Billy DeCosta, who was suspended earlier this year from her teaching job at Kapaa High School, will likely not return as a member of the Kauai County Council, according to preliminary results from Tuesday’s election.

DeCosta came in ninth, just behind Councilman Ross Kagawa, who also appears to be losing his seat this year. Kagawa trailed Fern Holland by just nine votes. If the results hold, Holland will become the third woman to serve on the Kauai County Council.

Arryl Kaneshiro, a former council member, was also among the seven top vote-getters who will take office after the inauguration in December. Other council members set to return include President Mel Rapozo, Bernard Carvalho, KipuKai Kualii and Felicia Cowden.

DeCosta also failed to place in the top seven during the primary election, falling 618 votes behind seventh place in the August race that narrowed the field to the final 14 candidates.

The state Department of Education placed DeCosta on leave in January after he made inappropriate comments on social media to a student. Kauai now reported in August.

This year, DeCosta was behind a tax increase on Kauai hotels and vacation properties aimed at funding housing developments. Most of the council candidates agreed at a forum in October that affordable housing and rentals It was the number one problem facing the county.

Rent for a one-bedroom unit averaged $1,800 and the median price for a single-family home was around $945,000.

While housing is likely to be on next year’s agenda, the council also has a lot of control over county spending when it meets to approve the budget. The county currently has an operating budget of more than $350 million for the current fiscal year.

Along with the budget, they also have a lot to say about which part of Mayor Derek Kawakami’s agenda will be approved. Kawakami’s final term ends in 2026 and he plans to run for the state Senate.

Based on past elections, at least one or more of the current council members will run to replace Kawakami within two years.

Kauai Charter Amendments Win Approval

Kauai voters appear ready to compromise non-voting seats for high school juniors and seniors on county boards and commissions. “Yes” votes on Question Five outnumbered “No” votes by 56.4% to 24.4%, early election results show.

Kauai was equally interested in channeling money for the protection of natural resources. The votes on the Third Question were 70.2% “Yes” to 12.2% “No.”

It also appears that the Kauai Police Commission get more time to conduct research. The votes on the first question were 66.7% “Yes” and 15.6% “No”.

The Cost Control Commission is on its way to having the ability to recommend new spending measures if they save the county money in the long run. The votes on question two were 47% “Yes” to 32.8% “No.”

Voters also support a proposal that would allow the county buy insurance to protect against fraud. The votes on the Fourth Question were 52.6% “Yes” and 25.8% “No.”