WATER TOWER PAINT JOB – Last Friday, the 250,000 gal. El Dorado Springs water tower near the Lucien Carter Ballpark Complex took on a new look which grabbed the attention of anyone who saw it for miles around the town as Hogan’s Inc. workers, headquartered in Van Buren, MO, lifted a canvas shroud around the 135 ft. tall tower. With cranes secured to the top of the tower, workers slowly hoisted the shroud as they stitched it together. The purpose of the huge canvas is to contain residue from the lead paint the workers will sandblast from the legs and exterior of the tank of the tower in preparation for painting it, a $187,800 job. Inside the tank, to assure optimum coverage, the workers normally use a different color for each layer of epoxy paint so they can detect where they have painted, a $55,200 contract. They will not use lead paint on the exterior of the water tower as was done years ago. The contracted completion date is Sept. 4. City Manager Bruce Rogers said the workers told him that they can only have the shroud up when there is almost no wind or it could topple the tower. More on Page 4