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Many cities and counties
recognized the need and benefits of automation, but the cost of
hardware and software was beyond many local governments' budgets.
Also, the rapid growth in the computer industry gave vendors all
the business they needed without going to small customers in remote
locations.
In 1973, James Cotton, Jr., a representative
from the Tennessee Valley Authority, met with Ken Joines of UT MTAS
(Municipal Technical Advisory Service), and Mike Kesler, Computer
Center Director of Columbia State Community College (CSCC), to discuss
a mutually beneficial project to provide computer services for Tennessee
cities. TVA had some limited funds earmarked for this purpose, MTAS
had expertise in municipal fund accounting, and CSCC had computer
hardware and programmers. In a cooperative effort, they developed
fund accounting software that was deployed to twenty municipalities
in the Middle Tennessee area. The following year, the software and
documentation was given to Jackson State Community College (JSCC)
to serve West Tennessee. This resulted in deployment to fourteen
additional municipalities before the total project reverted back
to CSCC. Serving thirty-four Tennessee cities from the CSCC computer
center soon became an obvious encumbrance to their primary mission
of serving the students, faculty, and administration.
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Our
first office at Columbia State
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In 1977, Local Government Corporation
became an independent entity, incorporated as a not-for-profit to
serve automation needs in the Tennessee Valley, primarily in the
State of Tennessee. TVA provided $50,000 and UT-IPS provided $45,000
for start-up funding. Charter board members included Charles Bilbrey,
Comptroller's Office, Herbert Bingham, Director of TML, James Cotton,
Jr., TVA, Ralph Harris, Director of TCSA, Gary Hensley, municipality,
Ken Joines, MTAS, Mike Kesler, Director of LGC, Tom McAnulty, CTAS,
and Claude Wright, SDE. The first staff consisted of Mike Kesler,
John Hunt, Mickey Wilson, Sue Gilliam, and Doris O'Neal. Four presidents,
Mike Kesler, John Hunt, Bradley Dugger, and Vic Mangrum have served
LGC with Mike returning in 1988.
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Our
Second Office on Penny Avenue
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The corporation opened for business
in a small Columbia office on Penny Avenue in June 1977 with a used
IBM 360 Model 30 computer. After that LGC moved to a 6,000 square
foot office in a basement on Trotwood Avenue for twelve years, and
then in October 1991 moved to its present 17,000 square foot facility
at 714 Armstrong Lane.
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Our
Third Office on Trotwood Ave
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Today LGC has four offices totaling
over 50,000 square feet of office and warehouse space.
The first product was a batch accounting
and payroll service with the addition of utility billing the second
year. The product line has expanded to a full service company offering
hardware, software, and related computer services. The application
software offered by LGC covers virtually all of the automation needs
of its customers, from accounting and property taxes, to food service
and court administration.
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Our
Current Office on Armstrong Lane
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Today, LGC employs over 140 people
and serves over 1,200 customers in Tennessee and Alabama, including
many contracted services to the State of Tennessee. Thanks to the
foresight and hard work of many people and support organizations,
LGC's customers are second to none when it comes to automation.
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