MOUNT JULIET (AP) — Mount Juliet officials have fired a city worker and accepted the resignations of four others accused of sending sexually explicit messages.

The Lebanon Democrat reported the five were found to have used city computers and cellphones to "sext" each other on city time.

Interim City Manager Kenneth Martin said on Thursday that had the four who resigned not done so, they would have been fired. Those involved included a police sergeant, the assistant public works director, a project manager, a tax clerk and a purchasing clerk.

Martin said people make mistakes, but those involved must be held accountable. Mayor Ed Hagerty earlier called the allegations "appalling and disgusting." Hagerty said on Monday he would try to defund the workers' positions because they demonstrated the jobs were unnecessary.