CITY HALL ROUNDUP : The little loophole that left 2 politicians without an expiration date.

NO LIMITS: In one of the ironies of last week’s elections, the Torrance city clerk and city treasurer will now be the city’s only elective offices not subject to term limits. The two posts were not included in a ballot proposition overwhelmingly approved by Torrance voters Tuesday that limits council members to two consecutive terms of office.

Its backers were banking on voter approval of two other ballot propositions that would have made the elected clerk and treasurer appointees of the council, making term limits for those posts a moot point.

Alas, voters handily rejected the proposals to appoint the clerk and treasurer. However, Treasurer Thomas C. Rupert, who has first elected in 1964, said he expects a drive soon to place a limit on his post too.

“I’m sure they’ll try,” he said.

SUCH A DEAL: Lawndale City Council members agreed unanimously last week to sell $100,000 in transportation funds to Glendale--for half-price.

The money was part of Lawndale’s share of funds from the Proposition A tax, a 10-year-old Los Angeles County sales levy that restricts use to transportation-related expenses like bus systems or dial-a-ride services. Any money not spent within three years must be returned to the county.

Most of the funding Lawndale sold to Glendale was more than 2 years old and would have been forfeited at the end of this fiscal year, said Patrick Importuna, Lawndale city manager.

Lawndale, which has already met its transportation funding needs, will receive $52,000 from the transaction, which will be deposited in the city’s general fund with no restrictions on how the money can be used.

“The money is not specifically earmarked. It will be used to fund various operations in the community,” Importuna said. “There is a strong likelihood that this will be the last year we’ll be doing this.”

In addition to the money from Lawndale, Glendale purchased Proposition A funds from Cerritos and La Canada Flintridge totaling $976,415 to be used for part of a commuter hub at the historic Southern Pacific Railroad Depot.

ELECTION? WHAT ELECTION?: As America wrestled with who would live in the White House for the next four years on Tuesday, the Manhattan Beach City Council grappled with, among other things, whether to remove a double yellow center line on 2nd Street.

Unlike Redondo Beach council members, who canceled their regularly scheduled meeting, Manhattan Beach defiantly continued a longstanding policy by convening on Election Day.

But the council wasn’t completely oblivious to the national proceedings. Mayor Dan Stern opened the session by reminding citizens they still had another 20 minutes to vote before the polls closed.

In an apparent admission that their agenda couldn’t keep the audience completely riveted for the three-hour meeting, the council also provided a television in an adjoining room to follow the election results. Many residents of the conservative, well-to-do seaside community were noticeably unhappy as news of the Democratic sweep trickled in.

As an appeal over a conditional-use permit dragged on, return-watchers were faced with another difficult Election Day choice: Endure the windy permit debate until their item came before the council or cringe as President-elect Bill Clinton delivered his victory speech.

Most opted for the former.

VOLUNTEER GUMSHOES: Calling all amateur Dick Tracys. The Harbor Division of the Los Angeles Police Department needs you.

It’s elementary, our dear Watsons. They’re running out of money and want to put more of their uniformed officers on the streets, so now they’re looking for volunteers to act as desk jockeys.

It’s “the future of policing,” said Officer Bill Arnado, the division’s volunteer coordinator. “There are a lot of jobs that street cops do now that they shouldn’t be doing. Really, the only time a police officer needs to be involved is if a suspect is involved. Other than that, that highly trained, disciplined officer should be on the street where he belongs.”

Civilians who meet the department’s basic criteria will be asked to take an oral exam and must undergo a background check. Those who pass both will be invited to attend a basic training academy in January, where they will be taught the history of the LAPD, basic criminal law, basic report writing, telephone procedures, police/citizen relations and emergency call procedures.

Statistics in communities with similar programs show the volunteer-augmented police departments have less crime, Arnado said.

“But it takes time. That’s the misconception on it,” he said. “This is much more than the police, so to have it be successful it has to be the whole community involved.”

Applications are available at the Harbor Division station, detective division, 2175 John Gibson Blvd. Volunteers also may call Officer Bill Arnado at (310) 548-2603 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Carson: The City Council last week hired Victor Motus, an Artesia building consultant, to study how best to convert the Carson Community Center into a money-maker. Motus will be paid $13,900 and is expected to report back in two months.

THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

San Pedro: The harbor electric trolley system will begin to roll on Monday, featuring free rides during November and December. Start-up of the new system, which will follow a 14-mile round-trip route linking the World Cruise Center to Cabrillo Marina, was delayed by a September fire at the trolley manufacturer’s headquarters.

Wilmington: United Wilmington Youth, the group working to maintain a truce between youths from the rival east and west sides of town, will sponsor a menudo breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 15 at the Wilmington Teen Center on West “E” Street. The breakfast is part of a continuing voter education effort, and organizers hope to have a speaker to discuss the upcoming 15th District City Council race. A $5 donation is suggested.

Palos Verdes Estates: The city attorney will report to council members in a closed session Tuesday on the city’s lack of plans for affordable housing. The state has notified the city it has missed deadlines in filing the plans and is vulnerable to lawsuits.

MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Gardena: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1700 W. 162nd St., Gardena. (310) 217-9565. Televised live on Channel 22 (Paragon) and repeated 7 p.m. on the next two Sundays.

Hawthorne: 7 p.m. Monday, 4455 W. 126th St., Hawthorne. (310) 970-7902. Televised on Channel 22 (Paragon) at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 6 p.m. Saturday.

Hermosa Beach: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1315 Valley Drive, Hermosa Beach. (310) 318-0239. Televised live on Channel 3 (Multivision).

Inglewood: 7 p.m. Tuesday, 1 Manchester Blvd., Inglewood. (310) 412-5280. No cable telecast.

Los Angeles: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles. In San Pedro, (310) 548-7637; in Wilmington, (310) 548-7586; in Harbor City/Harbor Gateway, (310) 548-7664; in Westchester, (310) 641-4717. Televised live on Channel 35; meetings repeated individually at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and collectively on Sunday starting at 10 a.m.

Palos Verdes Estates: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 340 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates. (310) 378-0383. No cable telecast.

Redondo Beach: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, 415 Diamond St. (310) 372-1171. Televised live on Channel 8 (Century); repeated at 3 p.m. Wednesday and 6 p.m. Sunday.

Rolling Hills: 7:30 p.m. Monday, 2 Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills. (310) 377-1521. No cable telecast.

Rolling Hills Estates: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, 4045 Palos Verdes Drive North, Rolling Hills Estates. (310) 377-1577. Televised live on Channel 3 (Dimension).

Torrance: 7 p.m. Tuesday, 3031 Torrance Blvd., Torrance. (310) 618-5880. Televised live on Channel 22 (Paragon), and replayed at 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.