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"Operation Welcome Home" is set for Oct. 18, about a week after local National Guardsmen return from "Operation Iraqi Freedom."
Warsaw Community Development Corp. executive director Carmen Lock advised the Warsaw Board of Works about the program Friday.
The men and women of the 293rd Battalion are expected to fly into Indianapolis International Airport next week. Exact dates and times are not available, although an advance team left Iraq Friday.
Operation Welcome Home is an event to honor them at the Warsaw Community High School gymnasium at 10 a.m. It is sponsored by the American Legion, National Guard representatives, the City of Warsaw, the Salvation Army and the WCDC.
The 64 local men who have served in Iraq since January will be recognized and honored.
Speakers that Saturday include Ken Locke, State Senator Kent Adams, Eric Miller, Ernie Wiggins and Bob Morrison.
The public is invited to welcome the troops during the ceremony.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a contract with NIPSCO for extension of facilities (a lift station at 2101 E. Dubois) to supply electrical service for 30 months at a cost of $598 per month or $17,969 for the life of the contract.
• Approved the parks department request to purchase a Toro Twister lawn utility cart from Hoffman Outdoor equipment for $6,948. A bid from Kenny Outdoor Solutions for the same model was $7,120.
Approval also was given for parks contracts with GBC Media, $225 for Big Swing Fling radio ads; $250 for Steve Ethridge, storyteller, during Fall Family Fun, Oct. 10; and $850 to Todd Ward representing the Blue River Big Band for the Big Swing Fling Nov. 14.
• Approved purchase of a four-wheel drive GMC van for the wastewater treatment plant at a cost of $21,900 as requested by plant operator Dave Henderson. He explained a vehicle was needed to use for taking samples. Equipment for the monitoring and testing equipment from Gripp Inc., at a cost of $11,990,also was approved.
• Approved a contract with Aramark Uniform Services for street department uniform (shirt, pants, jacket) rentals.
• Approved closing Center Street from Indiana to Lake streets and Buffalo Street from Main to Market streets during the downtown merchant-sponsored "Spooktacular" Oct. 24, from 4:30 p.m. until about 9:30 p.m.
• Approved the travel requests for Brian Davidson, Scott Whittaker and Brad Kellar.
• New hires for the wastewater treatment plant were given as Stanley Phillips and Brian Roberts; and for the street department's leaf crew: Justin Miner, Robert Miller, Adam Snyder, Adam Stephens, Keith Kurtin and Kevin Rynearson. Permission to hire two more people for the street department this fall was given.
Board of works members are Mayor Ernie Wiggins and Jerry Patterson. Charlie Smith was absent.
