Fred E. Marquis, the longtime former county administrator for whom the Pinellas Trail is named, died Jan. 3. He was 86.
Marquis, who first started in Pinellas County government in 1970 as the assistant planning director, served as county administrator from 1979 to 2000. At the time of his retirement, he was Florida’s longest-serving county administrator.
“He lived a life defined by an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of others,” read a Pinellas County news release announcing his death.
Pinellas County and the city of Dunedin last month celebrated Marquis’ legacy with the unveiling of a plaque along the Pinellas trail in downtown Dunedin. It honors his leadership and achievements.
“It means a great deal to stand here and see how this trail has become part of the daily life of Pinellas,” Marquis said at the ceremony. “The trail was always about giving something back.”
Marquis’ tenure as county administrator was three times longer than the national average at the time of his retirement, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He decided to retire after voters approved a referendum creating single-member districts for county commissioners in the fall of 1999.
Marquis opposed the proposal. It resulted in a majority of commissioners competing in elections to represent geographic portions of the county.
His final days in office featured a nearly 400-person celebration at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, a party in the Public Works building and a surprise announcement that commissioners were renaming the trail after him.
At the time of his retirement, county staff praised his leadership, describing him as a “wonderful and caring guy.”
“For 22 years I’ve enjoyed coming to work every single day, and I can say he’s the man responsible for me being able to do that,” Al Navaroli, a zoning manager in the county’s Development Review Services Department, told the Times in 2000. “He’s insulated us from politics and let professionals do what professionals need to do.”
Marquis was emotional when he left his post.
“This has been my life for 30 years,” he said ahead of his retirement. “I can’t tell you what an emotional roller coaster . . .,” he said, fighting back those emotions. “Well, I just can’t tell you.”
Marquis was a strong proponent of the Penny for Pinellas tax, a voter-approved 1% sales tax that helps pay for county construction projects such as road, parks and fire stations. That tax supported the expansion of the trail, the multi-use pedestrian path that runs from southern St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs.
As planning director, the Persian Gulf War veteran played a key role in exposing a public corruption scandal in which three county commissioners were convicted of accepting payments from developers.
As county administrator, he oversaw a time of “unprecedented solidarity” on the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners and kept a phone in his office that connected him to the Pentagon.
He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
“Marquis was known for his steady leadership, warm sense of humor, and compassion for others,” read the county release. “His wisdom, stories, and quiet strength will be deeply missed by those who knew him.”
Nicolas Villamil is a regional reporter. Contact him at nvillamil@tampabay.com.
Colbi Edmonds is the Clearwater reporter. Reach her at cedmonds@tampabay.com.