Yemassee mayor fined for ethics violations

The mayor of Yemassee says he will not pay a fine levied by the S.C. Ethics Commission because he did nothing wrong by co-signing checks to his used-car business and using his town-issued cellphone to conduct business.

The commission reprimanded Jerry Cook on Friday and ordered him to pay a $200 fine and $300 administrative fee for the ethics violations, according to an order filed Monday in Richland County Court. Cook said he believed he was cleared following a Nov. 19 hearing, until a reporter sent him a copy of the order on Wednesday.

"I ain't paying a dime because I ain't done nothing wrong," Cook said.

At the commission's hearing, an investigator testified that he met with Cook and reviewed two town checks made out to the mayor's business, Jerry's Used Cars LLC, for about $2,400 in November and $845 in January. Cook told the investigator he co-signed the checks and invoices for the repair of town vehicles and was unaware of a possible ethics violation.

At the hearing, Cook said he does not seek out business from the town. His garage's general manager and town department heads are responsible for coordinating vehicle repairs.

Earlier this week, Cook said that soon after taking office, he became uncomfortable signing the checks and asked for guidance from the town clerk, who has now been on leave for several months. She told him he could sign the checks as long as she or a council member did, as well. Nonetheless, Cook said he still had reservations and did not cash one of the checks the investigator reviewed.

The order noted that the town's business was "roughly divided" between Cook's garage and another business until his election, when the mayor's business began to see the bulk of the work.

The commission also found the mayor used his town-issued cellphone to conduct business. Cook said at the hearing he did not realize that might be considered unethical.

Cook said the complaint -- filed in April -- was an attempt to discredit him because of research he's doing into financial issues in the town, which struggled to make payroll this month.

"I certainly did not take this job for money, but for my love of the people of Yemassee who elected me," Cook said. "They know I'm working on something, but they don't know what it is. In a way, I've just got to toughen up, but it is hurtful."

Though Cook said only one councilman, Daniel Anderson III, has offered suggestions for the town's payroll problems, councilwoman Peggy Bing-O'Banner said that's a separate problem.

"As far as I know, everything's all right" financially, she said Tuesday.

Bing-O'Banner said she does not expect the Ethics Commission's order to threaten Cook's term as mayor. However, she said the town's relationship with the mayor's car business has been bothersome to some residents during his 12 years as a council member.

"We're working on that," she said, declining to comment further.

Attempts Wednesday to reach other council members were unsuccessful.

Follow reporter Rebecca Lurye at twitter.com/IPBG_Rebecca.

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This story was originally published December 24, 2014 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Yemassee mayor fined for ethics violations."