Fresno Finance Director/Controller Mike Lima speaks to the Fresno City Finance/Audit Committee Wednesday in this screenshot of the live feed.

A special meeting of the City Finance/Audit Committee was held at Fresno City Hall Wednesday, with members recommending a “comprehensive” review of city finances.

The meeting was hastily called after Councilmember Garry Bredefeld hosted a news conference last week accusing fellow councilmembers of “slush fund” spending with city-issued credit cards.

Bredefeld lobs allegations of ‘slush fund’ spending on fellow councilmembers

Council President Nelson Esparza sits on the committee with Miguel Arias and Tyler Maxwell — both of whom Bredefeld said misused credit cards and district budgets. Along with the pair, Bredefeld also accused Emeralda Soria of racking up charges for restaurant meals, campaign expenses and more.

The three members of the committee called the charges politically motivated. Arias went further in his scorn, referring to Bredefeld several times as “Councilmember Chicken Little,” after the folk tale character who insists that the sky is falling.

Committee members had several questions for Finance Director/Controller Mike Lima, who explained that the number of city-issued credit cards has increased in the last several years due to the proliferation of online shopping.

He said there are currently 79 city-issued credit cards being used by employees — a figure that has increased by about a third in the past five years, Lima said.

About a dozen of those cards are used by council members and staff.

Lima estimated the cost for a comprehensive review of city credit card spending for the last decade would be at least six figures — likely in the $300,000 to $400,000 range.

The committee recommended a review of city finances, which will be considered by the larger council on Thursday at its regular meeting.