Rowlett City Council discussed installing a Safe Haven baby box at a city location and indicated support to move forward with contract review and fundraising steps on Aug. 18.

Fire Department staff presented the Safe Haven Baby Box program, which operates under Texas law allowing anonymous, legal surrender of an infant to an authorized location — hospitals, EMS, fire stations or an approved baby box — within the statutory age window. Staff explained the boxes are climate‑controlled bassinets inside an exterior enclosure; a silent alarm notifies 911 when a baby is placed in the unit and the exterior door then locks for the child’s safety. Each box includes an orange packet with a voluntary anonymous intake form, counseling resources and guidance for parents.

Presenter Miss McDermott described the program’s operational features and costs. She said the vendor’s current estimate for purchasing and installing a unit was about $16,000 with an annual maintenance/certification fee of approximately $600 and monitoring/911 connection costs of roughly $500 per year. The boxes are installed and regulated by the nonprofit Safe Haven Baby Box organization; ownership remains with that organization and the city would sign a third‑party agreement to host and monitor the unit.

Councilmembers discussed optimal placement (Station 1 and a future station near Sapphire Bay were mentioned), ongoing monitoring and how the city would publicize the service. Staff noted Safe Haven provides marketing and training; the nonprofit’s founder, Monica Kelsey, and operations lead, Joe Kelsey, handle contracts, openings and first‑responder training. McDermott said Safe Haven also offers counseling and prevention resources and that in jurisdictions with many boxes the number of illegally abandoned infants has declined.

Several councilmembers voiced support and asked staff to obtain the formal Safe Haven contract for review by the city attorney and requested staff return with implementation language and a fundraising plan. No formal roll‑call vote was recorded in the work session; council direction was to proceed to contract review and bring back final agreement language and financing options.