Six pots capture the rain from the ceiling, where squirrels live. The black mold in the bathroom is making her and her son sick. “All of this is documented. I just don’t know where to turn to now,” a visibly emotional Christina Resetar told city council members during their Aug. 20 meeting.

After explaining the financial realities of being a renter in today’s housing market, Resetar left the podium in tears, saying, “I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to give my son a good home.”

She was met by a city official to discuss her situation.

Councilwoman Rachel Leon addressed the housing issues which are brought to her attention, asking Director of Community and Economic Development Laura Collins specifically about the situation raised at the start of the council meeting.

Collins explained the property was known to city officials, due to numerous citations and the matter being raised in front of the magistrate.

She went on to explain to Leon the different programs and regulations available to both renters and landlords, from rent increases to providing a safe environment to live in.

Councilman Bryan Callahan commented on the renter-landlord relationship cycle which begins raising an issue, followed by the costs of repairs, leading to an increase in rent. He made the point many renters fail to report landlord abuse for fear of reprisal.

Earlier, Callahan had a heated exchange with Councilwoman Keira Wilhelm on another matter, respect and decorum, telling her, “I’m allowed to have my opinion.”

It was the latest chapter of the issue of decorum between council members during the last few months.

The discussion began when Councilwoman Grace Crampsie Smith objected to remarks attributed to her on pages 9 and 10 of the official minutes of the Aug. 6 meeting.

Wilhelm invited Crampsie Smith to a conversation offline, to which she received a positive response.

In his address, Council President Michael Colon spoke to this ongoing issue, telling his colleagues, “We should all be working in good faith with each other.”

Throughout the evening, the benefits of the Bethlehem application were raised as a quick and efficient way for residents to find information and/or report issues.

The Public Safety Committee will hold a meeting in Town Hall Sept. 3 at 6pm to discuss Chief Michelle Kott’s ordinance pertaining to dirt bikes, which made headlines earlier this summer.