Wirth Won’t Seek 4th Council Term : Politics: The longtime Torrance lawmaker sets his sights on the newly drawn 28th Senate District that encompasses much of the South Bay. It comes up for election in 1994.

Torrance City Councilman Mark Wirth has announced that he will not run for reelection for a fourth council term in favor of a campaign for a state Senate seat.

Wirth has his eye on the seat for the newly drawn 28th Senate District, which includes Venice, the South Bay beach cities, Torrance, Carson and parts of Compton. Created by reapportionment, the seat comes up for election in 1994.

“There is no incumbent state senator in the (new) district,” said Wirth, one of three Torrance City Council members who have announced that they will not run for reelection in 1994. Mayor Katy Geissert and Councilwoman Dee Hardison have said they too will not run again.

By the end of his term, Wirth will have served 12 years on the council. He said he has accomplished his goals.

Saving Madrona Marsh, improving the city bus system and setting aside money to study Torrance’s traffic problems were some of his long-range goals when he came into office, Wirth said.

Some projects on Wirth’s agenda for the next two years include refurbishing a city library basement for public use and creating a child-care center for city employees and residents.

Wirth said he would be out of town for Tuesday’s Torrance council meeting but has left a written statement saying he supports a committee recommendation to cut administrative leave for top city managers from 36 days to 24 days annually, and from 24 days to 18 days for mid-level managers.

With the city in the throes of a budget crisis, the administrative-leave policy has come under fire from some city employee groups who say taxpayer funds could be better used for other projects.