POTSDAM — Town officials are objecting to the nomination of village Trustee Abigail D. Lee and Clarkson University Center for Advanced Materials Processing Director Suryadevara V. Babu to the Empire Zone Administrative Board.

The Town Council approved the appointment of Clarkson University Chief Financial Officer Nancy Kin to the ZAB at its Tuesday night meeting, but tabled its vote on Mrs. Lee and Mr. Babu while officials search for other candidates.

"There could be somebody better," Councilman Michael J. Zagrobelny said.

Town Supervisor Marie C. Regan and Councilman Harold B. Demick are both members of ZAB and voted for the three nominees at the board's last meeting. At Tuesday night's council meeting, they voted for Ms. Kin to join ZAB, but tabled the other two nominations.

"They did not raise one objection at the time, and they voted for the appointments at the meeting. I don't know what could have changed in a couple days," economic developer James A. Murphy said. "If Marie and Harold had a problem, they should have brought it up then."

Mr. Zagrobelny said — erroneously — that since "there were already three village trustees" on the board, ZAB shouldn't appoint Mrs. Lee.

"By her own admission, when the village brought up the funding of the EDZ, she said she 'didn't do her homework,'" he added.

Mrs. Lee made that remark in March, after she had voted to approve the town's funding of the Empire Zone. Trustee Steven W. Yurgartis had pointed out that for the first time this year, the town's contribution would be less than the village's. She said she didn't know that, and opted not to change her vote.

Mayor Reinhold J. Tischler is the only other voting village trustee on ZAB. He serves as chairman.

"Mike's not doing his homework. If he was, he'd know that these are two pre-eminent people," Planning and Development Director Frederick J. Hanss said.

Mr. Zagrobelny also said the board doesn't need Mr. Babu because it already has another member from Clarkson University: Ms. Kin.

"Again, I think there could be somebody better. What about having a local businessman from outside the village of Potsdam?" he said.

Town Councilman Harold B. Demick said that he liked the idea of having a ZAB member from the village of Norwood.

Mrs. Lee serves on the village Board of Trustees' economic development committee, and is a member of the Potsdam Community Development Corp. She also is a spokeswoman for the Potsdam Auxiliary College Educational Services.

"Abby's a liaison to our offices," Mr. Murphy said. "She's somebody who understands what we're trying to do, and has been so great to work with."

A distinguished professor at Clarkson University, Mr. Babu works to develop technology for New York state companies. Under his direction, CAMP provided an estimated $31 million benefit to state companies and created 47 high-tech jobs last year alone.

"Frankly, if Dr. Babu isn't qualified to talk about high-tech innovation, who is in this town?" Mr. Murphy said. "He's well-regarded not only at Clarkson, but internationally. I mean, this guy's a real player."

The village Board of Trustees will vote on the three ZAB nominees at its next meeting.

If the Town Council wants to nominate different people, it will have to talk to Mr. Tischler, Mr. Murphy said.