Burlington Records Show 31 Disciplinary Actions, Including 20 Terminations, in 18 Months

Burlington's personnel files tell a story of fuel theft, liquor store runs in city vehicles, and a firearm left at a government worksite: public records obtained through a North Carolina Public Records Law request document 31 disciplinary actions taken by the city between July 1, 2024, and the end of 2025, a stretch that produced 20 terminations, nine suspensions, and two demotions.

The most documented case involved public-works employees Justin Clayton and Brandon Coachman, both fired on September 22, 2025, after supervisors pulled gas usage reports and cross-referenced video surveillance footage. City officials concluded the two had misappropriated fuel from the department's own fuel system, a finding that put their terminations among the more straightforward misconduct cases in the records.

Other dismissals cut across a range of policy violations. At least one employee was fired for using a city-owned vehicle to make personal runs to liquor stores. Another lost their job after leaving a personal firearm at a city worksite, in violation of Burlington's firearm-free workplace rules.

Twelve of the 20 terminations came during employees' probationary periods, and overall, just over half of all 31 disciplinary actions involved workers who had not yet completed that initial phase of employment. That concentration in probationary periods is significant: it points toward potential gaps in candidate vetting, onboarding, or early supervision rather than problems that develop only after workers are fully established in their roles.

Public works, one of the city's most operationally critical departments, figures prominently in the record. Fuel theft and unauthorized vehicle use represent direct financial losses for Burlington taxpayers, and the resulting vacancies compound the problem if recruitment and hiring cannot keep pace with departures.

Burlington's personnel office released the records consistent with the state's public records obligations. The disclosures are likely to prompt scrutiny from City Council members regarding what reforms, if any, the city is pursuing in areas like fuel-access controls, background checks, and supervisory oversight as the city works to reduce turnover and protect municipal operations.