After a lot of public backlash upon the announcement of a smoking ban in all city parks on Wednesday, February 17, Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tim Gallagher yesterday decided to amend his decision, relaxing the rules that would have banned smoking in parks effective April 1, 2010.

The Board of Park Commissioners recommended this language in the Code of Conduct: “Smoking, chewing, or other tobacco use is banned within 25 feet of other park patrons and in play areas, beaches, or playgrounds.”

“Based on the input from the public that followed my initial decision,” Gallagher said, “I have decided that a gradual approach to a smoking ban is reasonable.”

This comes after the rule banning firearms in Seattle parks was tossed out last week by King County Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer, who said the city cannot pre-empt state law.  Our news partners at the Seattle Times reports that the city will now be required to remove the 116 metal signs in city parks that read “FIREARMS PROHIBITED.”

In response to the ruling, Mayor Mike McGinn expressed his disappointment, stating, “Cities should have the right to restrict guns in playground, pools and community centers where children are present…It’s time for the state Legislature to change that law.” Read more about the gun ban ruling here.

Mayor McGinn is searching for a new chief of police and has asked the public to help develop the selection criteria. Former Chief Gil Kerlikowske left the Seattle Police Department upon his appointment as the nation’s drug czar by President Obama last year. The Seattle Police Chief Search Committee, a 26-member citizen panel, has been tasked with the job of narrowing the pool of potentials down to three finalists to recommend to the mayor in May, in the hopes of making a final selection by June.

The search committee is posing the following questions to community members:

• What qualities are you looking for in a new Police Chief?
• What is the most important public safety issue in Seattle?
• What does the Seattle Police Department do well?
• What changes would you like to see?

To encourage community input the city has set up three ways for those interested to respond – by attending one of three upcoming public forums, visiting the new website or dialing into a dedicated phone line set up for the search.

The first meeting will he held tomorrow, Wednesday, February 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Northgate Community Center, located at 10510 5th Ave NE. The first two hours of the meeting has been allotted for public comment, with the final hour reserved for the search committee “to begin developing competitive selection process and assessment criteria.”

The next two meetings have been set for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 17 (at Franklin High School, located at 3013 Mount Baker S.) and Friday, February 26 (at New Holly Gathering Center, located 7054 32nd Ave. S.) Language interpreters will be available at the third and final meeting in the following languages: Tagalog, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Amharic, Oromiffa, Khmer (Cambodian), Somali, and Tigrinya.

For more information, see the search committee website. Download the meetings flyer here (.pdf). Can’t make it to a meeting? Answer the committee’s four questions online or over the phone by calling 206-684-CITY (206-684-2489).

Want to discuss the 2010 budget one-on-one with city departments and representatives? This Sunday, January 31 you’ll get your chance at the Citizens Budget Conference 2010 (.pdf) from 12 to 5 p.m. at Seattle Center’s Center House.

The conference will include overviews of the budget by Mayor McGinn and the City Council Finance & Budget Committee Chair Jean Godden, a Q&A with city agencies, and time to chat with city department representatives one-on-one at their individual tables. Download the full agenda here.

This event it sponsored by the City Neighborhood Council and Seattle Center, in cooperation with the City Council, Mayor’s office, Budget Office and Department of Neighborhoods.