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An ordinance renaming the WeGo Central public transit station of the Metropolitan Transit Authority located at 400 Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. Blvd. as the "Elizabeth Duff Transit Center at WeGo Central."
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WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requires that in order to name a building or structure of the metropolitan government, an ordinance must be adopted by the metropolitan county council (Metro Code ?13.26.010); and
WHEREAS, any ordinance filed seeking to name a building or structure under the operation or control of a board or commission of the metropolitan government shall have a recommendation of such board or commission prior to its adoption on second reading by the council (Metro Code ?13.26.020); and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, seeks to rename WeGo Central transit station in honor of Elizabeth Duff, who was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and broke gender and color barriers by becoming the first female and first African American female bus operator in Nashville when she was hired by the Metropolitan Transit Authority in April 1974; and
WHEREAS, proving that a woman could operate a city bus, Ms. Duff's hire led to the employment of three more female drivers soon thereafter which led to the Metropolitan Transit Authority building its first bathrooms to accommodate female employees; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Duff, who passed away in 2021 with COVID-19 complications, served the Metropolitan Transit Authority for 33 years and in 2004, was named Urban Driver of the Year by the Tennessee Public Transportation Association in recognition of her attendance, cooperation, courtesy and safety record; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, she was recognized by the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1235 for her extraordinary service to the city of Nashville; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, her passing was noted nationally in stories reported by "The New York Times" and the NBC News Sunday Today show; and
WHEREAS, it is fittin...
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