Tallulah Falls reviews budget, details $2.4M school camera fund use

TALLULAH FALLS — The Town of Tallulah Falls reviewed its proposed fiscal year 2027 budget Tuesday, highlighting planned uses for more than $2.4 million in school zone camera revenues and hearing limited public comment during a special called meeting.

The budget hearing included the General Fund, Water Fund, Hotel/Motel Tax Fund, SPLOST, T-SPLOST and the School Zone Camera Public Safety Fund. No amendments were made during the hearing.

Town officials provided additional detail on how the restricted School Zone Camera Public Safety Fund would be used. The fund, which contains more than $2.4 million in accumulated revenue, is generated through school zone traffic enforcement cameras.

Mayor Mike Early told Now Georgia the town has a list of projects already underway that will be funded in part by the program.

“Yeah, we’ve got a list of projects that we’re using that we’ve allocated some of the funds for,” Early said. “We got some projects underway right now. Sure, like we’re renovating a building that’s going to house our police department, as well as another community room.”

Planned uses also include hiring a full-time traffic safety officer, purchasing law enforcement equipment and upgrading radio communications systems, according to information presented during the meeting.

Earlier in the meeting, resident Phil Herron addressed council during public comment, urging officials to explore ways to maintain water service during power outages and calling for attention to road repairs.

“I’ll make it short and sweet,” Herron said. “Just two things I would hope that we could begin exploration on some methodology for ensuring that when the power goes out that the water does not go out shortly thereafter.”

Herron also referenced pothole repairs in his neighborhood.

The council took no final action on the budget during the meeting.