Suffolk eyes savings in empty office space

Suffolk leaders, looking to make a dent in a two-year deficit projection of $530 million, may find savings in the empty space around them.

County Executive Steve Bellone is expected to announce Wednesday that a new "performance management team" in his office will seek to streamline government operations -- and has already identified ways to free up $25 million.

One is better use of Hauppauge's H. Lee Dennison Building, where attrition has left swaths of unused offices. Officials say the space could be used for employees now working in rented facilities costing the county $15 million annually.

"As we shrink the size of government, we just don't need to be renting out as much space," said Deputy County Executive Jon Schneider.

To make the point, Bellone and his performance management team will hold Wednesday's news conference in one of the Dennison Building's deserted spaces. The team is led by Thomas Melito, a Babylon resident with 35 years of private and public-sector management consulting experience.

Melito will earn $160,000 a year as a deputy county executive, said Bellone spokeswoman Vanessa Baird-Streeter. Four other people were hired to work under him -- all funded by funds freed up by recent layoffs in the law department.

The 2012 budget, in addition to cutting about 75 employees and funding another 600-plus only through June, eliminated hundreds of already vacant positions. Roughly 1,000 fewer people are on Suffolk's payroll than eight years ago.

Legis. Edward Romaine (R-Center Moriches), who suggested renting less office space in January, said the measure was an obvious first step. "The Dennison Building is practically empty," he said.

The new team is scheduled to brief the legislature's government operations and personnel committee Thursday.

Legis. Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue), who chairs the committee, expects to hear other ways the county can find immediate savings as it grapples with a fiscal crisis that could lead to more layoffs and department consolidations.

He said the team may consider how technology can better track government services.

"You've got to quantify what you're producing, whether it's food stamps issued, potholes being filled, roads being paved or how often you mow the grass at the park," Calarco said. "All these different things, you still have to determine a way of quantifying it, and determining if there's a way of doing it cheaper."