McHenry County panel recommends physician for Board of Health, advances housing authority nominee

McHenry County committee members on Jan. 8 voted to recommend Dr. Irfan Hafez to the full county board for appointment to the Board of Health and advanced Constantino Cipolla as a nominee to the county's housing authority.

The actions came after brief interviews. Constantino Cipolla told the committee he has lived in McHenry County since 2003 and works as a police operations sergeant for the City of Woodstock, describing a background in criminal-justice administration and law-enforcement training. "I've lived in McHenry County since 2003," Cipolla said. Committee members asked about his availability and familiarity with housing issues; he said he could attend the commission's third-Monday meetings and cited experience in oversight and long-term planning.

Dr. Irfan Hafez introduced himself as an infectious-disease physician with long experience in McHenry County health services and hospital administration. "So I'm, Irfan Hafez. I'm a physician," he said, describing work on infection prevention, tuberculosis programs and service integration with regional health partners. A committee member noted that the Board of Health has state-mandated positions for a physician and moved to recommend Hafez to complete a current term through June 30, 2026 and to the subsequent three-year term to June 30, 2029, subject to confirmation of statutory authority.

The committee discussed confirming the precise statutory term authority with the state's attorney. A member said, "Check it with the state's attorney," and the motion was amended so the recommendation would be subject to the deputy administrator's findings and any legal review. Both recommendations were approved by voice vote; the committee forwarded them to the chairman and the full county board for final appointment decisions.

Other business included approval of the Dec. 3, 2025 minutes and the routine one-item consent agenda. Members also highlighted employee wellness screenings available to staff and suggested a Jan. 31 county forum for residents to learn about local organizations. A member proposed periodic updates on rental-related grants and where the county stands with those programs; the committee agreed it would be useful.

The committee did not make final appointments at the meeting; the recommendations will be considered by the full McHenry County board at a later date.