State Workers Will Be Used in Lottery Jobs

The state Lottery Commission decided Friday that it can maintain better control over the games by using state workers as field representatives to supervise sales outlets.

The commission, meeting in Compton, voted to create a new classification of Civil Service worker, rather than contract with a private company for field representatives.

The decision disappointed Games Management Inc., the U.S. arm of the Vernons Organisation of London, which said it could do the job more efficiently, less expensively and in a shorter period of time.

The decision also disappointed Commissioner William Johnston, a retired school superintendent who wanted the job given to retired school personnel. He abstained from voting on the proposal, which passed 4 to 0.

The commission had already decided that the transportation of tickets between lottery warehouses and retailers in urban areas will be given to a private firm.

In rural areas, the state field representatives may distribute the tickets.

The state will hire 200 field representatives, 10 to 12 regional managers and 4 district managers. The workers will be hired on a temporary basis for a period of nine months, during which they must pass a test to be placed on probation for permanent status.

Field representatives will be paid $19,000 to $23,000 annually; regional managers, $31,000 to $38,000, and district managers, $34,000 to $41,000.

In other lottery developments Friday, the commission received 18 bids on a contract to handle games advertising.