By Andy Furman
NKyTribune Reporter
Could he?
Would he?
Buddy Waite served as Mayor of Ludlow not once — but twice – 1966 and again in 1974.
In fact, when you talk about the city of Ludlow, it’s just about impossible not to mention Buddy Waite.
Born in Covington, Waite played four years of both football and basketball at Ludlow High School – 1946-49.
“I started as a halfback for three years,” he told the Northern Kentucky Tribune. “After high school,” he continued, “about 90 percent of the kids enlisted.”
Buddy Waite (Photo by Andy Furman/NKyTribune)
It was Norfolk and Southern where he toiled before he was shipped out to Newport, Rhode Island.
He served on the U.S. Wadleigh 89 – and, of course, also played football for the Bainbridge Naval Center Football Team as a defensive back.
Metropolitan Life Insurance as a sales representative for 27 years marked his resume, but it was politics where Buddy Waite made his mark – and made noise.
“I think my biggest contribution was in 1966,” he said, “as Mayor when I created the Kenton County Municipal League and served as its first President.”
That organization united the mayors of Ft. Wright, Erlanger, Elsmere, Covington and Ludlow to oppose the Governor’s Proposal to eliminate the mayors and City Commissioners of the smaller cities in the Commonwealth. This was accomplished and the Municipal League is still active and Waite was granted lifetime membership.
He also organized the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Council of Government and served as the first President. It’s still active today.
“But being elected and serving as Mayor of my hometown, well, that’s been one of the proudest moments of my life,” he said,
And perhaps one of the most unorthodox.
“I did something no one has ever done,” he said. “I went door-to-door for that 1964 election. There were five candidates and I was a long shot. In fact, I was told I’d never win.”
Waite wrote a letter a week prior to the election – “I Promise No One Nothing,” he wrote, “But to serve to the best of my ability.”
It worked – he won by a landslide.
In fact, it was the biggest election upset in a Northern Kentucky election.
He showed his love for Ludlow — and the community loved him back.
He organized and served three terms as President of the Ludlow Athletic Boosters – and served on that committee for over 25 years.
He was Chairman of the Ludlow Centennial Parade – 1964 – and was inducted into the Ludlow High School Hall of Fame.
Add to that, the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and an Honorable Mention membership in the Kentucky State Hall of Fame.
For protecting constitutional liberties of the people of Kentucky, he received the Commonwealth’s Heritage Outstanding Leadership Award – and in 1968 Buddy Waite was voted the Man of the Year in Ludlow – and one of the top 10 mayors in Kentucky.
So it was only natural he served as mayor again – from 1974-78.
Perhaps another Waite coup – he eliminated the volunteer fire department in Ludlow – put it to a vote – and instituted a paid department.
These days Buddy Waite sleeps in, takes walks and enjoys sporting events.
“And on Mondays,” he says, “I pick up my neighbors’ garbage cans on the side of the street. These three neighbors are about 20 years younger than me.”
Now that’s truly community service.
Why not, Waite was a member of the now-defunct Ludlow Rotary Club.
But the bigger question is this.
Would. Could. Buddy Waite run for a third-term of Ludlow’s mayor at the ripe young age of 91?
“I’ve been thinking about it,” he jokes, “but I can’t.”
Buddy Waite now calls Burlington home.
