Cherokee County Council decided Monday to close its accounts with Bank of America following the removal of American flags placed near the bank in memory of a local Marine.

Council members voted 5-0-1 to close county payroll, accounts receivable and other accounts at Bank of America overseen by the county treasurer's office. The accounts will be moved to another financial institution.

County councilman Rufus Foster abstained.

"I'm a former board member of that bank," Foster said. "I'm on some boards at church and other groups. I don't think I can make that decision for them."

County council took the action after American flags were taken off a sidewalk outside the bank office on Floyd Baker Boulevard.

The same or similar kind of small flags were placed on businesses properties along Floyd Baker Boulevard by county resident Brenda Earls last week in a memorial tribute to Lance Cpl. Christopher Fowlkes. The local Marine was buried with full military honors last week. He died from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated in Afghanistan.

County councilman Quay Little said he felt it was important for council to express its disapproval towards the bank over how the flag issue was handled.

"This was one of the most unpatriotic things I have ever witnessed. I don't want to do business with a company like that," Little said. "I feel we need to take a stand as a county and deposit the money in other banks as deemed appropriate by the county administration and treasurer."

County council's action comes as Bank of America has made an effort to address concerns over the placement of flags in front of its banking center in Gaffney. South Carolina Bank of America President Kim Wilkerson released a prepared statement about the flag issue Sept. 17.

"We want to ensure the community knows how deeply proud we are of the men and women who have sacrificed so much in service to our country," Wilkerson said in the statement. "The bank does fly the American flag at our locations throughout the country and flags were displayed in front of our banking center in Gaffney the evening prior to our dedicated Marine returning home. We deeply apologize for any misunderstanding."