Sarpy County board upholds discipline for Director Joe Martin, imposes eight-hour suspension

The Sarpy County Board on April 2 voted 5-0 to uphold a disciplinary action against Director Joe Martin and impose an eight-hour suspension following a grievance hearing that the parties stipulated to close.

Board member Jonathan Davidson moved to uphold the disciplinary action, and Lisa Taylor-Jones seconded the motion. "I move that we uphold the disciplinary action of Director Joe Martin including the eight-hour suspension," Davidson said. The board voted by raised hands and the motion carried unanimously.

Before the vote, Pam Born, counsel for the Personnel Policy Board, told the board the parties had agreed that the day’s hearing would be closed; counsel and designated witnesses would remain in the room while others left. After the closed portion concluded, the board reconvened and handled the formal vote in open session.

A board member raised a procedural point about the legal standard in the matter, noting that the outcome would be the same "whether the state has the burden or whether the appellant has the burden." The board proceeded to a formal motion and public vote after reconvening.

The decision followed the hearing’s stipulated closed session and did not include further public detail about the underlying allegations or evidentiary findings. The board then moved to close the grievance hearing and adjourned the meeting.

Other routine business at the April 2 meeting included approving minutes from the Feb. 11 and Feb. 25, 2026 meetings by unanimous voice/hand votes.