Del City questions why official is opposed to development

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A Del City business park is drawing opposition from some civic leaders who say it could influence military officials to close Tinker Air Force Base. <br><br>Del City's mayor questions

Monday, November 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A Del City business park is drawing opposition from some civic leaders who say it could influence military officials to close Tinker Air Force Base.

Del City's mayor questions why there's no opposition to another business park across the street in neighboring Midwest City.

Oklahoma County commissioners voted Oct. 16 to give 28 acres to Del City, but since then commissioners have scheduled a vote next month where they will consider taking back the land.

The land donation was especially opposed by retired Air Force Gen. Dick Burpee, president of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, who said the business park is too close to Tinker runways to be safe if an accident happens. Burpee said the military will close bases where there is too much encroachment.

The land was bought by the county in 1986 with $2.9 million in taxpayer money to protect the base and, Burpee said, giving it away would raise questions about whether commissioners could be believed in the next public election.

Del City Mayor Dick Kanenchen wants to know why Burpee, a former base commander at Tinker, is not opposed to the Midwest City development.

Burpee was hired in the early 1990s by the developer of that industrial park to lure military contractors as tenants. Burpee says that job has nothing to do with his lack of opposition to the Midwest City development.

Burpee said he plans to review the Midwest City project next week to determine if it is in compliance with Air Force regulations.

``I want to make sure I have the facts straight,'' Burpee said.

If there are no problems with the Midwest City development, he said, Del City's should also be acceptable.