Beloit Residents Meet City Manager Finalists

Two candidates vie for top municipal leadership role in Illinois city.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:09am

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A serene, cinematic painting of a municipal building in warm, golden light, with deep shadows casting across the facade, conveying a sense of civic duty and the gravity of local leadership decisions.As Beloit considers its next city manager, the community reflects on the weighty responsibilities and high-stakes decisions that will shape the city's future.Ennis Today

Residents in Beloit, Illinois had the opportunity to meet the two finalists for the city manager position, a high-profile leadership role in the community. The candidates are Daniel Ortiz Hernandez, the assistant city manager in Ennis, Texas, and John Weidl, the current city manager in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Both addressed key issues facing Beloit, including the upcoming opening of a major Ho-Chunk Nation casino development.

Why it matters

The city manager position is a crucial role in local government, responsible for overseeing municipal operations and serving as the chief executive officer. The selection of a new city manager will have significant implications for Beloit's future, particularly as the community navigates growth, development, and the economic impact of the new Ho-Chunk casino.

The details

During the public meet-and-greet event, the two finalists were asked to address several key issues facing Beloit, including housing affordability, diversity, population growth, and school enrollment. When questioned about balancing the benefits and challenges of the upcoming 705-million-dollar Ho-Chunk Nation Casino, Hernandez emphasized the importance of engaging with stakeholders and building collaborative relationships, while Weidl stressed the need for the city to be prepared for the influx of tourism and economic opportunities the casino will bring.

  • The next round of interviews for the city manager position will be held tomorrow.
  • A decision on the new city manager could be made as early as next Monday.

The players

Daniel Ortiz Hernandez

The assistant city manager in Ennis, Texas, which is near Dallas.

John Weidl

The current city manager in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Dan Schooff

Recently elected to the Beloit District School Board.

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What they’re saying

“We're just hopeful and see the candidates and see what they'll bring to the table to help us here in Beloit.”

— Dan Schooff, Recently elected to the Beloit District School Board

“Engaging with them and building that relationship and fostering that trust and collaboration to understand where their project design and development process was in the long-term goals and what the implications were for that development moving forward.”

— Daniel Ortiz Hernandez, Assistant City Manager, Ennis, Texas

“There's current construction jobs that would be future permanent jobs, but from that will be additional tourism, additional notoriety, and additional opportunities for other investment and additional tax revenue.”

— John Weidl, City Manager, Whitewater, Wisconsin

What’s next

The next round of interviews for the city manager position will be held tomorrow, and a decision could be made as early as next Monday.

The takeaway

The selection of a new city manager in Beloit is a critical decision that will shape the community's future, particularly as it navigates the opportunities and challenges presented by the upcoming Ho-Chunk Nation Casino development. The two finalists have distinct approaches, and residents will be closely watching the final decision to see which candidate is best equipped to lead Beloit through this pivotal period.