The city auditor's office — which usually judges how well other agencies are run — got to feel what it's like on the other side of the evaluation and received a "clean opinion" in its first independent review.

The office was created three years ago after voters approved the proposal in the 2002 election. In accordance with accounting practice, the Honolulu agency was reviewed by auditors from two other cities.

City Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz said the auditor is doing a good job despite having started with few resources. "It shows that office is doing exactly what the voters intended," he said.

Auditors from Atlanta and Phoenix examined the office's performance from Jan. 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006. The report found the office "addressed issues important to the city and county government in an understandable way; the staff is well-qualified and experienced; and runs well."

Since it began operating, the Honolulu city auditor's office has reviewed various financial practices.

And the office has examined a variety of community controversies, including management of the Honolulu Liquor Commission, the costs of the popular Brunch on the Beach and Sunset on the Beach food and movie events, and the practices of road maintenance crews.

In the letter that accompanied the review, the outside auditors noted that starting a new office is challenging "and your achievements are remarkable."

The review made no formal recommendations for improvement "but offered verbal suggestions to elicit more structured responses from management on audit recommendations and streamline audit workpaper files."

City auditor Leslie Tanaka said the review is significant in showing that the office's work complies with government auditing standards.

"The administration has challenged our work on several of our audits for failing to comply with government auditing standards," he said. "Passing peer review demonstrates the quality of our work and our ability to meet such standards."

Tanaka said positive review adds to the credibility of the work of his staff for the public and the City Council.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.