“I think it’s just indefensible what went on with the Montiero case,” City Councillor Kenneth E. Reeves ’72 told The Crimson in March, when he voted against extending the manager’s contract. “This is a way of doing business in government that I cannot support.”

But for the most part, Healy has managed to hold onto public favor for more than three decades. Sheldon Cohen, the former owner of Out of Town News who has been called the unofficial mayor of Harvard Square, attributes Healy’s longevity in office to his ability to stay out of the political crossfire.

“He kept away from the limelight,” Cohen says. “He kept away from the politics—for a person to be in a position for 30 odd years, that tells you something.”

Born echoes a similar sentiment.

“Bob is kind of above politics,” she says. “He, insofar as he could, tried to transcend the politics and squabbles on the Council.”

MONEY MANAGER

Most Cambridge politicos consider Healy’s ability to expertly manage the city’s budget his biggest strength.

Sheila T. Russell, a former Cambridge mayor, recalls the city’s shaky fiscal situation when Healy took over, at a time when the state had just implemented a tax code that severely cut down the city’s spending money.

“The finances of the city were not very good,” Russell says. “He was able to bring us up to a triple-A rating.”

Cambridge Mayor Henrietta J. Davis also praises Healy’s ability to place balancing the budget above satisfying the desires of the City Council.

“He’s been unwavering about having a consistent and responsible fiscal policy,” Davis says. “‘If you want the things you say you want,’ he says to the us on the Council, ‘you have to be fiscally responsible also.’”

The financial strength and stability Cambridge has attained during Healy’s time as manager are undeniable. But some argue that the city’s strong economy stems from its good chance to be home to Harvard, MIT, and the vibrant knowledge-based industry that the universities draw to the area.

“The city is fortunate because it has major universities,” Born says. “There are definitely some physical and cultural assets that the city has. But I think what the city manager has done is to provide very, very steady leadership, and he’s helped the city capitalize on its assets.”

When asked about his contribution to the financial success of the city, Healy acknowledges that “it’s always better to be lucky than good.” But he also notes ways that his decisions have helped to shape Cambridge.

He recalls, for instance, the time that Novartis, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, was considering Cambridge as the location of its new global research headquarters.