City councillors, in a special meeting, discussed last night whether to renew the contract of longtime City Manager Robert W. Healy.

Councillors praised Healy for his adept handling of past financial difficulties and for his choices of executive administrators.

But they also said they would have liked him to hire more minorities, fill vacant city positions and heighten the pace of community development.

Councillor Jonathan S. Myers said that while Healy has generally served the city well, he wished the city manager had been more diligent in sharing information with council members and encouraging them to share information with Healy and with one another.

And while Healy drew fire from some citizens, many voiced strong support for the city administrator.

Still, one of the 15 Cantabridgians who attended the meeting, Vincent L. Dixon '74, said Healy had served too long. "It is in everybody's interest that we have a change in command," he said.

Healy has served in his current office since 1982.

Cambridge resident William S. Nobel said that while developers, Harvard and MIT are "ins" among council members, tenants, neighborhoods, and unions are "outs." The city has not dealt with all its constituencies, he said.

"The overall governance of this city has been fantastic," said Councillor Michael A. Sullivan.

He complimented Healy for building schools and a teen center and reconstructing the city's sewer system when other municipalities were cutting back on projects.

"At this point it would be foolish to change quarterbacks," Sullivan said.

Kenneth D. Holmes, former president of the Cambridge Council on Aging, said Healy was instrumental in building a new senior citizens center and supporting the Food Pantry Network.

And one visually impaired Cantabridgian praised Healy's careful compliance with regulations set by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"Bob Healy has done a lot for the handicapped citizens of Cambridge," said 24-year resident Kenneth F. Bowles.

Helena G. Rees, director of public affairs for the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, voiced the chamber's strong appreciation of Healy's role in bringing the business and civic communities together to work toward economic growth.

Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72, who led the effort to renew Healy's contract, said in an interview after the meeting that Healy has helped Harvard in his 12 years as city manager.

"He has made a point of having very good governmental and institutional relations with Harvard," Reeves said.

The councillors will vote on renewing Healy's contract on Monday.