Kirkland Parks Board member John Smiley has made a change. He will run against Penny Sweet for position 3, rather than challenge for position 7 against incumbent Tom Hodgson and former Redmond Mayor Doreen Marchione this fall.

“During these tough economic times, Kirkland citizens deserve leadership willing to make tough decisions that may not be immediately popular,” said Smiley in a press release, who is a member of the Kirkland Downtown Association. “If elected, I will be dedicated to ensuring the needs of today are balanced against the demands of tomorrow.”

Smiley, formerly the Rooms Division Manager for Kirkland’s Heathman Hotel, is the controller for the Sorrento Hotel in downtown Seattle and said he is pro-business, reasonable development, annexation and parks, but above all, fiscally responsible.

Smiley is originally from New Orleans but lost everything during Hurricane Katrina. He moved to Kirkland and accepted a position as Rooms Division Manager for the Heathman Hotel, which at the time was under construction. Smiley said that he has over 20 years experience in finance, working with both large and small businesses. He graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelors or Arts in Accountancy in 1984.

He said in the release that he “has a strong desire to work regionally with other cities on issues related to the Eastside as a whole instead of operating as an ‘island.'”

He feels that the downtown area is the jewel of Kirkland, inspiring tourism and a sense of pride among its citizens. He said that he will work to bring back it’s vitality by working with the businesses and property owners to achieve this goal.