APEX - Terry Rowe is the first new council member of the season. The Apex Town Council voted 3-2 to appoint Rowe, a longtime planning board member, to the seat vacated late this summer by former councilman Mike Jones.

The council took a few minutes of deliberation to select Rowe last week from a group of 17 who applied. Gene Schulze moved to nominate the 57-year-old, chiefly citing Rowe's familiarity with proposals for the massive Veridea community.

"He's been through those plans for the last two years, just like we have," Schulze said. "To me, he's unquestionably qualified to fill the seat."

Rowe could step up to the council as early as Oct. 18, ending a 16-year tenure split between the town's Planning Board and Board of Adjustment. He'll serve the remainder of Jones' term, which ends in December 2013.

The new councilman is a vice president of the construction company Skanska. Rowe told the council his experience in business and development would help draw jobs and commerce to Apex and be an asset in planning budgets.

In a later interview, Rowe said the town needs to attract commercial development. "We're already recognized as a great place to live," he said. "Are we tapping the relationships that exist already? Are we reaching out to businesses that are already there?"

A registered Republican, he has voted consistently in municipal and general elections. He unsuccessfully ran for a town council seat in the late 1990s.

The vote to appoint him first split 2-2, then Mayor Keith Weatherly stepped in with a tie-breaking vote.