The City Council takes such a claim seriously. It met with Sanchez in closed session Thursday to discuss whether to sue the county if the city doesn't get its way.

Poochigian and Vagim said county auditors, after crunching the same numbers as City Hall, are convinced the library district is No. 1.

Why such a tiff over special districts? The Oversight Board has the authority to decide the fate of the RDA's pending contracts. It's not the final say -- that belongs to the state Department of Finance. But it's considerable power.

There may be more than $150 million of such contracts. The more that go through as planned, the more joy among city officials.

Every contract or outstanding obligation that gets rejected by the Oversight Board could lead to the reverse -- more money for schools and the county, more smiles from their leaders.

Everyone is counting potential noses on the Oversight Board, anticipating 4-3 votes on controversial issues. The library district is controlled by the supervisors. A majority of Met Flood board members are appointed by the city.

In a nutshell, the two sides think they're fighting over the possible swing vote.

This is only a hint of the politics swirling around the big money that is flowing for the last time through the old Fresno Redevelopment Agency.

There are suggestions that Swearengin may appoint herself to the Oversight Board, allowing her to pass judgment on decisions of a Successor Agency board on which she also sits.

Sanchez said Successor Agency officials plan to call an Oversight Board meeting for April 30, even though the former answers to the latter, not the other way around.

The city continues to conduct RDA business as if the governor never rolled to that smashing Supreme Court victory, causing Vagim to wonder if that is the real reason for the city's apparent foot-dragging on filling the Oversight Board.

Then there is this afternoon's scheduled event in the Sarah McCardle Room on the library's second floor -- the start of either the RDA's funeral or a courtroom war.

"This is not a shot across their bow," Vagim said. "We've just got to get at it."