The ongoing controversy over Navy jet noise unexpectedly punctuated the ending of a recent three-hour Island County Board of Health monthly meeting that was otherwise devoted to issues of drug addiction, family violence and public health priorities.

Island County commissioners Helen Price Johnson, Jill Johnson and Rick Hannold, who comprise half of the six-member board, debated the merits of asking the Navy to re-investigate possible negative public health effects caused by the activities of EA-18G Growler.

The discussion revolved around a state Board of Health ruling on the county’s response to community concern over possible negative effects from long-term exposure to the jets’ flight activities.

The Navy plans to increase the number of Growlers based at Naval Air Station Whidbey, which could mean a large increase in the number of aircraft-carrier-landing-practices at Outlying Field Coupeville.

The Navy is now sifting through more than 4,000 comments to its draft Environmental Impact Statement on the flight increases.

Price Johnson, who chairs the health board, raised the subject of sending a letter to the Navy asking it to investigate public health effects from jet noise.

“Then what?” Commissioner Jill Johnson replied. “If it comes back there’s an unmitigable health impact, then what?”

Johnson said she fears the board is heading toward a choice “between health impacts on our citizens and our Navy presence.”

“Are we prepared to choose?”

Johnson pointed out that, as a county entity, it could control only land use and land planning.

“I don’t understand the tie-in between health and land-use planning,” she said.

The state Health board pointed out in its letter that county officials are legally limited in what they can do to address military jet noise.

Price Johnson said it is important to help “our community move forward” in understanding the military’s impact on many fronts such as transportation and housing.

Effects (of jet noise) on public health should be further explored, she said.

Hannold expressed frustration with the seemingly endless debate.

“I thought we put an end to this conversation, but it still comes up every meeting,” Hannold said, referring to the August board of health resolution that passed 3-2 citing no public health crisis was at issue regarding jet noise.

He asked whether the county is also expected to do an assessment on fireworks or other sources of loud noise.

“Life can cause illness and adverse health effects,” Hannold said. “The only way around it is death.”

Oak Harbor Mayor Bob Severns, a member of the county health board, said the Navy’s draft environmental impact study already addresses jet noise.

“There’s plenty of study on this,” Severns said.

Health Board member and WhidbeyHealth Commissioner Grethe Cammermeyer said she favors continuing to ask questions.

“Our concern is for the health of the community,” she said. “For us to follow up and look and evaluate the situation is part of our role.

“It may be difficult to separate roles when you’re a county commissioner,” she added.

“This is a Board of Health, and we should be in tune to the citizens of this county.”