ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota's legislative auditor says four councils set up to address minority concerns have been largely ineffective and need to be changed.

An audit released Friday cites a lack of clear purposes for the councils, poor attendance at meetings, and poor communications between the councils and other organizations that serve minority groups. It says the councils do a poor job of setting specific goals and assessing the impact of their activities.

The audit offers four options for change, ranging from strengthening them to eliminating them. While the report doesn't recommend one alternative over the other, it says more change is needed, rather than less.

The executive directors of the councils for Asian-Pacific and Chicano/Latino Minnesotans welcomed the recommendations, while the directors of the councils for black and American Indian Minnesotans objected.

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