With no measurable goals, poor oversight and a "disjointed structure," O'ahu's neighborhood board system is failing to serve as an advocate and first stop for community concerns, according to an audit released yesterday.

"We found that the neighborhood board system is not fulfilling its mission due to its disjointed structure and operational deficiencies," said city auditor Leslie Tanaka. "The neighborhood board system lacks clear lines of authority and accountability."

Neighborhood board members and some residents called for the audit last year, saying they had concerns about the operations of the Neighborhood Board Commission Office and its commission, which consists of members appointed by the City Council and the mayor.

The office, which drew about $1 million from city coffers this year to administer 32 neighborhood boards, was working without an updated master plan, the audit said. Also, the commission failed to measure the effectiveness of boards, which is mandated under the City Charter, did not properly manage board spending and handled complaints "poorly," according to the audit.

For the report, auditors pored over three years of records and documents, from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2005. They also surveyed neighborhood board members, and interviewed neighborhood commissioners and staff.

Joan Manke, who was named executive secretary of the neighborhood board system six months ago, said she welcomed the audit as a means for improvement.

Since Manke stepped into the office, she said she has been working to resolve myriad concerns of residents, employees and board members. In addition, she said, the neighborhood board commission has formed a group to update its master plan.

The document will address several issues facing boards, including how to resolve cases in which members are chronically absent.

The Kalihi-Palama Neighborhood Board, for example, has been unable to reach a quorum for more than a year because one member is chronically absent.

Manke said she has gone so far as to offer to drive the member to meetings, but he has refused. Under the current rules, a board member cannot be ousted without a quorum vote. In this case, the member's term doesn't end until next year.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us," Manke said. "The audit identified many shortcomings we are already addressing, and in that sense it confirms our efforts. It's a positive baseline from which we can measure our progress."

Cynthia Rezentes, former chairwoman of the Wai'anae Coast Neighborhood Board, said she is glad to see the audit identify key concerns. "There were a number of issues," Rezentes said.

Another concern outlined in the report is board vacancies.

The audit said there are a number of vacant seats on several boards, some of which have remained empty for years. Neighborhood board members are voted into office for two-year terms, and the next election is in 2007. The number of seats on each board is based on neighborhood population figures.

The boards are all voluntary and advisory, but their resolutions can influence city decisions.

The Pearl City Neighborhood Board had the largest monthly vacancy rate in 2003 and 2004, according to the audit. In February and March of 2004, for example, five of the board's 13 seats sat vacant. The board now has three vacancies.

"Residents of sub-districts with a board vacancy are not duly represented on the board, and their concerns, issues and problems may not be addressed. Neighborhood boards and the neighborhood commission need to ensure the board seats are consistently filled," Tanaka said in the 88-page report.

James Pickard, who has been on the Pearl City Neighborhood Board for about a decade, said attracting volunteers isn't easy.

"It's hard to find people who want to volunteer their time and receive all the criticism from the community for things that aren't done," Pickard said, adding he had not yet read the audit. "They don't understand we don't have any power. We're just the spokesperson for the community."

The audit makes several recommendations to improve the neighborhood board system, including instituting a formal training program for neighborhood board commissioners, board members and staff, and working to reduce vacancies.

Tanaka also said the commission would be better monitored if it were moved from the managing director's office to a different city agency. Manke rejected the proposal, saying it would mandate a City Charter amendment similar to two already voted down.