There’s an old adage that goes something like this: better be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.

Those words are ringing very true this week as the reality of what seems like a mass exodus of county government officials settles into our minds.

It started with the local Republican primary a few months back, when newcomer and former Sampson Sheriff’s Capt. Eric Pope defeated veteran county commissioners chairman Jerol Kivett, running a social media campaign that, at times, seemed to skew facts to put the very commissioners he wanted to join in a sometimes unfair light. That outcome hoisted Pope, a newcomer to the decision-making side of county government, onto the dais where we believe extremely difficult choices will have to be made in 2025, choices that likely won’t align with his campaign promises.

We have always had great respect for Pope — although we were disappointed in the way he chose to run his campaign — but we fear he may be wading into murky waters that have a strong undertow he doesn’t recognize or know how to navigate, particularly given what has happened since his victory.

That started several months after the election, in October, when long-time county finance director David Clack announced his retirement. When Clack leaves on Dec. 31, he will take with him decades of historical financial knowledge that will be difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

Then, just a little over two weeks ago, county manager Ed Causey and county commissioners vice chairwoman Sue Lee added their names to the retirement rolls — Causey leaving at the end of this month and Lee stepping down two years before her Dist. 3 term expires, also departing on Nov. 30.

Those four departures will remove much of the historic knowledge of this county from the board, particularly when you couple it with other losses experienced of late, including the departure of assistant county manager Susan Holder and attorney Joel Starling.

While many, particularly those who love to hide behind the social media mask, have cheered many, if not all, of these events, they do so, we believe, without a firm knowledge of what this means for Sampson County as a whole. And they do so, we also believe, with everything from partial truths to downright lies as their reasoning.

Nothing, you see, is as it seems on social media, where facts get twisted to fit the scenario that best suits those posting, leaving anyone who chooses to take those posts as the gospel armed with more misinformation than truth.

And it’s at this juncture — the corner of misinformation and backyard viewpoints — where anger rises, people bashing begins and the best interest of the county gets lost.

We all need to remember that when we talk about county government, we aren’t talking about an entity. We are talking about the hundreds of men and women (our neighbors and friends, we might add) who make up the various departments that ensure we are safe, our roads get maintained, our water is clean, our children are educated, our trash is picked up, the abused are treated, the neglected are fed and the overall health of Sampson is protected. And, we are also talking about their livelihoods, salaries that help them support their families, shop in local stores and, in turn, help keep our economy strong here.

While we’ve not always agreed with this current Board of Commissioners, nor Causey, we have never seen them as an enemy of the county. Quite the contrary. Kivett and Lee, for example, have brought tremendous business knowledge to the board during their tenure, and, by virtue of that, they have helped make some wise financial decisions, including holding taxes down while investing in both residents and employees.

Causey, too, with years of government intuition through his work with the USDA, brought much to the table. While his communication skills were sometimes lacking, particularly when it came to dealing with the public, we do believe he has always had the county’s best interest at heart.

While nothing stays the same forever, and change is often good, all these departures cannot be good for a county facing great need as it enters 2025.

We hope Pope, along with commissioners Alan McLamb, Lethia Lee and Thaddeus Godwin, are up to the challenge, and we hope the local Republican Party is up to the task of finding a solid Dist. 3 citizen, with a real ability to wade through murky waters and a stomach to make the tough decisions, to fill Lee’s unexpired term.

By virtue of the election and the social media angst that perpetrated much distrust in our county leadership, we have asked for what is now unfolding. It is our hope that through it all, those in charge can keep the ship afloat and keep it pressing forward through these winds of change.