16 weigh keeping jobs, how to divvy $207M

PIQUA, Ohio - Mayor Thomas Hudson thinks there soon will be openings in the street department.

A group of city workers who won the $207 million Mega Millions jackpot on Friday have 180 days to come forward and claim their prize and then decide whether to keep their day jobs.

The 16 city employees include 14 from the street department who pooled their money to buy the winning ticket, City Manager Fred Enderle said. All showed up for work yesterday.

"They were excited, but some said it hadn't sunk in yet and that trying to decide how to handle everything was causing a lot of anxiety," Enderle said. "I met with everyone and told them to take a couple of days off to think about what they want to do."

Enderle wouldn't identify the workers, who have asked to remain anonymous for now.

He said some had said they wanted to come back to work.

"If they want to move on, we understand that too," he said.

Piqua, a city of 20,500 residents about 25 miles north of Dayton, has 20 employees in its street department, but Enderle said other workers could be switched until permanent replacements were found.

The employees have been pooling their money for about five years, although not everyone participated in every drawing, Enderle said.

"I'm sure everyone was happy for the group, but some folks probably will have to deal with feelings of being left behind because they didn't put money in that one," he said.

Lottery spokeswoman Sandra Neal said the winner must decide whether to accept a one-time cash payoff of $142.7 million or take $207 million in 26 annual payments of $7.9 million.

"If it's a group, they all have to agree on the type of payment," she said. *