Democratic Commissioner Stan Norwalk, at a June 21 meeting, charged that the Rolesville decision smacked of back-room political deals, bringing heated questions from Republicans on the board and an admission from Norwalk that he had no evidence, only "logic," to back the claim. Norwalk described the original site as superior and noted that Rolesville sits in a part of the county comparatively isolated from the surging growth closer to the abandoned Forestville Road site.

"It stinks of politics being carried on behind closed doors," Norwalk said. "It's not logical."

Republican Commissioner Joe Bryan countered: "That's a very serious charge. How can you sit here and in good conscience make comments like this for the public?"

Responded Norwalk: "Because there's no other logical explanation."

Said Bryan: "So this is a myth that's occurred in your mind?"

Said Norwalk: "Call it whatever you want to."

In a telephone interview, school board chairman Ron Margiotta said he was offended by Norwalk's statements, adding that the proposed Forestville Road location, two miles from another high school on a busy road, was obviously a bad site.

"What backroom politics?" Margiotta said. "Ask him to clarify that. I certainly resent that kind of statement."

Margiotta said he resented efforts by Norwalk and Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, who has also criticized the proposed Rolesville purchase, to dictate where schools should be located.

How it works

In a convoluted political situation, the Republican-backed school board majority has to get approval for its spending from the Board of Commissioners, which has a Democratic majority but a Republican chairman. The school board majority has changed many elements of school operations since it took power in December, discarding the system's former diversity plan and making a series of operational and logistical decisions to support that direction.

Approval of the school board decision on the Rolesville property was on Monday's agenda for first reading, which meant board members were arguing over a measure that didn't even get a vote.

Lynn Edmonds, representing the advocacy organization Great Schools in Wake, said during the public comment period that the Rolesville site is too far from Wakefield to meet high levels of growth in that area.

The school is designed for 2,200 students, and only 212 high school students live in Rolesville, meaning that most students will have to travel farther to reach it, Edmonds said, urging commissioners to change direction.

"You can choose to be responsible stewards of our money," she said.

Debbie Vair, a former candidate for Wake County School Board, called the Forestville Road location "not the right site for this school" during a public-comment period.

"Keep partisan politics out of this and approve the Rolesville site," Vair said.

On the Rolesville land purchase, board members asked for information including costs that had gone into the original site that have been lost by the decision to move it. A vote on whether to approve the site will take place at the commission's July 6 meeting.

Staff writer T. Keung Hui contributed to this article.