Perry was mainly censured for arguing with Republican Board Chair Pete Wildeboer at a September 1 meeting over not allowing a discussion of board pay raises. Perry proposed a motion on this, but no board member seconded it, so the motion died, and the members moved on.
Perry took issue with this, saying that they should have heard him out.
After failing to get a second and clashing with Wildeboer, Perry angrily left the dais early and didn't return.
Related: NHC school board member storms out over policy, meeting moves on without him
On Friday, Wildeboer opened the special meeting by calling it a “serious matter” and saying that censuring Perry would show the board’s formal disapproval.
Perry then asked for an additional minute to issue a “partial” apology for his behavior on September 1 before the board deliberated. The board denied that request, but members said he could issue an apology within his allotted 10 minutes.
Republican Vice Chair Melissa Mason said that Perry had violated faithful duties of office and did not model civility in front of staff, students, and the community. She said she took “no pleasure in this motion, but [Perry’s behavior] had reached the point where this action is necessary”
Republican member Pat Bradford said that “actions have consequences” and that Perry was “defiant” and “insubordinate” during the September 1 board meeting. She also said earlier in the meeting that the board had waited five weeks for his formal apology.
Democrat Dr. Tim Merrick said that his conduct that evening was part of a broad pattern of behavior — and that he generally does not like using the method of censure but “what else do we have to show disapproval?"
Republican Josie Barnhart said the disciplinary charge was for his failure to maintain composure and that “show[ing]” up [professionally] is our job."
Democrat Judy Justice said she was sorry this happened and that, relatively speaking, the board as a whole works well together, but she did not appreciate Perry’s behavior in front of a group of elementary students at the September meeting. She also said that his previous removal from committees didn’t seem to work.
When it was Perry’s turn, he apologized only for leaving the meeting early, “not for what I said before I left,” but added regretfully that he “deprived the community of [his] input.”
While the board claimed he violated Robert’s Rules of Order, Perry said he didn’t, thinking he still had the floor when discussing his amendment, and that his behavior did not warrant a censure.
Perry wanted to cite other meetings to show members didn’t follow procedure in prior meetings, but the board voted 6-1 to limit the discussion to the events of September 1, 2026. Earlier in the meeting, Perry had asked the chair for a point of order when board members discussed his actions in prior meetings. Wildeboer ruled in his favor then.
He added that his comments were “not egregious” that day and that other members have had emotional outbursts before without being censured, adding that the board ethics policy is “selectively enforced.”
Perry addressed leaving the meeting early, saying he typically attends all other meetings, so the board should show him some grace. He wanted to be heard on board pay raises but wasn’t, which “angered” him most.
He also told voters he “deferred” the 7.8% raise he received as a board member and added voters like him because he is a “fighter” who doesn’t sweep issues under the rug, such as board pay raises. He still alleged that this increase was done “illegal[ly].”
Perry, at the end of the meeting, said it might be “too late to heal things” and would wait for the next board to do that. He also said that his censure was a “foregone conclusion.”
Wildeboer acknowledged that this censure might not “help” but was a “necessary part of what we do.”
