It came down to Roanoke County Supervisor Joe "Butch" Church.

And, in the end, he voted "yes" Tuesday, joining Supervisors Mike Altizer and Richard Flora in approving the purchase of a 12-acre site to build a $30 million recreation center.

It amounted to a final, narrow OK for the sometimes controversial facility, which was a campaign hot potato last fall for Church as he sought re-election to his third term.

The rec center was recommended by a consultant two years ago after a countywide survey found significant support for a facility that would offer indoor recreation and aquatic play opportunities for all ages.

In the fall of 2006, Lynchburg-based English Construction Co. proposed building such a facility as the gateway to an upscale 200-acre office park it wants to develop near the intersection of Interstates 81 and 581.

The supervisors quickly approved agreements to develop that site, with a recreation center. The last piece missing was the $1.8 million purchase by the county of the 12 acres on which to build the center.

That decision passed on a 3-2 vote Tuesday, but not until after a lengthy discussion.

During last year's campaign for supervisor, Church's two opponents sought to capitalize on the dissatisfaction of some residents who said they thought that the recreation center, which will feature gyms, workout rooms, meeting facilities, and indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities, was a waste of tax dollars.

Church eventually won that race with some 54 percent of the vote after a campaign in which he repeatedly defended the recreation center and said it was wanted by most of his constituents.

Although he has voted for the center every other time the issue has come before the board, he seemed to waver during a lengthy statement shortly before Tuesday's vote. He cited general economic uncertainties, pressing financial commitments on the county and a need to lower real-estate taxes.

Just a half-hour before the board meeting began, he said, he still didn't know how he would vote.

After being assured by County Attorney Paul Mahoney that the $30 million price tag can't be increased before construction is finished, Church voted to buy the land and proceed with the project.

The other four votes were less equivocal.

In the only other race for supervisor last fall, Democrat Charlotte Moore won the Cave Spring District after a campaign that included opposition to the rec center. Since taking office in January, she's voted against advancing the project each time it's come up, saying she believes it was approved hastily, without enough resident input and that it diverts county resources from more important projects, including schools.

In casting what will likely be her final vote on the project Tuesday, Moore insisted "the only fair way for citizens to have been involved [in the decision] would be to put it on the ballot."

She was joined in dissent by Windsor Hills District Joe McNamara.

McNamara has voted against the rec center several times. He objected to the length of the financing for the project -- 30 years -- and that, "in the final analysis, a $30 million investment is too high for a project that is not core to government."

McNamara added that he's sure the county will be able to support the project fiscally and that it will be an asset to the community. "The project is far better now than it was six months ago or a year ago," he said, although he seemed somewhat skeptical of news delivered by the project developer Tuesday that "two marquee businesses with significant numbers of employees are trying to establish their corporate headquarters in the [office] park."

Flora and Altizer have been steadfast supporters of the project since early on. They both cite its potential as an economic development driver as a primary reason for the county to support it.

Doug Dalton, president of English Construction, said groundbreaking for the rec center should be in April. That is about a month later than earlier projections provided by Roanoke County, which had anticipated completion in December 2009.

In other business Tuesday, the county received a symbolic check for $2.8 million from John Brownlee, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. The money was a portion of the $100 million in penalties against ITT Night Vision last year for inappropriately exporting technology to other countries in 2001.

It was by far the largest such asset forfeiture the county has ever received, said Flora, the board chairman.

It was given in recognition of assistance in the investigation by the Roanoke County Police Department. The Roanoke Police Department received the same amount earlier this month.

The money must be used for law enforcement, but has not been designated yet.