Mayor R.T. Rybak's choice to head the city's regulators is up for a City Council vote Friday after the nomination of Gregory Stubbs limped out of a committee hearing with only three of the panel's six votes.

"Informally, we're feeling good" about approval of Stubbs, Rybak spokesman John Stiles said as nose-counting continued this week.

Council Member Gary Schiff cast the only vote against the appointment, but two others abstained. Diane Hofstede cautioned that her abstention was mainly because she hadn't yet had face time with Stubbs. Lisa Goodman also abstained but gave no reason. Voting for Stubbs were Elizabeth Glidden, Cam Gordon and Don Samuels.

Rybak picked Stubbs to fill the director of regulatory services vacancy created by the abrupt departure of Rocco Forte earlier this year. Rybak called Stubbs "an experienced, seasoned manager in a very complex department," based on his work directing planning or development for two cities and three counties in the South. He left his most recent government job in Volusia County, Fla., after three years, becoming a consultant, as Forte said he planned to do.

Schiff complained that the search committee for the job interviewed only one outsider as a finalist; members of the search group said another external finalist dropped out before an interview. Schiff said the search group lacked a broad enough representation from those regulated by the department, including no one licensed by the department. However,the group included Jim Smart, a member of the department's business advisory committee and a retail and restaurant designer who has represented license holders before regulators.

"It's a big decision to go outside the city for an appointment like this," Schiff said. He pushed unsuccessfully for delaying the appointment so that he could hear feedback from the department's constituencies about Stubbs. Schiff didn't return a Star Tribune call inquiring about his progress in persuading his colleagues.

Also considered for the post was Henry Reimer, who has been the agency's assistant director and served as its interim chief.

By the way, don't hold your breath for the results of the investigation that was underway when Forte announced he was quitting. City spokeswoman Sara Dietrich said the city closed the investigation by an outside firm when Forte left, and thus there's no final disposition, which would trigger the release of information under state data practices law. That's the same loophole under which a report looking into allegations against Thandiwe Peebles as superintendent of schools never became public in 2006.