Wake County school officials are racing the clock to get approval for a new high school site in northern Wake. They say further delays may mean the high school won't open in 2012 as planned. But newly-elected board members say the rush is pointless.

"We as politicians have to know that sometimes when people speak loudly enough, it's our job to follow suit," said District 1 Board member-elect Chris Malone. "To be the follower in this case and to lead the staff in a different direction."

The current site off Forestville Road has drawn fire from elected officials because of traffic issues, concerns over an historic cemetery on the property, and recently discovered rock deposits on the land that they say make it a poor selection.

"I think Wake County schools staff has just hung onto this thing because they have said this is a good site," said Rolesville Mayor Frank Eagles. "Now it's showing up that it's not a good site, it's a bad site. And they just don't want to admit that they made a mistake."

Eagles has proposed a site off Lewisbury Road in Rolesville as an alternate site. School officials say they will be considering it and several more in a joint meeting Friday with staff from municipalities and the county. They've promised a short list to the board by mid-November.

"We've got a long list of items we look at," said Joe Desormeaux, the school system's assistant superintendent for facilities. "You try to find the best combination of safety, location, functional use.. all those to get the best property you can."

County officials appear to be trying to take politics out of Friday's discussion. Eagles said he was asked by County Manager David Cooke not to attend.