RESOLUTION
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP ROBINSON, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS PINEDA-ISAAC, DIAZ, AND MERANTE:
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RESOLUTION OF THE YONKERS CITY COUNCIL TO HONOR THE COMMUNITY’S REQUEST TO HONORARILY RENAME RUNYON AVENUE AT DUNBAR STREET TO TUCKAHOE ROAD MILTON R. HOLST WAY.
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WHEREAS, Milton R. Holst, the third of four brothers, was born to Frank and Estelle E. Holst on September 16, 1925, in New York City, and the Holst family later moved to the then Nepperhan (now known as Runyon Heights) section of Yonkers in January 1926; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holst was educated in the Yonkers Public School system, attending Public School #1, Longfellow Junior High School, and Saunders High School; and
WHEREAS, in 1943, at the age of 18, Mr. Holst was drafted into the United States Navy, serving honorably in the North Pacific and Aleutian Islands aboard the Yard Order 73-Sea Going Tug and the PCS Sub Chaser as a Seaman Special First Class, receiving an Honorable Discharge in May 1946 and, later that year, in November, Mr. Holst married Estelle E. Burrell; and
WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Holst’s union was blessed with the birth of their daughter Estelle in 1947, and they relocated to, and lived on, the corner of Runyon Avenue and Potomac Streets where he resided until his death; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holst dedicated 43 years of service to Phelps Dodge in Yonkers, where he was a valued employee until his retirement; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holst also returned to his roots in the Boy Scouts by serving as Scout Master of his former Troop #34 in Runyon Heights, leading with distinction from 1950 to 1960, receiving numerous honors, including the prestigious Scout Master Key, which is the highest recognition for a Scout Master; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holst joined the Runyon Heights Improvement Association in 1954, becoming a Board Member and House Action Chairman, and later serving as President from 1980 to 1985; and
WHEREAS, during his presidency of the Runyon Heights Improvement Association, Mr. Holst spearheaded impactful initiatives such as the Neighborhood Block Watchers Program, the Community Neighborhood Development Program for senior citizens, and the Self-Help Paint Program, all of which contributed significantly to the improvement of the Runyon Heights community, and also served as the Editor of the Runyon Heights Voice, a Community newsletter where he kept residents informed of the local events and “kept everyone on their toes” regarding the upkeep and beautification of their property, motivating residents to take pride in the community; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holst’s civic engagement extended far beyond one organization, with service including the Yonkers Advisory Board for Community Development, the Yonkers Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board, leadership of the 10th Ward Republican Club, the Emanon Fishing Club, and the Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church Men’s Club (where he served as Financial Secretary), a LIFE member of the NAACP and a member of the Runyon Heights Senior Citizen Group #8, as well as a member of its bowling league; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holst was a true force to be reckoned with in his zeal to fight for what was right and fair, and he was recognized with numerous awards and honors for his tireless dedication and outstanding contributions to the community, our country, and his family, until his peaceful passing; and
WHEREAS, the City Council wishes to honor and celebrate the extraordinary life, service, and legacy of Mr. Holst, by expressing the deepest appreciation for his decades of unwavering commitment to our country, civic duty, community development, and family values; and
WHEREAS, for this well lived life of service to and in the City of Yonkers, the City Council has received a completed and executed petition that was duly filed with the City Clerk to Honorarily re-name the corner of Runyon Avenue between Dunbar Street to the corner of Tuckahoe Road in the City of Yonkers in honor of one of its most beloved citizens, Milton R. Holst; and
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the entire City Council to honor the community’s and his family's request to render a public and permanent reminder of the strength and achievements of Milton R. Holst; and
WHEREAS, the Yonkers City Council was required by law to duly set and conduct a public hearing in order to grant such a request; and
WHEREAS, a properly notified and publicized public hearing was duly set and held before the City Council at the City Council Chambers in City Hall on October 28, 2025 prior to its scheduled meeting to consider the honorary street re-naming of the corner of Runyon Avenue between Dunbar Street to the corner of Tuckahoe Road in the City of Yonkers as "Milton R. Holst Way", with the appropriate signage to then be installed at the intersection of that corner;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Yonkers City Council hereby honorarily street re-names the corner of Runyon Avenue between Dunbar Street to the corner of Tuckahoe Road in the City of Yonkers as "Milton R. Holst Way", with the appropriate signage to be installed at the intersection of that corner; and be it further
RESOLVED, that this resolution shall take effect immediately.