Caboose project dropped, but short-term rentals still possible

By Randy Bell

The cabooses won’t be coming to Clinton, but there’s still a chance that the City will approve an ordinance allowing short term rental property in Olde Towne. Brian Biernat has withdrawn his proposal to place five refurbished railroad cabooses on a vacant lot to provide accommodations for people visiting Clinton who want an alternative to hotels.

“How many [other] people in this City have we had willing to put $850,000 at the end of Jefferson Street to help beautify and improve that area?” asked Mayor Phil Fisher. “And the answer is none.”

Fisher has blasted the Board of Aldermen for delaying action on a short-term rental ordinance, which was needed before Biernat could move forward with his project. The Board voted June 7 to put the ordinance on hold.

“It sends a horrible signal to the business community,” the mayor said. “It’s really a shame that project was lost.”

Ward 1 Alderwoman Karen Godfrey defends the Board’s cautious approach to short term rentals.

“I’m hoping we can bring it back up. We have gone through the ordinance. We’ve made notes. We will look at it.” Godfrey said it’s something Clinton needs. “A college town is a good place to have short term rentals. Oxford has it. Starkville has it.”

And as for the caboose project that was lost, Godfrey said, “There’ll be something built there [on the vacant lot], and they’ll be paying taxes just like [Biernat] would. I don’t think that it will hurt as far as missing out on tax revenue or anything like that. But I think there will be something that goes there that will fit more with the Olde Towne area.”