It's not new for municipalities to have rules and regulations governing land development and new construction. Such safeguards, which are aimed at orderly growth, safety and residents' best interests in general, have evolved both from forward-thinking leaders and by necessity.

It's difficult to imagine that any individual, or any public or private entity, would in this period of time not check on whether laws or guidelines exist before embarking on a major construction venture. That's particularly so in terms of something that affects or is used by the general public for whatever purpose.

That Butler Farm Show leaders embarked on construction of a new grandstand without obtaining a Connoquenessing Township building permit and ignored the development-approval process with which others comply depicts a puzzling state of confusion, if not also an attitude of outright arrogance that the show organization is "above" the township's rules.

Fortunately, on behalf of the people who will use the show's facilities in the future, the show's board of directors has received a stern wake-up call from township leaders. The township supervisors were correct in the cease-and-desist order they issued on July 6 in regard to the grandstand construction, and the show's board also doesn't look good in the eyes of the township planning commission, which considers issues relating to storm water management.

The roof that is targeted for the new grandstand will be the source of water runoff, which is a storm-water-management issue.

At a special meeting Wednesday, the supervisors voted to approve an agreement allowing the Farm Show to use the stands without the roof, if the grandstand is deemed otherwise safe and the Farm Show meets a number of conditions.

Those conditions ensure that there won't be any more confusion about - and that the Farm Show can't choose to ignore - any laws, rules or guidelines in regard to the show grounds' upgrade.

If only from the liability perspective, it seems beyond belief that the show's board was comfortable in embarking on its work without ensuring that there were no legal loose ends. A tragic accident later proven to have resulted from not adhering to codes and guidelines in effect at the time of construction could have put the show's future in jeopardy and brought into the picture the possibility of personal liability on the part of those who authorized the work.

And, it is right to question the judgment of the board in trying to "pull off" such a large-scale undertaking in such close proximity to the start of this year's show, which begins Aug. 8.

This Farm Show project thus has become an ugly, irresponsible experience that should never have been allowed to begin under its current realities. Somebody on the show's board should have raised a public "red flag" about the potential for problems, even if doing that meant following up that disclosure with a letter of resignation to avoid board in-fighting.

Since that didn't happen, all board members must be considered parties to what has occurred and all should accept responsibility.

"Confusion" isn't an acceptable explanation for what has occurred. At the completion of this year's 57th annual Farm Show on Aug. 13, the township must step up its vigilance and determination that work at the show grounds adheres to applicable laws without exception.