By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
Politics was never in his future.
“The only running I did was on the cross-country and track teams for Northern Kentucky University,” Charlie Cleves, the now five-year Mayor of Bellevue explained to the Covington Rotary Club this week.
“I joined the Ocelots back in 2014,” he told the Northern Kentucky Tribune. “We have our breakfast meetings at 6 a.m. on Saturday at Sis’s in Newport. And I’m still a member, with such Northern Kentucky heavyweights like Jay Buchert, Jack Moreland, Mike Chilelli, Mike Jansen, Allan Bernstein, Pat Crowley, Ray Bacher, Robert Simmons, Tom Fromme, Tom Guidugli Jr. and Sr., Wayne Carlisle, Jay Fossett and Sandy Schweitzer.”
Mayor Charlie Cleves and Bellevue Marketing Director Melissa Morandi with an example of Bellevue’s clever marketing. ((Photo by Andy Furman/NKyTribune)
The late John Williams, past president of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, gave Cleves the kick-start in politics, he says: “If good retired people like you don’t run for Mayor, then don’t complain.”
Cleves responded – and, oh by the way complained as well.
“Bellevue lost a $1M grant,” he said, “when it went unused. Then, Gov. Bevins said if the grant isn’t used, it goes back. I was furious.” And it did.
Perhaps that was the best $1M loss for Bellevue, because Charlie Cleves ran – and won – and the city of Bellevue, well, turned around.
Check out Southern Living Magazine. The publication named Bellevue the most charming city in Kentucky.
Bellevue needed a man like Cleves, a 68-year-lifetime resident who attended Covington Latin High and graduated Northern Kentucky University with a BA in Mathematics in ’75 at the age of 19.
His son, Michael now owns and operates Cleves and Lonnemann Jewelers on Bellevue’s “Broadway” – Fairfield Avenue. Michael is a fourth-generation Cleves to operate the business. He took over the reins on January 1, 2019.
Mayor Cleves on a bench that was a gift to his brother, Monsignor William Cleves, in honor of their parents. It is in front of Cleves and Lonnemann Jewelers in Bellevue (Photo provided)
As for pop, Charlie served as president of the Bellevue Business Association for two years which transitioned into the Main Street program in 2002, renamed In Vue in 2015.
“I have been active in every aspect of Bellevue from age eight and up,” he proudly says.
Cleves hired Frank Warnock as Bellevue City Administrator in 2019 and in the past five years, he says, both have reduced the city’s bond debt from $9.5M to $7.2M – and have refinanced $4.3M at an average of 1.6 percent interest.
“The former dilapidated trailer park on Covert Run is currently being turned into 74 single family homes,” Cleves said. “The riverfront development next to UDF is now a go and will be a 100-room hotel, 14 single-family homes averaging $1M each, 237 apartments and 5,000 square feet of business space. Approximately $85M.”
The Cincinnati Business Courier recently reported Bellevue the best market for first-time home buyers in the greater Cincinnati area, according to Realtor.com.
“Bellevue,” says Cleves, “is less than two miles from Covington, Newport, downtown Cincinnati, Great American Ball Park, and Covington Convention Centers, Over the Rhine, and I-71, I-75 and I-471.”
In the first four years of Cleves working on the OKI Board of Directors, Bellevue has received $6M in grants.
“The total federal grant money available in the same period for Campbell, Kenton and Boone Counties was $64M. Bellevue received 10 percent of that money even though we are only one square mile out of the 572 sq. mi. in these three counties,” Cleves reported. OKI is the number one source of revenue for all types of grant projects.
Mayor Cleves is well known for celebrating Bellevue in fine style. (Photo from Bellevue’s website)
When the City of Bellevue temporarily changed the street signs on Taylor Avenue to read, “Taylor Swift Avenue,” prior to Swift’s Era’s Tour stops in Cincinnati, people came from far and wide to pose with the sign, according to Cleves, and enjoy “Lavender Haze” ice cream from Bellevue tradition – Schneider’s Sweet Shop. And the city received local as well as national media attention.
What’s next? Funny you should ask – Bellevue is ready for Eclipse & Sips on April 8th, from 1-3 pm during the Solar Eclipse.
“We’ll be having a viewing party on the rooftop parking deck of MRBL,” said Bellevue’s Marketing Director, Melissa Marandi who joined the Mayor at the Rotary luncheon.
“We have partnered with the Cincinnati Observatory to make sure everyone in attendance has access to safely view the eclipse; and we’ll have celebrity bartender Molly Wellman mixing up eclipse themed mocktails, light bites and a violinist.”
And, icing on the cake, Bellevue will be living up to its slogan “Preserving the Past Preparing for the Future” as it celebrates its 154th birthday in fine style on March 15.
There will be a party at Callahan Community Center from 5-8 p.m. with free family fun plus cake, pizza, a bounce house and games. There will be a drawing for a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Special Reserve, thanks to the Party Source for those who arrive by 7 p.m. and sign up.
Hey Bellevue – you gotta be happy what Charlie Cleves has accomplished for the city – even though he was once a complainer.
