A Central Whidbey group opposed to Navy jetnoise is accusingan Island County commissioner of threatening to fire a staff member for expressing his opinion about jet noise.

Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve, or COER, filed a complaint with the Washington Secretary of Health alleging that the Island County Board of Health is refusing to enforce public health laws and is derelict in its duty to protect the public health.

A spokesman for the state Department of Health said COER’s complaint isn’t something the department will become involved with.

“What has been allowed to happen on Whidbey Island is an outrage,” COER member Ken Pickard said in a press release about the complaint filed with the state. “This is the U.S. Navy, with the blessing and encouragement of the local board of health, that is harming the people they are supposed to serve and protect.”

In its complaint, COER alleges that Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson, a member of the board of health, threatened health officer Dr. Brad Thomas with termination if he performed his “lawful duties” in warning the public about health hazards created by noise from EA-18G Growler aircraft.

In an interview, Thomas said COER is likely referring to a meeting in which he asked the board of health for guidance on responding to jet-noise complaints. He said Johnson got upset and mouthed the words “he’s so fired.” A county official and members of COER saw it, he said.

But Thomas doesn’t take it as a threat to his job. He said she’s never told him, face to face, that his job was in jeopardy if he spoke about jet noise. He said COER’s complaint is misleading, though perhaps not technically inaccurate.

“COER is very crafty in the way they wordsmith things,” he said.

Johnson also said she never threatened to fire the health officer but did send an email to his boss, Public Health Director Keith Higman, to express concerns about Thomas’ judgment.

Thomas spoke against a resolution that Johnson presented as a member of the county board of health. The resolution stated that no public health crisis is at issue concerning jet noise, and that no facts have been presented to demonstrate causation between jet noise and individual health concerns.

The motion passed by a 3-2 vote. Voting in favor of the motion were Johnson, Island County Commissioner Rick Hannold and Oak Harbor Mayor Bob Severns, all Health Board members.

The resolution was introduced in response to members of COER’s request that the county Board of Health address health problems they claim are caused by the noise from EA-18G Growler aircraft.

At issue for COER are Growler touch-and-go practices conducted at Outlying Field near Coupeville.

During the tense Health Board meeting, Thomas said he believed Johnson’s resolution was inappropriate because, in some circumstances, jet noise can be identified as a health risk. Therefore, he said, noise issues fall under the purview of the board.

Thomas also noted a list of health problems that he said can be caused by noise.

The board doesn’t have the data to confirm, or rule out, the possibility that the practicing Growlers are causing health problems.

That didn’t sit well with Johnson, who sent the email to Higman explaining her “issue” with Thomas’ comments.

“I am not upset that he has a different opinion,” Johnson wrote in the email. “I am upset that he knows that there were no statements in the resolution that were inaccurate. There is no know causation and he knows it because even he has said so.”

Johnson argued that Thomas should be concerned about all kinds of noise if it’s really a health issue. In her email, she asked Higman to see if he can get Thomas to understand the “randomness” of what he said and convey that she was upset because she expected more from him.

This week, Johnson said she questions Thomas’ motives.

“Dr. Thomas got caught up in the political agenda of some people,” Johnson said.