chairman’s opinion his board had enough, and heard enough so they could complete their work, it was his prerogative to close the hearing. It appears this was dutifully done and supported by a majority of P&Z members. With strong opposition clearly evident and voiced, the commissioners will now complete their due diligence — and eventually vote on the Wharton request.

If opponents — as was stated by more than a few following the June 2 closing of the hearing — believe one or more P&Z members are taking bribes, your recourse is to make a complaint to the local police department and/or the State Attorney General’s office demanding they investigate. Or at least file a complaint with the local Board of Ethics.

If you feel a Newtown municipal official acted improperly, ineffectively, or wrongly, you can also appeal to the ethics board, or the Board of Selectmen and Legislative Council, each of which has the wherewithal to investigate and take action on your behalf.

If you feel closing the hearing somehow violated Connecticut’s Freedom of Information and open meeting statutes, there is a public avenue to appeal that as well. As your local newspaper, we would even encourage it. Residents could even take action at the polls, as the P&Z members who were voted in last November can certainly be voted out in 2023. Or consider approaching the local town committees and volunteer to take their place on the ballot line if you are so inclined.

For a community that has represented itself so admirably in the face of one of the nation’s worst tragedies, and that has faced and persevered through so many other disasters, to see some residents acting the way they did — reportedly threatening officials and telling them to “watch their backs,” uttering vulgar insults, insinuating criminal activity by elected volunteers trying to do the work they are empowered to do and honoring the process under the law...

That behavior reflects back on everyone in Newtown. As a community, we should not embrace it. We are better than that.