Robert Brum

rbrum@lohud.com

CLARKSTOWN - A powerhouse accounting firm that has scrutinized police departments across the state has been tapped to come up with ways to cut spending on Clarkstown's $50 million force.

The Bonadio Group is expected to be hired Tuesday night by the Town Board to conduct a 90-day study of the town's police department, which ranks as the state’s second-highest-paid town force.

The Pittsford, New York-based company would be paid up to $98,500, Supervisor George Hoehmann said Thursday. He said Clarkstown would apply for state grants that could pay for up to half the cost.

Bonadio most recently reviewed police departments in the towns of Greece and Irondequoit, and sheriff's departments in Livingston and Orleans counties.

Hoehmann called the study "a thorough, top-to-bottom review of every aspect of the Police Department. We're going to find efficiencies and cost savings, find ways we can do things better."

READ MORE: Clarkstown wants consultant to study police, cut costs

DOCUMENT: Clarkstown Police Department review

Clarkstown's Police Department has a nearly $50 million budget for its 162 officers and 24 civilian employees — a hefty 34 percent of the town's budget. Average pay, which includes salary and overtime, was $166,719 a year for uniformed officers in 2015, according to the Empire Center for New York State Policy.

Bonadio's examination would include staffing, workload, overtime and specialized units, among other things. Ideas for sharing and regionalizing services will also be sought.

Clarkstown’s contract with the local Police Benevolent Association, which expires Dec. 31, 2017, will be reviewed with an eye toward setting a benchmark for future pacts. The five-year agreement calls for annual 2.5 percent increases.

Hoehmann said Bonadio's team consists of fraud examiners, CPAs, lawyers, a former county manager, former police officials and active law enforcement. None of them are employed in Rockland.

The study comes as part of a push by Hoehmann and the Republican-dominated Town Board to slash town finances — a major issue in his resounding election victory over longtime Supervisor Alex Gromack.

He said this has included cutting his own staff from seven to four and the Town Attorney's Office from eight full-timers to two full-time and one part-time lawyers.

The $175,000 clerk of the works position long held by Ed Lettre is gone, as well as a zoning administrator job and stipends for ethics board members, The town's vehicle policy and some salaries were being scaled back, too, Hoehmann said.

Clarkstown cops rank second among towns statewide only to neighboring Ramapo, where the average pay was $173,361. Rounding out the top 5 are North Castle ($150,840), Orangetown ($143,677) and Haverstraw ($135,357).

Clarkstown's annual pension costs are more than $7.2 million, according to the town. Its cops patrol about 47 square miles in a town of almost 86,000 people.

The town reviewed proposals from eight firms and brought four of them to meet with members of the Town Board.

Hoehmann had expected to have a consultant start work by March 10, but said the town needed more time to sift through the applicants and vet their qualifications.

When Hoehmann announced in January that he was seeking a consultant, Police Chief Michael Sullivan and the PBA both said they would cooperate with an outside company.

Twitter: @Bee_bob