The safety at three Plum school zones will be studied this year.

On Monday, Plum Council hired Trans Associates to undertake school zone safety plans for the new George Pivik Elementary School, Regency Park Elementary and Adlai Stevenson Elementary. The total cost of the project would be about $13,000—$8,000 for Regency and Adlai to be paid for by the borough, and $5,000 for Pivik to be paid for by the Plum Borough School District.

Safety plans would include recommendations about signage, speed limits, and other road regulations pertaining to the safety of children attending the schools.

Assistant Borough Manager Greg Bachy said last week that the district had requested the three school zones be analyzed. He said the borough is responsible for doing so because school zones are on borough property.

Borough Manager Mike Thomas said during the workshop meeting last week that the money for this year's studies will be taken from the engineering and consulting portion of the budget. Officials are expected to set aside some money in upcoming years' budgets for the studies of some of the remaining district schools.

According to the Plum Advance Leader, Councilman Steven "Skip" Taylor didn't agree with hiring Trans Associates because there has been some speculation that Regency Elementary School might close in the near future.

A plan had been created for Regency five years ago, but officials didn't follow through with implementing the suggestions for safety because of the uncertainty in the school's future. Some of those improvements include sidewalk installation and school zone lighting, which would require some condemnation of property.

School district officials have said they must consider a demographic study, as well as the possibility of redistricting before making any decision about the school's future.

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