Bob Kuiper’s Platform and Biography 
Political, Civic and Occupational Resume below
Drawing on his extensive experience in local village, town and county government, a reputation for integrity, consensus-building leadership, and strong relationships with state and county officials, Bob Kuiper seeks the position of Hamilton Town supervisor with a new team of well-known and respected citizens who bring fresh perspectives to the Town Council.
Out of elective office since 2002 and recently retired, Bob plans to devote the next few years to the betterment of town and county governance. As a fiscal conservative who believes government can promote change for the public good, Bob will consult with local citizens and cooperate with other Town and Village officials, while paving the way for a new generation of capable and responsible leaders.
He heeds the call to improve and coordinate local governance to better serve the public and save taxpayer dollars. He values the potential of new sources of energy, such as wind, solar, geothermal and natural gas, to benefit local farmers and spur economic development. But corporate interests must be kept from taking unfair advantage of landowners, infringing on the rights of neighbors, endangering the environment, and placing burdens on taxpayers who pay for the maintenance and repair of town roads. Bob will promote in the Town, in Wampsville and in Albany regulations that serve landowners and promote the common interest.
As a young man and Korean War era veteran, Bob Kuiper moved to Hamilton, where for fifty years he earned a living for his family as a local businessman and certified appraiser until he retired in 2008. For many years he served on the board of directors of the Alliance Bank. He lives with his wife Marieke and daughter Anne Marie on Montgomery Street in Hamilton. [back to top]
Ever since 1970 Bob dedicated a large portion of his life to public service. In the Village of Hamilton he was a Trustee, Mayor and Justice. As Trustee for Economic Development from 1999 to 2001, he played a crucial role in the revitalization of the downtown business district and the development of the Municipal Airport and Mid-York Business Air park.
He served the Town of Hamilton as Justice for eight years and as Supervisor for fourteen more years. He served all of Madison County for six years as chairman of the Board of Supervisors, where he was respected for his integrity and bipartisan leadership. He was a member of the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, which honored him nine years ago in with a prestigious Citizenship Award. Recently Bob was a charter member of the Committee for Responsible Government, a watchdog group that helped reform county government.
A lifelong moderate Republican, he was honored in 1998 by Republican Congressman Sherwood Boehlert and Democratic Assemblyman Bill Magee, who praised Bob as “a firm voice of moderation in local and state politics.” Disaffected by the Republican Party’s drift towards right-wing extremism and foreign adventurism under President George W. Bush and Vice-president Dick Cheney, Bob changed his enrollment first to the Independence Party and recently to the Democratic Party.
For many years an active firefighter, Bob is now an honorary member of the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department. He is also a member of the local American Legion, the Hamilton Club, and the Hamilton Rotary Club, which he served as president. He received a Civic Award for Conspicuous Community Service from Colgate University and distinguished service awards from SOMAC and the County ARC.
Bob is a 50-year member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, which he served as Warden and Vestry member. He played an important role in the establishment of the Madison Lane Mid-York Senior Homes, serving as president until last year. As chair of the Board of Supervisors he was responsible for selling the outdated and dysfunctional Gerrit Smith Infirmary and replacing it with the state-of-the-art Crouse Extended Care facility. Now as a volunteer at the Hamilton Food Cupboard he learns firsthand about the difficult lives of disadvantaged families. [back to top]
Political, Civic and Occupational Resume
Political Affiliation
A life-long moderate Republican changed registration to Independence Party in 2006
Enrolled in the Democratic Party on July 16, 2009
Elected Public Offices
- 1971 - 1975 Hamilton Village Mayor
- 1973 - 1981 Hamilton Town Justice
- 1977 - 1983 Hamilton Village Justice
- 1984 - 1997 Hamilton Town Supervisor
- 1988 - 1993 Chaired Madison County Board of Supervisors
- 1998 - 2002 Hamilton Village Trustee; as Trustee for Economic Development from 1999–2001 was responsible for revitalizing the business district with the Hamilton Initiative and establishing the Mid-York Business Air park
Occupational History
- 1959 - 2008 Hamilton Businessman: Western Auto Associate, Bike Shops,
- Hamilton Cinema; Real Estate Ventures, Certified Appraiser [back to top]
Past Associations
- Member, Alliance Bank Board of Directors
- Madison County Jail Release Board
- Member, Madison County Magistrates Association
- Member, Central New York Regional Planning & Development Board
- Member, New York State Appraisers Association
- Board Member, Thornfield Episcopal Conference Center, Cazenovia
- Charter Member, Madison County Committee for Responsible Government, 2005-2008
Current Associations and Activities
- Board of Directors and former President, Mid-York Senior Homes
- Honorary Member and former Member, Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department
- Member, American Legion Post 375 (Hamilton area); Korean War veteran
- Member and former President, Hamilton Rotary Club
- Member and Board of Governors, Hamilton Club
- 50-year member, St. Thomas Episcopal Church (past Warden and Vestry member)
- Volunteer, Hamilton Food Cupboard
- Chenango Water Exercise Group
Community and Public Service Awards
- 1978 Colgate University Annual Civic Award for Conspicuous Community Service, presented by President George Langdon, Jr.
- Distinguished Service Award, Madison County Chapter, New York State ARC
- Distinguished Service Award, Southern Madison County Ambulance Corps (SOMAC)
- Honored in 1998 for 27 years of continuous public service with a proclamation by moderate
- Republican Congressman Sherwood Boehlert and a citation by Democratic State Assemblyman Bill Magee calling him “a firm voice of moderation in local and state politics ... remembered for his honest and forthright nature.”
- 16th Annual Rhea Eckel Clark Memorial Citizenship Award presented in 2000 by the CNY
- Regional Planning and Development Board for Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties