The county owns it, Biomet wants it.

A piece of land, that is.

The property is just over a half acre off CR 250N. Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson told the county commissioners Tuesday it actually is a county-maintained road that dead-ends before entering Biomet's property. He said he was contacted by Biomet about purchasing the property.

"It's a low-volume road," said Ladson. "It's actually a hassle for us."

There were some questions about how the county acquired the property in the first place. Depending on how the county received the property will determine how the county can get rid of it, county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell said.

Commissioner Ron Truex instructed Mitchell to investigate the property further. After Mitchell reports back, Truex said, the commissioners will make a decision on it.

Later, Mitchell presented to the commissioners the tentative tax billing and distribution schedule for Kosciusko County.

From Friday to Monday, the county auditor will do the tax calculations for provisional tax billing. Beginning Tuesday to June 14, the county treasurer will print, fold, stuff, seal and mail tax bills. Provisional tax bills are due June 30.

Tax distribution will be as soon as possible.

Mitchell said after that, she hopes that by Nov. 10, tax bills will be back to normal. That depends, however, if the surrounding counties that share school districts with Kosciusko County have their tax rates ready. If Noble County can finish, Whitley County can then finish theirs and Kosciusko County can then finish theirs.

In other business, the commissioners:

• Approved the cable franchise agreement with Mediacom through 2019, unless one of the involved parties decides they no longer like it.

• Heard from Emergency Management Director Ed Rock that the Homeland Security grant he applied for on behalf of the commissioners has an additional $111,000 attached to it. The funds are for an additional fly-over of the county for Geographical Imaging System photos.

• Approved the Kosciusko Area Bus Service's letter of intent to apply for a grant for approximately $600,000 for operations and capital funding for 2005.

• Approved the report on the condition of Congressional Township School funds as annually required. The report is sent to the state and indicates that the fund has a balance of $28,129.47, with $705.18 in interest collected.

• Approved the increase of speed from 20 miles per hour to 30 mph on Hepler Drive.

• Approved the vacation for a platted right of way 20-30 feet wide by 132 feet long on the east side of Webster Lake in Tippecanoe Township. The petition for the vacation of J and W streets in Roger's Lakeview park is for Kay L. Promkhieo.

• Approved the vacation for a platted cul de sac for 13 South Storage Condominiums Inc. in Tippecanoe Township, south of PJ's Too, Ind. 13.

• Approved Michael DeWitt's petition to rezone ground from a residential to an industrial 2 district. The property is on the north side of U.S. 30 in Wayne Township, east of Warsaw.

The Car Co., U.S. 30, Warsaw, is expanding to make room for a Suzuki car franchise.

• Approved the county highway department's annual operation report.

Kosciusko County commissioners are Brad Jackson, northern district; Ron Truex, middle district; and Avis Gunter, southern district. They meet at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse, Warsaw, every other Tuesday. [[In-content Ad]]