City Hall needs fresh faces and new blood. Yet the only sure bets for change are the mayor and one City Council seat, where Patte Newman is not seeking re-election.

The desire to have more than one new perspective on the council was a guide for the Journal Star editorial board in deciding City Council endorsements.

But we also had to be convinced the challenger had a strong potential to do a better job than the incumbent.

Beyond that, the board looked at much the same criteria it used in deciding to endorse Chris Beutler for mayor. Lincoln needs council members who:

* Understand the need for the community to create quality jobs, and have the ability to fashion city policy that supports that goal.

* Have good communication skills.

* Know what this city is all about and what it can and should become as the world changes.

The board also invites voters to consider the nature of the job these candidates are seeking to fill. It’s more demanding than some members of the public understand.

The public meetings aired on the public access channel are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the council’s workload. During a busy week, a council member easily can work 20 to 40 hours on council business. The topics frequently are complex and require members to do their homework. Fresh insight and good ideas are at a premium. Appreciation of the collegial nature of council work is a plus.

With all that in mind, here are the Journal Star’s choices for City Council:   

District 1

Growing up, Doug Emery knew he’d be a Northeast High School Rocket.

Decades later, his high school affiliation and his roots continue to be a key element of Emery’s self-identity. He wears his love for his part of the city on his sleeve.

But he’s not stuck in a time warp. Emery says Lincoln has fallen behind other cities in knowing how to compete for good jobs. He says he looks forward to working with the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development.

Emery, who worked his way up from clerk to postmaster of the Lincoln Post Office, knows what its like to run a complex operation involving several hundred employees.

Now retired, Emery says he has no political goals other than representing his district on the council. The way he says it sounds convincing.

District 2

Before he was elected to the council to represent southeast Lincoln, Jon Camp was best known as the prime force in restoration of the Haymarket District in Lincoln.

Camp draws on that business background in making decisions on issues before the council.

During his two terms on the council, Camp has been supportive of making the investment in the streets and the water and sewer lines the city needs for economic development and growth.

There have been occasions during his political career that Camp has participated in political bickering. That’s primarily why he failed to win the Journal Star’s endorsement last election.

Since then, however, Camp has toned down. His priorities are in order. The Journal Star feels confident he can be a supportive force for job creation and other economic development goals during the next four years.

District 3

Jonathan Cook has earned a reputation as a strong voice for protecting and investing in existing neighborhoods.

He’s taken a particular interest in searching for solutions to increase traffic flow without spending big money for widening streets.

Lately, Cook has taken more of an interest in improving the city’s role in economic development.

As a software developer, Cook has the background to be a resource for the council when it deals with topics involving technology. Recently, he called for a performance evaluation of Time Warner after complaints about its new channel guide.

Cook also took the lead in setting up a commission to investigate the potential for a citywide wireless network.

Cook failed to win the Journal Star’s endorsement in the last election. This time, he’s the stronger candidate to represent southwest Lincoln.

District 4

John Spatz would bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the Lincoln City Council.

He’s energized by the possibility of attracting new business development to the Interstate corridor in his district in northwest Lincoln.

He’s enthused by the fact that most of the projects supported by the 2015 Vision group are in the northwest council district, although he carefully adds that voters should know exactly “what’s going to be done” before the city commits to a public-private partnership.

Now legal council for the Nebraska Association of School Boards, Spatz worked for several years as a staffer in the Nebraska Legislature. That hands-on experience in the legislative branch of government should serve him well as a council member.

If elected, Spatz would become the fourth new member of the council in the past two years. The change would be good for City Hall.