The Athens-Clarke County Commission voted 9 to 1 Wednesday night to discuss University payment to the city in lieu of property taxes with the local legislative delegation.

John Barrow, the commissioner from District 4, cast the lone vote against the measure, saying he disagreed with the manner in which the unified government was trying to collect the money.

“It’s not that I don’t think something like this is necessary or appropriate,” he said. “I do, however, think it is a serious mistake to go to our local delegation.”

Barrow said by making the proposal at the state legislative level, the request would not be granted and would be “received with resentment around the state.”

The commissioner suggested instead conducting negotiations directly with the University and reaching a contractual agreement for what he said were $2 – 3 million worth of fire services per year the University receives.

“Let’s ask for payment in kind, in the form of services,” he said. “It would be worth the money we’re not going to get from them.”

He suggested the University ban freshmen from bringing cars to campus, require students living off campus to register the location of their residences so the city could prevent multiple students from living in areas zoned for single family dwellings and changing the University Honor Code so that students who “cheated” on this housing rule could be punished by the Univer-sity.

Cardee Kil-patrick, 10th district commissioner, noted that the University Round Table already is having similar discussions about the issues suggested by Barrow.

“That group is making good progress,” she said.

The 7th District Commiss-ioner Linda Ford, who first initiated the discussion of payment in lieu of taxes, said while the commission has not yet come up with a specific proposal, it is important for the local delegation to the state legislature to hear what information the commission has.

“I think it is very important to discuss this issue with the legislative delegation because it has been widely discussed in the community,” she said.

The issue is set for discussion at a work session with the local legislative delegation Nov. 12.