Sampson County commissioners adopt 38 strategic goals, create elected-officials roundtable, transportation advisory committee and liaison posts

The Sampson County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt four resolutions that formalize goals and new structures for county government and approved several board and ex officio appointments during its March meeting.

The board unanimously adopted a resolution formally approving 38 strategic goals the commissioners developed during a February budget workshop. The board also established a Sampson County Elected Officials Roundtable, reestablished a Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and created designated commissioner liaison positions to improve communication with key local institutions and sectors.

County Attorney/Staff read the resolutions into the record before the vote. The strategic-goals resolution lists focus areas including excellent government, safe community, public education, growth and infrastructure, healthy community, economic development, and relations and connections. Examples highlighted by staff include maintaining a positive financial position and low tax rate; creating a multi-point emergency communications broadcast tower system; negotiating a joint funding formula for K–12 public education; and connecting areas that have tested positive for PFAS to the county potable water system.

The roundtable resolution establishes a quarterly forum for any elected official representing Sampson County and requires meetings be held in accordance with North Carolina open-meetings law and open to media and the public. The Transportation Advisory Committee resolution names an initial composition that includes county representatives (commissioner, economic development director, planner), invited municipal representatives (mayors, city planning director), industry and business sector representatives and ex officio participation from NCDOT. The county’s economic development director is designated to organize and staff the TAC.

The liaison-resolution creates formal commissioner liaison roles to improve relationships with Sampson County Public Schools, Clinton City Schools, Sampson Community College, the county economic development community and the agricultural community. The resolution clarifies that liaison appointments carry no independent authority to bind the board and that commissioners will report at least every other month during regular meetings on relevant liaison activities and information that can be publicly shared.

At the same meeting the board approved a set of routine appointments: a commissioner was named the board representative to the Mid-Carolina Regional Council Board of Directors; the county finance director was appointed a nonvoting ex officio member of the Convention and Visitors Bureau; the county manager was made a nonvoting member of the Economic Development Commission; the chair was named the county’s representative to the Clinton-Sampson Airport Advisory Board; and a commissioner was assigned to replace Commissioner Godwin on the Sampson County Aging Advisory Board. The board also ratified the chairman’s signature on a grant application for the North County division of Parks and Recreation and approved the consent agenda.

Commissioners and county staff said the new structures are intended to increase intentional communication between elected officials and to give commissioners clearer avenues to coordinate on education, transportation, economic development and agriculture. County staff said liaison reports will be added to future agendas so commissioners can inform the public of their interactions with partner institutions.

Votes at a glance: - Adopt strategic goals (38 goals): motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice/hand vote (unanimous). Motion text read into record by staff; mover/second not identified in the transcript. - Establish Sampson County Elected Officials Roundtable: motion included in omnibus motion; outcome: approved (unanimous). - Reestablish Transportation Advisory Committee: motion included in omnibus motion; outcome: approved (unanimous). - Establish commissioner liaison positions: motion included in omnibus motion; outcome: approved (unanimous). - Appointments and ex officio designations (Mid-Carolina representative; CVB nonvoting ex officio; Economic Development nonvoting; Clinton-Sampson airport rep; Aging Advisory Board): motions made and seconded on the record; outcomes: approved (voice/hand vote). - Ratify chairman’s signature on parks & recreation grant application (walk-on on consent agenda): motion approved when agenda/consent was adopted.

The resolutions and appointment motions were presented as part of the county’s FY2026 budget workshop follow-up. County staff said the resolutions will be published by the county public information officer and that liaison assignments and TAC membership will be presented for confirmation at subsequent meetings.

A few members of the public thanked the board for the workshop and for increased transparency. Several commissioners asked staff to return with recommended liaison nominees for formal appointment at the next meeting.

Officials present said the roundtable and TAC will operate under North Carolina open-meeting law and that economic-development discussions that qualify for confidentiality under state law (for example, active business recruitment) may be withheld until an appropriate public announcement.

Clarifying and next steps announced by staff included publishing the adopted goals, adding liaison reports to future agendas and returning in April with recommended liaison nominees and a staff presentation focused on agriculture and engagement with the county’s largest industry.