Hoffman Councilman Daniel Kelly told those who attended Hoffman’s Monday night Town Council meeting now that the town has procured the Hoffman School building, there is “a big deal in the works.”

Kelly asked for the public’s help and support with the project, but said the council “couldn’t let the cat out of the bag - just yet.”

Members of the Hoffman Town Council ceremoniously received the deed to the property from Richmond County Schools administrators and school board members at the meeting, after the school board voted unanimously this summer to convey it to the town for $1.

At Monday’s meeting, RCS Associate Superintendent Dr. Robert Beck recalled nearly two years of discussions that led up to the night’s event.

“I think it was almost two years ago when (Hoffman Mayor Pro-Tem Tommy) Hart came by my office one day to talk about the plans that (RCS Superintendent Dr. George) Norris had to revamp the Richmond County schools, and we talked for about an hour,” Beck recalled. “... And we talked about what we were going to do with the Hoffman School once the plan went into full effect, and we talked about the possibility of being able to sell the Hoffman School to the Town of Hoffman for $1.”

He said discourse between schools central office administrators, school board members and Hoffman Town Council members arrived at the conclusion that would be the best use for the building.

“We’ve come tonight to finish that deal,” he said. “... We know that the Town of Hoffman will make good use of this building, and it’ll be used for many, many more years.”

However, as RCS Board Attorney George Crump explained to the Council, the facility can no longer be used to house a school, whether it be public or private, for the next 50 years.

“An after school program wouldn’t fall into that category, though,” he said. “And y’all are not in the school business, so I trust that won’t be an issue.”

Mayor Jo Ann Thomas said there will be some expenses involved with the city’s newest possession.

“We were told the roof will cost about $200,000 to replace, and it will cost somewhere between $15,000 and $22,000 just to maintain it a year, but we are going to seek that funding from elsewhere,” she said. “We’re not going to just write a check, though we have enough money to do that, because we don’t feel that’s what’s best for Hoffman.”

During the town’s financial report, council told the public the town’s fund balance is at about $1.5 million.

She also pointed out the importance of having Crump explain the terms of the agreement.

“We don’t want to spend a bunch of money and make improvements to the building, then do something wrong and have it revert back to them,” she said. “We know they have our best interest at heart, but in 20 years it could be someone else in charge over there that might not see it the same way, so it’s important to hear that, and once you know better you do better.”

In other business:

n The town’s participation in a new gas card program for its vehicles led to the discovery the town’s trash truck only gets about 6.5 miles to the gallon of diesel fuel.

A truck driver from the gallery said a truck of that size should get anywhere between 10 to 12 miles a gallon.

Hart pointed out the truck is actually incorporated of parts from two trucks, one a 1993 and one a 1981.

“That may be a major purchase we’ll have to look at making at some point,” Thomas said.

n There was discussion over streetlights and sidewalks, and the council members said they were in talks to get those long-range goals accomplished.

n Several members of the public expressed interest in applying for jobs being promised to the areas surrounding Fort Bragg through the BRAC Regional Task Force.

Thomas said there are plans for 400 new apartments, a five-star hotel and a new Wal-Mart in Foxfire related to BRAC.

“Now that’s not Hoffman, but that’s in our range,” she said. “You really need to prepare yourselves through education for the jobs that are coming, so you’ll be ready when they get here.”

She said she’s been informed there will be a larger market for those who are proficient with computers, and individuals may be able to make up to $80,000 a year.