Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority members gave their colleague William Fennoy what amounts to a blank check for legal fees in his case against citizen activist Woody Merry.

Authority members Bill Law, Keith Brown, Janice Jenkins, Mildred McDaniel and Booker T. Roberson voted Tuesday to continue paying Mr. Fennoy's legal bills as the case moves to Richmond County State Court, but did not specify an amount.

Jack Usry abstained. Three other members were absent.

Before the vote, Mr. Usry asked Mr. Fennoy whether he would consider shaking hands with Mr. Merry and going forward.

"I don't like to see legal fees adding up if we don't have to have them," Mr. Usry said.

The authority has already paid $3,000 to attorney Evita Paschal, who represented Mr. Fennoy in Richmond County Civil and Magistrate Court.

Mr. Merry and Mr. Fennoy were both charged with simple battery and jailed after a fight before the May 30 Coliseum Authority meeting. Each sought warrants against the other after the scuffle, which ended with Mr. Merry on the floor and Mr. Fennoy being restrained. After they were jailed and later released on $5,000 bond, they were arraigned in State Court, where they pleaded not guilty. The case is expected to come up in October.

Mr. Brown said he thought it was the authority's duty to pay Mr. Fennoy's legal bills.

"It is within our rules and regulations to pay the attorney fees," he said. "I think that it's a prudent use of the tax dollars based on the situation. And people just need to understand that coming to these meetings and causing problems will not be tolerated."

Mr. Brown said, however, that it might have been wiser for the board to vote to pay the fees for the State Court trial only or limit the amount of money.