This is a developing story and will be updated as required.
Updated 5:18 p.m. Feb. 19 with comments from Danny Clewis
Chadbourn Mayor Pro Tem Tony Jordan has called for an emergency meeting to discuss personnel in executive session Saturday, without consulting Mayor Phillip Britt or Town Manager Jason Robinson about a possible agenda.
Britt and Robinson said they do not know why Jordan requested the meeting. A notice from the town clerk says the meeting is “pursuant to NCGS 143- 318.11(a)(6) to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee or prospective public officer or employee; or to hear or investigate a complaint, charge, or grievance by or against an individual public officer or employee.”
State law allows for the mayor, mayor pro tem, or two council members to request an executive session.
Two members of the town council, Rashad Roberts and Colene Kelly Faulk, are not expected to be in attendance, sources said. If Roberts and Kelly do not attend, the only voting members of the board in attendance would be Avala Nealy, Danny Clewis, Jordan and Britt.
Sources close to town leadership said the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the employment of Chadbourn Police Chief Ken Elliot.
Jordan and Clewis are reportedly leading a coalition to have Elliot removed from office, the sources said. A previous executive session about Elliot was abruptly halted at a board meeting earlier this month.
Elliot was an investigator when he was appointed interim chief in 2021, and officially became chief in 2022. He replaced Anthony Spivey, who resigned and was arrested in 2021. The former chief was convicted in 2023 of stealing firearms, drugs and cash from the Chadbourn Police evidence locker. Elliot is one of four candidates for county sheriff, including appointed Sheriff Bill Rogers.
All members of the board were asked if Jordan and Clewis would recuse themselves from discussions about Elliot, due to potential conflicts of interest.
Jordan’s wife Lakisha is a deputy with the sheriff’s office and was hired by Rogers. Mayor Phillip Britt is also an employee of the sheriff’s office.
Clewis has had several run-ins with Chadbourn Police, including a traffic citation for an expired tag in February 2026. Witnesses said Clewis has also allegedly attempted to pressure Chadbourn Police to dismiss traffic citations.
Clewis was also accused in 2018 of soliciting prostitution by a Chadbourn woman. She later rescinded her accusations after shoplifting charges against her were dropped.
The woman was arrested by a Chadbourn Police Officer on Feb. 4, 2018, for shoplifting at Food Lion, and according to the report, she told the arresting officer that she needed to call Clewis.
“She stated that she knew him well and ‘he would have to let me go for shoplifting”,” the report said. The woman then said that Clewis paid her for sex and she was “afraid to come forward” because he would take the suspect’s “grandmother’s food.” The report also said that the woman was afraid of further retribution from Clewis if she came forward with her allegations. She allegedly detailed sexual encounters with Clewis and described vehicles where the reported acts took place.
The CPD officer noted in his report that the State Bureau of Investigation was contacted, but the SBI would only assist in, not lead, the case.
The shoplifting charges were later dropped. Former Police Chief Harry White amended the report eight days later, on Feb. 12, 2018, with a note that the case was closed because the investigating officer had resigned. When asked to provide an official copy of the Chadbourn Police report on the 2018 incident, the town provided a fully redacted copy of the report. A copy of the complete report had been previously requested and received.
Clewis said that he supports the police department, and does not know why the meeting was called.
“I didn’t know anything about it until Wednesday night,” he said.
He refused to comment on whether or not he supports Elliot as police chief.
“I cannot speak on former or current employees of the town,” he said.
Clewis also said the the accusations in the police report were false, and were part of more widespread corruption in the town.
“Before I say anything I have to speak to some people who are higher up,” he said. Clewis refused to say exactly who he needed to consult with, but did say that he was one of the Columbus County residents subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury in the ongoing investigation into allegations of misconduct against former Sheriff Jody Greene. Clewis specifically said he was not claiming Elliot was part of that federal investigation.
“I’m just saying there’s a lot of lies, a lot of corruption in Chadbourn,” he said.”Some people are trying to intentionally hurt me.”
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