Kristi Rapson, the former director

of the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater, says she will fight the potential

dismissal of her federal equal pay lawsuit against the Development Authority

of Peachtree City.

Rapson said her attorney will

file an objection to the report issued last week by a U.S. Magistrate

which recommends the suit be dropped in favor of the authority, which

until recently operated both the amphitheater and tennis center.

In Rapson's suit, she

claimed she was unfairly paid because former tennis center director Virgil

Christian earned more than she did. A magistrate judge reviewing the case,

however, determined the jobs are not equal because the tennis center is

open to the public 364 days a year whereas the amphitheater is open to

the public for roughly one month a year for various concerts and events.

Christian also managed a much

larger staff at the tennis center than Rapson did at the amphitheater,

the magistrate noted.

The magistrate's recommendation

that the suit be dismissed in favor of the authority could be adopted

are considered.

Including attorneys fees and

expenses, the DAPC has spent over $112,000 to defend itself against the

allegations, according to authority attorney Mark Oldenburg. An Atlanta

law firm has been handling the case.

Robert Brooks, the most recent

chairman of the Development Authority of Peachtree City, said last week

that he felt the magistrate's report vindicates the authority's

position. When Rapson resigned in October 2001, the authority had just

given her a pay raise that pushed her estimated compensation to $83,896

a year.

"We always had confidence

that we would be vindicated," Brooks said.

Brooks recently resigned from

the authority, citing the near resolution of this lawsuit as one of the

major reasons.

Rapson said there were inaccuracies

in the magistrate's report which will be addressed by her attorney

in an objection that will be filed with the court.

"Historically, standing

up against discrimination has been extremely difficult," Rapson said.

"I was well aware going into this lawsuit that I would be fighting

an uphill battle. Of course, I would have preferred for the magistrate's

recommendation to have been in my favor, but this is simply step one in

the legal process and we still have a long way to go."

DAPC ran both the amphitheater

and tennis center until early this year when those duties were taken over