Billy DeCosta, who was suspended earlier this year from his teaching job at Kapaa High School, likely won’t be returning as a Kauai County Council member, according to preliminary election results Tuesday.

DeCosta was in 9th place, 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 just the third woman to serve on the Kauai County Council.

Arryl Kaneshiro, a former councilman, was also in the top seven vote-getters who will be seated after the inauguration in December. Other council members poised to return include Chair Mel Rapozo, Bernard Carvalho, KipuKai Kualii and Felicia Cowden.

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

The state Department of Education put 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 hike on Kauai hotels and vacation properties meant to fund housing developments. Most of the candidates for the council agreed at a forum in October that affordable housing and rentals was the No. 1 issue facing the county.

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

While housing is likely to be on the agenda in the coming year, the council also has great control over county spending when it agrees 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 significant say in how much of Mayor Derek Kawakami’s agenda will be approved. Kawakami’s final term ends in 2026, and he plans to run for state Senate.

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

Kauai Charter Amendments Win Approval

Kauai voters appear poised to give high school juniors and seniors nonvoting seats on county boards and commissions. “Yes” votes on Question Five outnumbered “No” votes 56.4% to 24.4%, early election results show.

Kauai was similarly keen to funnel money to natural resource protection. The votes on Question Three were 70.2% “Yes” against 12.2% “No.”

It also appears the Kauai Police Commission will get more time to conduct investigations. Votes on Question One 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. Votes on Question Two were 47% “Yes” against 32.8% “No.”

Voters are also supporting a proposal that would allow the county to purchase insurance to protect itself against fraud. Votes on Question Four were 52.6% “Yes” and 25.8% “No.”