Since 1972, Sampson County has operated under the Board of Commissioners/County Manager form of government. The County Manager serves as the local government’s chief administrator, providing administration and supervision of all departments over which the Board of Commissioners has authority to control. The Manager advises the Board on the development of policy and strategic planning initiatives and ensures that the regulations, policies, orders and ordinance adopted by the Board are faithfully executed. In Sampson County, the County Manager also serves as the Personnel Officer, overseeing the recruitment of subordinate offices and employees as deemed necessary by the Board (except those officers elected by the people or whose appointment is otherwise provided for by law) and as the Budget Officer, overseeing the receipt, disbursement, accounting and investment of County funding and preparation of the annual budget.
Edwin W. Causey has served as the Sampson County Manager since May 2010. Prior to his appointment as County Manager, Mr. Causey worked for almost forty years for USDA Rural Development specializing in financing and administering community programs (such as water and sewer infrastructure). Mr. Causey holds a Master’s degree in Economics from North Carolina State University, where he also completed undergraduate degrees in Animal Science Technology and Poultry Science Technology.