Since 1967, a 2,884-square-foot piece of land at 110 Maple St., Winona Lake, was thought to belong to Marian Groesbeck and her husband. As it turns out, the strip of land belongs to Warsaw Community Schools. Monday night, during its regular monthly meeting, the Warsaw School Board held a hearing to consider the best use of the land, including selling it. Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott told the board the land is next to Jefferson Elementary School. The school corporation was approached by realtor Sally Bailey who discovered, as the property was being listed for sale, that a section of it belongs to the school. The folks lived in the house since the 1960s, Scott said, and they assumed the property to the fence was theirs. Attorney David Kolbe, who represents the estate of Marian Groesbeck and also served as her personal representative, said she and her husband bought the property in 1967. Everybody believed the piece of property was theirs. The parcel was investigated after it was discovered it may belong to the school, including the use of a surveyor, but it was determined that it was the school’s. If it was an adverse possession claim, Kolbe said he would easily win in court. However, adverse possession claims against public entities are not permitted by law, Kolbe said. Marian died from Alzheimer’s several years ago, he said, and the Groesbecks’ only asset was their home. The school’s piece of land goes right against the house, so if the school corporation doesn’t sell it to the estate, it will be hard to sell the house. Kolbe suggested the school corporation could sell it for $1. Every single penny of the sale of the property will go to the Free Methodist Foundation. “It’s of no value to you. The Foundation can use it,” Kolbe stated. Per board member Dan Metzger’s suggestion, the board approved authorizing Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz and Scott to negotiate a fair price with Kolbe on the piece of land. Hintz and Scott agreed to meet with Kolbe this afternoon.
