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Council reviews ordinance to add Public Safety Building as safe-surrender site for newborns
Summary
Councilors reviewed an ordinance that would add the Public Safety Building to the city's safe-surrender locations (in addition to Northwood Fire Station) so an infant under 30 days may be handed to staff there anonymously in line with a 2025 state law change; policy and procedures would be required at the Public Safety Building.
Morgantown — City staff presented an ordinance May 27 to designate additional safe-surrender sites where a person may legally and anonymously leave an infant under 30 days of age.
Background and change: Emily Maserale (presenting) said a state law change in 2025 expanded where infants may be surrendered. Morgantown’s current city code designates Northwood Fire Station as a site with a newborn safety device (“baby box”). The proposed ordinance would move the relevant code language into a separate section and add the Public Safety Building as an alternate site where an infant may be handed to an on-duty staff member under state law protections. In the Public Safety Building the proposal does not install a baby box device but would allow a person to hand an infant to staff; the receiving location would maintain anonymity and staff would follow a protocol to notify medical personnel and transport the infant to an appropriate hospital.
Policy and operations: Maserale said the police department, which staffs the Public Safety Building 24/7, is comfortable establishing policies and procedures to accept an infant under state law, preserve anonymity and arrange for hospital transfer. The ordinance does not change the anonymity protections in state law.
Next steps: Staff asked council to move the ordinance toward formal consideration; no final adoption occurred at the May 27 meeting. Councilors asked brief operational questions about placement and dispatch procedures; staff said they would draft the required policy and return the ordinance to the council agenda.
Ending: If adopted, the Public Safety Building and Northwood Fire Station would be designated safe-surrender sites under the city code consistent with the 2025 state change.
