Like many other local governments, Sampson County is in a precarious position as it relates to a budget that must soon be adopted for the 2020-21 fiscal year. County manager Ed Causey said as much in his budget message, citing “two of the most unusual health and economic challenges that have faced our county, state, and nation for many decades.”

In his address, delivered during a Zoom virtual meeting of the Sampson Board of Commissioners on Monday evening, Causey pointed to the COVID‐19 pandemic and its underlying economic challenges.

“The COVID‐19 pandemic has created significant to catastrophic health and economic challenges for the entire United States, North Carolina and Sampson County,” Causey stated. “These challenges are improving, but nevertheless will be ongoing. We cannot predict the end of these challenges, nor the overall financial impact to the county.”

The county manager said the overall view of the budget process for this year has evolved as the crisis has evolved. That evolution has meant holding the line and attempting to minimize any losses that would have to be recouped amid an anticipated drop in revenues.

While the county has received federal funding — nearly $1.3 million via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) — for pandemic‐related expenditures, no funding has been received to cover loss of revenues. Those revenues are projected to be about $1.4 million less than last year, and expenditures are likewise expected to be cut by that amount, Causey stated.

“The proposed budget is a moderate to conservative presentation for FY 2020‐2021 based on the current economic circumstances and the expectations for the foreseeable future,” Causey stated.

There are no proposed tax increases in the 2020-21 county budget, and funding for local school systems, the community college, and other non‐county department partners are also being proposed near last year’s recommendations. A cost of living adjustment for employees is also not part of the proposed budget.

A mid‐year review will be conducted during the coming fiscal year to evaluate revenues and adjust revenues and expenditures accordingly, Causey stated.

“We recognize and understand that all our departments and partners are impacted by this budget,” the county managere said in his budget message. “We hope that the fall/winter review will yield a positive opportunity for adjustments. We continue to be committed to sound and responsible budgeting. We are committed to economic development and the replacement of deferred deposits to associated reserves.

The pandemic emphasized the importance of a quality workforce, said Causey, and it will be necessary to offer the needed support to maintain and improve that quality workforce.

“The pandemic has certainly created a short‐term hiccup for our entire country as well as Sampson County government and its citizens,” said Causey. “From a management perspective, our long‐term success is affected more by decisions we make in times of crisis than in times of prosperity.”

The Sampson County 2020-21 proposed budget is available to view at sampsonnc.com, and will be further detailed by The Independent later this week. The Board of Commissioners recessed its Monday meeting to reconvene on June 11.

COVID-19 update

On Tuesday, the Sampson County Health Department reported 22 new cases of COVID-19 to date, bringing the total people who have tested positive in Sampson to 501.

As of Tuesday, there had been 1,583 tests for the virus conducted in Sampson, with 1,003 negatives to go with the 501 positive tests, according to the daily report from the Sampson County Health Department. Of those positive patients, 280 are listed as recovered. Four people have died as a result of COVID-19 in Sampson.

There were still 79 tests pending.

Duplin County’s total number of laboratory confirmed positive COVID-19 cases has increased to 872 residents, up 116 cases from Friday’s report. Of those confirmed positive cases, 458 have met clinical criteria to be released from isolation. Duplin on Tuesday also reported two additional deaths, bringing the county’s total to 20 fatalities related to COVID-19. Of the two most recent fatalities, one of the patients was in the age range of 25-49 and the other was older than 65.

With increase testing access comes the possibility of identifying more positive individuals, especially those who are asymptomatic, health officials said. Through the extensive contact tracing that goes into the investigation of all positive cases, health officials attempt to assess risks of exposure and determine additional measures needed, including quarantine or additional testing.

As of Tuesday, North Carolina had 29,889 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 921 deaths and 716 hospitalizations, according to the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). There were 434,921 tests for COVID-19 completed as of Tuesday.

For more general information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus and NCDHHS’ website at www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus. To receive twice daily updates about COVID-19, send a text message with COVIDNC to 898211.

Those interested can also call the NC 211 Hotline for general inquiries by dialing 211 or 888-892-1162, or the State of NC COVID-19 Call Center at 866-462-3821.

Duplin’s COVID-19 related media releases will be released weekly on Fridays, starting this Friday. Those interested can continue to monitor COVID-19 statistics for both Sampson and Duplin counties, as well as the state, by visiting the NCDHHS COVID-19 dashboard at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.

The dashboard includes a variety of COVID-19 metrics and is updated by the state daily.

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.