Livingston City Council got clarity Tuesday night about the gate installed on Melvin Johnson Drive, adjacent to Celina Highway.
Police Chief Ray Smith said the school system installed the gate as a measure to enhance campus safety during school hours at Livingston Academy. Smith said the school’s gate is legal.
“Come to find out that is county property,” Smith said. “It actually belongs to the school system itself. They are allowed to do anything with that road that they see permission to do so. They can secure it in any shape, form, or fashion. It’s legal to do so.”
Smith said Melvin Johnson Drive was built by the county when the school was built. Smith said there have not been any complaints about the gate, but that the city was wondering if it was a city street.
“I told them I would not think that anybody would have any kind of need or any say about trying to secure our children in our school system,” Smith said. “So we don’t have a say as a city to that street.”
Smith said the gate prevents additional entrances to the school from 7:45am-2:20pm on school days. Smith said the school system was very cooperative when the city approached them about the gate.
“They went ahead and sent letters out, and they have that out there,” Smith said. “It came to us pretty quick, just through that little deal there.”
In other business, the council approved to republish its zoning ordinances with all of the amendments since 1993, which City Attorney Andre Greppin said was the last time the city republished its ordinances.
