As the Village of Orion approaches its May 5th board meeting, outgoing Mayor Jim Cooper is speaking out for the first time since losing the mayoral election to Aaron Peer — a victory now clouded by questions over Peer’s eligibility to take office due to a decades-old felony conviction.
In a special edition of Focus on WRMJ airing Thursday morning at 8:30, Cooper says he had originally planned to retire after 20 years as mayor, but chose to run again after learning Peer was seeking the position. “I didn’t want to run,” Cooper said, “but I felt he wasn’t qualified. That decision had nothing to do with the felony — it had everything to do with his lack of experience and personal background.”
Peer, who defeated Cooper by a nearly 3-to-1 margin, joined WRMJ for an interview that aired Wednesday morning. In it, he discussed his past, the felony conviction from when he was 19, and the community support he’s received. He says he’s working toward clemency and expungement but recognizes those efforts won’t be resolved before the May 5th meeting.
Cooper responded by citing public court records, financial concerns, and what he called Peer’s “personal agenda” as reasons for his opposition. “You can’t run a town if you can’t manage your own finances,” he said.
If Peer is deemed ineligible to be sworn in, the Orion Village Board will likely appoint someone to a two-year term. Cooper made it clear he will not accept an appointment to remain mayor. “I’ve done my part,” he told WRMJ. “I won’t run again in two years. It’s time for someone else.”