FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — Please help us fix this neighborhood.

(Photo courtesy of Kyle Conn)

That was the plea from neighbors of a lady living on Elm Street who they accuse of hoarding to the Franklin City Council on Monday night.

“I am wasting $500.00 a month,” Nina Tasker, who lived next to the women but has been forced to move out because of the condition of the lady’s home but is still paying rent, said as she tried not to break into tears. “I work for a living and can’t live there because of someone else.”

Tasker said she moved out eight or nine months ago after the cat got sick from the lady’s sick cat and eventually died.

“Her garbage was against my house, and there were snakes and mice,” Tasker said.

Kyle Conn, whose viral Facebook post helped bring wide-spread knowledge of the problem addressed the Council with his displeasure with the City’s seeming lack of response.

“Why has this been going on for so long?” asked Kyle Conn.

Mary Hagadone, who lives with Conn’s mother, Vicki Conn, said she believes the woman is mentally ill.

“She is extremely, extremely dangerous,” Hagadone said. “If this was anywhere else in Franklin, it would have never gotten this far.”

Another neighbor addressed Council saying that his children are scared to go outside.

“My kids shouldn’t be punished because of her actions,” the man said.

Franklin Mayor Doug Baker addressed the audience.

“I am sorry this happened to you folks,” Baker said. “I have had bad neighbors but nothing like this. We will work with our staff to see if we can get this rectified.”

When contacted by exploreVenango on March 21 about the property, City Code Enforcement Officer Chuck Gibbons said the City was well aware of the problem.

“I am aware of the situation,” Gibbons told exploreVenango at the time.

“A lady who lives up there was in (my office) twice, and it is certainly an eyesore. It is quite unsightly and needs to be cleaned up.”

Gibbons, at the time, believed the issue was a complex one.

“I realize we probably aren’t moving fast enough (for the residents),” Gibbons said in March. “But, we have gotten a (Venango) County agency involved as well because it’s a hoarding issue.”

During the March 21 interview, Gibbons said Venango County was going to send a caseworker to the women’s house. (It is unknown if this occurred.)

“They are going to contact me after their visit,” Gibbons said in March. “I am even more worried about what the conditions inside the house might be like.”