Atlantic County officials told jail infrastructure is failing; Warden cites $561 million estimate for 900‑bed replacement

Warden Michael Kelly told the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners that the county jail’s aging heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning systems failed during last month’s cold snap, flooding a control pod and requiring emergency repairs.

"One of the coils broke in Unit 6. It flooded the whole entire second floor and destroyed one of our control pods," Kelly said, describing an incident the jail restored with help from facilities staff. He said some rooftop units are about 30 years old and that repeated failures are exposing conduits and other infrastructure vulnerabilities.

Kelly said the county is functioning but stressed the need to plan for a long‑range solution. "It's now the time to talk about a new facility, you know, that could be operational in five or six years," he said, adding that the county handles daily operations while continuing repairs.

The board heard a preliminary estimate from consultant CGL for a 900‑bed facility. "The price for a 900‑bed facility is $561,000,000," the public safety director told commissioners, citing CGL’s work. The director said the estimate will be discussed further with the jail committee at a meeting scheduled for Feb. 12.

Kelly also described staffing pressures and said a new collective bargaining agreement has improved hiring prospects for correction officers. He told commissioners the jail houses "750 to 800 inmates there on any given day," and said operational needs — locks, cameras and ongoing maintenance — remain urgent.

Addressing earlier complaints about religious accommodations and inmate services, Kelly said the facility provides Ramadan observances, religious materials and tablets for detainees and that finding volunteer imams was difficult. "We have all the religious materials through our chaplain," he said. He defended the jail's use of tablets and some microwaves while noting safety concerns when outlets are used to conceal contraband.

The warden and the public safety director said they will bring more detailed cost and planning information to the jail committee for further review. The board did not take any formal action on the facility during the meeting; they scheduled additional committee review and follow‑up.

The jail update followed a slate of routine board actions and an item recognizing the county law department.