The South Portland City Council held an executive session on Monday to discuss the hiring of a new city manager.

Former City Manager Jeffrey Jordan resigned in April after serving as the South Portland city manager for 10 years and as the South Portland assistant city manager for 10 years before that. He recently accepted a position as deputy director for the Brunswick local redevelopment authority.

James H. Gailey became interim city manager on May 1 after serving a few months as part-time assistant city manager. He is also director of the community development block grant for South Portland. Beecher said Gailey chose not to be considered for the permanent city manager’s position.

Mayor Maxine Beecher said she guessed the city has over 72 applicants for the job. She said the council’s special meeting was to take a look at the hiring process, but not to pick a city manager yet.

Beecher said she hopes they will be looking at a vote for a new city manager by the time the council meets on Aug. 21. “But I can’t guarantee that,” she said. South Portland has a long history of hiring from the inside, and this time it will be from the outside, Beecher said.