Though the Council created a 15-month transition period that some found unnecessarily long, Maher said that it actually seems unlikely that the city will complete the selection process by the time Healy’s contract expires on June 30, 2013.

“The odds are that we will not have it all finished. It may lend itself that we may be looking at an interim appointment,” Maher said.

Davis noted that frequently in choosing a school superintendent, the city has appointed an interim superintendent for a year.

“There’s been a year of an acting person and sometimes that’s even a good thing,” she said.

Healy himself initially served as acting city manager from July to December 1981 before formally taking on the position.

The third meeting of Cambridge Government Operations Committee—which is comprised of all nine city councillors—regarding the selection of the manager will be held in the coming weeks to discuss hiring a firm. This Friday’s meeting of the committee will not include this topic.

—Amanda E. McGowan contributed to the reporting of this story.

—Staff writer Kerry M. Flynn can be reached at kflynn@college.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Maya S. Jonas-Silver can be reached at mayajonas-silver@college.harvard.edu.