Wake County Commissioner Stan Norwalk has been a spirited advocate for what he believes and that's admirable. Making unfounded claims about the Wake school board's actions regarding the Rolesville High School site that he stated are based on logic instead of evidence (which he readily admits he has none of!) is not.
Let's start with the patronage and behind-closed-doors business. First, Mayor Eagles of Rolesville supported Debbie Vair in the election last year. Not me. Where's the political patronage in that?
The hard truth about the Forestville Road site was that it was considered emblematic of a school board that did not listen and did not care to hear from the public.
Wherever I went during the campaign people of all political persuasions came to me to ask if I would stop that site. It's part of why I won the way I did. So if listening to the people and acting on their concerns is patronage, why do Norwalk and his allies stand against the practice?
Second, the majority on the school board sent a letter before we took office declaring our intentions. It made the news. That's behind closed doors? We continue in the same fashion. I invite Norwalk to join us at a Facilities Committee, Committee of the Whole or full board meeting the next time we discuss it. These are public meetings. Everyone is welcome, even county commissioners.
The new site is being sold at an exceptional price. The per-acre price is about half the cost of Forestville Road. The design of the school simply needs to be fit to the new site. It is shovel ready, as improvements were made to it. That alone will save us $4-plus million. With the commissioners' support we can have it ready by 2013.
The school board is not returning to the Forestville site. It's that simple. So let's all come together and commit ourselves to building a much-needed school and leave the politics out of it.
Chris Malone
School Board Member
District 1
Wake Forest
The length limit on letters was waived to permit a fuller response to news articles and an editorial.
