City commission presents exiting Cannon commander key to city

Clovis city commissioners expressed their views that Col. Tim Leahy will leave Cannon Air Force Base, and Clovis, better than when he found it.

The city commission awarded the outgoing commander of Cannon Air Force Base a key to the city Thursday.

It was the final commission meeting before next week’s change of command ceremony at Cannon, where Leahy will be replaced by Col. Stephen Clark.

“I will be leaving with a heavy heart,” Leahy said after receiving the award. “I enjoyed this assignment.”

Leahy will be moving on as an assistant to Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of United States Special Operations Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.

Clovis Mayor Gayla Brumfield said when the base was recommended for closure four years ago, “it was devastating,” but the base’s eventual change from a fighter wing to a Special Operations Command wing turned out to be a “blessing in disguise.”

She thanked Leahy for the progress the base made during his 22 months on the job.

“The person who comes in trying to get things going is very important,” Brumfield said.

Several other commissioners praised Leahy and wished him well on his next mission.

“I feel the Air Force base and the city have a very good relationship,” Commissioner Chris Bryant said, “and that’s due to your leadership.”

Leahy said two AC-130 aircraft arrived at Cannon on Tuesday and were successfully flown Wednesday.

Commissioner Ron Edwards thanked Leahy for being upfront in handling his duties and while he has the occasional resident who complains about the planes, “I sleep better when I hear one of those AC-130s.”