Paul Lane, the city's building inspections administrator and head of Pickerington's building department, was dismissed Monday.

Pickerington Police Chief and interim city manager Mike Taylor cited "inappropriate material" on Taylor's city computer.

"Just in reviewing his computer, it was found," said Taylor, who was appointed interim city manager by the Pickerington City Council on Oct. 28, after former city manager Tim Hansley was fired a week earlier.

"It was rumored that numerous people were deleting files off computers," Taylor said. "I checked several, and although nothing was found deleted (from Lane's computer), there was inappropriate material."

Taylor would not divulge the nature of the material that led to the firing, and he wouldn't say if Lane visited restricted Web sites or used his computer to send or receive personal e-mails.

A call to Lane's home wasn't immediately returned.

City municipal clerk Lynda Yartin said Lane's personnel file would be made available after review by the city's law director, per city policy.

Lane was hired Aug. 30, 1999. His salary was $63,068.

Taylor said the city won't extend severance pay to Lane. He also said no criminal investigation or charges would result from Lane's computer use.

The city is seeking a replacement for Hansley, who said he was fired in part because his detractors wanted "somebody they can dictate the day-to-day actions to, especially the hiring and firing of staff." His last day was Oct. 21.

nellis@thisweeknews.com