ALACHUA COUNTY -  It wasn't exactly 30 days in the hole...more like three months in the basement.

 

But now, 911 dispatchers oughta be feeling like a million bucks.

 

That's the price tag for the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling renovations just completed at Alachua County's Combined Communication Center.

 

New roof, new carpets, new furniture, freshly-painted walls, 60-inch LCD screens for breaking news and surveillance...and an upgraded inter-agency radio system are some of the renovations for the dispatch center.

 

The work was finished August 9.

 

Staff was housed in the basement of the County Administration building for three months during the project.

 

One crew person told TV 20 that even the simple changes -- like the new panoramic arrangement of monitors and the adjustable desks -- make their 12-hour shifts more comfortable.

 

"There was a tremendous need," Telecommunications specialist Rebecka Boulet said. "We spend so much time here. We have to be able to adjust the desks to our comfort so that it doesn't stress our bodies as much."

 

The renovation process began in May after a leak in the roof was noticed.

 

The center -- which is housed in the ASO complex -- provides 911 call processing for all citizens and visitors within Alachua County.

 

Additionally, it has a dispatch service for various local public safety agencies: Alachua County Fire Rescue, Alachua County Sheriff's Office, Gainesville Fire Rescue, Gainesville Police Department, High Springs Police Department and the Waldo Police Department.